Section 7. Speed Adjustment

5-7-1. APPLICATION

Keep speed adjustments to the minimum necessary to achieve or maintain required or desired spacing. Avoid adjustments requiring alternate decreases and increases. Terminate speed adjustments when no longer needed.

  1. Consider the following when applying speed control:
    1. Determine the interval required and the point at which the interval is to be accomplished.
    2. Implement speed adjustment based on the following principles.
      1. Priority of speed adjustment instructions is determined by the relative speed and position of the aircraft involved and the spacing requirement.
      2. Speed adjustments are not achieved instantaneously. Aircraft configuration, altitudes, and speed determine the time and distance required to accomplish the adjustment.
    3. Use the following techniques in speed control situations:
      1. Compensate for compression when assigning air speed adjustment in an in‐trail situation by using one of the following techniques:
        1. Reduce the trailing aircraft first.
        2. Increase the leading aircraft first.
      2. Assign a specific airspeed if required to maintain spacing.
      3. Allow increased time and distance to achieve speed adjustments in the following situations:
        1. Higher altitudes.
        2. Greater speed.
        3. Clean configurations.
      4. Ensure that aircraft are allowed to operate in a clean configuration as long as circumstances permit.
      5. Keep the number of speed adjustments per aircraft to the minimum required to achieve and maintain spacing.
  2. Do not assign speed adjustment to aircraft:
    1. At or above FL 390 without pilot consent.
    2. Executing a published high altitude instrument approach procedure.
    3. In a holding pattern.
    4. Inside the final approach fix on final or a point 5 miles from the runway, whichever is closer to the runway.
  3. At the time approach clearance or a climb via/descend via clearance is issued, previously assigned speeds must be restated if required.
  4. Approach clearances or climb via/descend via clearances cancel any previously assigned speeds. Pilots are expected to make their own speed adjustments to fly the approach, SID, or STAR unless assigned speeds are restated.
  5. A speed restriction published as part of a SID/STAR is canceled when an aircraft is vectored off, or a deviation from the SID/STAR is approved. If necessary, assign a speed in conjunction with the vector or approval to deviate.
  6. When issuing speed adjustments to aircraft cleared along a route or procedure that has published speed restrictions, if feasible, advise the pilot where you intend on allowing the aircraft to resume the published speed.
  7. Express speed adjustments in terms of knots based on indicated airspeed (IAS) in 5‐knot increments. At or above FL 240, speeds may be expressed in terms of Mach numbers in 0.01 increments for aircraft with Mach meters (Mach 0.69, 0.70, 0.71, etc.).

5-7-2. METHODS

  1. Instruct aircraft to:
    1. Maintain present/specific speed.
    2. Maintain specified speed or greater/less.
    3. Maintain the highest/lowest practical speed.
    4. Increase or reduce to a specified speed in single‐digit form or by a specified number of knots in group form.
  2. To obtain pilot concurrence for a speed adjustment at or above FL 390, as required by paragraph 5-7-1, Application, use the following phraseology.
  3. Simultaneous speed reduction and descent can be extremely difficult, particularly for turbojet aircraft. Specifying which action is to be accomplished first removes any doubt the pilot may have as to controller intent or priority. Specify which action is expected first when combining speed reduction with a descent clearance.
    1. Speed reductions prior to descent.
    2. Speed reduction following descent.
  4. Specify combined speed/altitude fix crossing restrictions.
  5. When issuing speed adjustments to aircraft cleared on procedures with published speed restrictions, specify the point at which the issued restriction begins, ends, or changes the published restrictions.

5-7-3. SPEED ASSIGNMENTS

When assigning airspeeds, use the following:

  1. To aircraft operating between FL 280 and 10,000 feet, a speed not less than 250 knots or the equivalent Mach number.
  2. To aircraft operating beneath Class B airspace or in a VFR corridor designated through Class B airspace: assign a speed not more than 200 knots.
  3. To arrival aircraft operating below 10,000 feet:
    1. Turbojet aircraft:
      1. Assign a speed not less than 210 knots, except for the aircraft as specified in subparagraph b above, or
      2. Assign a speed not less than 170 knots when the aircraft is within 20 flying miles of the runway threshold.
    2. Reciprocating and turboprop aircraft:
      1. Assign a speed not less than 200 knots, or
      2. Assign a speed not less than 150 knots when the aircraft is within 20 flying miles of the runway threshold.
  4. To departures:
    1. Turbojet aircraft: assign a speed not less than 230 knots.
    2. Reciprocating and turboprop aircraft: assign a speed not less than 150 knots.
  5. To helicopters: Assign a speed not less than 60 knots.
  6. Lower speeds may be assigned when operationally advantageous.

5-7-4. TERMINATION

Advise aircraft when speed adjustments are no longer needed.

  1. Advise aircraft to “resume normal speed” when ATC-assigned speed adjustments are no longer required and no published speed restrictions apply.
  2. Instruct aircraft to “comply with speed restrictions” applicable to the charted procedure or route being flown.
  3. Advise aircraft to “resume published speed" when aircraft have been assigned an unpublished speed and ATC wants aircraft to meet subsequent published speed restrictions on the route or procedure.
  4. Advise aircraft when either ATC assigned speed adjustments or published speed restrictions are no longer required.