Explanation of Changes

Effective: August 7, 2025

  1. 2-3-10. DIRECTION SIGNS
    2-3-11. DESTINATION SIGNS     This change revises paragraph 2-3-11, Destination Signs. This change coincides with an update of AC 150/5340-18 thus establishing an authorized source that supports FAA adding standardized chart labels for parking areas to airport diagrams. The rewrite of paragraph 2-3-11 separates content for inbound destination signs from content for outbound destination. This DCP also revises and recaptions FIG 2-3-38 to depict more examples of inbound destination sign legends, and recaptions FIG 2-3-39 to reflect an outbound destination sign example, and moves them to paragraph 2-3-11.
  2. 4-3-3. AIRPORTS WITH AN OPERATING CONTROL TOWER This change realigns the AIM definition and graphic depiction of upwind leg at towered airports with current ATC use and expectation. ATC usage of upwind leg is an extension of departure. The AIM's current definition of upwind has led to confusion among pilots and controllers. The new proposed graphic depiction of upwind in FIG 4-3-1 as well as the definition in 4-3-2c aligns with common usage at towered airports. Additionally, the order of traffic pattern component definitions was reconfigured to align their definitions in a more logical sequence beginning with departure.
  3. 5-2-9. INSTRUMENT DEPARTURE PROCEDURES (DP) - OBSTACLE DEPARTURE PROCEDURES (ODP), STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEPARTURES (SID), AND DIVERSE VECTOR AREAS (DVA) This change incorporates changes to instrument departure criteria for minimums and obstacle notes. Language is added to identify the changes to departure charts and pilot/controller responsibilities.
  4. 5-4-5. INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE (IAP) CHARTS This change updates information regarding instrument approach altimeter setting sources to include references to airport identifiers.
  5. 5-4-6. APPROACH CLEARANCE
    5-4-7. INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES     This change realigns cleared approach procedures, which was inadvertently added to paragraph 5-4-7, to paragraph 5-4-6. It also addresses arrival to approach connectivity procedures to assure pilots recognize and implement the connection of arrivals (STARs) with an instrument approach procedure at the initial approach fix where they exist.
  6. 5-4-13. SIMULTANEOUS APPROACHES TO PARALLEL RUNWAYS This change addresses curved and angled paths that may be used to intercept the final approach course and emphasizes the importance of adhering to the approach procedure. Also, a correction is being made to the figure that corresponds to the textual description.
  7. 5-4-22. USE OF ENHANCED FLIGHT VISION SYSTEMS (EFVS) ON INSTRUMENT APROACHES This updates the EFVS section of the AIM to note this change, as well as, to call attention to the AFS 410 EFVS website where each LED ALS is noted by runway end.
  8. 7-1-1. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AVIATION WEATHER SERVICE PROGRAM
    7-1-3. USE OF AVIATION WEATHER PRODUCTS
    7-1-9. FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICES (FIS)     This change removes references to Advisory Circular 00-45, Aviation Weather Services, and replaces with FAA-H-8083-28, Aviation Weather Handbook. Making these changes will correct the AIM and bring it in alignment with other FAA documents and publications.
  9. 7-1-7. CATEGORICAL OUTLOOKS This change amends the paragraph to include reported weather data as to how the categorical ceiling and visibility terms are used.
  10. 7-2-3. ALTIMETER ERRORS This change assigns the waiver authority for 14 CFR § 91.144 to Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Service Center Directors in their areas of jurisdiction, since AFS waiver procedures were incompatible with the short life of a high barometric pressure NOTAM.
  11. 7-6-18. AUTOMATIC LANDING OPERATIONS This change adds guidance advising operators conducting automatic landing operations to first determine that the flight control guidance system being used is compatible with the instrument approach procedure and runway being used.
  12. 9-1-3. SAFETY ALERTS, CHARTING NOTICES AND DATA PRODUCT NOTICES This change adds descriptions of FAA published Safety Alerts (SA), Charting Notices (CN), and Data Product Notices (DPN), and provides a hyperlink to the FAA website containing these notices.
  13. Editorial Changes Editorial changes include relocating some subparagraphs in paragraph 5-3-1 to match the corresponding formatting in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP); correcting the title of paragraph 7-6-1 to Accident Causal Factors; a universal change replacing all prior references to the term Gulf of Mexico with the term Gulf of America in accordance with Executive Order 14172; and a universal change updating the term Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) to Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
  14. Entire Publication Additional editorial/format changes were made where necessary. Revision bars were not used because of the insignificant nature of these changes.