Section 1. Introduction

1. PURPOSE OF THIS ORDER

This order prescribes air traffic control procedures and phraseology for use by persons providing air traffic control services. Controllers are required to be familiar with the provisions of this order that pertain to their operational responsibilities and to exercise their best judgment if they encounter situations that are not covered by it.

1. AUDIENCE

This order applies to all ATO personnel and anyone using ATO directives.

1. WHERE TO FIND THIS ORDER

This order is available on the FAA's Air Traffic Plans and Publications website at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ and Orders & Notices website at https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/.

1. WHAT THIS ORDER CANCELS

FAA Order JO 7110.65AA, Air Traffic Control, dated April 20, 2023, and all changes to it are canceled.

1. EXPLANATION OF CHANGES

The significant changes to this order are identified in the Explanation of Changes page(s). It is advisable to retain the page(s) throughout the duration of the basic order.

1. EFFECTIVE DATES AND SUBMISSIONS FOR CHANGES

1. This order and its changes are scheduled to be published to coincide with AIRAC dates. (See TBL 1-1-1.)
2. The “Cutoff Date for Completion" in the table below refers to the deadline for a proposed change to be fully coordinated and signed. Change initiators must submit their proposed changes well in advance of this cutoff date to meet the publication effective date. The process to review and coordinate changes often takes several months after the change is initially submitted.

1. DELIVERY DATES

1. This order will be available on the FAA's website 30 days prior to its effective date.
2. If an FAA facility has not received the order/changes at least 30 days before the above effective dates, the facility must notify its service area office distribution officer.
3. If a military facility has not received the order/changes at least 30 days before the above effective dates, the facility must notify its appropriate military headquarters. (See TBL 1-1-2.)

1. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROCEDURAL CHANGES

The office of primary responsibility (OPR) for this order is:

FAA Headquarters, Mission Support Services
Policy (AJV-P)
600 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20597

1. Personnel should submit recommended changes in procedures to facility management.
2. Recommendations from other sources should be submitted through appropriate FAA, military, or industry/user channels.
3. Proposed changes must be submitted electronically to 9‐AJV‐P‐HQ‐Correspondence@faa.gov. The submission should include a description of the recommended change, and the proposed language to be used in the order.

1. Procedural changes will not be made to this order until the operational system software has been adapted to accomplish the revised procedures.

1. REQUESTS FOR INTERPRETATIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS TO THIS ORDER

1. Requests from Air Traffic Services (AJT) field personnel must be submitted to the applicable Service Area Director of Air Traffic Operations, as follows:

1. The request must be submitted in writing by an Air Traffic Manager to the District General Manager, who will forward the request in writing to the Service Area Director of Air Traffic Operations through the Operations Support Group (OSG).
2. The Service Area Director of Air Traffic Operations must review the submission to determine if an interpretation or a clarification is required.

1. If more than one interpretation of the language can be inferred, the request for interpretation must be submitted in writing to the Director, Policy (AJV-P).
2. If it is determined a clarification of the language is required, the request is returned to the OSG. The OSG must provide a written clarification response to the requestor and forward a copy of the response to the Service Area Director of Air Traffic Operations and AJV-P.

1. Requests from System Operations Services (AJR) personnel must be submitted in writing through appropriate channels to the applicable Systems Operations Services Director. The receiving Systems Operations Services Director will review and, if deemed valid, submit the request to AJV-P for response.
2. Requests from all other FAA ATO service units, Lines of Business or Staff Offices must be submitted in writing through appropriate leadership channels to AJV-P.
3. Requests from DoD personnel must be submitted in writing to the respective Military Service Headquarters, via the appropriate chain of command. The Military Service Headquarters will review and, if deemed valid, submit the request to AJV-P.
4. All non‐FAA/DoD requests may be submitted directly to AJV-P.
5. All requests directed to AJV-P in accordance with subparagraphs a through e above must be sent to the AJV-P correspondence mailbox at: 9‐AJV‐P‐HQ‐Correspondence@faa.gov.
6. Published interpretations for this order may be accessed through the MyFAA employee website via: https://my.faa.gov/org/linebusiness/ato/missionsupport/air-traffic-control-interpretations.

1. PROCEDURAL LETTERS OF AGREEMENT (LOAs)

Procedures/minima which are applied jointly or otherwise require the cooperation or concurrence of more than one facility/organization must be documented in a letter of agreement. LOAs only supplement this order. Any minima they specify must not be less than that specified herein unless appropriate military authority has authorized application of reduced separation between military aircraft. Procedures for LOA development, review, and approval are covered in FAA Order JO 7210.3, Chapter 4, Section 3.

1. WAIVERS TO THIS ORDER

1. Exceptional or unusual requirements may dictate procedural deviations or supplementary procedures to this order. The approval of waivers to air traffic procedures is covered in FAA Order JO 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, Chapter 19, Section 7.
2. If military operations or facilities are involved, prior approval by the following appropriate headquarters is required for subsequent interface with FAA. (See TBL 1-1-3.)

1. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (SMS)

Safety is fundamental to the provision of air traffic management and communication, navigation, and surveillance services. The ATO develops, implements, and maintains processes, tools, and guiding principles within the framework of a Safety Management System (SMS) to ensure that performance‐based NAS safety goals are achieved. The ATO SMS gives the responsibility for owning and executing the SMS to all employees at all levels of the ATO. All ATO employees must strive not only to maintain safety in the NAS for those services they provide but also to continuously improve the ATO SMS. Direction regarding the ATO SMS and its application is found in FAA Order JO 1000.37, Air Traffic Organization Safety Management System. Additional information pertaining to ATO SMS requirements and processes can be obtained by visiting the SMS Toolbox, emailing the Office of Safety and Technical Training (AJI) at 9‐AJI‐SMS@faa.gov, or contacting the service center Quality Control Group. SMS training is available for all employees via eLMS.  Additional courses along with Technical Training for SMS Practitioners and SMS Facilitators are available from AJI.

1. REFERENCES TO FAA NON‐AIR TRAFFIC ORGANIZATIONS

When references are made to regional office organizations that are not part of the Air Traffic Organization (Communications Center, Flight Standards, Airport offices, etc.), the facility should contact the FAA region where the facility is physically located—not the region where the facility's service area office is located.

1. DISTRIBUTION

1. This order is distributed to selected offices in Washington headquarters, regional offices, service area offices, the William J. Hughes Technical Center, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, and to all air traffic field facilities and international aviation field offices.
2. This order is distributed electronically to all who subscribe to receive email notifications through the FAA's website. All organizations are responsible for viewing, downloading, and subscribing to receive email notifications when changes occur to this order. Subscriptions to air traffic directives can be made through the Air Traffic Plans and Publications website at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ or directly via the following link: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USAFAA/subscriber/new?topic_id=USAFAA_39.