Section 1. General

1. ATC SERVICE

Provide air traffic control service in oceanic controlled airspace in accordance with the procedures in this chapter except when other procedures/minima are prescribed in a directive or a letter of agreement.

1. OPERATIONS IN OFFSHORE AIRSPACE AREAS

Provide air traffic control service in offshore airspace areas in accordance with procedures and minima in this chapter. For those situations not covered by this chapter, the provisions in this Order must apply.

1. VFR FLIGHT PLANS

VFR flights in Oceanic FIRs may be conducted in meteorological conditions equal to or greater than those specified in 14 CFR Section 91.155, Basic VFR weather minimums. Operations on a VFR flight plan are permitted only between sunrise and sunset and only within:

1. Miami, Houston, and San Juan Oceanic Control Areas (CTAs) below FL 180.
2. Within the Oakland FIR when operating less than 100 NM seaward from the shoreline within controlled airspace.
3. All Oceanic FIR airspace below the Oceanic CTAs.

1. TYPES OF SEPARATION

Separation must consist of at least one of the following:

1. Vertical separation;
2. Horizontal separation, either;

1. Longitudinal; or
2. Lateral;

1. Radar separation, as specified in Chapter 5, Radar, where radar coverage is adequate.

1. ALTIMETER SETTING

Within oceanic control areas, unless directed and/or charted otherwise, altitude assignment must be based on flight levels and a standard altimeter setting of 29.92 inches Hg.

1. RECEIPT OF POSITION REPORTS

When a position report affecting separation is not received, take action to obtain the report no later than 10 minutes after the control estimate, unless otherwise specified.

1. OCEANIC ERROR REPORT PROCEDURES

FAA Order JO 7210.632 establishes procedures for reporting Gross Navigation Errors (GNE), height errors, time (longitudinal) errors, intervention, and Special Area of Operations (SAO) verification in oceanic airspace. This data is needed for risk modeling activities to support separation standard reductions.

1. USE OF CONTROL ESTIMATES

Control estimates are the estimated position of aircraft, with reference to time as determined by the ATC automation system in use or calculated by the controller using known wind patterns, previous aircraft transit times, pilot progress reports, and pilot estimates. These estimates may be updated through the receipt of automated position reports and/or manually updated by the controller. Control estimates must be used when applying time-based separation minima.

1. RVSM OPERATIONS

Controller responsibilities for non-RVSM aircraft operating in RVSM airspace must include but not be limited to the following:

1. Ensure non-RVSM aircraft are not permitted in RVSM airspace unless they meet the criteria of excepted aircraft and are previously approved by the operations supervisor/CIC.
2. In addition to those aircraft listed in Chapter 2, Section 1, paragraph 2-1-29, RVSM Operations, in this order, the following aircraft operating within oceanic airspace or transiting to/from oceanic airspace are excepted:

1. Aircraft being initially delivered to the State of Registry or Operator;
2. Aircraft that was formerly RVSM approved but has experienced an equipment failure and is being flown to a maintenance facility for repair in order to meet RVSM requirements and/or obtain approval;
3. Aircraft being utilized for mercy or humanitarian purposes;
4. Within the Oakland, Anchorage, and Arctic FIR's, an aircraft transporting a spare engine mounted under the wing.

1. These exceptions are accommodated on a workload or traffic-permitting basis.
2. All other requirements contained in paragraph 2-1-29, RVSM Operations are applicable to this section.

1. PROCEDURES FOR WEATHER DEVIATIONS AND OTHER CONTINGENCIES IN OCEANIC CONTROLLED AIRSPACE

Aircraft must request an ATC clearance to deviate. Since aircraft will not fly into adverse meteorological conditions, weather deviation requests should take priority over routine requests. If there is no traffic in the horizontal dimension, ATC must issue clearance to deviate from track; or if there is conflicting traffic in the horizontal dimension, ATC must separate aircraft by establishing vertical separation, then issue clearance to deviate from track. If there is conflicting traffic and ATC is unable to establish required separation, ATC must:

1. Advise the pilot unable to issue clearance for requested deviation;
2. Advise the pilot of conflicting traffic; and
3. Request pilot's intentions.