Explanation of Changes

EXPLANATION OF CHANGES

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to the office of primary responsibility (OPR)

  1. 1-2-1. POLICY
    2-1-1. INTERREGIONAL REQUIREMENTS

    This change updates organization titles, addresses minor editorial changes, and provides guidance for requesting an interpretation. Also, this change updates interregional requirements by changing the paragraph title and clarifying procedures. The term Interregional is not clear or specific and has been changed to Facility.

  2. 1-2-4. ABBREVIATIONS
    6-2-2. EN ROUTE SECTOR INFORMATION BINDER

    This change updates the abbreviation RCAG from “remote communications air/ground facility” to “remote center air/ground facility.”

  3. 1-2-4. ABBREVIATIONS
    6-3-1. HANDLING OF SIGMETs, CWAs, AND PIREPs
    18-26-4. RESPONSIBILITIES

    This change ensures the language concerning the reporting requirements for low‐level wind shear and volcanic activity is consistent with other FAA orders. This change also eliminates reference to the Leased Service A System (LSAS), no longer in use.

  4. 2-1-2. FACILITY STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES DIRECTIVE

    This change adds a requirement for those facilities where emergency airport information is available via the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) system or the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS), Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) must include a description of the functionality and its uses. It also adds a requirement for those facilities not having the emergency airport information function, the Air Traffic Manager (ATM) must ensure the SOP addresses emergency airport information and where it must be made available in the operation. The paragraph was further edited for improved clarity.

  5. 2-1-24. FACILITY IDENTIFICATION
    2-1-26. OUTDOOR LASER DEMONSTRATIONS

    This change updates organization titles and provides several editorial updates for improved clarity for facility identification and outdoor laser demonstration procedures.

  6. 2-6-3. CONTROLLER‐IN‐CHARGE (CIC) DESIGNATION

    This change reflects updates in organizational structure and refers the reader to a new paragraph in Chapter 11 for FAA Contract Tower CIC Designation policy. Per this change, the Service Area Director of Operations may now issue waivers to the 6‐month requirement, on a facility basis, valid for 2 years. The title of the paragraph is changed to distinguish CIC designation policy between FAA‐operated facilities and vendor‐operated FAA Contract Towers. Air traffic technical training requirements for CICs are covered by FAA Order JO 3120.4, Air Traffic Technical Training; thus, the reference in this paragraph is deleted.

  7. 3-3-1. SERVICE “F” COMMUNICATIONS

    This change modifies the paragraph title and updates the procedures. This change requires facility air traffic managers to develop a facility Contingency Plan that addresses procedures for interim communications.

  8. 4-3-6. COMMERCIAL SPACE LOAs

    This change adds Federal Ranges, which are government owned and operated launch sites used for space launches/reentry and related activities, as parties to Letters of Agreement (LOAs) and also replaces “launch/reentry service operations proponents” with launch service providers—a more recognized and used term. It updates guidance related to the required content for Space LOAs based on current launch mission and site criteria and ensures the accuracy and completeness of requirements.

  9. 4-6-6. FAA FORM 7230-10, POSITION LOG
    4-6-7. AUTOMATED POSITION SIGN ON/OFF

    This change deletes unnecessary language in paragraph 4-6-6 and adds a reference. Paragraph 4-6-7 is afforded an editorial update to reflect current organizational structure.

  10. 5-3-4. WEATHER RECONNAISSANCE FLIGHTS

    This change removes several subparagraphs pertaining to the National Winter Season Operations Plan (NWSOP) responsibilities and adds the NWSOP website link for the most current information. It also updates subparagraph b, Hurricane and Tropical Cyclone Mission, by removing the responsibility for the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC) to prepare a shared public Flow Evaluation Area (FEA). This change incorporates and cancels Notice JO 7210.971, Weather Reconnaissance Flights, which was effective March 4, 2026.

  11. 6-10-1. CONTROLLER PILOT DATA LINK COMMUNICATIONS (CPDLC)

    This change adds new subparagraph f, Blocked List Procedures, and re‐letters subparagraph f to g. This change completes the incorporation of language from FAA Order JO 7210.79 and incorporates and cancels Notice JO 7210.972, Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC), which was effective March 19, 2026.

  12. 10-3-16. GO‐AROUND/MISSED APPROACH

    This change reorganizes all locally derived management procedures for go‐arounds and missed approaches and for non‐intersecting converging runway operations into a single subparagraph, including figures for clarity and easier readability.

  13. 11-2-6. FAA CONTRACT TOWER (FCT) AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ELIGIBILITY

    This change will assist FAA Contract Tower (FCT) companies by allowing the FCTs to hire graduates from an FAA‐approved Control Tower Operator Partnership (CTO-P) school. This change also clarifies the language for eligibility for FCT hire from an E-CTI school. This change incorporates and cancels GENOT 25/18 N JO 7210.961, FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Air Traffic Controller Eligibility, which was effective July 9, 2025.

  14. 11-3-3. CIC DESIGNATION AT FCT‐OPERATED FACILITIES

    This change specifies requirements for controller‐in‐charge (CIC) designation at FAA Contract Towers (FCT). This change also increases the maximum duration of waivers to the certification requirement. This change incorporates and cancels GENOT 25/26 N JO 7210.964, CIC Designation at FCT Operated Facilities, which was effective August 7, 2025.

  15. 14-3-6. REGULATORY NOTAMs FOR PRESIDENTIAL TFR, SPECIAL SECURITY INSTRUCTIONS, OR EMERGENCY AIR TRAFFIC RULES

    This change adds paragraph 14-3-6 to provide instructions for flight service specialists on the handling of certain Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) and regulatory NOTAMs. The same paragraph (D-2) will be deleted from FAA Order 7930.2, Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), Appendix D.

  16. 18-4-7. SPACE LAUNCH OR REENTRY VEHICLE MISHAPS

    This change adds additional subparagraphs, instructing facilities to formalize participation on ATO Space Operations (AJR-1800) sponsored hotlines and treat space launch or reentry vehicle mishaps as criteria for mandatory occurrence reports.

  17. 18-5-4. RESPONSIBILITIES

    This change makes editorial updates concerning certain suggestions for improvement.

  18. Appendix 6. Commercial Space LOA Sample Templates

    This change amends and aligns the template LOA guidance to the adjacent changes in FAA Order JO 7210.3, paragraph 4-3-6, Commercial Space LOAs.

  19. Editorial Changes

    Editorial changes include several updates to paragraph 3-1-1 including adding a reference to FAA Order JO 6480.7, Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) Design Policy; deleting the last sentence from subparagraph 2-1-8b Note 2 concerning the staffing trigger report application website; correcting a subparagraph alignment issue in paragraph 6-9-2; and replacing the term Center Radar Approach Control (CERAP) with Combined Control Facility (CCF) throughout (including in TBL 1-2-1, Abbreviations).

  20. Entire Publication

    Additional editorial/format changes were made where necessary. Revision bars were not used because of the insignificant nature of these changes.