Section 3. ATC Facility Responsibilities

  1. APREQ REVIEW AND COORDINATION
  1. Review all altitude reservation (ALTRV) approval requests (APREQs) to ensure completeness, and advise Central Altitude Reservation Function (CARF) of any requested change to the ALTRV APREQ as soon as possible.
  2. Ensure that the required separation exists in accordance with (IAW) FAA Order JO 7110.65 between two or more missions departing within the ARTCC/CERAP/HCF of origin up to the first cruising altitude requested. This coordination includes all ATC facilities to which airspace has been delegated.
  3. Schedule ATC-Assigned Airspace (ATCAAs) to allow ALTRVs to transit or utilize the airspace. If unable to schedule an ATCAA, provide alternate routing.
  1. ARTCC/CERAP/HCF APPROVED ALTRVs

Where practical and advantageous, an ARTCC/CERAP/HCF may be the final approval authority for an ALTRV when the entire route of flight and associated protected airspace will not involve more than two ARTCC/CERAP/HCF areas of control jurisdiction. The ARTCC/CERAP/HCF must:

  1. Assume the ALTRV APREQ responsibilities outlined in paragraph 4-2-3.
  2. Assume the ALTRV APVL responsibilities outlined in paragraph 4-2-4.
  3. Forward ALTRV APREQ/APVL to CARF for ALTRVs which will be conducted in airspace outlined in paragraph 4-2-2.
  4. Deliver all ALTRV APVLs and amendments to the designated project officer in accordance with delivery instructions contained in the ALTRV APREQ message. Comply with the security restrictions contained in the APREQ message regarding release time to military personnel, estimated time of departure (ETD), etc.

NOTE-

ARTCC/CERAP/HCFs are not authorized to approve ALTRVs whose routes of flight or protected airspace are not wholly contained within the U.S. CTA/FIR (see paragraph 4-2-1, Canadian and Overseas).

  1. MISSION SEPARATION

Ensure that required separation exists, to the altitudes specified in paragraph 4-3-1, APREQ Review and Coordination, between two or more missions departing within the U.S. ARTCC/CERAP/HCF of origin.

  1. FLIGHT PROGRESS STRIPS

Departure ARTCC/CERAP/HCF must ensure unclassified ALTRVs are entered into the NAS computer in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65, Air Traffic Control; and FAA Order JO 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, paragraph 9-3-1, ALTRV Flight Data Processing, to display the required information on mission aircraft utilizing an ALTRV.

  1. NOTIFICATION
  1. Forward departure times of ALTRV aircraft to the ALTRV approval authority and to all facilities concerned. Departure messages must include the departure time and identification of the following:
  1. Cell formation.
  2. First and last aircraft of a stream formation.
  3. Individual aircraft not listed in the above.
  1. Forward cancellations of ALTRV aircraft and other ALTRV changes to CARF and appropriate approach control facilities. This applies to cancellations of individual aircraft within the ALTRV or the whole mission. CARF will forward the information to the appropriate ATC and international reservation facilities.
  1. ISSUE ALTITUDE RESERVATION NOTAM
  1. ARTCC/CERAP/HCFs are responsible for the formulation and dissemination of an altitude reservation Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) for ALTRVs for which they are the final approval authority.
  2. Coordination must be effected between adjacent ARTCC/CERAP/HCFs for the issuance of a joint altitude reservation NOTAM if it will permit consolidation of the altitude reservation NOTAM information prescribed above.
  1. TRUSTED AGENTS

Each ARTCC/CERAP/HCF must provide CARF a current listing of trusted agents, responsible for safeguarding and controlling COMSEC material, updated at least once per year, no later than March 1. If the list changes during the year, forward updates as needed.

  1. ALTRV AUTHORIZATION AND CHANGES

An ALTRV APVL authorizes the aircraft to climb or descend as specified. Controllers are not required to issue a climb or descent clearance for the various flight segments. They may, however, request that the pilot advise them prior to initiating an altitude change. Routing and altitude(s) of aircraft established on an approved ALTRV must not be changed except in the interest of safety of flight or as specified below:

  1. Aircraft requested routing or altitude changes that are not in the approved ALTRV are handled in accordance with subparagraph 4-1-3i.
  2. Short-term adjustments to altitude or course of single aircraft (or standard formation) on an ALTRV may be issued with the concurrence of the aircraft (flight) commander in order to expedite overall traffic flow as long as the controller ensures return of the aircraft to the ALTRV, within their sector or within sectors with which the adjustment and return are directly coordinated.
  3. If ARTCC/CERAP/HCF initiates changes to the ALTRV due to safety of flight or other extraordinary circumstances, military authority assumes responsibility for separation of aircraft (MARSA), if applicable, is suspended and the ARTCC/CERAP/HCF assumes responsibility for separation. The ARTCC/CERAP/HCF is also responsible to return the aircraft to the ALTRV as soon as practicable.

NOTE-

Due to critical military operational requirements (timing, refueling, locations, etc.) that necessitated the ALTRV, changes must be kept to the absolute minimum required for safety of flight or other extraordinary circumstances.

  1. Multiple cells in an ALTRV are responsible for their own separation (MARSA) from other cells within the same ALTRV from the initiation of the ALTRV until the termination or cancellation of the ALTRV.
  1. Controller-assigned course or altitude changes without the concurrence of the formation flight leader will void MARSA between cells.
  2. The ARTCC/CERAP/HCF is responsible for returning the cell to the ALTRV as soon as practical and confirming re-establishment of MARSA between cells.