Section 9. VR Route Use

  1. SCHEDULING
  1. Each VR route must have a designated military unit responsible for scheduling all military flights intending to use the VR route. If the designated military unit does not have a continuous point of contact; i.e., a unit subject to deployment or a unit not available during normal work days (ANG unit working Wednesday-Sunday), then an alternate scheduling agency must be designated. All flights on the VR route will be scheduled through the primary or alternate scheduling agency.
  2. The scheduling agency must confirm the planned utilization of the route with the appropriate ATC facility(ies) and, unless otherwise agreed, accomplish this at least 2 hours prior to use. The scheduling agency must cancel requests as soon as practical when it is determined that the route will not be used.

EXAMPLE-

VR101 0900-1000 2/F-14
0915-1000
SFC B-50 MSL
1000-1100 None
1100-1200 4/F-14
1105-1150
20 MSL-40 MSL
VR102 0900-1000 1/T-38
0902-0944
30 MSL-40 MSL
1000-1100 1/F-14
1000-1015
SFC B-50 MSL
1100-1200 None

  1. COMPLIANCE

It is the responsibility of the scheduling activity to ensure that all VR users are knowledgeable of the respective route procedures. Individual users are responsible for compliance.

  1. FLIGHT PLAN REQUIREMENTS
  1. Pilots departing on IFR clearances to fly VRs are required to file to the fix/radial/distance of their entry/alternate entry point of the route.
  2. Pilots transitioning to IFR upon exiting the VR are required to have on file a previously filed IFR flight plan from the appropriate fix/radial/ distance of their exit point.

NOTE-

Composite IFR-VFR-IFR flight plans may be filed with the appropriate FSS. Stereotype flight plans could be an advantage to flight planning.

  1. ROUTE ADHERENCE

Pilots of flights on VRs must be responsible for remaining within the lateral and vertical confines of the route.

  1. SPEED AUTHORIZATION

Flights must be conducted at the minimum speed compatible with mission requirements. When exiting an MTR below 10,000 feet MSL, the flight must comply with 14 CFR section 91.117 (aircraft speed) or current authorization issued to DoD. (See Appendix 4, Speed Authorization Granted to DOD).

  1. WEATHER MINIMUMS

Operations on the route must be conducted only when the weather is at or above VFR minima, except that:

  1. Flight visibility must be 5 miles or more; and
  2. Flights must not be conducted below a ceiling of less than 3,000 feet AGL.
  1. TRANSPONDER PROCEDURES

Pilots of aircraft operating on a VR route will adjust their transponder to code 4000 unless otherwise assigned by ATC.