Section 4. Special Interest Flights

  1. GENERAL
  1. State Department designated special interest flights (SIF) are defined as flight operations in U.S. territorial airspace by any of the following:
  1. Aircraft registered in a U.S. State Department designated special interest country;
  2. Aircraft designated as a state aircraft by a State Department designated special interest country;
  3. Aircraft operating with the ICAO three-letter designator (call sign) assigned to a company or entity in a State Department designated special interest country. SIF operators certified for U.S. commercial operations under 14 CFR part 129 do not require authorized flight routings. Non-Part 129 SIFs require FAA route authorization prior to flight and route monitoring during flight in U.S. territorial airspace.
  4. Any foreign aircraft to which SIF procedures are applied following 14 CFR section 99.7, Special Security Instructions.

NOTE-

Current special interest countries and Part 129 operators are listed under the Countries section of the General Information posted on the FAA SIF website. Access to the FAA SIF website (http://aspm.faa.gov/sif) is for United States and Canadian Government agencies only. Contact the FAA System Operations Support Center (SOSC) (commercial 202-267-8115, fax 202-267-9208, or email 9-ATOR-HQ-RT-REQ@faa.gov) for website access information and authorization or for any comments or questions regarding the General Information available through the link at the bottom of the FAA SIF website Planned Flights page.

  1. Prior to proposed non-Part 129 SIF takeoff time, the SOSC must post the routing authorization on the FAA SIF website. If the FAA SIF website is inaccessible, or when the routing is approved less than 6 hours before the proposed takeoff time, the SOSC must pass the routing information to the System Operations Security Domestic Events Network (DEN) Air Traffic Security Coordinators (ATSC), and the concerned ARTCC/CERAP/HCF/ATCTs via fax, email, or electronic message; and verbal notification (if less than 6 hours before the proposed takeoff time).
  1. For planning purposes, the SOSC routes non-Part 129 SIF aircraft on ARTCC/CERAP/HCF-preferred routing to the maximum extent possible. Otherwise, non-Part 129 SIF aircraft are routed on published airways when practicable.

NOTE-

Deviations from non-Part 129 SIF routings are allowed when approved by System Operations Security and the procedures are contained in Standard Operating Procedures or a Letter of Agreement.

  1. The SOSC must email or fax approved non-Part 129 SIF routing authorizations to the flight operators. ARTCC/CERAP/HCF/ATCTs may contact the SOSC if courtesy copies of routing authorizations are desired.
  1. For resolution of non-Part 129 SIF routing or procedural issues prior to flight, ARTCC/CERAP/HCF/ATCTs must contact the SOSC directly at 202-267-8115. The SOSC must resolve routing issues and reissue routing authorizations as required. ATC facilities must not issue a clearance to aircraft until all routing issues have been resolved. SIF procedural issues regarding this order must be referred to Strategic Operations Security.
  2. The Washington Operations Center Complex (WOCC), DEN, and National Capital Region Coordination Center (NCRCC) must relay all calls regarding the status or processing of non-Part 129 SIF routing authorizations to the SOSC directly at 202-267-8115.
  3. For resolution of issues concerning any SIF operation in progress, ARTCC/CERAP/HCF/ATCTs must contact the DEN ATSC at (540) 422-4423/4424/4425.
  1. APPLICATION
  1. The air traffic manager must ensure controllers are aware of expected non-Part 129 SIF authorized flight routings. Approved routings for non-Part 129 SIF aircraft must be confirmed on the FAA SIF website. If there is no routing for a non-Part 129 SIF flight on the website, do not issue a clearance to the aircraft, and contact the SOSC in accordance with paragraph 7-4-1.
  2. Controller-initiated deviations to non-Part 129 SIF authorized flight routings through United States territorial airspace are permissible for safety of flight reasons only. Facilities must report controller-initiated routing deviations as soon as possible to the DEN ATSC. Weather-related deviations that are requested by non-Part 129 SIF pilots must be coordinated through the DEN as soon as possible.

NOTE-

Vectoring non-Part 129 SIF arrivals and departures for preferred routings is authorized and is not a DEN reporting event.

  1. Pilot-initiated deviations from non-Part 129 SIF authorized flight routings (except for weather) are not permissible. Controllers will request that non-Part 129 SIF aircraft return to approved route/reroute of flight whenever deviations are noted and immediately report deviations to the DEN ATSC.
  2. The DEN ATSC must ensure the appropriate NORAD Air Defense Sector, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)/Air Marine Operations Center (AMOC), and WOCC are alerted and that procedures in chapter 7 of FAA Order JO 7610.4 (Sensitive Procedures and Requirements for Special Operations) are followed when any of these conditions occur involving any SIF aircraft:

REFERENCE-

FAA Order JO 7610.4, Chapter 7, Procedures for Handling Suspicious Flight Situations and Hijacked Aircraft

  1. The aircraft refuses to comply with any authorized message.
  2. Communication with the aircraft is established, but the aircraft identification cannot be immediately correlated with a known flight plan. (Attempt flight plan correlation when time permits.)
  3. The aircraft deviates from its approved route of flight and refuses to return to it when so requested.
  4. The aircraft refuses a reroute when so cleared or deviates from its reroute and refuses to return to it when requested.
  5. The aircraft makes an emergency or unscheduled landing in the United States.