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FAR/AIM: General Information

General Information


 

Explanation of Changes

Effective: October 5, 2023

  1. 1-1-9. INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS)
    This change reflects the FAA Order JO 7110.65 guidance that allows a preceding arrival or departure in or over the ILS critical area when the weather is above 200' ceiling and 2000 RVR. The new guidance warns pilots of signal disturbances that may be encountered in any weather at or above standard CAT I minima.
  2. 1-1-20. PRECISION APPROACH SYSTEMS OTHER THAN ILS AND GPS
    APPENDIX 3. ABBREVIATIONS/ACRONYMS

    This change will result in the removal of references to SCAT-I DGPS from the AIM.
  3. 3-5-2. MILITARY TRAINING ROUTES
    This change adds language to paragraph 3-5-2 that defines what the Department of Defense Flight Information Publications (DoD FLIP) represent and describes instrument/visual routes (IR/VR) that can be found in charts and narratives. It also describes FAA's responsibility for providing information about them on IFR and VFR routes. Additionally, a note was added for users who require copies of the FLIP.
  4. 3-5-8. WASHINGTON DC SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA (SFRA) INCLUDING THE FLIGHT RESTRICTED ZONE (FRZ)
    This change adds a new paragraph 3-5-8, Washington DC Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) including the Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ), to the AIM to better inform pilots and reduce violations reference the requirements of 14 CFR Part 93.339 and Part 91.161, and 14 CFR 99.7 Special Security Instruction NOTAMs. The current paragraphs 3-5-8 and 3-5-9 are being renumbered 3-5-9 and 3-5-10, respectively.
  5. 4-1-21. AIRPORT RESERVATION OPERATIONS AND SPECIAL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
    Dual-tone multi-frequency (telephone touch-tone signaling) interfaces are no longer available for use to receive an Electronic Special Traffic Management Program or Enhanced Computer Voice Reservation System reservation. Procedures for coordination processing are updated and some content has been revised for clarification.
  6. 7-3-5. COLD TEMPERATURE AIRPORT PROCEDURES
    This change adds an additional segment to FIG 7-3-1, Example Cold Temperature Restricted Airport List - Required Segments, along with guidance on how to apply a temperature correction to this segment. The change also rearranges the section for better flow, swapping the positions of updated subparagraphs e and f.
  7. Editorial Changes
    Editorial changes include updated and corrected references and typos; rewording subparagraph 8-1-2d to eliminate confusion between high altitude of aircraft vs. low cabin altitude pressure; clarifying language in subparagraph 11-2-2c2 to say that UAS that are flown exclusively for recreational purposes must be registered if they weigh more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams); updating the subscription information for this publication; and a hyperlink fix and hyperlink update for Helicopter Association International in subparagraph 10-2-1a.
  8. Entire Publication
    Additional editorial/format changes were made where necessary. Revision bars were not used because of the insignificant nature of these changes.
 

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for ensuring the safe, efficient, and secure use of the Nation's airspace, by military as well as civil aviation, for promoting safety in air commerce, for encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology, and for supporting the requirements of national defense.

The activities required to carry out these responsibilities include: safety regulations; airspace management and the establishment, operation, and maintenance of a civil-military common system of air traffic control (ATC) and navigation facilities; research and development in support of the fostering of a national system of airports, promulgation of standards and specifications for civil airports, and administration of Federal grants-in-aid for developing public airports; various joint and cooperative activities with the Department of Defense; and technical assistance (under State Department auspices) to other countries.

Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
Basic Flight Information and ATC Procedures

This manual is designed to provide the aviation community with basic flight information and ATC procedures for use in the National Airspace System (NAS) of the United States. An international version called the Aeronautical Information Publication contains parallel information, as well as specific information on the international airports for use by the international community.

This manual contains the fundamentals required in order to fly in the United States NAS. It also contains items of interest to pilots concerning health and medical facts, factors affecting flight safety, a pilot/controller glossary of terms used in the ATC System, and information on safety, accident, and hazard reporting.

This manual is complemented by other operational publications which are available via separate subscriptions. These publications are:

The Chart Supplement U.S., the Chart Supplement Alaska, and the Chart Supplement Pacific - These publications contain information on airports, communications, navigation aids, instrument landing systems, VOR receiver check points, preferred routes, Flight Service Station/Weather Service telephone numbers, Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) frequencies, part-time surface areas, and various other pertinent special notices essential to air navigation. These publications are available through a network of FAA approved print providers. A listing of products, dates of latest editions, and print providers is available on the Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) website at: http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/print_providers/.

Publication Schedule

Basic or Change

Cutoff Date
for Completion

Effective Date
of Publication

Basic Manual

11/3/22

4/20/23

Change 1

4/20/23

10/5/23

Change 2

10/5/23

3/21/24

Change 3

3/21/24

9/5/24

Basic Manual

9/5/24

2/20/25

Change 1

2/20/25

8/7/25

Change 2

8/7/25

1/22/26

Change 3

1/22/26

7/9/26

 

Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Code of Federal Regulations and Advisory Circulars

Code of Federal Regulations ‐ The FAA publishes the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) to make readily available to the aviation community the regulatory requirements placed upon them. These regulations are sold as individual parts by the Superintendent of Documents.

The more frequently amended parts are sold on subscription service with subscribers receiving changes automatically as issued. Less active parts are sold on a single-sale basis. Changes to single‐sale parts will be sold separately as issued. Information concerning these changes will be furnished by the FAA through its Status of Federal Aviation Regulations, AC 00-44.

Advisory Circulars ‐ The FAA issues Advisory Circulars (AC) to inform the aviation public in a systematic way of nonregulatory material. Unless incorporated into a regulation by reference, the contents of an advisory circular are not binding on the public. Advisory Circulars are issued in a numbered subject system corresponding to the subject areas of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (Title 14, Chapter 1, FAA).

NOTE-

Current AC information can be found at:

https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/advisory_circulars/.

External References ‐ All references to Advisory Circulars and other FAA publications in the Aeronautical Information Manual include the FAA Advisory Circular or Order identification numbers (when available). However, due to varied publication dates, the basic publication letter is not included.

EXAMPLE-

FAA Order JO 7110.65X, Air Traffic Control, is referenced as FAA Order JO 7110.65.

 

Subscription Information

This manual is available by its effective date on the FAA's Air Traffic Plans and Publications website at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/.

This manual is distributed electronically to all who subscribe to receive email notifications through the FAA's website. All organizations are responsible for viewing, downloading, and subscribing to receive email notifications when changes occur to this manual. Subscriptions to air traffic directives can be made through the Air Traffic Plans and Publications website at https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ or directly via the following link:
https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USAFAA/subscriber/new?topic_id=USAFAA_39.

 

Flight Information Publication Policy

The following is in essence, the statement issued by the FAA Administrator and published in the December 10, 1964, issue of the Federal Register, concerning the FAA policy as pertaining to the type of information that will be published as NOTAMs and in the Aeronautical Information Manual.

  1. It is a pilot's inherent responsibility to be alert at all times for and in anticipation of all circumstances, situations, and conditions affecting the safe operation of the aircraft. For example, a pilot should expect to find air traffic at any time or place. At or near both civil and military airports and in the vicinity of known training areas, a pilot should expect concentrated air traffic and realize concentrations of air traffic are not limited to these places.
  2. It is the general practice of the agency to advertise by NOTAM or other flight information publications such information it may deem appropriate; information which the agency may from time to time make available to pilots is solely for the purpose of assisting them in executing their regulatory responsibilities. Such information serves the aviation community as a whole and not pilots individually.
  3. The fact that the agency under one particular situation or another may or may not furnish information does not serve as a precedent of the agency's responsibility to the aviation community; neither does it give assurance that other information of the same or similar nature will be advertised, nor, does it guarantee that any and all information known to the agency will be advertised.
  4. This publication, while not regulatory, provides information which reflects examples of operating techniques and procedures which may be requirements in other federal publications or regulations. It is made available solely to assist pilots in executing their responsibilities required by other publications.

Consistent with the foregoing, it is the policy of the Federal Aviation Administration to furnish information only when, in the opinion of the agency, a unique situation should be advertised and not to furnish routine information such as concentrations of air traffic, either civil or military. The Aeronautical Information Manual will not contain informative items concerning everyday circumstances that pilots should, either by good practices or regulation, expect to encounter or avoid.