FAR/AIM: General Information

• Explanation of Changes
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Flight Information Publication Policy
• Aeronautical Information Manual ( AIM ) Code of Federal Regulations and Advisory Circulars
• Subscription Information

 

Effective: February 20, 2025

1. 3-5-5. PUBLISHED VFR ROUTES
   9-1-4. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF EACH CHART SERIES This change updates the names to three visual flight rules (VFR) charted products published by Aeronautical Information Services via the Terminal Area Chart (TAC) and VFR Flyway Planning Chart. These charts contain the VFR Flyway and VFR Transition Routes developed where applicable due to traffic volume and airspace complexity. The descriptions for each route are updated to better describe the products and the compliance requirements for each. A new section covering the Helicopter Route Chart is added to include a description and example of this charted VFR product.
2. 4-7-1. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL POLICIES This change removes subparagraph f that previously instructed pilots to use Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures (SLOP) when flying in airspace over the Gulf of America. We have revised the general guidance on SLOP in the U.S. AIP, ENR 7.1, accordingly.
3. 5-1-3. NOTICE TO AIRMEN ( NOTAM ) SYSTEM This change removes mention of Chart Update Bulletin and replaces it with a description and link to the AJV-A website containing Safety Alerts, Charting Notices and Digital Product Notices.
4. 5-2-5. LINE UP AND WAIT ( LUAW ) This change moves the cautionary statement “Line Up and Wait (LUAW) is not an authorization to takeoff” to the first paragraph for emphasis. This change also adds a note advising readers of the increased number of instances where pilots correctly read back LUAW instructions yet depart without a takeoff clearance. It reminds pilots of the need for vigilance during LUAW operations. This change emphasizes situational awareness and vigilance to subparagraphs respectively.
5. 5-4-5. INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE ( IAP ) CHARTS This change clarifies the “Fly Visual” guidance by adding the recommendation that the visual segment should be flown with flight instrumentation when advisory lateral and vertical guidance is provided.
6. 5-4-7. INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES This change clarifies when the phraseology "cleared approach" is issued without specifying which instrument approach to fly, pilots are not authorized to fly a visual or contact approach. The change also clarifies guidance instructing pilots what is expected when controllers clear IFR aircraft for a specific instrument approach.
7. Editorial Changes Editorial changes include correcting an airport name change from Pensacola “Regional” to “International” in Table 3-2-1, another change updates the hyperlink to the Graphical Forecasts for Aviation (GFA) static images website in paragraph 7-1-4, and updates the graphics used in FIG 7-1-2 and FIG 7-1-3. Finally, the CFR “part” and “section” references are lower-cased throughout, to make consistent with usage across publications.
8. Entire Publication Additional editorial/format changes were made where necessary. Revision bars were not used because of the insignificant nature of these changes.

 

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	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
Basic Manual	7/9/26	12/24/26
Change 1	12/24/26	6/10727
Change 2	6/10/27	11/25/27
Change 3	11/25/27	5/11/28

 

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 NOTAM s 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.

 

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.

 

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.