Document
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ORDER FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION JO 7110.127A Air Traffic Organization Policy Effective Date: May 4, 2020 SUBJ : National Airspace System (NAS) Processing of Foreign Aircraft Identifications with a Numeric Nationality Mark 1. Purpose of This Order: This order provides procedures for the processing of foreign aircraft identifications containing a numeric nationality mark. Additionally, it standardizes the use of the letter “Q” as the leading character in lieu of the letter “X” as specified in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order JO 7110.10, Flight Services, Paragraph 6-3-4, IFR Flight Plan Control Message Format.
2. Audience: This directive applies to the following Air Traffic Organization (ATO) service units: Air Traffic Services (AJT), including all Air Traffic Control (ATC) facilities, FAA Contract Towers and Non-Federal Control Towers, Mission Support Services (AJV), System Operations Services (AJR), including the David J. Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), the Directors of Tactical Operations, System Operations Security, Flight Services Program Operations, the Alaska Flight Services Information Area Group, select offices and services within Washington Headquarters, the William J. Hughes Technical Center, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, and the Department of Defense.
3. Where Can I Find This Order ? This order is available on the MYFAA employee website at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices/ and on the FAAwebsite at: http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/.
4. Cancel l ation: FAA Order JO 7110.127 is canceled concurrently with the publication of this order.
5. Background: Currently, NAS automation platforms used to provide air traffic services to aircraft within domestic US airspace will not accept aircraft identifications (ACIDs) beginning with a number. These domestic automation platforms include, but are not limited to, En Route Automation Modernization System (ERAM), and Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS). The Advanced Technologies and Oceanic Procedures (ATOP) Oceanic control platform used at New York ARTCC, Oakland ARTCC, and Anchorage ARTCC, will process ACIDs beginning with a number.
Currently, 47 nations use nationality marks that begin with a number. Facilities providing services to aircraft with ACIDs beginning with numbers have developed local procedures to enable NAS processing of these flight plans.
Distribution: Electronic Initiated B y : AJV-P 05/04/2020 JO 7110.127A Because of these locally developed procedures, a number of different characters, (“Z”, “X”, “N”, etc.) are being added as the first character of the ACID. Some of these characters conflict with standard aircraft nationality marks as specified in FAA Order JO 7340.2, Contractions, Chapter 4, Aircraft Nationality Marks, National Emblems, and Common Marks. The use of nonstandard characters at the beginning of these modified ACIDs has created identification problems when foreign aircraft attempt to land at airports outside of the NAS. This order will create a uniform call sign modification process allowing aircraft registered in the nations listed in Appendix A to safely conduct flights within domestic US airspace.
6. Procedures: Apply the following procedures for ACIDs that begin with a numeric nationality mark: a. ATC personnel providing control services using any automation platforms except ATOP must: 1. Amend ACIDs containing six or fewer characters and beginning with a number by inserting the letter “Q” into Field 02 of the IFR flight plan as the first character.
Example: The ACID of 9HRA is amended to Q9HRA.
2. Amend ACIDs beginning with a number containing seven characters by replacing the first character with the letter “Q” in Field 02 of the IFR flight plan.
Example : The flight plan for an aircraft flight identification of 2TRAVSA should be amended to QTRAVSA.
3. Enter the original ACID into the remarks section of the flight plan.
NOTE: ATC personnel providing control services using ATOP automation systems are NOT required to amend ACIDs beginning with a number.
NOTE: If operational considerations warrant them, facilities may develop local directives or orders requiring ATC personnel using ATOP to modify an ACID beginning with a number .
b. Do not use the “Q” prefix, (phonetic “QUEBEC”) when communicating with the aircraft.
c. Unless otherwise specified in a Standard Operating Procedure, verbally coordinate the aircraft’s actual ACID when conducting intrafacility transfers of control.
d. Verbally coordinate the aircraft’s actual ACID when conducting interfacility transfers of control.
7. Distribution: This order is distributed to ATO service units: Air Traffic Services (AJT), Mission Support Services (AJV), System Operations Services (AJR), including the David J.
Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), the Directors of Tactical Operations, System Operations Security, Flight Services Program Operations, the Alaska Flight Services Information Area Group, FAA contract ATC service providers and all ATC facilities, select offices and services within Washington Headquarters, the William J. Hughes Technical Center, the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, and the Department of Defense.
05/04/2020 JO 7110.127A 8. Safety Risk Management: Appropriate safety management documentation, in accordance with FAA Order 1100.161, Air Traffic Safety Oversight, ATO Order JO 1000.37, Air Traffic Organization Safety Management System, and the ATO Safety Management System Manual, has been completed in support of this order.
Karen Chiodin Director (A), Policy, AJV-P 05/04/2020 JO 7110.127A APPENDIX A. Nationality Marks for the 47 Countries Using a Numeric Prefix Registration Country 2 Bailiwick of Guernsey (United Kingdom) 3A Monaco 3B Mauritius 3C Equatorial Guinea 3D Swaziland 3X Guinea 4K Azerbaijan 4L Georgia 4O Montenegro 4R Sri Lanka 4X Israel 4YB Jordan (Arab Air Cargo) 5A Libya 5B Cyprus 5H United Republic of Tanzania 5N Nigeria 5R Madagascar 5T Mauritania 5U Niger 5V Togo 5W Samoa 5X Uganda 5Y Kenya 6O Somalia 6V or 6W Senegal 6Y Jamaica 7O Yemen 7P Lesotho 7Q Malawi 7T Algeria 8P Barbados 8Q Maldives 8R Guyana 9A Croatia 9G Ghana 9H Malta 9J Zambia A- 1 05/04/2020 JO 7110.127A Registration Country 9K Kuwait 9L Sierra Leone 9M Malaysia 9N Nepal 9Q Democratic Republic of the Congo 9U Burundi 9V Singapore 9XR Rwanda 9Y Trinidad and Tobago A- 2