AIM
4/20/23
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ATC Clearances and Aircraft Separation
identification in all readbacks and acknowledgements becomes more important as frequency congestion
increases and when aircraft with similar call signs are on the same frequency.
EXAMPLE
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“Climbing to Flight Level three three zero, United Twelve” or “November Five Charlie Tango, roger, cleared to land runway
nine left.”
2.
Read back altitudes, altitude restrictions, and vectors in the same sequence as they are given in the
clearance or instruction.
3.
Altitudes contained in charted procedures, such as DPs, instrument approaches, etc., should not be read
back unless they are specifically stated by the controller.
4.
Initial read back of a taxi, departure or landing clearance should include the runway assignment,
including left, right, center, etc. if applicable.
c.
It is the responsibility of the pilot to accept or refuse the clearance issued.
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8. IFR Clearance VFR
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on
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top
a.
A pilot on an IFR flight plan operating in VFR weather conditions, may request VFR
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on
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top in lieu of an
assigned altitude. This permits a pilot to select an altitude or flight level of their choice (subject to any ATC
restrictions.)
b.
Pilots desiring to climb through a cloud, haze, smoke, or other meteorological formation and then either
cancel their IFR flight plan or operate VFR-on-top may request a climb to VFR-on-top. The ATC authorization
must contain either a top report or a statement that no top report is available, and a request to report reaching
VFR-on-top. Additionally, the ATC authorization may contain a clearance limit, routing and an alternative
clearance if VFR
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on
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top is not reached by a specified altitude.
c.
A pilot on an IFR flight plan, operating in VFR conditions, may request to climb/descend in VFR
conditions.
d.
ATC may not authorize VFR
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on
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top/VFR conditions operations unless the pilot requests the VFR
operation or a clearance to operate in VFR conditions will result in noise abatement benefits where part of the
IFR departure route does not conform to an FAA approved noise abatement route or altitude.
e.
When operating in VFR conditions with an ATC authorization to “maintain VFR
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on
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top/maintain VFR
conditions” pilots on IFR flight plans must:
1.
Fly at the appropriate VFR altitude as prescribed in 14 CFR Section 91.159.
2.
Comply with the VFR visibility and distance from cloud criteria in 14 CFR Section 91.155 (Basic VFR
Weather Minimums).
3.
Comply with instrument flight rules that are applicable to this flight; i.e., minimum IFR altitudes,
position reporting, radio communications, course to be flown, adherence to ATC clearance, etc.
NOTE
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Pilots should advise ATC prior to any altitude change to ensure the exchange of accurate traffic information.
f.
ATC authorization to “maintain VFR
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on
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top” is not intended to restrict pilots so that they must operate only
above
an obscuring meteorological formation (layer). Instead, it permits operation above, below, between layers,
or in areas where there is no meteorological obscuration. It is imperative, however, that pilots understand that
clearance to operate “VFR
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on
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top/VFR conditions” does not imply cancellation of the IFR flight plan.
g.
Pilots operating VFR
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on
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top/VFR conditions may receive traffic information from ATC on other pertinent
IFR or VFR aircraft. However, aircraft operating in Class B airspace/TRSAs must be separated as required by
FAA Order JO 7110.65, Air Traffic Control.
NOTE
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When operating in VFR weather conditions, it is the pilot’s responsibility to be vigilant so as to see
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and
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avoid other aircraft.