Chapter 11. Traffic Management Procedures

11-1-1. DUTY RESPONSIBILITY

interpretation 13

1. The mission of the traffic management system is to balance air traffic demand with system capacity to ensure the maximum efficient utilization of the NAS.
2. TBFM must be used to the maximum extent feasible in preference to miles-in-trail initiatives.
3. It is recognized that the ATCS is integral in the execution of the traffic management mission.

   NOTE: Complete details of TBM, traffic management initiatives and programs can be found in FAA Order JO 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration.

11-1-2. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Supervisory Traffic Management Coordinator-in-Charge (STMCIC) must:
   1. Ensure an operational briefing is conducted at least once during the day and evening shifts. Participants must include, at a minimum, the STMCIC, Operations Supervisor-in-Charge (OSMIC)/Controller-in-Charge (CIC) and other interested personnel as designated by facility management. Discussions at the meeting should include meteorological conditions (present and forecasted), staffing, equipment status, runways in use, Airport Arrival Rate (AAR), TBM use, and Traffic Management Initiatives (TMIs) (present and anticipated).
   2. Assume responsibility for TMC duties when not staffed.
   3. Ensure that TBM operations and TMIs are carried out by personnel providing traffic management services.
   4. Where authorized, perform EDST data entries to keep the activation status of designated EDST Airspace Configuration Elements current.
   5. Perform assigned actions in the event of an EDST outage or degradation, in accordance with the requirements of FAA Order 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, and as designated by facility directive.
   6. Ensure changes to TBM operations and TMIs are implemented in a timely manner.
2. OS/CIC must:
   1. Keep the TMU and affected sectors apprised of situations or circumstances that may cause congestion or delays.
   2. Coordinate with the TMU and personnel providing air traffic services to develop appropriate TBM operations or TMIs for sectors and airports in their area of responsibility.
   3. Continuously review TBM operations and TMIs affecting their area of responsibility and coordinate with TMU for extensions, revisions, or cancellations.
   4. Ensure that TBM operations and TMIs are carried out by personnel providing air traffic services.
   5. Where authorized, perform data entries to keep the activation status of designated EDST Airspace Configuration Elements current.
   6. Perform assigned actions in the event of an EDST outage or degradation, in accordance with the requirements of FAA Order 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, and as designated by facility directive.
   7. Ensure changes to TBM operations and TMIs are implemented in a timely manner.
3. Personnel providing air traffic services must:
   1. Ensure that TBM operations and TMIs are enforced within their area of responsibility. TBM operations and TMIs do not have priority over maintaining:
      1. (a) Separation of aircraft.
      2. (b) Procedural integrity of the sector.
   2. Keep the OS/CIC and TMU apprised of situations or circumstances that may cause congestion or delays.
   3. Continuously review TBM operations and TMIs affecting their area of responsibility and coordinate with OS/CIC and TMU for extensions, revisions, or cancellations.
   4. Where authorized, perform data entries to keep the activation status of designated EDST Airspace Configuration Elements current.
   5. Perform assigned actions in the event of an EDST outage or degradation, in accordance with the requirements of FAA Order 7210.3, Facility Operation and Administration, and as designated by facility directive.
4. ARTCCs, unless otherwise coordinated, must:
   1. Support TBFM operations and monitor TBFM equipment to improve situational awareness for a system approach to TBM operations.
   2. Monitor arrival flow for potential metering actions/changes and, if necessary, initiate coordination with all facilities to discuss the change to the metering plan.
5. TRACONs, unless otherwise coordinated, must:
   1. Support TBFM operations and monitor TBFM equipment to improve situational awareness for a system approach to TBM operations.
   2. Monitor arrival flow for potential metering actions/changes and, if necessary, initiate coordination with all facilities to discuss the change to the metering plan.
   3. Schedule internal departures in accordance with specific written procedures and agreements developed with overlying ARTCCs and adjacent facilities.
6. ATCTs, unless otherwise coordinated, must:
   1. Monitor TBFM equipment to improve situational awareness for a system approach to TBM operations.
   2. When equipped, and departure scheduling is in effect, use automation to obtain a departure release time from the TBM system.
   3. When departure scheduling or Call for Release is in effect, release aircraft so they are airborne within a window that extends from 2 minutes prior and ends 1 minute after the assigned time, unless otherwise coordinated.

   NOTE: Coordination may be verbal, electronic, or written.

11-1-3. TIME BASED FLOW MANAGEMENT (TBFM)

During periods of metering, personnel providing air traffic services must:

1. Display TBFM schedule information on the situation display.
2. Comply with TBFM-generated metering times within +/- 1 minute.
   1. If TBFM-generated metering time accuracy within +/- 1 minute cannot be used for specific aircraft due to significant jumps in the delay countdown timer (DCT), then TMIs may be used between those aircraft such as miles-in-trail (MIT) or minutes-in-trail (MINIT) to assist in delay absorption until stability resumes.
   2. An exception to the requirement to comply within +/- 1 minute may be authorized for certain ARTCC sectors if explicitly defined in an appropriate facility directive.
3. When compliance is not possible, coordinate with OS/CIC, personnel providing traffic management services, and adjacent facilities/sectors as appropriate.

NOTE: TBFM accuracy of generated metering times is predicated on several factors, including vectoring outside of TBFM route conformance boundaries (route recovery logic), certain trajectory ground speed calculations, and when TMU resequences a specific flight or flight list. Caution should be used in these situations to minimize impact on surrounding sector traffic and complexity levels, flight efficiencies, and user preferences.