6.
APPLY OVERDUE AIRCRAFT PROCEDURES
a. Consider an aircraft to be overdue when neither communications nor radar contact can be
established with it and 30 minutes have passed since its--
(1) Estimated time of arrival (ETA) over a specified or compulsory reporting point or at a
clearance limit in your area.
(2) Clearance void time.
b. When an aircraft is overdue, send all available information to the air route traffic control
center (ARTCC). Operate the required airport lighting systems for at least 30 minutes before the ETA
of the aircraft or until the aircraft has been located or for 30 minutes after its fuel supply is estimated to
be exhausted. Ask for the help of other aircraft.
c. Unless radar separation is used when an aircraft is overdue, restrict or suspend other
instrument flight rule (IFR) traffic for 30 minutes after whichever of the following times is applicable:
(1) The "expect further clearance" time delivered to the aviator.
(2) The time at which the approach clearance was issued to the aviator.
(3) The arrival time over the NAVAID serving the destination airport.
(4) The current control facility's or aviator's estimate, whichever is later, over the proper
NAVAID.
d. Resume normal traffic after the 30-minute traffic suspension period has expired if the
operators or aviators of other aircraft concur. This concurrence is required for 30 minutes after the
suspension period has expired.
7.
ASSIST VISUAL FLIGHT RULE (VFR) AIRCRAFT IN WEATHER DIFFICULTY
If the pilot of a VFR aircraft requests help because he has met or is about to encounter IFR
weather conditions, ask the pilot to contact the proper control facility. Inform that facility of the
situation. If the pilot is unable to communicate with that facility, relay the information and clearances.
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AV2400
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