32 C.F.R. § 245.8 Wartime Air Traffic Priority List (WATPL).
Title 32 - National Defense
(a) Situation. When SCATANA is implemented, a system of traffic priorities is required in order to ensure that optimum use is made of airspace, consistent with air defense requirements. This system will be the prime means of controlling the volume of air traffic. (The Security Control Authorization will be used as a supplement to WATPL.) (b) Intention. To establish a WATPL for the movement of air traffic when SCATANA has been implemented, and to provide policy guidance for the practical application of the system. Priorities shall take precedence in the order listed and subdivisions within priorities are equal. (c) Wartime Air Traffic Priority List—(1) Priority One. (i) Aircraft engaged in active continental defense missions. This includes interceptors, antisubmarine aircraft and airborne early warning and control aircraft. (ii) Retaliatory aircraft, including their direct support aircraft, executing EWO. (iii) Airborne command elements which provide backup to command and control systems for the combat forces. (iv) The President of the United States and Prime Minister of Canada and respective cabinet members essential to national security. (2) Priority Two. (i) Forces being deployed for or in direct and immediate support of combat operations against the enemy to include the use of activated Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) aircraft as necessary. (ii) SAC aircraft in direct and immediate support of EWO not included in priority one. (iii) Search and rescue aircraft operating in support of these activities. (3) Priority Three. (i) Forces being deployed in support of combat operations against the enemy. (ii) Continental Air Reconnaissance for Damage Assessment (CARDA) missions for the support of immediate combat operations. (iii) Search and rescue aircraft not included in priority two. (iv) Flight inspection aircraft flights in connection with emergency restoration of airway and airport facilities in support of immediate combat operations. (4) Priority Four. Dispersal of: (i) Tactical military aircraft. (ii) U.S. air carrier aircraft assigned to the War Air Service Program (WASP). (iii) U.S. civil air carrier aircraft allocated to the CRAF Program. (iv) FAA flight inspection aircraft. (v) Foreign civil air carrier aircraft in the U.S. in accordance with specific international agreements. (vi) Public aircraft assigned to FAA and other Federal agencies. (5) Priority Five. (i) The air transport of military commanders, their representatives, and DoD sponsored key civilian personnel which is of the utmost importance to national security, or which will have an immediate effect upon combat operations of the Armed Forces. (ii) Dispersal of nontactical military aircraft for their protection. (iii) Public aircraft assigned to FAA and other Federal agencies. (6) Priority Six. (i) Flight operations in accordance with approved Federal and State emergency plans (WASP and SARDA). U.S. civil air carrier flights will operate under the provisions of CAB Air Transport Mobilization Order ATM–1, “Route Authorizations and Operations,” and the WASP. Foreign civil air carrier flights will operate in accordance with specific international agreements. (ii) Other essential CARDA missions not included in paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section. (iii) Flight inspection activity in connection with airway and airport facilities. (7) Priority Seven. Other military flight operations. (8) Priority Eight. All other flight operations not specifically listed above. (d) Policy for Application of WATPL. (1) The restrictions embodied in the WATPL will apply to all aircraft except those in receipt of a Security Control Authorization. (2) Priority will be solely dependent on the nature of the aircraft's mission. Operational test flights will take the priority of the mission aircraft tested. (3) The originator of a request for aircraft movement will be responsible for determining and verifying the appropriate priority in accordance with the list described above. (4) The individual filing the flight plan will be responsible for including the priority number as determined by the originator of the request. (5) During general war conditions, situations may occur which cannot be related to the WATPL. Aircraft emergencies and inbound international flights which have reached the point of no return, including foreign air carrier flights enroute to safe haven airports in accordance with specific international agreements are examples of such situations. These incidents must be treated individually through coordination between ATC and appropriate military agencies in consideration of the urgency of the inflight situation and existing tactical military conditions. (6) During periods other than general war, aircraft movements are handled as follows: (i) Involvement in limited war or execution of contingency plans, to include JCS directed actions, immediately makes successful completion of such action a primary national objective. Therefore, aircraft movements in support of these actions will be afforded expeditious handling by the ATC system commensurate with the degree or urgency stated by the JCS to the FAA. When directing the execution of a contingency/limited war plan, or other JCS directed operation which is in pursuit of primary national objectives, the JCS will so advise the FAA (or appropriate Canadian authority if Canadian airspace is involved), requesting that aircraft operating in accordance with such plans be given preferential handling over all air traffic except active air defense missions and launch of the strategic alert force and supporting aircraft. Should contingency, limited warfare, or other JCS directed plans be executed concurrently by more than one operational commander, the JCS will state to the FAA (or appropriate Canadian authority when Canadian airspace is involved), and the military commanders concerned, the relative urgency of each operation and will resolve conflicts that may arise therefrom. (ii) Assignment of reserved airspace to accommodate military air operations which, because of their objectives, cannot be conducted in accordance with routine ATC procedures will be based upon an order of precedence for the purpose of resolving mission conflicts in planning altitude reservations. This order of precedence is published in appropriate Joint Service Regulations and FAA documents. (7) Priorities for air traffic clearances required under the SCATANA plan are not to be confused with civil priorities assigned to civil air carrier aircraft under the WASP priorities system, or to general aviation civil aircraft under the SARDA plan. WASP and SARDA priorities are designed to provide for controlled use of civil aircraft capability and capacity, and they have secondary significance when the WATPL for the movement of aircraft is in effect.
Title 32: National Defense
PART 245—PLAN FOR THE SECURITY CONTROL OF AIR TRAFFIC AND AIR NAVIGATION AIDS (SHORT TITLE: SCATANA)
§ 245.8 Wartime Air Traffic Priority List (WATPL).
