April 10, 2023
Established several years ago, the Northeast Corridor Administration Atlantic Coast Routes (NEC ACR) Project transitions the airspace from ground-based navaids to satellite-based performance-based navigation (PBN).
While the pandemic delayed full implementation of the project’s major changes – replacing jet airways with RNAV-centric Q and Y routes – these significant changes to the East Coast airway structure will take effect on Thursday, April 20.
Review the FAA NEC ACR Project Status Update (PPTX)
NEC ACR will delete seven J-routes in their entirety on April 20: J37, J55, J79, J121, J174, J191, and J209. The implementation also cancels multiple FIXs.
It will implement 20 Q-Routes. New routes previously published are: Q101, Q107, Q111, Q117, Q131, Q133, Q141, Q167, Q445, and Q481. Others are amended or extended: Q60, Q64, Q85, Q87, Q97, Q99, Q109, Q113, Q135, and Q409.
NEC ACR amends four STARS. Two of them (and their valid transitions) are at Philadelphia International Airport: KPHL JIIMS4: BRIGS,DASHA,ZJAAY (DELETED SWL) and KPHL PAATS4: BBDOL,GVE,HYTRA (DELETED FAK, PXT).
Newark International Airport amends KEWR PHLBO4: QUART,GVE,SWANN,HYTRA (DELETED FAK, PXT). \
Teterboro Airport amends KTEB JAIKE4: GVE,SWANN,SWNGR, ATC ASSIGNED ONLY: BOOYA,HYTRA (DELETED FAK, PXT, HPW, RIC).
To ensure that these new airways and fixes were included in flight planning and flight management systems, most of the “new” Q and Y routes and fixes were published in 2022 to load them into the database system prior to implementation. The NA NOTAMs for these routes will be canceled on April 20.
During the first few days of the NEC ACR transition, FAA ATC may employ traffic management initiatives to accommodate the major changes to the route structure. These initiatives may include airspace flow programs, required route structure and mile-in-trail restrictions.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.