Area Planning 1B

FLIGHT TRAINING PUBLICATION (FLIP) STUDENT GUIDE

CHAPTER TWO

204. AREA PLANNING 1B

Military Training Routes (MTRs)

This publication is unique to the North and South American region. It contains information

relative to military routes, including IFR Military Training Routes (IR), VFR Military Training

Routes (VR), Slow Speed Low Altitude Training Routes (SR), and Air Refueling

Tracks/Anchors (AR). Charts containing graphic depictions of the IR \TR and SR route systems

throughout the United States are also published. In this course we will only look at the VR routes

section of AP/1B.

IRs and VRs are developed by the DOD to provide for military operational and training

requirements that cannot be met under the terms of FAR 91.117 (Aircraft Speed). Accordingly,

the FAA has issued a waiver to DOD to permit operation of an aircraft below 10,000 feet MSL

in excess of 250 knots indicated airspeed along DOD developed and published IFR and VFR

routes. VRs with no altitude segments above 1500 feet AGL are assigned a 4-digit, vice a 3-digit

identifier (e.g., VR-1 021).

VT- 10/4 uses VRs for low-level visual navigation training. NAV/NFOs assigned to the Strike

pipeline will fly IRs at VT-86 for radar navigation training. A summary of operating parameters

for VRs follows.

Scheduling and Coordination

Routes shall not be flown unless scheduled through the designated originating/scheduling

activity listed in the route description. The VT -10/4 Operations Department will coordinate the

scheduling for all VR routes.

The scheduling activity shall advise the user of any special operating procedures or

constraints not included in the route description. Examples of briefing items include noise

sensitive areas, unpublished obstructions or airports, bird activity, route suspension due to air

search, forest fires, etc.

The scheduling activity shall confirm all planned route usage (generated by both local and

transient users) with the tie in FSS on a daily basis. This shall include route designator, time

period, and altitudes (if other than published altitudes).

Flight Plans

Operations to and from VRs should be conducted on an IFR flight plan. Pilots operating on an

IFR flight to a VR shall file to the fix/radial/distance (FRD) of their chosen entry point. Pilots

transitioning to IFR upon exiting a VR shall file the FRD of the chosen exit point. These will be

explained in more detail in your VNAV class.

AREA PLANNING 1, 1A, AND 1B 2-11