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Traffic Flow Initiatives September 11, 2001

Command Center Quality Assurance

September 17, 2001

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1304Z (Position 15) Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZBW) called to advise that all departures out of ZBW have been stopped

– 1306Z Position 14 calls all New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZNY) first tiers to stop all traffic to and through ZNY

– 1307Z (Position 14 Logs) ZNY calls Command Center to advise ATC-0. Command Center issues a ground stop for anything to or through ZNY

– 1308Z ZNY to/through Ground Stop issued on Command Center Advisory 027

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1319Z Command Center National Traffic Management Officer (NTMO) calls Cleveland Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZOB) ... Air Traffic Control System Command Center (DCC) confirms that Boston Air Traffic Control Tower (BOS) is also ATC zero

– 1320Z Command Center NTMO informs Indianapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZID) that ZNY/ZBW are Air Traffic Control (ATC) zero

– 1324Z All traffic to and through ZBW has been Ground Stopped on Command Center Advisory 029

– 1326Z Command Center NTMO informs Memphis Air Traffic Control Center (ZME) watch desk to watch for unusual flights. ZME responds ZME’s internal security is heightened

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1326Z (Position 13) calls all centers to ground stop all departures in the system regardless of destination

– 1329Z (Position 15) All ground stop issued on Command Center advisory 031

– 1330Z All traffic to and through Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZDC) has been ground stopped on Command Center Advisory 030

– 1330Z (From West NTMO Log) All centers/All departures regardless of destination ground stopped on Command Center Advisory 031

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1331Z All traffic to and through Los Angeles Air Traffic Control Center (ZLA) has been ground stopped on Command Center Advisory 032

– 1332Z DCC calls Houston Air Traffic Control Center (ZHU) and advised them that the Command Center will let Mexico know about the All centers ground stop. ZHU says they can tell Mexico faster than the Command Center and would handle this for DCC

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1336Z Oakland Air Traffic Control Center (ZOA) asks about Oceanic traffic. Talking about Guam other island traffic... DCC checks and states that ZOA should stop all island traffic coming to the US

– 1340Z Air Transport Association (ATA) rep. to call all airlines and suggest they land all aircraft as soon as possible

– 1345Z DCC West Supervisor calls all centers to land all airborne traffic as soon as practical regardless of destination

– 1349Z Brussels central flow called to verify all departures and arrivals stopped

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1400Z ZOA/Anchorage Alaska Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZAN) advised by DCC that all inbound international traffic is to land at earliest opportunity

– 1403Z DCC calls Reagan National Air Traffic Control Tower (DCA) to verify that DCA airspace is clear

– 1405Z Pittsburgh Air Traffic Control Tower (PIT) advised that they evacuated the tower due to a report of an aircraft headed for PIT which allegedly had a bomb. Before Pit evacuated they declared ATC zero

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1414Z FBI advised via the TELCON military and law enforcement aircraft are released

– 1416Z DCC asked ZOB about the status of PIT. ZOB says PIT is back in the tower and they are accepting arrivals. There are 4 aircraft left in the holding pattern

– 1417Z DCC National Operations Manager (NOM) reports ZOB/PIT now accepting traffic, no longer ATC-zero. He advises that PIT has about 4 aircraft left in the holding pattern

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1422Z Brussels has Ground Stopped all US-destined aircraft. Canadian aircraft, Puerto Rico, etc. running by authority of DCC NOM

– 1435Z Position 15 - ZBW reports ATC Zero– 1439Z Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) sent closing

operations at all airports. NOTAM FDC1/9731 sent– 1503Z Fire fighting aircraft in the northwest U.S.are

released– 1504Z ZOB calls to request DCC to show ZOB on

ATC zero due to facility evacuation. State police report small aircraft circling ZOB Center

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Traffic Flow Actions

• 1505Z Advisory sent:

ATCSCC ADVZY 036 DCC 09/11/01 FDC SPECIAL NOTICE.

DUE TO EXTRADORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND FOR REASONS OFSAFTEY.ATTENTION ALL AIRCRAFT OPERATORS, BY ORDER OF THE FEDERALAVIATION COMMAND CENTER ALL AIRPORTS/AIRDROMES ARE NOT AUTHORIZEDFOR LANDING AND TAKEOFF. ALL TRAFFIC INCLUDING AIRBORNE AIRCRAFT AREENCOURAGED TO LAND SHORTLY,INCLUDING ALL HELICOPTER TRAFFIC.

AIRCRAFT INVOLVED IN FIREFIGHTING IN THE NORTHWEST US ARE EXCLUDED.PLEASE READ THIS NOTICE OVER THE EMERGENCY FREQUENCIES, AND VORVOICE.

11150501/09/11 15:06

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1535Z Boston Tower re-staffed– 1541Z ATC zero alert cancelled at ZBW– 1746Z DCC advisory 049 states all military flights

requesting to depart should now check with military channels

– 1817Z Security Control of Air Traffic and Air Navigation Aids (SCATANA) still not in effect but military approving all flights

– 1821Z TELCON from North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)- Local law enforcement Medevacs as well as military do not require NORAD approval

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1830Z Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) can approve Lifeguard, Medevacs, and local law enforcement. All other flights provide flight info to Emergency Operations Room (EOR) room, they will be coordinated with Air Force, who will coordinate with air defense sectors for approval. DCC advisory 041 sent

– 1904Z FAA Headquarters: Advises no resumption of commercial air traffic until at least tomorrow at 12:00PM EDT

– 1915Z LAX Tower evacuated due to bomb threat in parking lot 2

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Traffic Flow Actions

– 1936Z Contract towers being ordered to remain open

– 1955Z LAX Tower personnel returned to facility

– 2110Z Shannon, Ireland Center turning aircraft around that departed Europe destined for the United States

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Traffic Flow Actions

• THE FOLLOWING NOTICE IS FOR FAA INTERNAL USE ONLY. NO PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OF THIS INFORMATION IS AUTHORIZED.

• .• ALL CENTERS SHALL FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO ALL TERMINALS

WITHIN THEIR CENTER AREA OF JURISDICTION ON NON-VOICE LINES (FAX) LINES IF POSSIBLE.• .• DCC 09/11/01 ATC PROCEDURES FOR THE RELEASE OF CIVIL AIRCRAFT• .• ATC IFR FACILITIES MAY AUTHORIZE A MED EVAC, LIFEGUARD, EVACUATION

OR LAW ENFORCEMENT FLIGHT FOR A SPECIFIC FLIGHT SEGMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING:

• 1. A DISCRETE BEACON CODE IS PROVIDED TO THE AIRCRAFT.• 2. FLIGHTS TO-FROM A SPECIFIC LOCATION MAY BE AUTHORIZED IN A SINGLE

APPROVAL IF OPERATIONAL FREQUENCY COVERAGE IS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE DESTINATION.• 3. FACILITIES SHALL PROVIDE U.S. MILITARY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE FLIGHT IF

REQUESTED.

2122Z

!FDC 1/9760 SPECIAL NOTICE – EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. FLIGHT OPERATIONS IN THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM BY UNITED STATES CIVIL AIRCRAFT AND FOREIGN CIVIL AND MILITARY AIRCRAFT ARE PROHIBITED, EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ADVZY 043 OR AS AMENDED OR REVISED.

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