AIM ¶ 4-3-20 — Standard Taxi Routes

4-3-20. 4-3-20. Standard Taxi Routes Standard Taxi Routes (STRs) provide a standard, predictable taxi route from an origination point to a termination point on the airport movement area. The use of STRs helps reduce frequency congestion and streamline taxi procedures. STRs may be available at certain airports. Absent an STR Letter of Agreement (LOA), issuance of an STR will be at the request of the pilot and discretion of ATC. STRs used under an LOA are issued by ATC and are not required to be requested by the pilot. STRs are available via two methods, (LOA) or publicly-available via the Domestic Notices website: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/domesticnotices/ . An LOA for STRs will be revised for updates and changes, including cancellation on an as-needed basis with the operator. It is the responsibility of the operator to distribute changes to their flight crews. An STR may be requested by a pilot or assigned at the discretion of ATC to the pilot of an operator with an LOA STR. It is the responsibility of the pilot to request a full taxi clearance if not fully familiar with the STR. A Letter to Airmen (LTA) will be issued by airport traffic control towers to announce availability, updates, cancelation, or changes of publicly-available STRs with appropriate updates to the Domestic Notices website. An LTA may include an airport diagram. The airport diagram will be labeled “not for navigation” and is not an acceptable substitute for the most up-to-date airport diagrams. LTAs are available via the FAA NOTAM Search website: https://notams.aim.faa.gov/notamSearch/ . Pilots request publicly-available STRs by stating the desired STR name (e.g., ATC facility, flight or aircraft identification, location, request STR name). By requesting an STR, a pilot acknowledges full familiarity with the STR. The issuance of a pilot-requested STR is at the discretion of ATC. STRs contain the same characteristics and responsibilities: Pilots should not request, and ATC may not issue STR instructions during low visibility Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (SMGCS) operations. It is the pilot's responsibility to maintain familiarity and awareness of the most current versions of STRs, as well as airport diagrams and charts prior to accepting an STR assignment. If a pilot is unsure about the assigned STR procedure, the pilot is encouraged to either seek clarification from ATC or decline the STR assignment. Pilots who become disoriented during taxi should advise ATC immediately and request detailed taxi instructions or other assistance. An STR instruction does not constitute nor imply a clearance to cross a runway. Unless otherwise stated by ATC, the issuance of an STR does not give an aircraft the right of way over another taxiing aircraft. Unless otherwise instructed by ATC, originating from, and terminating to a non-movement area as part of an STR is at the discretion of the pilot in coordination with ramp control, if required. If ATC instructs the pilot to deviate from an STR, ATC must issue detailed taxi instructions for the remainder of the taxi. Pilots are urged to exercise caution when accepting STR assignments, especially when STRs are used or available at more than one airport in the same terminal area. ATC may cancel, amend, or revise an STR as necessary. Any updates to publicly-available STRs will be communicated via LTA with appropriate updates to the Domestic Notices website.