Jet Routes and Airways

FAR 71.15 — Jet Routes and Airways

FAR 71.15 explains how jet routes and VOR Federal airways are designated using VOR/VORTAC navigation aid place names in FAA Order JO 7400.11K.

In Plain English

FAR 71.15 tells you how to read the names that appear in the official descriptions of jet routes and VOR Federal airways. Unless the FAA says otherwise, every place name listed in those route descriptions refers to a VOR or VORTAC navigation aid — not a city, airport, or fix.

The authoritative lists live in FAA Order JO 7400.11K:

Subpart A of the order contains the descriptions of jet routes (high-altitude routes used at and above 18,000 feet MSL).
Subpart E of the order contains the descriptions of VOR Federal airways (the low-altitude Victor airways below 18,000 feet MSL).

This order is incorporated by reference in FAR 71.1, which means it has the same legal force as the regulation itself.

Why it matters operationally: when you flight plan along a Victor airway or jet route, you're navigating from one ground-based VOR/VORTAC to the next. Knowing that the named points are navaids — not waypoints or airports — helps you correctly tune, identify, and track them in the cockpit.

Regulation Text

14 CFR § 71.15

§ 71.15 Designation of jet routes and VOR Federal airways. Unless otherwise specified, the place names appearing in the descriptions of airspace areas designated as jet routes in subpart A of FAA Order JO 7400.11K, and as VOR Federal airways in subpart E of FAA Order JO 7400.11K, are the names of VOR or VORTAC navigation aids. FAA Order JO 7400.11K is incorporated by reference in § 71.1. Effective Date Note: By Docket FAA-2025-1763, Amdt. 71-57, 90 FR 41890, Aug. 28, 2025, § 71.15 was amended by removing “FAA Order JO 7400.11J” everywhere it appears and adding in its place “FAA Order JO 7400.11K”, effective Sept. 15, 2025, through Sept. 15, 2026. [Docket 29334, 73 FR 54495, Sept. 22, 2008, as amended by Amdt. 71-40, 73 FR 60940, Oct. 15, 2008; Amdt. 71-41, 74 FR 46490, Sept. 10, 2009; Amdt. 71-42, 75 FR 55268, Sept. 10, 2010; Amdt. 71-43, 76 FR 53329, Aug. 26, 2011; Amdt. 71-44, 77 FR 50908, Aug. 23, 2012; Amdt. 71-45, 78 FR 52848, Aug. 27, 2013; Amdt. 71-46, 79 FR 51888, Sept. 2, 2014; Amdt. 71-47, 80 FR 51937, Aug. 27, 2015; Amdt. 71-48, 81 FR 55372, Aug. 19, 2016; Amdt. 71-49, 82 FR 40068, Aug. 24, 2017; Amdt. 71-50, 83 FR 43757, Aug. 28, 2018; Docket FAA-2019-0627, Amdt. 71-51, 84 FR 45652, Aug. 30, 2019; Amdt. 71-52, 85 FR 50780, Aug. 18, 2020; Amdt. 71-53, 86 FR 46963, Aug. 23, 2021; Docket FAA-2022-1022, Amdt. 71-54, 87 FR 54878, Sept. 8, 2022; Docket FAA-2023-1785, Amdt. 71-55, 88 FR 58072, Aug. 25, 2023; Docket FAA-2024-2061, Amdt. 71-56, 89 FR 68339, Aug. 26, 2024; Docket FAA-2025-1763, Amdt. 71-57, 90 FR 41890, Aug. 28, 2025]

Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1On a VOR Federal airway, what do the place names in the airway's description actually represent?

Per FAR 71.15, unless otherwise specified, those place names are the names of VOR or VORTAC navigation aids, not cities or airports.

Q2Where are jet routes and VOR Federal airways officially described, and does that document have the force of regulation?

FAR 71.15 points to FAA Order JO 7400.11K — jet routes in Subpart A and VOR Federal airways in Subpart E — and that order is incorporated by reference in FAR 71.1, giving it regulatory effect.

Q3If you see a city name listed in a Victor airway description, should you navigate to that city?

No. Under FAR 71.15, the place names in airway descriptions refer to the VOR or VORTAC navaid bearing that name, so you'd tune and track that navaid, not fly to the city itself.

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Related Sections in Part 71

§ 71.1

Airspace Designations Applicability

§ 71.11

ATS Routes