JO 7210.3 Facility Operation and AdministrationJO 7210.3EE · Change 3 · Effective 7/9/2026
Chapter 18 · Section 22
National Playbook
6 Paragraphs18-22-1–18-22-6
18-22-1 PURPOSE
The National Playbook is a collection of Severe Weather Avoidance Plan (SWAP) routes that have been pre‐validated and coordinated with impacted ARTCCs. The National Playbook is designed to mitigate the potential adverse impact to the FAA and customers during periods of severe weather or other events that affect coordination of routes. These events include, but are not limited to, convective weather, military operations, communications, and other situations.
18-22-2 POLICY
National Playbook routes must only be used after collaboration and coordination between the ATCSCC and the TMU(s) of affected air traffic facilities.
18-22-3 DEFINITION
The National Playbook is a traffic management tooldeveloped to give the ATCSCC, FAA facilities, andindustry a common product for various route scenarios. The purpose of the National Playbook is to aid in expediting route coordination during periods of constraint in the NAS. The National Playbook contains common scenarios that occur during each severe weather season, and each includes the airspace or flow impacted, facilities included, and specific routes for each facility involved. The National Playbook is available on the ATCSCC website at: http://www.atcscc.faa.gov/Operations/operations.html.
18-22-4 RESPONSIBILITIES
The ATCSCC must:
Manage the National Playbook program.
Operate as the OPI at the National Level.
Identify and coordinate the development/ modification/deletion of National Playbook routes as needed.
Evaluate and coordinate, as appropriate, National Playbook development/modification/ deletion requests received from the ARTCCs.
Conduct a yearly review of the National Playbook routes and procedures.
The ATCSCC will hold telcons/meetings to facilitate the coordination of playbooks on an as needed basis.
The AIS must forward to the ATCSCC any changes to the published navigational database, (i.e., DPs/SIDs/STARs, NAVAIDs, Fixes, Waypoints, etc.) contained in the NFDD(s) that are effective for the subsequent chart date. The data must be provided at least 45 days prior to the chart date.
The ARTCCs must:
Forward to the ATCSCC any request to develop/modify/delete National Playbook routes in accordance with this section. Requests must include the National Playbook designation and a description of the desired additions/deletions/ modifications.
Supply a POC for the ATCSCC to contact regarding National Playbook routes.
Participate in the coordination process of National Playbook routes impacting their facility.
Terminal facilities must coordinate with their overlyingARTCC for all matters pertaining to the National Playbook.
18-22-5 NATIONAL PLAYBOOK DATA FORMAT
Playbooks must be developed and/or amended in accordance with the following:
Routes and route segments must be defined by any combination of the following:
STAR and associated STAR number.
NAVAID identifier, intersection name, fix name, RNAV Waypoint, or NRS Waypoints (e.g., FUZ, ZEMMA, KK45G).
Type and number of the airway (e.g., J87 M201 Q40 T295 V16.
When establishing or amending Playbook Routes the following rules must be applied:
When including a DP/SID/STAR use a published transition fix or the common fix for the procedure.
When describing an airway include a published entry and exit point (e.g., CVE J87 BILEE).
When connecting two airways, a published fix common to both airways and that is depicted on en route charts must be included (e.g., ADM J21 ACT J50). If there is not a fix common to both airways, include a published exit point for the first airway and a published entrance point for the second airway (e.g., OCS J206 NLSEN CYS J148).
The first route element following the origin must not be an airway (e.g., KDFW J4).
The last route element prior to the destination must not be an airway (e.g., J35 KMSY).
Low frequency non-directional beacons must not be used.
The National Playbook will be published on the ATCSCC site. Updates to the National Playbook will coincide with the normal 56‐day chart updates.
All changes to the National Playbook require coordination with affected facilities. Therefore, changes must be submitted to the ATCSCC at least 60 days prior to the desired publication date to be eligible for inclusion in the update.
18-22-6 IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES
Implementation of National Playbook routes may be initiated by the ATCSCC or requested by the TMU at an ARTCC.
The ATCSCC will coordinate the activation/deactivation of National Playbook routes. National Playbook routes are considered active when the ATCSCC has completed coordination with all impacted facilities. A numbered advisory will be sent by the ATCSCC describing the route(s) being used.
The ATCSCC will display current National Playbook advisories on the ATCSCC web page.
National Playbook routes may be modified tactically to achieve an operational advantage. The ATCSCC will coordinate these changes verbally with all impacted facilities and ensure that the published advisory contains the modifications.
Facilities must monitor and provide real-time reports of the impact and continued need for the use of the National Playbook routes through the ATCSCC.
A National Playbook route is no longer active when the expiration time stated on the advisory has been reached without an extension coordinated or a decision to cancel the route has been reached. If the route is cancelled prior to the expiration time, the ATCSCC will coordinate with all impacted facilities and publish an advisory stating that the route has been cancelled.
If there are circumstances that prevent the use of a National Playbook route, then the air traffic facility involved must inform the ATCSCC. It is the responsibility of the impacted facility and the ATCSCC to ensure the route is not utilized until the circumstances preventing its use are corrected or the route is deleted.