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This page covers important topics related to Low- and High-Altitude Airways (7110.65 2-5).
Airways provide a standard set of routes for aircraft to follow that help maintain a safe and orderly flow of traffic. Non-RNAV routes also ensure the ability to navigate based on VORs.
There are two types of airways based on altitude, and two classifications of each type.
Low-Altitude
Victor Airways
Tango Routes
High Altitude
Jet Routes
Q Routes
Low-Altitude Airways
Low-Altitude Airways
Low altitude airways cover from 1200’ AGL, up to but not including FL180.
Victor Airways (Black)
These rely on NAVAIDs
Non-RNAV Routing
Tango Routes (Blue)
These do not rely on NAVAIDs
RNAV Routing
Pronunciation (7110.65 2-5-1): use the phonetic alphabet for the letters.
“Victor One Twenty”
“Tango Three Seventeen"
Both of these airways are depicted and seen on Enroute Low Charts. Open up SkyVector and click "World Lo".
High-Altitude Airways
High-Altitude Airways
High altitude airways cover FL180 up to and including FL450.
J Airways (Black)
The jet route or jet airway system has set established routes starting from 18,000 MSL up to and including FL450.
Non-RNAV routing.
Q Routes (Blue)
These are for use by RNAV aircraft between 18,000 MSL up to and including FL450.
To also be used with RNAV-equipped aircraft and RNAV routes.
Pronunciation (7110.65 2-5-1): say the letters by their name.
“Jay Seventy”
“Que One Forty-four"
Both of these airways are depicted and seen on Enroute High Charts. Open up SkyVector and click "World Hi".
Y Airways
Y Airways
The Y airways are another type of RNAV airway. Most of these routes are in high altitude offshore airspace in the southeast, none of them are near ZSE. Aircraft must have GNSS to use these airways.
Enroute Low Charts
Enroute Low Charts
SkyVector is your best friend!
Select “World Lo” in order to pull up the low charts
Any altitude listed without any additional text is the Minimum Enroute Altitude (MEA).
An MEA is the lowest altitude an aircraft should be at on any airway. This assures reception of NAVAIDs, two-way radio communication with ATC, and appropriate terrain and obstruction clearance.
An altitude in blue with a G at the end provides an alternative MEA for aircraft using GPS to navigate the airway.
Aircraft who filed an altitude below the highest MEA on their route should be reassigned an altitude at or above the MEA.
Any altitude listed with an asterisk (*) next to it indicates the Minimum Obstruction Clearance Altitude (MOCA)
A MOCA is the lowest altitude in effect on an airway which assures terrain and obstruction clearance.
NOTE: These altitudes should not be assigned except as permitted in 7110.65 4-5-6.
Aircraft flying between 1200’ AGL up to, but not including, FL180 are allowed to navigate via these airways.
In the example to the left, the MEA for this segment depends on the direction of flight.
For flights headed to the left, the MEA is 14000. For flights headed to the right, it is 12000.
If the airway is being flown with GPS, the MEA is 11000 (shown in blue with the G).
The MOCA is also 11000.
The distance for this segment is 11 NM. The SEDTO intersection is 36 NM from the navaid to the right.
The number shown in brown to the left is an Off Route Obstruction Clearance Altitude (OROCA). This example is 10700 ft. These are located near the center of the 30x30 minute quadrants outlined in light blue to which they apply. Aircraft not on an airway would need to fly at least this high to be clear of all obstacles in the quadrant.
High altitude airways are less likely to have issues requiring alternate altitude limits, but you will find some like the example to the left.
The MEA here is 19000 instead of the usual 18000.
This segment also has a Maximum Authorized Altitude (MAA) of 29000.
There's also a time window for these limits. Fun!
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