SUBJ: Line Up and Wait (LUAW) Operations
1. Purpose of This Notice. This notice amends multiple paragraphs within Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) Order JO 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, concerning the harmonization between
FAA and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) procedural change from “taxi into position
and hold (TIPH)” to “line up and wait (LUAW).”
2. Audience. This notice applies to the Terminal Services organization and all associated air traffic
control facilities.
3. Where Can I Find This Notice? This notice is available on the MyFAA employee Web site at
https://employees.faa.gov/tools_reso...rders_notices/ and on the air traffic publications Web site at
Air Traffic Plans and Publications.
4. Explanation of Policy Change. In accordance with the Runway Safety Call-to-Action Committee
recommendations and the Safety Risk Management (SRM) Document dated May 19, 2009, this change
replaces all references of "TIPH" with "LUAW."
5. Procedures.
a. FAA Order JO 7110.65. Amend the following paragraphs to read as follows:
3-7-1. GROUND TRAFFIC MOVEMENT
Issue by radio or directional light signals specific instructions which approve or disapprove the movement of
aircraft, vehicles, equipment, or personnel on the movement area except where permitted in an LOA.
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7210.3, Paragraph 4-3-1, Letters of Agreement
FAAO JO 7210.3, Paragraph 4-3-2, Appropriate Subjects
a. Do not issue conditional instructions that are dependent upon the movement of an arrival aircraft on
or approaching the runway or a departure aircraft established on a takeoff roll. Do not say, “Line up and wait
behind landing traffic,” or “Taxi/proceed across Runway Three-Six behind departing/landing Citation.” The
above requirements do not preclude issuing instructions to follow an aircraft observed to be operating on the
movement area in accordance with an ATC clearance/instruction and in such a manner that the instructions to
follow are not ambiguous.
Subparagraphs b through d, no change.
Delete subparagraph e.
PHRASEOLOGYRUNWAY
(number) AT (taxiway designator) INTERSECTION DEPARTURE (remaining length) FEET AVAILABLE.
Delete subparagraph f.
09/30/2010 N JO 7110.536
2
3-9-4. LINE UP AND WAIT (LUAW)
a. The intent of LUAW is to position aircraft for an imminent departure. Authorize an aircraft to line up
and wait, except as restricted in subparagraph g, when takeoff clearances cannot be issued because of traffic.
Issue traffic information to any aircraft so authorized. Traffic information may be omitted when the traffic is
another aircraft which has landed on or is taking off the runway and is clearly visible to the holding aircraft.
Do not use conditional phrases such as “behind landing traffic” or “after the departing aircraft.”
b. First state the runway number followed by the line up and wait clearance.
PHRASEOLOGYRUNWAY
(number), LINE UP AND WAIT
c. Procedures.
1. At facilities without a safety logic system or facilities with the safety logic system inoperative, or
in the limited configuration:
(a) Do not issue a landing clearance to an aircraft requesting a full-stop, touch-and-go, stop-andgo,
option, or unrestricted low approach on the same runway with an aircraft that is holding in position or
taxiing to line up and wait until the aircraft in position starts takeoff roll.
(b) Do not authorize an aircraft to LUAW if an aircraft has been cleared to land, touch-and-go,
stop-and–go, option or unrestricted low approach on the same runway.
PHRASEOLOGYRUNWAY
(number), CONTINUE, TRAFFIC HOLDING IN POSITION.
EXAMPLE-
“American 528, Runway Two-Three continue, traffic holding in position.”
2. Facilities using the safety logic system in the full core alert mode:
(a) May issue a landing clearance, full-stop, touch-and-go, stop-and-go, option, or unrestricted
low approach to an arriving aircraft with an aircraft holding in position or taxiing to LUAW on the same
runway except when reported weather conditions are less than ceiling 800 feet or visibility less than 2 miles.
(b) May authorize an aircraft to LUAW when an aircraft has been cleared to land, touch-and-go,
stop-and-go, option, or unrestricted low approach on the same runway provided traffic is issued in accordance
with paragraph 3-9-4d.
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7110.65, Paragraph 3-10-5, Landing Clearance
d. When an aircraft is authorized to line up and wait, inform it of the closest traffic requesting a fullstop,
touch-and-go, stop-and-go, option or unrestricted low approach to the same runway.
PHRASEOLOGYRUNWAY
(number), LINE UP AND WAIT, TRAFFIC IS A (type aircraft and position).
EXAMPLE-
“United Five, Runway One-Eight, line up and wait. Traffic is a Boeing Seven Thirty-Seven, 6-mile final.
e. USAF/USN. When an aircraft is authorized to line up and wait, inform it of the closest traffic within
6 miles on final approach to the same runway. If the approaching aircraft is on a different frequency, inform
it of the aircraft taxiing into position.
f. Do not authorize an aircraft to line up and wait when the departure point is not visible from the tower
unless the aircraft’s position can be verified by ASDE or the runway is used for departures only.
09/30/2010 N JO 7110.536
3
g. An aircraft may be authorized to line up and wait at an intersection between sunset and sunrise under
the following conditions:
1. The procedure must be approved by the appropriate Director, Terminal Operations (service area)
as well as the Director, Terminal Safety and Operations Support.
2. The procedure must be contained in a facility directive.
3. The runway must be used as a departure-only runway.
4. Only one aircraft at a time is permitted to line up and wait on the same runway.
5. Document on FAA Form 7230-4, Daily Record of Facility Operation, the following: “LUAW at
INT of RWY (number) and TWY (name) IN EFFECT” when using runway as a departure-only runway.
“LUAW at INT of RWY (number) and TWY (name) SUSPENDED” when runway is not used as a departureonly
runway.
h. Do not authorize an aircraft to line up and wait at anytime when the intersection is not visible from
the tower.
i. Do not authorize aircraft to simultaneously line up and wait on the same runway, between sunrise and
sunset, unless the local assist/local monitor position is staffed.
j. USN. Do not authorize aircraft to line up and wait simultaneously on intersecting runways.
PHRASEOLOGYCONTINUE
HOLDING.
or
TAXI OFF THE RUNWAY.
k. When aircraft are authorized to line up and wait on runways that intersect, traffic must be exchanged
between that aircraft and the aircraft that is authorized to line up and wait, depart, or arrive to the intersecting
runway(s).
EXAMPLE-
“United Five, Runway Four, line up and wait, traffic holding Runway Three-One.”
“Delta One, Runway Three-One, line up and wait, traffic holding Runway Four.”
Or, when issuing traffic information to an arrival aircraft and an aircraft that is holding on runway(s) that intersect(s):
“Delta One, Runway Four, line up and wait, traffic landing Runway Three-One.”
“United Five, Runway Three-One, cleared to land. Traffic holding in position Runway Four.”
Or, when issuing traffic information to a departing aircraft and an aircraft that is holding on runway(s) that intersect(s):
“Delta One, Runway Three-One, line up and wait, traffic departing Runway Four.”
“United Five, Runway Four, cleared for takeoff, traffic holding in position Runway Three-One.”
Subparagraphs l through m, no change.
n. When authorizing an aircraft to line up and wait at an intersection, state the runway intersection.
PHRASEOLOGYRUNWAY
(number) AT (taxiway designator), LINE UP AND WAIT.
09/30/2010 N JO 7110.536
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o. When two or more aircraft call the tower ready for departure, one or more at the full length of a
runway and one or more at an intersection, state the location of the aircraft at the full length of the runway
when authorizing that aircraft to line up and wait.
PHRASEOLOGYRUNWAY
(number), FULL-LENGTH, LINE UP AND WAIT.
EXAMPLE-
“American Four Eighty-Two, Runway Three-Zero full length, line up and wait.”
NOTEThe
controller need not state the location of the aircraft departing the full length of the runway if there are no aircraft
holding for departure at an intersection for that same runway.
3-9-6. SAME RUNWAY SEPARATION
Title through subparagraph c, no change.
d. Do not issue clearances to small aircraft to line up and wait on the same runway behind a departing
heavy jet aircraft to apply the necessary intervals.
Subparagraphs e through h, no change.
i. Separate a small aircraft behind a large aircraft that has departed or made a low/missed approach
when utilizing opposite direction takeoffs on the same runway by 3 minutes unless a pilot has initiated a
request to deviate from the 3-minute interval. In the latter case, issue a wake turbulence advisory before
clearing the aircraft for takeoff. Controllers must not initiate or suggest a waiver of the 3-minute rule.
NOTEA
request for takeoff does not initiate a waiver request.
REFERENCEFAAO
JO 7110.65, Appendix A, Appendix B, and Appendix C, Aircraft Information.
j. Separate aircraft behind a heavy jet/B757 that has departed or made a low/missed approach when
utilizing opposite direction takeoffs or landings on the same or parallel runways separated by less than
2,500 feet- 3 minutes.