AMC2 SERA.14090(e) Specific communication procedures

CLEARANCES ON STANDARD INSTRUMENT ARRIVAL (STAR)

(a)     Clearances to aircraft on a STAR with remaining published level and/or speed restrictions should indicate if such restrictions are to be followed or are cancelled. The following phraseologies should be used with the following meanings:

(1)     DESCEND VIA STAR TO (level):

(i)      descend to the cleared level and comply with published level restrictions;

(ii)     follow the lateral profile of the STAR; and

(iii)     comply with published speed restrictions or ATC-issued speed control instructions as applicable.

(2)     DESCEND VIA STAR TO (level), CANCEL LEVEL RESTRICTION(S):

(i)      descend to the cleared level; published level restrictions are cancelled;

(ii)     follow the lateral profile of the STAR; and

(iii)     comply with published speed restrictions or ATC-issued speed control instructions as applicable.

(3)     DESCEND VIA STAR TO (level), CANCEL LEVEL RESTRICTION(S) AT (point(s)):

(i)      descend to the cleared level; published level restriction(s) at the specified point(s) are cancelled;

(ii)     follow the lateral profile of the STAR; and

(iii)     comply with published speed restrictions or ATC-issued speed control instructions as applicable.

(4)     DESCEND VIA STAR TO (level), CANCEL SPEED RESTRICTION(S):

(i)      descend to the cleared level and comply with published level restrictions;

(ii)     follow the lateral profile of the STAR; and

(iii)     published speed restrictions and ATC-issued speed control instructions are cancelled.

(5)     DESCEND VIA STAR TO (level), CANCEL SPEED RESTRICTION(S) AT (point(s)):

(i)      descend to the cleared level and comply with published level restrictions;

(ii)     follow the lateral profile of the STAR; and

(iii)     published speed restrictions are cancelled at the specified point(s).

(6)     DESCEND UNRESTRICTED TO (level) or DESCEND TO (level), CANCEL LEVEL AND SPEED RESTRICTION(S):

(i)      descend to the cleared level; published level restrictions are cancelled;

(ii)     follow the lateral profile of the STAR; and

(iii)     published speed restrictions and ATC-issued speed control instructions are cancelled.

(b)     If there are no remaining published level or speed restrictions on the STAR, the phrase DESCEND TO (level) should be used.

(c)      When subsequent speed restriction instructions are issued and if the cleared level is unchanged, the phrase DESCEND VIA STAR TO (level) should be omitted.

(d)     When an arriving aircraft is cleared to proceed direct to a published waypoint on the STAR, the speed and level restrictions associated with the bypassed waypoints are cancelled. All remaining published speed and level restrictions should remain applicable.

(e)     When an arriving aircraft is vectored or cleared to proceed to a point that is not on the STAR, all the published speed and level restrictions of the STAR are cancelled and the air traffic controller should:

(1)     reiterate the cleared level;

(2)     provide speed and level restrictions as necessary; and

(3)     notify the pilot if it is expected that the aircraft will be instructed to subsequently rejoin the STAR.

(f)      ATC instructions to an aircraft to rejoin a STAR should include:

(1)     the designator of the STAR to be rejoined, unless advance notification of rejoining has been provided in accordance with point (e);

(2)     the cleared level on rejoining the STAR in accordance with point (a); and

(3)     the position at which it is expected to rejoin the STAR.

[applicable from 1 May 2025 – ED Decision 2024/007/R]