Definition
A numbered, published transatlantic route system used to carry traffic between specified inland North American airports and gateway points along the east coast of North America, where aircraft transition onto the North Atlantic oceanic track system. North American Routes are coordinated with the daily organized track structure and provide a structured flow of arriving and departing oceanic traffic through North American airspace.
Plain English
A pre-planned, numbered route that connects an inland airport in North America to a coastal point where flights join (or leave) the ocean-crossing track system over the Atlantic.
Context Anchor
Seen in flight planning, route clearances, and ATC route descriptions for flights operating between North America and the North Atlantic route system.
Why Pilots Care
These routes shorten flight time and save fuel on suitable long-distance trips while remaining within ATC-coordinated airspace.
Intuition Check
A North American Route does not mean any route located in North America. In this FAA context, it means a specific preplanned coded route tied to North Atlantic crossing traffic.
Example Sentence 1
The dispatcher selected a North American Route that connected the departure airport to the eastern gateway feeding that day's assigned oceanic track.
Example Sentence 2
ATC offered the crew a North American Route after the original airway became unavailable due to weather.