Definition
A standardized set of agreements between adjacent air traffic control facilities or sectors that authorize specific actions — such as transferring an aircraft, crossing a boundary, or using a particular altitude — without requiring controllers to coordinate verbally each time. The procedures are documented in advance, usually in a Letter of Agreement or facility directive, so the affected controllers can act on them automatically when the conditions are met.
Plain English
A written agreement between two ATC facilities that says: 'When situation X happens, both sides already agree on what to do, so no one needs to call and check.' It saves time and radio chatter on routine handoffs and crossings.
Context Anchor
Seen in ATC and AIM glossary material, especially when describing how controllers coordinate aircraft movement between adjoining areas of controlled airspace.
Derivation
Prearranged means 'arranged in advance.' Coordination in ATC means working out the details of moving an aircraft between controllers. Together: the coordination is settled ahead of time, not in the moment.
Why Pilots Care
Pilots rarely see these procedures directly, but they're the reason handoffs and altitude changes often happen smoothly without controllers stopping to negotiate. Knowing they exist helps explain why ATC sometimes clears you across a boundary or to a new altitude with no apparent delay.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as a procedure arranged by the pilot before flight. In this FAA use, it means an ATC procedure agreed on in advance between controllers or control positions.
Example Sentence 1
Under prearranged coordination procedures, the center can hand the flight off to approach control without a verbal call between controllers.
Example Sentence 2
Because prearranged coordination procedures were active, the center controller could issue vectors into the next facility's airspace without real-time approval for each aircraft.