locating the TEC routes in the AFD

[Keith Smith]

The TEC routes are available in the Supplemental section of the online Airport Facility Directory.

Here's how to get the current cycle of that publication:
1) click here: http://aeronav.faa.gov/index.asp?xml=ae ... ions/d_afd
2) clicking on the "digital - Airport/Facility Directory" link at the bottom
3) click on California
4) click on Search
5) scroll UP a couple of lines and click the SUPPLEMENTAL link, which takes you to the PDF
6) search the PDF for "TEC" or "tower enroute"

The initial text describes the TEC system, the aircraft codes (J/M/P/Q), and the definitions of the route modifiers (LAXN, SANE, SNAN, etc). Keep scrolling and you'll get to the route database itself.

[Mike Sweeney]

Thanks Keith.
Another handy reference to look up TEC routes when departure and destination are known: http://www.fly.faa.gov/rmt/nfdc_preferr ... tabase.jsp
For Route Type: TEC

[Keith Smith]

That is spot on, however, there was an incident with a group of pilots being unable to locate the SMON22 TEC route (if memory serves) because the SMO-SAN piston route for normal ops was now filed under SMO-MYF (try the search and you'll see the issue). So, I wanted to post a rock solid method of finding the 'bible' copy of the routes.

99% of the time, though, the FAA pref route database is great, though.

[Daddy O]

That tec route site is a little quirky. I have found it works best if you only enter a start or destination, but not both. Itll present you with all routes available for that site and you can choose one.

Question: in rw flight do the controllers really rattle off the entire route for a tec, or do they just say tec3? I havehad some hairy clearances that were issued at high speed (riduculously fast for that big a route) and impossible to keep up with, only to find he was reading off a tec route. With tablets and navaids so prolific, it seems like they would just say x_departure followed by tec4. They expect you to look up the departure chart, why not the tec?

[Daddy O]

Well now the site is really AFU. They moved it, but their internal links all still point to the new site. You can find it from google by searching for nfdc preferred routes. But the new site is not working, at least not on my tablet anyhow. I sent them a nastygram, but this is the faa we're talking about here. They will fix it when they get the message in 3 years.

[Keith Smith]

The DIGITAL AFD,which is the focus of this thread, is working without issue. I just repeated the steps in the original post and they worked fine. The Digital AFD is not the same as the pref route database. Digital AFD is alive and well.

[Steven Winslow]

The link I've had for the Preferred Routes no longer works. Any more word on this? Anyone know where we can get the TEC routes?

Here's the link I've been using:

http://www.fly.faa.gov/rmt/nfdc_preferr ... tabase.jsp

[Ryan Geckler]

It's currently down for maintenance per the FAA website.

[Keith Smith]

Steve, look at the message directly above yours.

[Steven Winslow]

Keith,

I tried those steps but it didn't work for me. I must be doing something wrong. I'll try it again and let you know what happens.