Reference & AI

DAFMAN 13-217

Air Force

DROP ZONE, LANDING ZONE, AND HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE OPERATIONS

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia, active-duty U.S. Air Force

DAFMAN 13-217, "DROP ZONE, LANDING ZONE, AND HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE OPERATIONS", is a Department of the Air Force publication, dated April 22, 2021.

Published

April 22, 2021

OPR

AF/A3

Headquarters, Department of the Air Force

Official document

Open the PDF

on static.e-publishing.af.mil

DAFMAN 13-217 — index record

NumberDAFMAN 13-217
TitleDROP ZONE, LANDING ZONE, AND HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE OPERATIONS
PublishedApril 22, 2021
Certified currentApril 22, 2021
Office of primary responsibilityAF/A3
Issued byHeadquarters, Department of the Air Force
Status on the indexCurrent
Last index actionUpdateContact, July 26, 2024
Source indexAir Force e-Publishing
Index last readOctober 20, 2026

Copied from Air Force e-Publishing (index). The publication itself is the authority; this page does not summarize or interpret it. Verify the current edition on the index before acting.

From the publication itself

Text below is lifted mechanically from the official PDF (83 pages, read October 20, 2026) with no editing or interpretation. Quote the document, not this page.

Purpose, in the publication’s words

This manual establishes AF/A3S as the DAF proponent for assault zones, to include DZs, LZs, HLZs, LC-130 skiways and ski landing areas. It provides administrative, management, and operational guidance for DAF and subordinate command assault zone surveys, operations, and training to standardize procedures, increase mission effectiveness and safety, and ensure compliance with Department of Defense (DoD) activity and mishap reporting requirements. Use this publication in conjunction with Air Force Manual (AFMAN) 11-2 Mission Design Series (MDS) publications and applicable DoD, United States Air Force (USAF), and MAJCOM instructions and directives. For the purposes of this document and consistent with AF doctrine, the term “Air Component Commander” is used to refer to either the Commander of Air Force Forces or the Commander of Air Force Special Operations Forces (COMAFSOF) as applicable based on who has OPCON of the DAF forces to which this manual applies.

Summary of changes, as printed

This interim change revises DAFMAN 13-217 by (1) correcting the email addresses to which SOCOM Form 111 is submitted to AFSOC, (2) updating Table 3.1, Standard DZ Size Criteria, Notes 2 and 4 to clarify to which flying platforms and under what circumstance exemptions apply, (3) updating Table 3.2, Standard Point of Impact Placement, to clarify criteria for C-130 aircraft, (4) updating and clarifying the International Agreements applicable to non-US personnel involved in drop zone operations. A margin bar (|) indicates newly revised material.

Contents

  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEWp. 6
  2. Chapter 2—ZONE AVAILABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMp. 8
  3. Chapter 3—DROP ZONE OPERATIONSp. 11
  4. Chapter 4—LANDING ZONE OPERATIONSp. 42
  5. Chapter 5—HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE OPERATIONSp. 71
  6. Chapter 6—LC-130 SKIWAY AND SKI LANDING AREA CRITERIAp. 75
  7. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 85
  8. Attachment 2—WIND/SEA STATE PREDICTION CHARTSp. 96
  9. Attachment 3—STANDARD/METRIC CONVERSION CHARTp. 98
  10. Attachment 4—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 3823, DZ SURVEYp. 99
  11. Attachment 5—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 3822, LZ SURVEYp. 105
  12. Attachment 6—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 4303, HLZ SURVEYp. 114
  13. Attachment 7—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 4304, DZ/LZ CONTROL LOGp. 125
  14. Attachment 8—ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING TACTICAL LZ SURVEYSp. 127
  15. Attachment 9—ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING LZSp. 128
  16. Attachment 10—ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING DZSp. 152
  17. Attachment 11—SOCOM FORM 111p. 158
All 64 contents entries
  1. Chapter 1—OVERVIEWp. 6
  2. 1.2. International Agreementsp. 6
  3. 1.3. Deviationsp. 6
  4. 1.4. Waiversp. 6
  5. 1.5. Contractor Support and Limitationsp. 7
  6. Chapter 2—ZONE AVAILABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMp. 8
  7. 2.2. Databasep. 8
  8. 2.3. Roles and Responsibilitiesp. 9
  9. 2.4. Supportp. 10
  10. Chapter 3—DROP ZONE OPERATIONSp. 11
  11. 3.1. Generalp. 11
  12. 3.2. Responsibilityp. 11
  13. 3.3. DZ Criteriap. 11
  14. 3.4. Instrument Meteorological Condition Airdropsp. 21
  15. 3.5. Hazards, Obstacles, and Restrictionsp. 21
  16. 3.6. Airdrop Windsp. 22
  17. 3.7. DZ Markingsp. 24
  18. 3.8. Airdrop Communicationsp. 27
  19. 3.9. Control Point Locationp. 28
  20. 3.10. En Route and Terminal Navigational Aidsp. 28
  21. 3.11. GMRSp. 28
  22. 3.12. Verbally Initiated Release Systemp. 29
  23. 3.13. DZ Personnelp. 29
  24. 3.14. DZ Scoringp. 35
  25. 3.15. Off DZ and Airdrop Malfunction Reporting Proceduresp. 36
  26. 3.16. DZ Surveysp. 37
  27. Chapter 4—LANDING ZONE OPERATIONSp. 42
  28. 4.2. Responsibilitiesp. 42
  29. 4.3. LZ Minimumsp. 44
  30. 4.4. LZ Markingsp. 55
  31. 4.5. Unmarked LZp. 60
  32. 4.6. LZ Communicationsp. 60
  33. 4.7. LZ Control Point Locationp. 61
  34. 4.8. LZ Personnelp. 61
  35. 4.9. LZ Personnel Qualification Training, Certification and Continuation Trainingp. 65
  36. 4.10. LZ Surveyorsp. 66
  37. 4.11. Quality Checkp. 68
  38. 4.12. Safety of Flight Reviewp. 68
  39. 4.13. LZ Survey Approvalp. 70
  40. Chapter 5—HELICOPTER LANDING ZONE OPERATIONSp. 71
  41. 5.2. HLZ Survey Selectionp. 71
  42. 5.3. HLZ Markingsp. 71
  43. 5.4. HLZ Survey and Assessment Requirementsp. 71
  44. 5.5. HLZ Survey Assessments/Updatesp. 74
  45. Chapter 6—LC-130 SKIWAY AND SKI LANDING AREA CRITERIAp. 75
  46. 6.2. Selection of LC-130 Landing Sitesp. 75
  47. 6.3. LC-130 Polar LZsp. 75
  48. 6.4. Maximum Aircraft Gross Weightp. 75
  49. 6.5. Ski Landing Areap. 75
  50. 6.6. Surface Suitabilityp. 76
  51. 6.7. Surface Preparation and Maintenancep. 76
  52. 6.8. Ski Airfield Markings and Layoutp. 77
  53. 6.9. Ski Landing Area Control Officer (SLACO)p. 78
  54. Attachment 1—GLOSSARY OF REFERENCES AND SUPPORTING INFORMATIONp. 85
  55. Attachment 2—WIND/SEA STATE PREDICTION CHARTSp. 96
  56. Attachment 3—STANDARD/METRIC CONVERSION CHARTp. 98
  57. Attachment 4—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 3823, DZ SURVEYp. 99
  58. Attachment 5—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 3822, LZ SURVEYp. 105
  59. Attachment 6—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 4303, HLZ SURVEYp. 114
  60. Attachment 7—GUIDANCE CONCERNING AF FORM 4304, DZ/LZ CONTROL LOGp. 125
  61. Attachment 8—ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING TACTICAL LZ SURVEYSp. 127
  62. Attachment 9—ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING LZSp. 128
  63. Attachment 10—ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE CONCERNING DZSp. 152
  64. Attachment 11—SOCOM FORM 111p. 158

Other DAFMAN publications nearby in the series

204 DAFMAN records on the Air Force index. Search the full index.

Works of the United States Government are not subject to copyright (17 U.S.C. § 105). This site is not affiliated with the Department of the Air Force or any government agency.

Air Force index

REF: DAFMAN 13-217, effective April 22, 2021

Air Force e-Publishing — DAFMAN 13-217

This is an index record, not the publication. The official PDF is the authority; verify the current edition before acting.

Reviewed by Guilherme Correia · Military Toolkit editorial

Open the official PDF