Who has the authority to temporarily suspend the 1000' rule on the altitude filter when radar clutter is excessive?

The authority to temporarily suspend the 1000' rule on the altitude filter when encountering excessive radar clutter lies with air traffic managers. They are responsible for overseeing and coordinating air traffic control activities and can make high-level operational decisions to ensure safety and efficiency in the airspace.

Air traffic managers have the comprehensive understanding and authority necessary to assess situational conditions, such as excessive radar clutter, which may impede clear and safe air traffic operations. By suspending the 1000' rule, they can provide radar operators with greater flexibility to maintain safe separation between aircraft when standard filtering might lead to an unsafe operational environment.

Other roles, such as flight supervisors, radar operators, and airline dispatchers, play essential functions within the overall air traffic system but do not possess the same level of authority or responsibility to enact such a significant operational change. They rely on the direction of air traffic managers to navigate challenging conditions effectively.