¶ What are procedural airports?
Those are the airports that have no (so called) radar control approach service meaning there is no APP service. TWR is providing ATC Service in both CTR and TMA and there is no radar service provided, thus separation is provided by other means.
¶ Guidelines
Procedural airports are: EPBY EPLB EPLL EPRA EPRZ EPSC EPSY and EPZG. All of them are controlled aerodromes with CTR and TMA, the only difference is lack of radar capabilities thus no Approach station.
This brings us to the next point - providing separation.
¶ Separation
Separation divides into Vertical and Horizontal. It can be achieved by using different methods:
- Speed control
- Heading control
- Altitude control
Required separation is achieved by ATC is based on using radar systems or pilot position reports when the first is not available.
¶ Separation minima:
There are certain minima when it comes to separation. The standard is:
- Vertically 1000ft
- Horizontally 5 NM.
Sometimes it can be reduced under certain conditions.
¶ Separating aircraft on procedural airports
As we discussed, Tower Controller is responsible for TMA. Therefore, he takes over the responsibilities of the Approach Controller and needs to know how to properly separate aircraft.
As you don't have radar view, you need to base separation on position reports. How?
You will ask pilots to report:
- Certain waypoint or distance to WPT
- Certain altitude
- Certain Waypoint + Altitude
- Present position
Based on that, you build your situational awarness and who's where.
Note - on IVAO you have radar view anytime whatsoever. You can either disable it below your TMA as real as it gets. Or use it but as a situational awarness ONLY.
¶ Controlling methods
Every airport is different, and every controller has its habits and ways of controlling (obviously obeying the procedures). Thus there is no "the one and only" correct way, but we'll give you a general brief on procedural control.
Remember: you are the controller and you're the one responsible for your airspace and the traffic flow within it. So you arrange the traffic in a way that works for you and is as efficient as possible.
¶ Departure
Initial climb:
Since there are no published initial climb altitudes you have to think about it on your own. It might depend on many factors such as current traffic situation, airspace usage (areas), waypoint level restriction etc. So it can be anything up to the maximum TMA altitude.
After take-off:
Before take-off you see the aircraft from Tower windows. Thereafter you need pilot's position reports. Depending on what altitude you've cleared the aircraft to, you'll then request the pilot to either report passing over a specific waypoint to clear him higher, report passing certain altitude or approaching the cleared altitude.
Handoff:
On departure, handoff to the Area Controller occurs just like in any oher case prior to reaching the border of your sector. Thus you need an information when the aircraft is reaching it either laterally or vertically. You can request a pilot to report:
- Passing altitude - For instance: Your TMA is up to FL145, you've cleared the aircraft to FL140 and request to report passing FL120.
- X NM to waypoint - Last waypoints of SIDs are (for most of the time) located on borders of TMAs, you can request pilot to report let's say 10 NM before XXXXX waypoint, this way giving it some time before it actually enters into next controller's area.
¶ Arrival:
Ways of controlling:
- There are different sectors in the TMA, each having different vertical boundaries. You need to know when the aircraft reaches the sector border in order to clear it lower. You can request the pilot:
- To report overhead certain waypoint if such exist at the sector border
- Or report appropriate distance to waypoint
This way you clear the aircraft to descend lower and lower down to the Initial Approach Point. A good practice is to request pilot to report one waypoint before IAP/IAF. When he does so you clear him for the approach.
- A second slightly more colloquial and easy way would be following:
STARs and their waypoint altitude restrictions are designed in such a way that no vertical profile should go below the TMA. Therefore upon initial contact you might already clear an aircraft to descend to final altitude via Standard Arrival and to report one waypoint before IAP/AIF to clear for approach.
Note - The second way is easy and can be used but only in case that no other aircraft is likely to cross the path of the arriving one. Possibly you can always ask the pilot about their position.
¶ Phraseology
¶ Departure
Altitude method:
ATC: LOT345 wind 270 degrees 6 kts runway 27 cleared for take-off. Report passing FL90.
Pilot: Cleared for take-off runway 27, will call passing FL90 LOT345.
Pilot: LOT345 passing FL90.
ATC: LOT345 Contact Warszawa Radar 134.875.
Pilot: Contact Warszawa Radar134.875 LOT345.
Distance method:
ATC: LOT345 wind 270 degrees 6 kts runway 27 cleared for take-off. Report 10 miles before VELAX.
Pilot: Cleared for take-off runway 27, will call 10 miles before VELAX LOT345.
Pilot: LOT345 10 miles to VELAX.
ATC: LOT345 Contact Warszawa Radar 134.875.
Pilot: Contact Warszawa Radar 134.875 LOT345.
¶ Arrival
Conventional method:
Pilot: Rzeszów Tower LOT345 5 miles inbound VELAX, passing FL170 descending FL100.
ATC: LOT345 Rzeszów Tower descend FL80, report 4 miles inbound RZ751.
Pilot: Descend FL80 will report 4 miles inbound RZ751 LOT345.
Pilot: LOT345 4 miles inbound RZ751.
ATC: LOT345 descend altittude 4000ft QNH1015, report overhead RZ752.
Pilot: Descend altittude 4000ft QNH1015, will report overhead RZ752 LOT345.
Pilot: LOT345 overhead RZ752.
ATC: LOT345 descend altitude 3000ft, cleared ILSz approach runway 27 report established.
Pilot: Descend altitude 3000ft cleared ILSz approach runway 27 will report established LOT345.
"Easy" method:
Pilot: Rzeszów Tower LOT345 5 miles inbound VELAX, passing FL170 descending FL100.
ATC: LOT345 Rzeszów Tower descend via STAR altitude 3000ft QNH1015, report 4 miles inbound RZ752.
Pilot: Descend via STAR altitude 3000ft QNH1015, will report 4 miles inbound RZ752.
Pilot: LOT345 4 miles inbound RZ752.
ATC: LOT345 Cleared ILSz approach runway 27 report established.
Pilot: Cleared ILSz approach runway 27 will report established LOT345.
¶ Missed Approach handling
Handling of a missed approach might look complicated with no radar. Though it is quite simple.
Always use Standard missed approach procedure. Let's look at EPRZ ILSz for an example:
As you can see pilot climbs to 5000ft, straight ahead on runway heading to RZ374 and then makes a right turn to RZ372 to join holding overhead this waypoint. You can easily use this:
- Request pilot to report RZ374
When pilot passes RZ374: - Instruct the aircraft to proceed DCT to RZ713 as for IAF.
Then consider the aircraft is at 5000ft meaning that descend before FAP will be required. Taking standard 3000ft for Glide Slope interception pilot will need to loose 2000ft / 1000 * 3 = 6 trackmiles require to loose altitude. You can either take it the hard way and look for 6 miles (plus possible additional trackmiles to reduce the speed) from the FAP, or easily instruct: LOT345 on your discretion / when ready descend altitude 3000ft. - Next you need to clear the aircraft for approach just like we already did.
Example:
Pilot: LOT345 going around.
ATC: LOT345 proceed standard missed approach procedure, report passing RZ374.
Pilot: Proceeding standard missed approach procedure, will report passing RZ374 LOT345.
Pilot: LOT345 overhead RZ374.
ATC: LOT345 Direct RZ713, expext ILSz approach runway 27, report 5 miles inbound RZ713.
Pilot: Direct RZ713, expext ILSz approach runway 27, will report 5 miles inbound RZ713 LOT345.
Pilot: LOT345 5 miles inbound RZ713.
ATC: LOT345 when ready descend altitude 3000ft QNH1017, via RZ713 transition cleared ILSz approach runway 27 report established.
Pilot: When ready descend altitude 3000ft QNH1017, via RZ713 transition cleared ILSz approach runway 27 wilco LOT345.
¶ VFR Handling
VFR traffic management does not differ from other airports. Although local procedures may apply. Be sure you are familiar with them before connecting. You can check them through AIP (Airport INFO + VFR Chart).