SOCAL Approach LAX Feeder

POC: Facility Advisory Board	Date: 2008-02-11
Code: ZLA-206	Version: 1.21

1. PURPOSE.

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the procedures to be used by controllers working LAX Approach Feeder Sector to ensure that arrival flows are handled in as efficient and timely a manner as possible. By specifying standard handoff points, and arrival routes, coordination between SOCAL Approach and ZLA Center sectors may be greatly reduced.

2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

The Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for this SOP is the ZLA Facility Advisory Board. This SOP was originally signed by David Hendleman, LAX TRACON Lead, on 10/09/01. This SOP shall be maintained, revised, updated or cancelled by the ZLA Facility Advisory Board or any organization that supersedes, replaces or assumes the FAB responsibilities. Any suggestions for modification/amendment to this SOP should be sent to the FAB for review.

3. DISTRIBUTION.

This SOP is intended for use by controllers staffing LAX Approach Feeder Sector at SOCAL TRACON, as well as controllers working at SOCAL Approach and ZLA positions interfacing with LAX Approach Feeder Sector.

4. BACKGROUND.

Over time, controllers have found that having aircraft arrive via pre-approved arrival routes, either by STAR’s (Standard Terminal Arrival Routes) or via vectors through pre-determined arrival “gates”, provides for a more orderly traffic flow, and reduces the need for communication between LAX Approach Feeder Sector and other SOCAL TRACON and ZLA Center positions. It is also vitally important that all facilities understand what an airplane is going to do (i.e., what altitude he has been cleared to) when he approaches an adjacent controller's airspace. These procedures outline what instructions pilots will be issued as they go from controller to controller.

5. REQUIREMENTS

a. Frequency:

LAX Approach Feeder Sector shall use 124.05 as its frequency.

b. Airspace:

LAX Approach Feeder Sector overlies the Empire (Ontario) Sector of SOCAL TRACON, and is labeled LAX_FE_APP on the TRACON Graphic. The sector owns from 10000 up to 17000, inclusive.

c. Special Instructions:

1. The FEEDER sector is primarily responsible for the merging of all arrivals from the NE through SE onto the 25L or the 24R localizers. The majority of these arrivals should be sequenced for 25L, but FEEDER is responsible for watching the downstream activity, and "offloading" the 25L localizer, if necessary, by re-sequencing traffic onto the 24R localizer. The approximate ratio of traffic that is sent to the North Complex (24R) as opposed to the South Complex (25L) in real life is usually 1:3.

2. This is a challenging position, which requires good speed control and vectoring. It requires a great deal of attention to the volume of traffic that the next sector will be receiving from SLI, and the SADDE6 arrival streams. When deciding how much traffic to offload onto the 24R stream, try to determine how busy each localizer will be around HUNDA and GAATE. You must always leave "holes" downstream so that LAX_N_APP can insert SADDE arrivals, and LAX_S_APP can insert SLI arrivals.

3. Until abeam GAATE, all aircraft, whether for the North Complex (24R) or the South Complex (25L) must be longitudinally spaced as if they were ONE STREAM. This means that throughout the entire time the aircraft are within FEEDER's airspace, they must be spaced at least 3 miles in trail (or greater for wake turbulence application), even though they are established on separate localizers. This is best accomplished by speed control, but you may need to vector to achieve this goal.

4. Handoff aircraft for 24R to LAX_N_APP, and aircraft for 25L to LAX_S_APP. Make sure that the handoff occurs as soon as you know which controller will be receiving your aircraft, and then transfer communications to that controller as soon as aircraft are no longer in potential conflict, well before the next controller’s sector boundary.

5. Issue weather and landing information to all pilots contacting you without indicating that they have the current LAX ATIS.

d. Normal Operations:

1. RIIVR1 arrivals are received from LAX_C_CTR with instructions to cross GRAMM at/maint FL180 (or the next higher flight level, if FL180 is not available due to low barometric pressure). If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the RIIVR1 arrival and assigned the appropriate runway.

2. SEAVU1 arrivals from TNP are received from LAX_C_CTR with instructions to cross KONZL at and maintain 17000. If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the SEAVU1 arrival, to the appropriate runway.

3. SEAVU1 arrivals from JLI are received from LAX_E_CTR with instructions to cross RONLD at and maintain 16000. If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the SEAVU1 arrival, to the appropriate runway.

e. Noise Abatement:

1. After midnight (local time), if weather is VFR, and sustained wind is less than or equal to 10 KTS, opposite direction arrivals and departures begin at LAX. Inbound aircraft from the northeast clockwise through southeast shall be received from Center on the REDEYE2 arrival. The Feeder position is usually not required, since aircraft will be merged into one stream, and traffic volume is reduced at this time of the night.

2. REDEYE2 arrivals via HEC, PGS and CIVET are received from LAX_C_CTR descending to FL180 (or the next higher flight level, if FL180 is not available due to low barometric pressure). If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the REDEYE2 arrival, and to expect 6L.

3. REDEYE2 arrivals via TNP are received from LAX_C_CTR with instructions to cross TRTLE at and maintain 16000. If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the REDEYE2 arrival, and to expect 6L.

f. East Operations:

1. BASET3 arrivals via HEC, PGS and CIVET are received from LAX_C_CTR descending to FL180 (or the next higher flight level, if FL180 is not available due to low barometric pressure). If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the BASET3 arrival, and to expect 7R.

2. BASET3 arrivals via TNP are received from LAX_C_CTR with instructions to cross TRTLE at and maintain 16000. If there is no anticipated downstream conflict, these aircraft are instructed to descend via the BASET3 arrival, and to expect 7R.

g. Additional comments:

1. When any other SOCAL Approach sub-sector is closed, LAX Approach shall assume control of that sub-sector unless otherwise coordinated.

2. The following arrivals are obsolete, and no longer used, despite their continued publication by Jeppesen and the NOAA: DOWNE4 and PDZ4.

3. LAX_FE_APP is affected by pointout SOP; see that SOP for specific pointout information.