LAX and LAS Tower:
LAX and LAS Tower coordinates releases with DEP control using a "rolling/boundary"
notification system.
7110.65 section 5-3-2 (a)
states that radar identification may be achieved by:
Observing a departing aircraft target within 1
mile of the takeoff runway end at airports with an operating control tower,
provided one of the following methods of coordination is accomplished.
1. A verbal
rolling/boundary notification is issued for each departure, or
2. A
nonverbal rolling/boundary notification is used for each departure aircraft.
NOTE-
Nonverbal notification can be accomplished via the use of the controller chat box.
This coordination is normally accomplished on text. The information in the rolling boundary should include
the DP the aircraft is on or "vectors for XXX" if he has
been cleared via a heading, and is expecting
vectors for XXX.
“Rolling/boundary” means
that the aircraft must be already “rolling” or at the airport “boundary”.
For the purposes of VATSIM ZLA, the notification should be done immediately
after takeoff clearance has been issued. You should also advise which
runway they will be departing.
Example:
LAX_TWR: “SWA144 LOOP4 DAG 25R”
No acknowledgement by
Departure Control is necessary, since the aircraft is already rolling. As
long as a “rolling/boundary” notification is issued, TWR does not need
to obtain release for any departures from departure, unless
specifically asked to. Tower is required to provide adequate intial spacing
between IFR departures so that he doesn’t create an operational error (hand
a "deal") to approach (for example, an IFR Learjet departing on the same
route right behind a Cessna). Note that this doesn’t mean that the tower
must always provide 3 miles between all departures... A tower may use visual
separation, diverging headings, or any of a number of other separation
techniques outlined in FAA Order 7110.65, which allow tighter spacing of
departures.
Other Towered
Facilities:
All other facilities –must- obtain an IFR release for departures from the appropriate departure departure controller.
The phraseology to be used when coordinating this is: "socal,
burbank tower, request release SWA747,
Palmdale". (In other words, provide the name of the plane, and the first fix
on his route.) Departure should respond with: "SWA747 released", "SWA747,
maintain 3000 released" or "SWA747 hold, expect 10 minutes" – something like
that...
Oceanic and Mexican Releases:
Airplanes en route to Hawaii and inside Mexican airspace are normally
controlled using non-radar procedures, and as such require additional
in-trail separation. Because of this, Towers must contact LAX_CTR, (Sector A
if it's open), who must then contact Oakland Oceanic Control or
Mazatlan Center prior to takeoff to obtain a
departure slot for these aircraft. (At VATSIM, these positions are rarely
manned, so this is only relevant when they are...)
IFR Releases from Uncontrolled/Untowered
Airports:
IFR releases should be issued to aircraft departing from Uncontrolled/Untowered
airports using the following phraseology:
"N48796, time now 0500
zulu, clearance void if not off by 0515
zulu, released for departure, report Airborne
[or 2000ft, or whatever, as appropriate] this frequency"
Transfer of communications (Towers to Approach/Departure/Center):
Very few ZLA towers are radar certified, even if they are, a handoff
takes precious time for a departure, and by the time it is completed, that
aircraft will be leveling off at their assigned initial altitude. For this
reason, as SOON as it is clear the aircraft is climbing (altitude changes AT
all), simply tell them to contact Departure, unless there is a potential traffic conflict that tower needs to resolve.
