Santa Monica Tower Local Control (TWR)

POC: Facility Advisory Board	Date: 2007-07-30
Code: ZLA	Version: 1.00

1. PURPOSE

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the procedures to be used by controllers working SMO Tower to ensure that arrivals and departures are handled in as efficient and timely a manner as possible.

2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

The Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for this SOP is the ZLA Facility Advisory Board. This SOP was originally approved by the FAB, on 08/01/07. 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 SMO tower and ground, as well as controllers staffing the Departure, Approach, and Burbank sectors of the SoCal TRACON.

4. BACKGROUND.

Over time, controllers have found that having aircraft arrive and depart via pre-approved runways provides for a more orderly traffic flow, and reduces the need for communication between SMO Tower and the surrounding tracons.

5. REQUIREMENTS.

a. Frequency:

SMO_TWR shall use 120.10 as its normal frequency.

SMO_GND shall use frequency 121.9
SMO_ATIS shall use frequency 119.15

Departure Control
SoCal Approach (Departure) - 124.30
SoCal Approach (North) - 128.50
SoCal Approach (Burbank) - 134.20

b. Airspace:

Santa Monica Tower has been delegated airspace that extends to a 2.7 nautical mile radius from the airport and the airspace within 1.8 nautical miles of the Santa Monica VOR 056 radial, from 2.7 to 4.3 nautical miles from the airport from the surface to 2700’ MSL. Santa Monica airspace excludes any airspace within the Los Angeles Class B airspace.

6. OPERATING PROCEDURES.

a. Runway Use Program:

1. During calm wind conditions, or when the winds are out of the NE at 5 knots or less. Runway 21 shall be the preferred runway for all departures and arrivals.

2. During times when Los Angeles International Airport is in normal operations, runway 21 shall be used for all IFR departures

3. During times when Los Angeles International Airport is in east operations, runway 3 shall be used for all IFR departures

4. Intersection departures are not authorized due to noise abatement considerations.

b. VFR Departure Information:

1. VFR departures from runway 21 shall fly a 225 heading until over water due to noise abatement considerations.

2. VFR departures from runway 3 shall fly runway heading until over the freeway due to noise abatement considerations.

3. South bound fixed wing VFR departures must either fly the miniroute transition, or fly through the Los Angeles Special Flight Rules Area. Pilots should advise tower control prior to departure as to which departure they will be doing. See the KLAX transition information below.

4. VFR aircraft requesting flight following shall be routed to the proper controller as follows:

requests shall be routed to SoCal Approach (Burbank)
Eastbound requests shall be routed to SoCal Approach (North)
Westbound requests shall be routes to SoCal Departure
Southbound flight following requests are not authorized.

5. Santa Monica Tower is not authorized to give VFR aircraft clearance through the Los Angeles Class Bravo Airspace unless otherwise coordinated. Flight following aircraft should be advised to remain clear of the Class Bravo airspace upon handoff to the appropriate controller.

c. VFR Arrival Information:

1. VFR arrivals from the south will usually be coordinated by Los Angeles Tower prior to penetration of Santa Monica Airspace. Santa Monica Tower is not authorized to used radar; therefore the use of radar handoffs is not permitted.

2. Fixed wing aircraft that are received from Los Angeles tower will be at 2500’ on a direct course to SMO inbound on the Santa Monica 128 Radial. When these aircraft are clear of the Los Angeles Class Bravo Airspace they should have their altitude restriction canceled and merged into the appropriate pattern. Over flights of Santa Monica should be told to resume own navigation.

3. Helicopter arrivals from the South will either be flying along the shoreline at or below 150’ or over midfield at 1000’. In either case these aircraft should have their altitude restriction canceled when clear of the Los Angeles Class Bravo Airspace and merged into the appropriate pattern.

4. Fixed wing arrivals arriving from the Los Angeles Special Flight Rules Corridor will not be coordinated by Los Angeles Tower. These aircraft shall not be given any instructions until clear of the Special Flight Rules Area. When clear these aircraft should be advised to squawk 1200 and merged into the appropriate pattern.

5. VFR arrivals not from the south shall be sequenced into the appropriate traffic pattern.

d. IFR Departure Information:

1. IFR departures shall be given an initial altitude of 5000 or file cruise altitude if lower. Aircraft going to other southern California destination shall be routed according to the appropriate TEC routing. Deviations from this must be approved by Socal Departure.

2. When Los Angeles is in Normal or Noise Operations Santa Monica Tower shall have IFR departures depart from runway 21. If an aircraft is unable to depart runway 21, departure instructions shall be coordinated with SoCal Approach (North).

3. During Runway 21 operations Santa Monica Tower shall get a release from Los Angeles Tower prior to takeoff clearance. Once received this release is valid for two (2) minutes. Santa Monica Tower shall handoff departures to SoCal Departure upon wheels up.

4. When Los Angeles is in East Operations Santa Monica Tower shall have IFR departures depart from runway 3. If an aircraft is unable to depart runway 3, departure instructions shall be coordinated with SoCal Approach (North) and Los Angeles Tower.

5. A release shall be obtained from SoCal Departure for all Runway 3 IFR departures. This release is valid for three (3) minutes. Santa Monica Tower shall handoff departure to SoCal departure upon wheels up.

e. IFR Arrival Information

1. Arrivals arriving via visual approaches shall be received from SoCal Approach (North). Aircraft arriving via the VOR-A approach shall be received from SoCal approach (Burbank). In the event of a missed approach aircraft shall be instructed to fly the published missed approach procedure and contact SoCal Departure. Upon wheels down SoCal Approach (North), SoCal Departure, and SoCal Approach (Burbank) must be advised.

2. Upon contact with any aircraft on the VOR-A approach, SoCal departure must be immediately notified. This does not replace the wheels down advisory.

f. KLAX Transition Information.

1. All south bound VFR departures shall transition through Los Angeles Tower Airspace. All transitions except for the Special Flight Rules Area must be coordinated with Los Angeles Tower prior to departure for aircraft departing SMO, and prior to Los Angeles Airspace penetration for over flights.

2. Miniroute Transitions:

(a). The miniroute transition is authorized during times when Los Angeles is in Normal or Noise Operations for fixed wing aircraft only. KLAX must be reporting weather better then 3000-3 for miniroute transitions. Aircraft who wish to transition KLAX but are not familiar with the miniroute shall be given the following instructions. “Maintain VFR at 2500, circle two miles north of the approach end of runway 24R until further advised. Los Angeles tower must be advised if an aircraft is not familiar with the miniroute procedure.

(b). Aircraft Departing Santa Monica:
Santa Monica Tower must get approval from Los Angeles Tower prior to departure for all miniroute transitions. Upon departure these aircraft shall be told to maintain VFR at 2500’ and to make a right 270 at the shoreline (for Runway 21 departures) or to make a left 270 at the 405 freeway (for Runway 3 departures). Upon competition of this 270 degree turn, these aircraft shall be advised to contact Los Angeles Tower and to remain clear of the Los Angeles Class Bravo airspace until advised.

(c). Aircraft over flying Santa Monica:
Santa Monica Tower must get approval from Los Angeles Tower prior to Class B airspace penetration for miniroute transitions. These aircraft shall be told to over fly KSMO at 2500’ and join the miniroute. Once over the field these aircraft shall be advised to contact Los Angeles Tower and to remain clear of the Los Angeles Class Bravo airspace until advised.

3. Los Angeles Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) Departures:

Aircraft departing Santa Monica to join the special flight rules area do not require approval from Los Angeles Tower prior to departure. Upon departure these aircraft shall be told to maintain VFR at 3500’ and to make a right 270 at the shoreline (for Runway 21 departures) or to make a left 270 at the 405 freeway (for Runway 3 departures). Prior to penetration of the SFRA these aircraft shall be handed off to Unicom and advised to squawk 1201. The SFRA is only authorized for fixed wing non-turbo jet aircraft.

4. Helicopter Transitions:

(a). Helicopters are authorized to use either the Lincoln or Shoreline routes out of Santa Monica through Los Angeles Class B airspace. Both routes must be approved by Los Angeles Tower prior to departure. Helicopters departing via the Lincoln route should be told to maintain VFR at 1000’ and to follow Lincoln Blvd southward. These helicopters should be handed off to Los Angeles Tower once clear of any conflicts and advised to remain clear of the Bravo airspace.

(b). Helicopters departing via the shoreline route should be told to follow the shoreline south. Once established on the shoreline these helicopters should be handed off to Los Angeles Tower and advised to remain clear of the Class B airspace.

(c). Helicopter over flight to Los Angeles do not normally talk to Santa Monica Tower.

5. Over flights or departures landing KLAX:

VFR aircraft landing KLAX shall be routed via the miniroute transitions. Helicopters landing KLAX shall be routed via the shoreline transition.

g. Traffic Pattern Information.

Runway 21: Left traffic

Runway 3: Right traffic

Helipad 1: Left Traffic

Pattern Altitude:
Single Engine - 1400 MSL
Multi Engine - 1900 MSL

7. DELEGATION OF AIRSPACE.

During times when Santa Monica Tower is not staffed the responsibilities of Santa Monica will be delegated in the following manner:

All aircraft transitioning through Santa Monica Airspace heading toward Los Angeles shall be handled by Los Angeles Tower. If Los Angeles Tower is not online, the controller responsible for Los Angeles Tower shall handle transitions. Los Angeles Tower shall ensure that transitioning aircraft remain clear of the traffic flows of Santa Monica, it is recommended that transitioning aircraft are instructed to over fly Santa Monica airport at 2500’. Los Angeles Tower may permit these operations as long as the aircraft are proceeding either direct to Santa Monica Airport or from the airport along the miniroute at 2500 or above, these transitions need not be coordinated.

All other responsibilities shall be delegated to the following controllers, in the order that they are online.

SoCal Approach (North)
SoCal Approach (Combined)
Los Angeles Center