ITH SOP

New York ARTCC

Standard Operating Procedure — Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (ITH)

Rev. 2 — Revised: 2026-01-14

Area at a glance

ICAO Code	Airport Name	Airspace
KITH	Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport	D

Purpose

This document prescribes the procedures to be utilized for providing air traffic control services at Ithaca Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT). The procedures described herein are supplemental to the New York ARTCC Standard Operating Procedures and FAA Order JO 7110.65.

Distribution

This order is distributed to all New York ARTCC personnel.

Procedural Deviations

Exceptional or unusual requirements may dictate procedural deviations or supplementary procedures to this order. A situation may arise that is not adequately covered herein; in such an event use good judgment to adequately resolve the problem.

Operational Positions

Position	Callsign	Radio Name	Frequency	Identifier
Ground	ITH_GND	Ithaca Ground	121.800	EJ
Tower	ITH_TWR	Ithaca Tower	119.600	EH
ATIS	KITH_ATIS		125.175

Sector	Callsign	Frequency	Identifier	Combined Sector
North	ELM_N_APP	124.300	EN
South	ELM_S_APP	128.425	ES	Primary TRACON

ATCT

Clearance Delivery

Exit Gate	Exit	Scratchpad
North	GEE	GEE
	SYR	SYR
	ITH	ITH
	CFB	CFB
South	ELZ	ELZ
	ULW	ULW
	SFK	SFK
	FQM	FQM

Notes

While strict exit direction points are not required at ELM, the guide above may come in handy for directing pilots to proper exits for departing the area.

Position	Frequency	Code
ELM_S_APP	128.425	ES
NY_CTR	125.325	N56

The table on the right lists the common frequencies used as departure frequency by ELM Clearance Delivery. The first available controller in this list should be handling departures.

Note that this table only serves as a guide. The actual departure frequency has to be determined based on coordination with the other online controllers.

Routing to certain airports in ZNY, ZDC and ZBW ARTCCs is pre-coordinated through letters of agreement (LOA). These routes have been added to the Preferred Route Database (PRD). Therefore, PRD must be referenced for all departures.

• The initial altitude for IFR departures of all types is 5,000’ whereas higher may be expected in 10 minutes after departure.
• There is no published departure procedure out of Elmira. All aircraft must be cleared to their destination via radar vectors to an ELM exit.

Elmira is a Class D airport. All VFR traffic must maintain two-way radio communication. See the VFR Operations document for detailed explanation of applicable VFR procedures.

Ground Control

Departure Sequencing

Exit Gate	Exits
North	GEE,SYR,ITH,CFB
South	ELZ,ULW,SFK,FQM

1. Aircraft should be sequenced to depart in the following order:
   1. By alternating gate group.
   2. If not the above, then by alternating exit.
   3. If not the above, then by aircraft type largest to smallest.

Runway Ownership and Crossings

1. Closed runways shall be owned by Ground Control. The only time runways will ever be closed is during events, and closures must be authorized by the TMU. We do not simulate runway closures on VATSIM during standard day-to-day operations.
2. Transfer of runway ownership, between Ground Control and Local Control, shall be accomplished verbally (or textually).
3. Ground Control is authorized to cross all active runways with coordination with Local Control.

Aircraft Movement

1. As the taxiway system is simple, there are no pre-defined routings.
2. Since there are no parallel taxiways, you may use each taxiway as a two-way road whereby aircraft may be taxied in the opposite direction on the same taxiway at the same time. When you do this, ensure that both aircraft are told to watch out for the other. This procedure is only available to single engine props during daylight hours as they are narrow enough to be able to fit two abreast.
3. When the above is not available, hold departures on the ramp until the inbound aircraft is clear of the outbound aircraft. You may use conditional taxi instructions to accomplish this.

Intersection Departures and Usable Runway Lengths

1. Since departures can come from multiple taxiways, the sequencing for intersection departures is a bit more involved as it will require Ground Control to properly push the strip to the tower controller in the correct order.
2. For intersection departures, state the usable runway distance if that distance is not broadcast in the ATIS. Below is a list of usable runway lengths from common intersections. If the numbers are not divisible to 50, you must round them down to the nearest 50 feet before providing the information to the pilot.

PHRASEOLOGY
RUNWAY (number) AT (taxiway designator), TAXI VIA (instructions). RUNWAY (number) AT (taxiway designator) INTERSECTION DEPARTURE (remaining length) FEET AVAILABLE.

EXAMPLE
"RUNWAY ONE FOUR AT CHARLIE, TAXI VIA ALPHA, CHARLIE. RUNWAY ONE FOUR AT CHARLIE INTERSECTION DEPARTURE, SIX THOUSAND FEET AVAILABLE."

14	32
B (6895')	H (6685')
C (6000')	G (5465')
D (3645')	F (4860')

Local Control

Tower Procedures

Releases

Ithaca Tower will request individual releases from ELM TRACON for all IFR departures, unless previously coordinated.

Separation

The standard departure separation technique to be used is anticipated radar separation. When wake turbulence is a factor, use timed separation in accordance with FAA JO 7110.126B.

Radar (RACD)

This tower uses a DBRITE radar only and is not certified for any approach control services. By agreement with Elmira TRACON, this tower will NOT radar identify departing IFR aircraft and will instruct a departure to contact departure control once the aircraft appears to be clear of any traffic. It is imperative that tower controllers observe departing traffic turning towards the assigned heading before handing off. VFR aircraft can and must be radar identified to receive flight following within the tower's airspace, otherwise it is not necessary.

Aircraft Exiting the Runway

Arriving aircraft shall be issued a turn onto one of the taxiways adjacent to the landing runway to ensure the aircraft continues its taxi away from the runway exit. Handoff to Ground Control after the aircraft starts taxiing away from the active runway. Local Control will coordinate with Ground Control, as needed, to determine the traffic flow on the taxiways.

Runway Selection

Wind Speed	Direction	Depart	Land
0-4	Any	14	14
>4	145-234	14	14
	235-144	32	32

Departure Heading

For IFR traffic departing runway 14 issue heading 200 upon leaving 1,500'.

PHRASEOLOGY
LEAVING ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED, FLY HEADING TWO ZERO ZERO, WIND (wind), RUNWAY ONE FOUR, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

For IFR traffic departing runway 32 issue runway heading.

PHRASEOLOGY
FLY RUNWAY HEADING, WIND (wind), RUNWAY THREE TWO, CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Runway	Heading	Altitude
14	220	5000’
32	320	5000'

Missed Approach Procedures

1. Missed approaches or go-arounds must fly runway heading or track the localizer until reaching the departure end of the runway, then be issued a heading, unless the controller determines that it would be advantageous to delay or initiate a turn early.
2. The table to the right indicates the heading and altitude that need to be assigned to a missed approach or go-around prior to release to TRACON frequency.
3. If the conditions are VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions), then the Tower may keep the aircraft in the pattern and clear the aircraft for a visual approach in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65 § 7-4-3. Use best judgement to determine whether to keep the aircraft in the pattern or not.

Additional Information

1. Separation must be based on altitude initially during all missed approaches or go-arounds. Prior to issuing a climb to 5,000’, interval altitudes such as 5,000’ may be utilized to prevent converging targets from losing separation.
2. In order to prevent increased workload on the TRACON, consider issuing missed approaches or go-arounds speed restrictions in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65.
3. Coordinate with TRACON as soon as possible and hand off when Local Control traffic is not a factor.
4. Sound judgment must be exercised when dealing with go-arounds or missed approaches. Deviate as necessary from the headings and altitudes listed on the table if using them would compromise safety.

Airspace

• Class Delta.
• The tower owns 3500' and below within a 4 mile radius of the airport.

Departures

• Aircraft should be given the most expeditious way out of the airspace, which should be away from the IFR flow.

Flight Following

All aircraft should remain on the tower frequency unless the route of flight will or may impede the operations of ELM TRACON while operating inside the tower's delegated portion of the Class Delta, or the aircraft will leave the tower's delegated portion of the Class Delta.

Over-flights

Allow overflight aircraft to cross over the numbers of the active runway. Make sure to give traffic advisories as necessary.

Pattern Work

• All aircraft wanting to perform pattern work at ITH, must be assigned left closed traffic.
• All props should be at 1500’ and jets at 2,000’. Adjust these altitudes when necessary to avoid over-flights or IFR traffic flow.

TRACON

TRACON services for Ithaca are provided by Elmira TRACON.