LOA/PHL PHL

Letter of Agreement

Philadelphia TRACON & Philadelphia Tower

Rev. 2 - 1 Jun 2017

Purpose

This agreement prescribes transfer of control procedures, radar handoff procedures, route/altitude assignments, and delegation of airspace between Philadelphia TRACON and Philadelphia Tower.

Scope

The procedures contained herein must apply unless prior coordination is effected.

Disclosure

vZNY and any other facilities mentioned in this document are affiliated with the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation (VATSIM) network. The procedures outlined in this document are intended exclusively for use in the VATSIM flight simulation environment and must never be used for actual flight or air traffic control operations. vZNY and any other facility mentioned in this document are not affiliated with the FAA in any manner.

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Philadelphia Departure Procedures

Philadelphia Tower shall:

• Identify to TRACON the last aircraft that will depart prior to a runway configuration change. Tower shall then obtain a release from TRACON for the first departure in the new configuration.
• Obtain releases for aircraft not using the standard departure runway(s).
• Ensure complete and accurate flight plans for all VFR departures. If the departure will be handled by TRACON, radar identify and handoff in a timely fashion.
• Handoff departing traffic to TRACON after observing a turn towards the assigned climb or heading. Ensure the handoff is accomplished in a timely fashion.

Philadelphia Arrival Procedures

Philadelphia TRACON shall:

• Inform PHL Tower of the first and last aircraft for each runway whenever a change of traffic flow is agreed upon.
• Coordinate any approach other than that advertised in the ATIS by using scratchpad entries from Table 1.

NOTE: Use “VAP” in the scratchpad to indicate that an arrival is following traffic to the active runway.

• Verbally (or textually) obtain approval for use of a runway not designated as active for arrivals. Coordinate each arrival that will approach from a nonstandard transfer point or will land on a non-standard arrival runway. Approval for these approaches may be granted for an individual aircraft, a series of aircraft, or for a specified time frame.
• Ensure transfer of communications to tower NO later than the following points:
  • Instrument Approaches: The Final Approach Fix.
  • Visual Approaches: 6 miles from the airport.
• Assume responsibility for separation of consecutive radar arrivals on the same final approach course until 3 NM from the runway threshold. When the weather is less than 1,500’ ceiling and 5 miles visibility, the radar controller shall assume responsibility to the runway threshold.

PHL Tower Shall:

• Ensure that affected TRACON controllers are aware of the current ATIS code, runways in use, and approach information either by verbal (or textual) or automated coordination.
• Verbally (or textually) advise of special changes in the airport configuration or weather.
• Advise the departure controller as soon as practical of any missed approaches and go-arounds. When a missed approach or go-around will be re-sequenced by TRACON, stop departures and coordinate release of successive departures.
• Assume responsibility for consecutive radar arrivals on the same final approach course within 3 NM of the landing threshold. At any time the tower cannot provide visual separation, advise the TRACON and the radar controller shall assume separation responsibility.

Table 1 - Scratchpad entries for PHL Approaches

Approach	9L	9R	17	35	27R	26	27L
ILS	I9L	9RZ	17Z	–	27R	I26	27L
Visual Following Traffic	FAL	FAP	F17	F35	FAP	F26	FAL
Visual to Airport	VAL	VAP	V17	V35	VAP	V26	VAL
Liberty Visual	–	–	–	–	–	–	LVA
							FLV (following traffic)
River Visual	RVL	RVR	–	–	–	–	–
Freedom Visual	FVA	–	–	–	–	–	–
VFR	R9L	R9R	R17	R35	R7R	R26	R7L
GPS or RNP	G9L	Y9R	G17	G35	G7R	G26	G7L
		Z9R
Converging ILS	–	9RV	17V	–	–	–	–