LOA/ZNY ZOB

Letter of Agreement

New York ARTCC (ZNY) & Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB)

Rev. 4 - 28 Aug 2018

Purpose

This agreement prescribes transfer of control procedures, radar handoff procedures, route/altitude assignments, and delegation of airspace between New York ARTCC (ZNY) and Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB).

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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General Procedures

• ZOB/ZNY ATC shall at all times:
  • Coordinate and resolve, in a practical manner that provides the smoothest experience to the pilot, all deviations from, and situations not addressed by, this document (e.g., non-standard sectorization, holding, pilots unable to accept LOA routes, aircraft above/below LOA altitudes, etc.).
  • Ensure that all aircraft are at a 1X simulation rate prior to initiating handoff.
  • Unless otherwise stated in this document or coordinated via verbal or textual means, aircraft must be climbing to, descending to, or level at the correct altitude for direction of flight prior to any handoff.
  • Ensure that aircraft on the same route segment at the same altitude (or different altitudes, but same destination airport within ZOB or ZNY) are separated by not less than 10 nm (steady or increasing) or other value specified herein unless greater MIT separation is requested real-time by vZOB/vZNY.

    NOTE: Separation of less than 10 nm is permitted provided the trailing aircraft is operating at a speed that will permit it to overtake the lead aircraft, and both are vertically separated.

  • Transfer of radar identification shall be made in relation to the center-prescribed boundary. Boundaries defining lateral/vertical control jurisdiction between centers shall be defined as the Transfer Point (TP).
    • Ensure that handoff requests are made at least 10nm prior to the relevant airspace boundary unless otherwise specified in this document. Handoff requests may be initiated up to 50nm without prior coordination.

      NOTE: Transfer of radio communications can be delayed no later than the lateral boundary.

  • Ensure that all conflicts, imminent situations, and MIT separation issues are resolved prior to handoff.
  • Ensure that all scratchpad entries are cleared unless required to convey operational information (e.g., “M80” for assigned Mach number, “H###” for assigned heading) not coordinated by other means (e.g., private message, verbally, etc.).
  • Ensure the datablock is formatted as follows:
    • For aircraft climbing to an altitude lower than the flight planned altitude:
      • If the altitude is consistent with an LOA procedure, no entry.
      • If the altitude is non-standard or not contained within this LOA, a temporary altitude reflecting the cleared altitude.
    • For aircraft descending to meet an issued crossing restriction, a temporary altitude with the applicable crossing altitude. Exception: ZNY controllers may use hard altitudes instead of temporary altitudes in these circumstances.
    • For aircraft descending to an assigned altitude, no temporary altitude is used, and the filed/planned altitude is amended to the new cleared/assigned altitude.
    • No scratchpad, except if specific control instructions that differ from LOA procedures have been issued. In these cases, the alternate instruction shall be verbally or textually included as well as included in the scratchpad. Scratchpad entries may include:
      • Indicated speed restrictions (e.g., “210”, “270+”)
      • “M” for Mach speed restrictions (e.g., “M81”, “M78+”)
      • “H” for heading assignments (e.g., “H230”)
      • “H” and direction for deviations (e.g., “H15L” for 15 degrees left of track)
• The transferring facility shall not be required to change or issue routing to aircraft if it is satisfactory to the first fix in the receiving facility's area unless the aircraft originates in the transferring facility's area.
  • Ensure that all portions of a flight plan are accurate prior to initiating a handoff.
    • If an aircraft was cleared direct to a waypoint along the route of flight, then delete the route segment up to, but not including, the waypoint.
• Aircraft en route between centers shall be transferred at the altitude/flight levels specified in Attachment 4.
• Each facility has control for beacon code changes on traffic within 10 NM of the ZNY/ZOB boundary.

ZOB to ZNY

1. 60 NM west of HAR, ZNY has control of aircraft destined KPHL / KPHL Satellites and KACY via J152, at FL240 and above, to descend to FL240, turns 20° left or right of course, and to change beacon code assignment.
2. Aircraft on J584/FQM STAR may be cleared direct FQM if they enter ZNY airspace within 5 NM of the centerline of J584/FQM STAR.
3. ZNY has control for right turns of KUNV arrivals via V501 at BLINK intersection.
4. Aircraft within 10 NM of V12 may be cleared direct HAR.

ZNY to ZOB

1. Aircraft departing KMDT / KMDT Satellites cleared via routing south of J64, excluding J64, requesting FL260 or above shall be cleared to FL260.
2. Aircraft departing KMDT/KMDT Satellites cleared via J60/J64 requesting FL300 or above shall be cleared to FL300 and handed off to the BKI (Brecksville) sector.
3. Aircraft on J110/J230/Q480 may be cleared direct AIR if they enter ZOB airspace within 10 NM of the centerline of J110/J230/Q480. ZNY shall ensure that this traffic does not conflict with J152.
4. Aircraft on V474 may be cleared direct IHD if they enter ZOB airspace within 10 NM of the centerline of V474.
5. Aircraft destined to KPIT / KPIT Satellites may be cleared direct IHD if they enter ZOB airspace within 10 NM north of the centerline of J110/J230/Q480. ZNY shall ensure that this traffic does not conflict with J152.
6. Aircraft departing KPSB, KN96 and KUNV requesting 10,000′ or above shall be cleared to 10,000'. ZOB has control for climb and turns up to 30° either side of course subsequent to acceptance of radar handoff and frequency change.
7. Aircraft within 10 NM of V12 may be cleared direct JST.
8. ZOB shall have control for turns of up to 20° left or right of course, at or above FL260, south of J152 and within 10 NM of the ZNY/ZOB boundary on aircraft routed via J110/J230/Q480, BRNAN and PSYKO. ZOB shall be responsible for any point out requirements to adjacent facilities or other sectors within ZNY resulting from this procedure. ZOB shall ensure that any aircraft turned by ZOB within ZNY airspace on either route will not conflict with aircraft on the other route.

Attachment 1 – Cleveland Center Airspace Delegated to New York Center [Show]

Airspace delegated to New York Center from SFC to 8,000' for re-delegation to ELM Tower/TRACON. ZOB assumes control of this airspace during hours Elmira Tower/TRACON is closed.

Airspace delegated to New York Center from SFC to 10,000'.

Airspace delegated to New York Center from SFC and above as depicted. Portions of this airspace will be re-delegated to Harrisburg Tower/TRACON.

Attachment 2 – New York Center Airspace Delegated to Cleveland Center [Show]

File:Airspace-ZNY-ZOB-Release3.png.png

Attachment 3 – Interaction with Boston ARTCC (ZBW) [Show]

Interactions between ZNY, ZOB and ZBW

Attachment 4 – Route Descriptions: From ZNY to ZOB [Show]

Arriving	Departing	Route	Restrictions	Altitudes
From ZNY to ZOB Destinations
PIT, PIT Sats (except AGC)	BOS, BDL, JFK and Northeast	SLT CIP V226 GRACE	Non-RNAV, At or above FL180
PIT, PIT Sats (except AGC)	BOS, BDL, JFK and Northeast	SLT HAYNZ STAR	RNAV, At or above FL180

Attachment 5 – Area Airport Listings

ZNY ARTCC area satellite airports [Show]

Area	Abbreviation	Satellite Airport Codes
Elmira Area	ELM	ELM, BGM, ITH, SYR
Harrisburg Area	MDT	MDT, CXY, LNS, MUI, SEG, THV, ZER, N68, N71, N79, N94, 58N, 74N, 9D4
Islip Area	ISP	ISP, HWV, 23N
Islip Area East	ISPE	FOK, HTO, MTP, 03NY, 1N2, 21N, 87N
Islip Area North	ISPN	BDR, HVN, JSD, OXC, SNC, 42B
Kennedy Area	JFK	JFK, FRG
LaGuardia Area	LGA	LGA
LaGuardia Area North	LGAN	DXR, HPN
Liberty Area	LIB	SWF, POU, MGJ, MSV, NY35, N45, N69, N72, N82, N89, 06N, 20N, 44N, 46N, 5NY5
McGuire Area	WRI	WRI, NEL, BLM, MJX, N12, N14, N73, N81, N87, NJ20, NJ24, NJ46, NJ59, NJ60, NJ69, NJ72, NJ75, NJ87, 19N, 2N6, 2N8, 3N6, 3N7, 46NJ, 6NJ0
Newark Area	EWR	EWR
Newark Area North	EWRN	CDW, FWN, MMU, TEB, N05, N07, 1N7, 12N, 13N, 3N5, 4N1
Newark Area South	EWRS	LDJ, SMQ, N51, 39N, 47N
Philadelphia Area	PHL	PHL
Philadelphia Area North	PHLN	CKZ, DYL, LOM, PNE, PTW, TTN, UKT, N10, N47, 3NJ6, 9N1
Philadelphia Area South	PHLS	EVY, ILG, MQS, OQN, N57, NJ74, 17N, 58M, 7N7
Wilkes-Barre Area	AVP	AVP, HZL, MPO, WBW, N13, N30, 70N, 76N, 8N4, 9N3

ZOB ARTCC area satellite airports [Show]

Area	Abbreviation	Satellite Airport Codes
Pittsburgh Area	PIT Sats	AGC, AFJ, BVI, BTP, FQW, HLG, PJC, 02G, 2G2, 3G9, 4G0, 5G8, 9G1

Attachment 6 – ZNY Sector Splits

Two Center Operation (SW/NE split)	Two Center Operation (E/W split)
NY_NE_CTR (B, C, E, F): Controls N90 TRACON when offline	NY_SW_CTR (A, D): Controls PHL TRACON when offline
NY_E_CTR (B, E, F): Controls N90 TRACON when offline	NY_W_CTR (A, C, D): Controls PHL TRACON when offline
Three Center Operation	Four Center Operation
NY_E_CTR (B, E, F): Controls N90 TRACON when offline NY_SW_CTR (A, D): Controls PHL TRACON when offline NY_C_CTR	NY_E_CTR (B, E, F): Controls N90 TRACON when offline NY_A_CTR: Controls PHL TRACON when offline NY_C_CTR NY_D_CTR

Attachment 7 – ZOB Sector Splits

Two Center Operation (HIGH/LOW Split)	Two Center Operation (HIGH/LOW Split)
File:ZOB HIGH COMBINED.png	File:ZOB LOW COMBINED.png