LOA/PHL ZDC

Letter of Agreement

Philadelphia TRACON (PHL) & Washington ARTCC (ZDC)

Rev. 2 - 14 Nov 2015

Purpose

This agreement prescribes transfer of control procedures, radar handoff procedures, route/altitude assignments, and delegation of airspace between Philadelphia TRACON (PHL) and Washington ARTCC (ZDC).

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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Delegation of Authority

Washington Center delegates to Philadelphia TRACON authority and responsibility for control of IFR arrival, departure, and tower en route (TEC) aircraft in controlled airspace within the Approach Control area described herein.

Procedures

• • Arrivals to Philadelphia TRACON Airspace
    • Arrival aircraft shall be cleared to their destination airport within Philadelphia airspace provided:
      • Arrivals are routed via routings depicted in Attachment 5, and Philadelphia TRACON has not requested holding.
      • Philadelphia TRACON receives a radar handoff on arrivals at or prior to the transfer of control/communications point.
    • Philadelphia TRACON must ensure the arrivals depart the arrival HPASA (Holding Pattern Airspace) at approach control altitudes.
    • Holding Procedures via PAATS/VCN/JIIMS:
      • Washington Center shall initiate a handoff on the next higher aircraft in the pattern that Philadelphia TRACON has not accepted. Philadelphia TRACON shall release altitudes at PAATS/VCN/JIIMS HPASA by advising Washington Center of the altitude vacated. Transfer of communication will be accomplished as soon as practicable upon Philadelphia TRACON accepting the handoff.
    • Philadelphia TRACON has control for thirty (30) degree left turns north of V268 for arrivals via the VCN/JIIMS-STAR on or west of the SIE transition.
    • Philadelphia TRACON has control for descent of PHL/ILG arrivals at IROKT and HEKMN or 10 NM from VCN/JIIMS if cleared direct VCN/JIIMS.
    • Philadelphia TRACON has control for turns in the confines of the PAATS holding pattern.
    • Philadelphia TRACON has control for up to forty (40) degree right turns on aircraft north of the VCN115 radial on contact.
  • Departures to Washington Center Airspace
    • Philadelphia Tower will normally issue clearances to departure aircraft to their destination airport without informing Washington Center.
    • Departure aircraft must be established on assigned routes by Philadelphia TRACON prior to penetrating Washington Center airspace. Where two departure altitudes are listed for a route, the higher altitude shall be assigned to turbojet aircraft. For OOD departures, Philadelphia TRACON may clear aircraft direct HAYDO when clear of the PAATS and VCN/JIIMS HPASAs. Washington Center has control for climb on all departures on contact and turns up to thirty (30) degrees for departures leaving 10,000'.
    • Departures shall be cleared to expect requested flight level/altitude ten (10) minutes after departure.
  • En Route Control Services
    • Philadelphia TRACON, in accordance with the routes and altitudes described in Attachment 2, shall accept aircraft operating at altitudes within Philadelphia Tower’s jurisdiction.
    • Except for destinations listed in Attachment 5, aircraft operating at altitudes within Washington Center’s jurisdiction shall not be transferred to Philadelphia TRACON for lower altitude unless specifically requested by the pilot and approved by Philadelphia TRACON.
  • Transfer of Control
    • Minimum radar separation between departing aircraft shall be at least five (5) miles, constant or increasing, at the time of transfer, except when vertical separation is being applied.
    • Regardless of which facility requests an altitude/route change or initiates a radar point out, the receiving controller at each facility shall be responsible for all necessary internal coordination.
  • Beacon Codes
    • If a beacon code is not compatible on handoff, the receiving facility may change the beacon code when in contact with the aircraft, without coordination.
  • Newfield Area
    • The Newfield Area, as depicted in Attachment 7, is a portion of the airspace delegated by Washington Center to the Atlantic City International Tower (ACY). ACY in turn delegates 6,000' to 7,000' feet within this area to PHL when operationally advantageous. It is the responsibility of Philadelphia TRACON to keep Washington Center informed of the status of the Newfield Area.

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