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.
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 and illustrated in Attachment 1.
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 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 10nm 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 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 entering 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 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 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' 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.
Attachment 1 – Philadelphia Tower Approach Control Airspace
Philadelphia Tower Approach Control Airspace [Show]
Note: Approach nodes depicted in Attachment 1 are agreed to and described in separate documents at each individual facility.
| Block | Unconditional | Conditional |
|---|---|---|
| A | 12,000' and below | None |
| B | 10,000' and below | None |
| C | 7,000' and below | None |
| D | 4,000' and below | None |
| E | 9,000' and below | None |
| F | 7,000'-8,000' | None |
| G | 7,000'-9,000' | None |
| H | 7,000'-10,000' | None |
| I | 4,000'-10,000' | None |
| J | 10,000' and below | 11,000'-12,000' if not needed by ZDC for the HOLEY holding pattern (LGA KORRY arrivals) |
| K | 4,000'-10,000' | 11,000'-12,000' if not needed by ZDC for the HOLEY holding pattern (LGA KORRY arrivals) |
| L | 4,000'-12,000' | None |
| M | 8,000'-12,000' | None |
| N | 8,000'-10,000' | None |
| O | None | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via VCN/JIIMS to 8,000'. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| P | 8,000' | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via VCN/JIIMS. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| Q | 8,000' and below | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via VCN/JIIMS. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| R | None | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via VCN/JIIMS to 8,000'. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| S | 8,000' | None |
| T | 8,000'-10,000' | None |
| U | 10,000' and below | None |
| V | 6,000'-10,000' | None |
| W | 6,000'-8,000' | None |
| X | 6,000'-9,000' | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via ESSSO/HOGEY. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| Y | 9,000' and below | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via ESSSO/HOGEY. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| Z | 9,000' and below | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via ESSSO/HOGEY. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| AA | 6,000'-9,000' | From the highest altitude released by ZDC for arrivals via ESSSO/HOGEY. Aircraft shall depart HPASA at or below 12,000'. |
| BB | None | From the highest altitude released by ZDC to 10,000' for arrivals via ESSSO/HOGEY. |
| CC | 6,000'-12,000' | None |
| DD | 4,000' and below / 11,000'-12,000' | None |
| EE | 5,000'-12,000' | None |
- Notes
- Blocks J and K:
- When OOD Sector 19 requires this airspace for holding at HOLEY intersection:
- OOD Sector 19 shall coordinate with PHL for release of the airspace to ZDC.
- PHL shall release the airspace after all known traffic within or committed to transition the airspace is clear or a point out is made to OOD Sector 19 on this traffic.
- OOD Sector 19 shall return the airspace to PHL when holding at HOLEY is no longer required and their traffic is clear of the airspace being returned.
- When OOD Sector 19 requires this airspace for holding at HOLEY intersection:
Attachment 2 – Arrival Procedures
Attachment 3 – Departure Procedures
Attachment 4 – PHL/ZDC Combined Frequencies
PHL/ZDC Combined Frequencies [Show]
| Sector | Callsign | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHL Combined Positions | |||
| North Arrival | PHL_NA_APP | 128.40 | Primary Arrival |
| South Arrival | PHL_SA_APP | 133.87 | |
| North Departure | PHL_ND_DEP | 124.35 | Primary Departure |
| South Departure | PHL_SD_DEP | 119.75 | |
| Woodstown | PHL_WD_APP | 127.35 | Primary Satellite |
| ZDC Combined Positions | |||
| Gordonsville (32) | DC_32_CTR | 133.72 | Primary Center / High Center |
| Woodstown (19) | DC_19_CTR | 125.45 | Low Center |
| Swann (15) | DC_15_CTR | 134.50 | PAATS Feeder |
| Casino (51) | DC_57_CTR | 127.70 | JIIMS Feeder |
| Smyrna (53) | DC_53_CTR | 132.05 | ENO/OOD Departures |
Attachment 5 – PHL/ZDC Route Descriptions
PHL/ZDC Route Descriptions [Show]
| Description | Route | Restriction | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival Route Descriptions | |||
| PHL Arrivals | ESSSO (PAATS-STAR) | 10,000' and 250kts and Jets | 133.87 (South Arrival) |
| HOGEY (DUPONT-STAR) | 10,000' and 250kts and Jets | 133.87 (South Arrival) | |
| IROKT/HEKMN or 10 nm south of JIIMS (JIIMS-STAR) | 9,000' and Jets | 133.87 (South Arrival) | |
| 10 nm south of VCN (VCN-STAR) | 9,000' and Jets | 133.87 (South Arrival) | |
| PHL North Sats | ESSSO (PAATS-STAR) | 12,000' and 250kts and Jets | 119.75 (South Departure) |
| HOGEY (DUPONT-STAR) | 12,000' and 250kts and Jets | 119.75 (South Departure) | |
| BLARE | 11,000' and Turboprops | 119.75 (South Departure) | |
| JIIMS (JIIMS-STAR) | 10,000' and 250kts and Jets | 119.75 (South Departure) | |
| VCN (VCN-STAR) | 10,000' and 250kts and Jets | 119.75 (South Departure) | |
| PHL South Sats | IROKT/HEKMN or 10 nm south of JIIMS (JIIMS-STAR) | 9,000' and Jets | 133.87 (South Arrival) |
| 10 nm south of VCN (VCN-STAR) | 9,000' and Jets | 133.87 (South Arrival) | |
| Note 1: All PHL + PHL South Satellite area prop traffic via V29 shall be routed through either Potomac or Dover Approach, and handled as TEC traffic. | |||
| Note 2: All PHL area VCN propeller traffic shall be routed through ACY Approach. | |||
| Note 3: PHL South Satellite traffic via ESSSO/HOGEY must be routed through Dover Approach. | |||
| Departure Route Descriptions | |||
| Non-RNAV | OOD OOD198 | 12,000' and Jets 9,000' and Props 8,000' and Props |
132.05 (Smyrna) |
| RNAV | OOD TEBEE HAYDO | 12,000' and Jets 9,000' and Props 8,000' and Props |
132.05 (Smyrna) |
| OOD V29 ENO | 8,000' and Props | 132.05 (Smyrna) | |
| Note 4: Only prop traffic requesting 8,000' will be cleared to this altitude. Not to be used for piggyback prop departures without prior coordination. | |||
| Jet Overflight Route Descriptions | |||
| EWR Sats (RNAV) | JAIKE (JAIKE-STAR) | 13,000' and Jets | 124.35 (North Departure) |
| EWR Sats (Non-RNAV) | DQO MUDNE V3 SBJ | 13,000' and Jets | 124.35 (North Departure) |
| Propeller Overflight Route Descriptions | |||
| EWR | DQO V479 RUUTH V123 RBV KERNO (RUUTH-STAR) |
11,000' and Turboprop | 119.75 (South Departure) |
| EWR Sats (RNAV) | BUZIE (MAZIE-STAR) | 13,000' | 124.35 (North Departure) |
| EWR Sats (Non-RNAV) | DQO MUDNE V3 SBJ | 11,000' and Turboprop | 119.75 (South Departure) |
| LGA | DQO V479 RUUTH V123 PROUD KERNO (GATBY-STAR) |
11,000' and Turboprop | 119.75 (South Departure) |
| V29 | V29 ETX | 11,000' and Turboprop | 119.75 (South Departure) |
| V29 ETX | 9,000' and Piston | 133.87 (South Arrival) | |
| Note 5: Piston engine overflight traffic shall be handled as TEC traffic. | |||
Attachment 6 – Satellite Airports
Satellite Airports [Show]
| Area | Abbreviation | Satellite Airport Codes |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| ARD Area | 3NJ6, CKZ, DYL, UKT, PNE, TTN | |
| PTW/DQO Area | OQN, 7N7, 58M, PTW, MQS, N10, ILG, N47, N57, LOM, EVY |
Attachment 7 – Newfield Area
