Chapter 11. National Programs
Section 1. Terminal VFR Radar
Services
11-1-1. PROGRAM INTENT
Basic Radar Service, TRSA Service,
Class B and Class C services are the four types of
Radar Services designed to enhance safety by providing
air traffic services to VFR aircraft. The services
were designed to provide the maximum level of radar
services possible with existing equipment. Additional
resources (displays, communications, telco, space,
etc.) must be justified by requirements other than the
volume of radar service provided to VFR aircraft.
Pilots should be encouraged to participate by all
available methods. This is best accomplished through
effective procedures and a clear understanding of the
Terminal VFR Radar Services available.
REFERENCE-
Pilot/Controller Glossary Term- Terminal VFR Radar
Services.
FAAO JO 7110.65, Chapter 7, Section 6, Basic Radar
Service to VFR Aircraft- Terminal.
11-1-2. IMPLEMENTATION
a. Facilities unable to meet
the following requirements must submit justification
to the respective Terminal Operations Area Office:
1. Newly commissioned
terminal radar facilities must implement basic radar
services to VFR aircraft, as prescribed in FAAO JO
7110.65, Air Traffic Control, para 7-6-1, Application,
within 30 to 60 days after full IFR service is
available. All radar facilities must provide basic
radar service at primary airports and, where
operationally feasible, at satellite airports with a
control tower.
2. TRSA Service: In addition
to basic radar service, provide separation between all
participating aircraft operating in an established
TRSA. If a need exists, facilities may develop coded
VFR departure routes for TRSA service. When such
routes are established, the following provisions
apply:
(a) Prior to implementing
coded VFR departure routes, the facility must
coordinate with local user groups.
(b) A letter to airmen must
be issued advising pilots of the procedure.
(c) These routes must only
be issued to local users familiar with the procedure.
(d) Detailed departure
instructions must be furnished when requested by the
pilot.
3. Facility air traffic
managers must address in writing, as a minimum, the
following pertinent factors when submitting for
service area office approval, either a recommendation
for revision or withdrawal of an existing TRSA.
(a) Safety record/NMAC
analysis.
(b) Airspace and operational
efficiency.
(c) Unique geographical
features.
(d) Hourly air carrier
traffic density.
(e) User input. (User
meetings, while highly desirable, are not required for
withdrawals.)
b. Revisions to TRSAs must
be submitted to System Operations Airspace and
Aeronautical Information Management, NFDC, at least 9
weeks prior to one of the appropriate publication
dates; i.e., Sectional Charts, Notice to Airmen, or
the Airport/Facility Directory. The following are
considered sufficient justification to warrant
revision:
1. Changes in configuration,
frequencies, or primary airport status (name,
elevation, closed, abandoned, etc.).
2. Additions or deletions to
the VFR checkpoints/NAVAIDs.
3. Typographical errors.
c. Advertising Basic Radar
Services:
1. A sufficient number of
user group meetings must be held to publicize
implementation of basic radar services to as many
local pilots as practicable.
2. Disseminate a letter to
airmen explaining the program and including a drawing
of the basic radar service area. The drawing should be
on a cutout from the appropriate sectional chart and
should show the following:
(a) Lateral and vertical
dimensions.
(b) Frequency for each
sector.
(c) Initial VFR checkpoints
indicated by flags.
3. The facility air traffic
manager must seek the cooperation of the FSDO in
informing aviation interests about their
responsibilities while operating in a basic radar
service environment. Special emphasis should be placed
on such points as:
(a) Pilot participation is
urged, but it is not mandatory.
(b) Pilots should be aware
that aircraft sequencing and traffic advisories are
primarily based on aircraft maintaining assigned
headings and altitudes.
(c) If a pilot cannot abide
with an ATC instruction or clearance, he/she should
notify ATC immediately.
4. Follow-up meetings (“HOW
GOES IT” type) must be conducted.
11-1-3. TRSA
a. TRSAs are not officially
designated by airspace action and were established
solely to define an area within which a separation
service will be provided. Therefore, at all TRSA
locations it is intended that facilities must provide
the full extent of TRSA services throughout the entire
advertised TRSA area. Although the TRSA area extends
downward to the surface within the surface area of
Class D airspace at the primary airport, a base should
be established outside this surface area of Class D
airspace to permit free movement of nonparticipating
aircraft. The base of the TRSA must not be below the
base of an associated Class E airspace.
b. The size and shape
(laterally/vertically) of the TRSA will vary depending
upon operational requirements. However, each TRSA must
reflect the most efficient and reasonable
configuration to contain large turbine-powered
aircraft while achieving a higher level of overall
safety.
NOTE-
There is no requirement for the TRSA facility to
retain operational jurisdiction of the airspace in its
entirety if another facility can more effectively
manage a particular portion of the airspace. The
requirement is that the system provides the required
service.
c. All IFR procedures used
by large turbine-powered aircraft arriving and
departing designated airports must be fully contained
in the TRSA. Each TRSA should be configured to ensure
the most efficient use of airspace.
d. Arriving and departing
large turbine-powered aircraft should enter/exit the
TRSA through the ceiling. However, arriving aircraft
at altitudes below the ceiling are not required to
climb to achieve this objective, nor are departing
aircraft filed at lower altitudes.
11-1-4. CLASS C AIRSPACE
Class C airspace must be officially
designated by airspace action in 14 CFR Part 71 and is
established solely to define the airspace in which all
aircraft are subject to operating rules and equipment
requirements specified in 14 CFR Part 91.
NOTE-
While the regulatory nature of this airspace requires
pilots to establish two-way communications with ATC
prior to entering, aircraft should not be
unnecessarily prohibited from entering Class C
airspace.
a. Facility managers who
determine a need for Class C airspace establishment
must prepare and submit a staff study in accordance
with FAAO JO 7400.2, Procedures for Handling Airspace
Matters.
b. The physical dimensions
of the Class C airspace will normally be a 10 NM
radius capped at 4,000 feet above the primary airport
elevation. This airspace must extend no lower than
1,200 feet above the surface, except that an inner
core with a 5 NM radius must extend down to the
surface.
c. Encompassing each Class C
airspace must be a site specific Outer Area with a
normal radius of 20 NM. The Outer Area must extend
outward from the primary Class C airspace airport and
extend from the lower limits of radar/radio coverage
up to the ceiling of the approach control delegated
airspace excluding the Class C airspace and other
airspace as appropriate.
d. After issuance of the
final rule designating a Class C airspace, user
education meetings must be held to publicize
implementation of Class C service to as many pilots as
practicable.
e. Issue a letter to airmen
explaining the program and including a drawing of the
Class C airspace. The drawing should depict, as a
minimum, the following:
1. The lateral and vertical
dimensions of the Class C airspace and the associated
Outer Area.
2. Any procedural exclusions
when the Class C airspace overlaps an adjacent Class D
airspace.
3. Initial VFR checkpoints
located outside the Class C airspace.
4. Frequencies.
f. Followup meetings (“HOW
GOES IT” type) must be conducted after implementation.
g. Exceptions to Class C
services may be established within the Class C
airspace for special activities; i.e., practice areas,
banner tows, gliders, ultralights, etc., provided the
procedures are outlined in a letter of agreement with
the users.
h. Where the Class C
airspace overlaps the Class D airspace of an adjacent
airport, facility managers must include in a letter of
agreement procedures defining responsibility for the
control of aircraft in the overlapping area.
i. The National Terminal
Radar Program includes military as well as civil
airports. Each case of military airport inclusion or
establishment of Class C airspace must be processed
through appropriate military channels for thorough
examination and individual justification.
j. When recommending a
location for withdrawal from the Class C airspace,
facility air traffic managers must prepare and submit
a staff study to Washington headquarters, Airspace and
Rules through the appropriate Terminal Operations
Service Area Office in accordance with FAAO JO 7400.2,
Procedures for Handling Airspace Matters.
11-1-5. CLASS B AIRSPACE
a. Class B airspace must be
officially designated by airspace action in 14 CFR
Part 71 and is established solely to define the
airspace in which all aircraft are subject to
operating rules and pilot and equipment requirements
specified in 14 CFR Section 91.131.
b. The size and shape
(laterally/vertically) of the Class B airspace will
vary depending upon operational requirements. However,
each Class B airspace must reflect the most efficient
and reasonable configuration to contain large
turbine-powered aircraft while achieving a higher
level of overall safety.
NOTE-
There is no requirement for the Class B airspace
facility to retain operational jurisdiction of the
airspace in its entirety if another facility can more
effectively manage a particular portion of the
airspace. The requirement is that the system provide
the required service.
c. All IFR procedures used
by large turbine-powered aircraft arriving and
departing designated airports must be fully contained
in the Class B airspace. Each Class B airspace should
be configured to ensure the most efficient use of
airspace.
d. Arriving and departing
large turbine-powered aircraft should enter/exit the
Class B airspace through the ceiling. However,
arriving aircraft at altitudes below the ceiling are
not required to climb to achieve this objective, nor
are departing aircraft filed at lower altitudes.
e. Procedures must be
developed to accommodate VFR aircraft desiring to
transit the Class B airspace. If VFR corridors are
published, recommend the establishment of frequency
122.750 for pilots to exchange position information
when transiting the associated Class B airspace VFR
corridor. |
