Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL) VFR Reporting Points & Inbound Paths
Please submit any questions, comments or suggestions to:
Les Habig
Northern Colorado Regional Air Traffic Control Tower Manager
4900 Earhart Rd, Loveland, CO 80538
Phone: 970-962-2867
E-mail: Leslie.Habig@serco-na.com
CONTROL TOWER HOURS
7 Days a week, 365 days a year from 1500Z–0100Z
Note: During DST hours are shifted one hour earlier.
FREQUENCY AND CONTACT GUIDE
FNL ATIS | 135.075 (970–669–9187) |
FNL Tower | 118.4 |
FNL Ground | 121.65 |
FNL Clearance Delivery | 121.65 120.25 or 303-342-1916 (When FNL twr clsd, DEN Approach/Dep Control) |
Denver Approach/Dep Control | 134.85 |
FNL CTAF | 118.4 |
FNL AWOS | 135.075 (970–669–9187) |
* FNL Control Tower | 970-962-2867 |
* Please use this number for NORDO requests and urgent requests.
Northern Colorado VFR Check Points and Inbound Paths
VFR Reporting Points and ATC:
When approaching Northern Colorado Airport (FNL), the tower will sequence inbound aircraft based on the aircraft’s reported inbound location and direction, aircraft type, known traffic in the airspace, and active runway. The controllers may not have radar to assist with providing traffic calls or sequencing arrivals. The controllers’ only methods to determine traffic pattern entry instructions and traffic call necessity are aircraft position reports and their visual scan using binoculars. The use of VFR reporting points allows for accurate aircraft position reporting, determining accurate aircraft position, safe pattern entry, and the potential need for traffic calls. Because of this, pilots should use VFR reporting points when possible and be vigilant in searching for other aircraft. It is also important to be accurate in all position reports, even when VFR reporting points are unavailable.
VFR Check Points:
Fix Number on Map | VFR Reporting Point | Location (approx. distances/directions from FNL airport) |
1 | Warren Lake | 4.67 nm north northwest |
2 | Johnson’s Corner Truck Stop | 4.47 nm south southeast |
3 | (Town of) Johnstown | 7.85 nm southeast |
4 | Budweiser Plant | 9.76 nm north |
5 | CSU Stadium | 7.23 nm north northwest |
6 | Horsetooth Reservoir | 9.52 nm northwest |
7 | (Town of) Severance | 9.30 nm northeast |
8 | (Town of) Berthoud | 8.63 nm southwest |
9 | Costco | 3.85 nm north |
Straight-in Approach to RWY 33:
- Expect to overfly/reporting passing (which VFR check point do we expect to have them report inbound?)
Figure 1: Picture of VFR Reporting Points on Map
GENERAL VFR INBOUND/ARRIVAL PROCEDURES INTO NORTHERN COLORADO REGIONAL AIRPORT
Straight-in VFR Approaches to RWY 15:
All aircraft inbound from the Northwest (clockwise) to the Northeast should expect to fly direct to Warren Lake (approximate 5nm final), then proceed straight-in to runway 15, or as directed by ATC.
All aircraft are expected to circumvent FNL’s Class Echo airspace to intercept Warren lake on the extended centerline for RWY 15 when instructed to make a straight-in approach to RWY 15 by ATC.
Figure 2: Straight-in Approach to RWY 15 at FNL from the Northwest (clockwise) through Northeast
Figure 3: Straight-in Approach to RWY 15 at FNL from the Northwest (clockwise) through Northeast
Straight-in VFR Approaches to RWY 33:
All aircraft inbound from the Southeast (clockwise) to the Southwest should expect to fly direct to Johnson’s Corner (approximate 5nm final), then proceed straight-in to runway 33, or as directed by ATC.
All aircraft are expected to circumvent FNL’s Class Echo airspace to intercept Johnson’s Corner Truck Stop on the extended centerline for RWY 33 when instructed to make a straight-in approach to RWY 33 by ATC.
Figure 4: Straight-in Approach to RWY 33 at FNL from the Southeast (clockwise) through Southwest
Figure 5: Straight-in Approach to RWY 33 at FNL from the Southeast (clockwise) through Southwest
AJV-W21 (Published 3/27/22)
