Boise Air Terminal/Gowen Field (BOI)

The airspace at BOI is Class C with a 6900’ MSL ceiling. (Refer to Sectional Chart)

Class C Airspace Requirements (CFR §91.130 and AIM 3-1-4; 3-2-4)

Hot Spots 

• HS 1   Pilots departing RWY 10L often miss the left turn on TWY W and continue taxi on TWY J. Do not mistake RWY 10L approach sign for RWY 10L entrance.

Departure

• Verify proper heading prior to starting takeoff roll on all intersection departures.

Landing

• A wrong surface landing risk exists at this airport.
• Parallel RWYs 10R/28L and 10L/28R with staggered thresholds.
• Wrong Runway events occur when pilots are cleared to land on the RWY they see first.
• Military Assault Strip (paved) – A Hazard near BOI Airport – Located 1 mile south/southeast and oriented like the BOI RWYs.

Surface Risk – Movement Area 

• Approach Holds – Beware and study Airfield Diagram
• Hot Spot 1 – TWYs J and W – Aircraft on TWY A have missed the turn onto TWY W and continued on TWY J, crossing the RWY 10L Approach Hold Line.
• Taxi-Lane K is a non-movement area.  Pilots mistake Taxi-Lane K for TWY F.
• Portions of TWY K & the Southwest Ramp not visible to TWR.

Additional Cautions

• Extensive Helicopter Operations Surface to 3,500 ‘ within 1 NM East and West & 5 NM S of RWY 10R.28L 
• Moderate Migratory Bird Activity Within 5 NM of the Airport October through March

BOI Tower (TWR) operates continuously 

If TWR is NOTAM’d closed:

• BOI will attempt to establish a remote VFR only tower.
• Salt Lake Center will perform approach control functions.
• The ATIS will contain frequency and contact information. 

Clearance

• Clearance Delivery frequency is often combined at Ground Control. This information would be included on the ATIS.
• All aircraft need a discrete beacon code when departing BOI.  
• Be aware that the departure frequency is dependent on your direction of flight AND the direction of takeoff. This means that you may get a different frequency for the same destination depending on the traffic flow.
• VFR (non-jet) traffic can expect an altitude restriction of “at or below 5000” except when departing to the north off of an easterly flow (RY 10L / 10R)

Ground 

• Read back all hold short instructions with the aircraft call sign.
• When RY 10R is unavailable, expect to taxi to RY 10L via J, A, W and expect to hold short of the 10L Approach between the runways. Ground control may switch you to the Tower frequency at that point and have them complete your taxi to the runway.
• The SW and SE arm/de-arm areas may not be available for run-ups during military operations.

Takeoff/Departure 

• IFR aircraft and all jets can expect to be assigned Runway Heading for departure
• For IFR aircraft, this is a vector into the Diverse Vector Area (DVA) established at KBOI.
• This gives the departure controller the option to turn aircraft within the DVA as soon as they are clear of any traffic conflicts.

Arrival/Landing 

• Boise is often divided into two sectors. Typically, one sector will work the Final approach segment and the other sector will work everything else.
• Based on the above divisions, if you are arriving/operating within 45° of the final approach course, you should call the final controller (Big Sky Approach) on 126.9. All others contact Big Sky Approach on 119.6.
• Extensive skydive operations in the vicinity of Star, ID (14nm NW of BOI) and in the vicinity of EUL airport (18.5nm W of BOI)
   

Do: 

• Refer to the airfield diagram and/or airport moving map while stopped and/or prior to taxiing.
• Keep your eyes outside to observe traffic, potential threats and airport signs and markings.
• Ask the controller to repeat instructions and clearances if you are not sure.
• Ask for progressive taxi instructions if you are unfamiliar or have lost situational awareness.
• Taxi your aircraft to the side of the run-up area to allow other aircraft to taxi around you if you are not ready for departure. 
• Advise TWR on initial contact (ground or air) if you are a student pilot. 
• Using runway and/or taxiway designators to describe your position, and turning on exterior lights will assist the controller in identifying you.
• Acknowledge all ATC instructions and read back all hold short restrictions with your call sign. 
• Always make sure that your aircraft is completely behind all hold- short lines.
• Advise GND/TWR if you want an intersection departure and wait for TWR clearance to take off.  There may be a delay due to wake turbulence or traffic. 
• When using any RWY, verify mag heading and look for the white markings to avoid a wrong surface event.
• Consider backing up a visual approach with an underlying instrument (ILS/LOC/GPS) approach if time and workload allows.
• Remember that you must have a clearance to cross all RWYs, active and not active.
• Reference GPS User Waypoint, or if available, the assigned runway’s instrument approach. If unsure that you are aligned for the assigned runway, announce going around and why.
• Verify proper heading prior to starting takeoff roll on all departures. Consider checking and calling out, Wet compass, runway heading, runway paint/signage for departure runway, and directional gyro shows runway heading.
• Use caution when taxiing smaller aircraft/helicopters in the vicinity of larger aircraft/helicopters. Controllers may use the words rotor wash, jet blast, or prop wash when issuing cautionary advisories. A general rule of thumb is 100 feet behind a jet aircraft.

Do Not:

• Do not taxi on your own without obtaining taxi instructions from ATC.
• Do not cross an active RWY without specific controller permission to cross that RWY. 
• Do not use a RWY as a turn-off during landing unless cleared to do so by TWR. 
• Do not wait until you are ready for departure to request an IFR clearance. Making your request to clearance delivery or ground control prior to taxiing will allow time for ATC coordination. 
• Do not, on departure, leave TWR frequency while still in TWR airspace unless previously approved. (Note: frequency change outside of TWR airspace is at pilot’s discretion.)

Additional information in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Chapter 6 - Section 4

• Squawk Transponder Code 7600 if you experience loss of two-way radio capability.
• If you can hear other aircraft but nobody responds to your calls then you should check for proper frequency selection, popped circuit breaker, radio panel setup, or an improperly hooked up intercom.
• Weak batteries in intercoms are often the cause of “radio failure”. Your emergency checklist may come in handy for checking other areas specific to your aircraft.
• If you can’t hear anything on the receiver, check the volume control, squelch, intercom, circuit breaker, or a stuck mike. 
• After you have determined the extent of the radio failure, you can determine how to communicate with the ATC.

• FAR 91.123 (d) states: Each pilot in command who (though not deviating from a rule of this subpart) is given priority by ATC in an emergency and shall submit a detailed report of that emergency within 48 hours to the manager of that ATC facility, if requested by ATC.
• It is extremely rare that a pilot is asked to justify declaring an emergency. In most cases, when a report is needed, it can usually be accomplished with a phone call.
• Additional information is also found in the AIM in Chapter 6 – Emergency Procedures

• Special VFR is primarily intended to offer pilots a way to operate into, out of, and through tower controlled airspace when local weather restricts the visibility or ceiling to below VFR minimums.
• There are times, for instance, when visibility is below three miles due to ground fog or the ceiling is below 1000 feet AGL due to a cold front passage, it may be advantageous to use the Special VFR rules to be able to get to VFR conditions.
• There are rules and conditions that apply to Special VFR and the one that controllers deal with the most often is the requirement that the pilot must request the clearance. We cannot offer it, as we cannot determine your abilities as a pilot and have no wish to talk you into accepting a clearance that may be beyond your experience level.

The basic requirements for Special VFR are:

• The clearance must be requested by the pilot.
• If it is after sunset and before sunrise the pilot requesting the clearance must be IFR rated and the aircraft must be certified for IFR flight.
• A minimum of 1 mile visibility must exist as reported by the tower.

What you may do with a Special VFR clearance:

• You may depart for another destination
• You may transition
• You may enter and land
• You may do touch and go landings