NATCA Bookshelf

National Office Departmental Update, June 27, 2018

A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association

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In April 2014, the use of GNSS point-to-point routes without radar monitoring was permitted under certain conditions NAS-wide. Since that time, facilities have asked for a means to transition from one point-to-point route to another if necessary for weather deviations, pilot requests, or operational need. Current procedures do not account for this need. This change allows GNSS aircraft, during non-radar operations, to transition from one point-to-point GNSS route to another, utilizing an impromptu route of short duration, provided vertical separation is utilized to facilitate the transition. A Safety Risk Management Panel (SRMP) was held May 23-24 to determine the hazards and risks of this proposed change and NATCA had two panel members in attendance. After much discussion, there were no hazards found, no risks to mitigate and the change will be published. 3−9−8. INTERSECTING RUNWAY/INTERSECTING FLIGHT PATH OPERATIONS Currently, 7110.65, 3-9-8, INTERSECTING RUNWAY/INTERSECTING FLIGHT PATH OPERATIONS, b2, specifies when a departure utilizing an intersecting runway can be cleared for takeoff after a preceding arrival has landed on the other runway. ATC has three options, 1) A preceding arriving aircraft is clear of the landing runway, 2) the preceding arrival aircraft has completed the landing roll and will hold short of the intersection, or 3) the preceding arrival aircraft has passed through the intersection. AJV- 8 and NATCA worked to create a fourth option that would have enabled controllers to issue the arrival aircraft a clearance that would ensure an exit of the arrival runway prior to the intersection and provided a correct readback was received from the pilot, the departing aircraft on the intersecting runway could be cleared. ATC routinely issues secondary clearances based on correct readbacks of previous clearances. During the SRMP held for this change, members of the panel from industry objected to this change, indicating that high workload, unfamiliarity with airport geometry and varying conditions that exist during landing would make compliance with this change a hazard. After two days of discussion, the hazard was identified as HIGH with no real mitigation. AJV-8, as the change proponent, offered to include language that would add a different fourth option. This new option would permit a takeoff clearance to be issued to the succeeding aircraft after and exiting clearance to the arrival aircraft was issues, readback and ATC sees the landing aircraft BEGIN a turn off the runway. That is different than the definition of "clear of the runway" that is currently in 3-9-8 b2. The Notice for this change is at least 30 days from becoming effective. 7−2−1. VISUAL SEPARATION Seven facilities are currently working under a waiver that permits adjacent ATCTs to utilize visual separation between facilities. Another two facilities had waiver requests under consideration. AJV-8 has completed a change to 7-2-1 a (1) f, to permit adjacent ATCTs to use visual separation between facilities. This Notice will become effective June 18, 2018. Those facilities currently using the procedure via waiver are grandfathered and no change to operations are required. The Service Center for each facility will issue a Letter of Authorization to continue the operation. Those facilities that were awaiting approval of the waiver will need to work with their respective Service Center to receive the Letter of Authorization. Permitting facilities to provide visual separation to each other's traffic is tightly controlled and must be accomplished by new

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