National Airspace System

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Overview
 Airports
 Airspace
 Air traffic control system
 IFR charts and publications

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Airports (on ‘L’ Charts)
 All airports with hard surfaces 3,000’ or
greater are shown (including private)
 All airports with instrument approach
procedures are shown regardless of runway
length
 Airport depiction is based off of instrument
procedures

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Airport Classification

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Difference Between Color?
 Blue Airports:
 Have approved US Department of Defense
(DOD) Low Altitude Approach
 (Remember the DOD uses these charts also)
 Still can be used by GA, but does not depict type
of approach
 Green Airports:
 Any airport with an approach
 Brown Airports – No instrument approaches
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Airport Information

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Airspace
 Class A – Not depicted on Low Altitude Chart
 Class B – Blue area with solid line
 Class C – Blue area with dashed line
 Class D – Not depicted with boundary
 Class E – Open white area
 Class G – Not depicted

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Class B

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Class C
Special Use Airspace

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Air Traffic Control Command
System Center ATCSCC
 Tasked with managing the flow of traffic in the U.S.
National Airspace System (NAS)
 Located in Warrenton,Virginia
 Regulates traffic at a national level when weather,
equipment, runway closures, or other conditions
place stress on the NAS
 In the event of major delays, ATCSCC take action to
modify traffic demands to maintain system capacity

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Air Traffic Control System
 Functions of radar
 Communication facilities
 Control sequence
 Airways

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RADAR – Radio Detection and
Ranging
 Primary RADAR – Radar returns
 Terminal RADAR
 Enroute RADAR
 Used for separation standards
 Does not determine altitude
 Secondary RADAR – Utilizes the aircraft transponder
 Aircraft receives pulse transmissions “interrogator signal” from
the ATC RADAR Beacon System (ATCRBS)
 Runs into issues when two aircraft are the same distance from the
station
 Altitude (if aircraft is Mode C or S equipped)

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Types of Transponders
 Mode C (4096) Altitude Encoding
 Encodes altitude and sends it to interrogating
signal
Only push when
asked by ATC

Normal Flight
Position (Mode C)

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Types of Transponders
 Mode S: sends and receives information
 Is selective and overcomes issues with secondary
RADAR
 Utilizes services such as
 TCAS – Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
 Read other aircraft Mode C and Mode S broadcasts
 10 – 20nm Range
 TIS – Traffic Information System
 Utilizes ground based facilities
 Only depicts other Mode S aircraft
 5 NM range and 1,200’ altitude range

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Communication Facilities
 Air Traffic Control Tower (ATC)
 Tower, Ground, ATIS
 Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
 Approach Control
 Departure Control
 Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)
 Flight Service Station (FSS) (does not supply air
traffic services)

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Air Traffic Control Tower
 Coordinates with flight and ground operations
 Receive instrument clearances
 Ground control handles clearance in the
absence of clearance delivery

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Terminal Radar Approach Control
(TRACON)
 Typically called Approach or Departure
 Within 30 – 50 NM of the airport and up to
17,000’
 Provides service primarily for the airport
nearest to the station
 (For Example: Orlando Approach)
 Tower contacts TRACON before issuing
takeoff clearance
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TRACON (New York)

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Tower En-route Control
 For flights conducted entirely in terminal area(s)
 Less than 10,000’ MSL and for non turbo-prop
aircraft
 Routes found in AF/D
 Utilizes Automated Radar
 2 minute warning for collision avoidance
 These flights are typically for less than 2 hours and
if request should be noted by adding “TEC” in the
remarks section
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Air Route Traffic Control Center
(ARTCC)
 Primary function is to control and separate air
traffic within a designated area
 Can be more than 100,000 square miles
 21 Centers located within the US
 Controls larger sections of airspace and you
use them when out of the terminal area
 Florida has Miami and Jacksonville Centers

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ARTCC

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Control Sequence

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Federal Airways
 Begin at 1,200’ AGL, typically 4NM Wide
 Include VOR, NDB, and GPS
 Any type of route can be used, but you must
have that type of navigation equipment on
board your aircraft
 For example, you cannot use a RNAV (GPS)
route if you do not have GPS
 IFR Preferred routes can be found in AF/D
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Federal Airways
 Low Frequency Routes (NDB):
 Depicted by brown routes
 Aircraft must be ADF equipped
 Victor Airways (VOR)
 Depicted by black routes
 1,200’AGL – 17,999’MSL
 Typically 8 NM wide (4 NM Each Side)
 Odd # for north/south, even for east and west
 GPS Routes
 Depicted by blue routes
 Q-Routes are for high altitude GPS navigation routes
 T-Routes are for low altitude GPS navigation routes
 Jet Routes exist from 18,000’ MSL(FL180) to FL450
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 Low Altitude Routes – Victor Airways
NDB AIRWAY

VOR AIRWAY

GATORS VOR - RNAV (GPS) ROUTE

Seminole Fans
MUST AVOID BY 5 NM

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Instrument Publications (56 Day Cycle)
 IFR Low Altitude Enroute Chart
 IFR High Altitude Enroute Chart
 US Terminal Procedures Publications
 Standard Terminal Arrival (STARs) charts
 Airport diagrams
 Departure Procedures (DPs)
 Terminal Change Notice (interim 56 day cycle)
 Airport Facilities Directory (AF/D)
 Aeronautical Chart Users Guide (revised as needed)
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Low Altitude En-route Chart Areas

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High Altitude En-route Chart Areas

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Sources
 Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
 Instrument Flying Handbook
 Instrument Procedures Handbook
 Aeronautical Chart Users Guide
 Aeronautical Information Manual

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