1.  PURPOSE.

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the procedures to be used by controllers working Oakland Center, to ensure that traffic flows are handled in as efficient and timely a manner as possible.  By specifying standard handoff points, departure and arrival routes, coordination between adjacent facilities may be greatly reduced.

2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

The Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for this SOP is the ZOA Facility Advisory Board. This SOP shall be maintained, revised, updated or cancelled by the ZOA Facility Advisory Board. Any suggestions for modification / amendment to this SOP should be sent to the FAB for review.  

3.  DISTRIBUTION.

This SOP is intended for use by controllers staffing positions within Oakland Center "B" sector airspace, as well as controllers working at positions interfacing with Oakland Center "B"  sector facilities 

4. BACKGROUND.

Over time, controllers have found that having aircraft arrive via pre-approved arrival routes, either by STAR’s (Standard Terminal Arrival Routes) or via vectors through pre-determined arrival fixes, provides for a more orderly traffic flow, and reduces the need for communication between Oakland Center and other ZOA ARTCC positions.  It is also vitally important that all facilities understand what an airplane is going to do (i.e., what altitude he has been cleared to) when he approaches an adjacent controller's airspace.  These procedures outline what instructions pilots will be issued as they go from controller to controller.

The primary responsibilities for this position are sequencing arrivals to the Bay Area from the south of Salt Lake City ARTCC and the Las Vegas area and establishing departures from the Bay Area to the Las Vegas area and southern Salt Lake City ARTCC. Other responsibilities include sequencing Fresno, Stockton, southern Reno, and southern Sacramento area traffic.

5. PROCEDURES.

a. Frequencies and  Callsigns

1. Oakland Center "B" sector shall use 126.85 as its frequency, OAK_B_CTR as text callsign, and "Oakland Center" as voice callsign. (When not sectorized, OAK_CTR shall use 132.20 as its frequency).

2. Frequencies for secondary airports not covered in underlying TRACON SOPs should be determined from appropriate publications.

b. Airspace and Sectorization Plan:

1. OAK_B_CTR shall own the airspace within the lateral limits depicted on this graphic, from surface to unlimited, except all airspace delegated by SOP to underlying TRACONs towers

2. The Sector file authorized for use in operating this sector is the certified Center sector file available on the "downloads" page of the ZOA ARTCC web site.

c. Airport Procedures and Runway Use Plans 

None.

d. Special Instructions: 

1. When not manned and in the normal (north) runway plan, Norcal TRACON "DELTA" Sector (SMF_APP) will be operated by, and the associated airspace owned by OAK_B_CTR.

2. When not manned Norcal TRACON "GROVE" Sector (OAK_APP in west ops, HWD_APP in east ops) will be operated by, and the associated airspace owned by OAK_B_CTR.

3. When not manned Norcal TRACON "VALLEY" Sector (MOD_APP) will be operated by, and the associated airspace owned by OAK_B_CTR.

4. When not manned Fresno TRACON (FAT_APP) will be operated by, and the associated airspace owned by OAK_B_CTR.

5. Insure Las-Vegas-area-bound routings are in compliance with the applicable LOA.

6. Arrivals to KBFL in ZLA airspace shall be descended to 10000 or below by handoff to BFL_APP or LAX_B_CTR when BFL_APP is offline.

e. Arrivals:

During Bay area normal / west flow:

1. SFO arrivals from the northeast (ECA, SAC) shall be routed via the RISTI4 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the RISTI4 route. Aircraft on SAC transition shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to CCR_APP. Aircraft on ECA transitions shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.

2. SFO arrivals from the east (CZQ, OAL, MVA, FMG) and prop arrivals from Southern California, shall be routed via the MOD3 STAR (SoCal prop arrivals shall be routed via CZQ transition). Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the MOD3 route. Aircraft above FL240 shall be instructed to " descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" Aircraft shall be handed off to MOD_APP.

3. SFO RNAV arrivals from the east (OAL, LIDAT), may be routed via the YOSEM1 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the MOD3 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.

4. OAK arrivals from east (OAL, MVA, FMG) shall be routed via MADWN4. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the MADWN4 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.

5. SJC Arrivals from the north (SAC) shall be routed via the CAPO3 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the CAPO3 route. Aircraft shall be cleared to FL240 then handed off to CCR_APP.

6. SJC Arrivals from the east (OAL, FMG) shall be routed via the HYP5 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the HYP5 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "Cross HYP at FL200" and handed off to MOD_APP.

During Bay area east flow:

7. SFO arrivals from the east (CZQ, OAL, MVA, FMG) shall be routed via the LOCKE1 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the LOCKE1 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP prior to entering MOD_APP airspace.

8. OAK arrivals from east (OAL, MVA, FMG) shall be routed via the ECA1 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the ECA1 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.

9. SJC Arrivals from the north (FMG) shall be received from OAK_C_CTR routed via the FMG.JAWWS2 STAR/transition. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend and maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP on a fixed pointout through OAK_A_CTR airspace.

10. SJC Arrivals from the east (OAL) shall be routed via the OAL.JAWWS2 STAR/transition. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the OAL.JAWWS2 route. Aircraft shall be instructed "descend and maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP on a fixed pointout through OAK_A_CTR airspace.

Fresno area and Lemoore area:

11. FAT arrivals from the south (TTE) shall be routed via ALTTA7 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the ALTTA7 route. Aircraft shall be descended to 11000 upon being received and handed to FAT_APP.

12. FAT arrivals from the north (OAL) shall be routed via GIVEN5 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the GIVEN5 route. The GIVEN5 STAR overflies a section of Sierra Nevada Mountains that are the highest in ZOA (including coming very close to Mt Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States). Due to the close proximity of these mountains to the airport, an extremely steep descent gradient is required. Special precautions must be taken by ATC to both prevent aircraft from descending below the MEAs of each route segment, and ensure that aircraft descend expeditiously enough to be handed off to FAT_APP at 11000 prior to TOPPE intersection. Therefore, it is recommended that OAK_B_CTR exercise speed restrictions of slower than 250 knots above 10000 feet if necessary, and have the aircraft slowed prior to GIVEN intersection to ensure the pilot meets these descent requirements.

Aircraft shall be initially instructed to "Descend at pilot's discretion, maintain 17000." After GIVEN, the aircraft should be instructed to descend and maintain 13000, and after SHAVY should be further descended to 11000 and handed to FAT_APP. (Or 9000 if FAT_APP is offline.)

 

13. NLC arrivals shall be routed via CZQ or VIS then IAF as appropriate. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross CZQ/VIS 16000, departing descend and maintain 15000" and handed to NLC_APP.

Reno area:

14. RNO arrivals from the southeast (MVA) during use of the normal/south ops runway plan, shall be routed via RYANN1 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the RYANN1 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross RYANN 16000" and handed to OAK_C_CTR for final sequencing.

15. RNO arrivals from the southwest (SAC) during use of the normal/south ops runway plan, shall be routed via SIERRA3 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the SIERRA3 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross HOBOA 16000" and handed to OAK_C_CTR for final sequencing.

16. RNO arrivals from the south (OAL, MVA, SAC, TILTS) during use of the north ops runway plan, shall be routed via TARVR1 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the TARVR1 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross TARVR 16000" and handed to RNO_APP. Exercise caution to separate SAC.TARVR1 arrivals from DUDES9 departures out of KSMF.

Sacramento and Travis area:

17. SMF arrivals from the southeast (CZQ) shall be routed via WRAPS5 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the WRAPS5 route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross TURLO at and maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.

18. A fixed pointout exists for FLUNK3 arrivals to SMF which may briefly pass through OAK_B_CTR airspace descending to 11000.

19. SUU arrivals shall be routed via OAKEY2 STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the OAKEY2 route. Aircraft on CZQ transition shall be instructed to "descend at pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.

f. Departures

Bay normal / west flow:

1. De-conflict LIN transition departures with SAC.CAPO3 and SAC.RISTI4 arrivals.

Bay east flow:

No special instructions.

Other:

1.  Insure FROGO6 departures from SMF are 14500 or above by FROGO to pass above Bay area arrivals.

2.  De-conflict DUDES9 departures from SMF from TARVR1 arrivals to RNO.

3.  Insure OAL1 departures from FAT are separated from the arrivals to the Bay from OAL

g. Additional Comments:

NONE

END