Standard Operating Procedures and Letters of Agreement

Oakland Center - Bravo Sector

Date	Code	Version	Contact
2010-04-12	SOP-202	1.24	Facility Advisory Board (FAB)

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, and in compliance with LOAs. By specifying standard handoff points, departure and arrival routes, coordination between adjacent facilities may be greatly reduced.

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.

DISTRIBUTION:

This SOP is intended for use by controllers staffing positions within Oakland Center and Oakland Center Bravo Sector airspace, as well as controllers working at positions interfacing with Oakland Center Bravo Sector facilities.

BACKGROUND:

Over time, controllers have found that having aircraft arrive via pre-approved arrival routes, either by STARs (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.

PROCEDURES:

Frequencies and Callsigns.
1. When not sectorized, OAK_CTR shall use 132.20 as its frequency.
2. Oakland Center Bravo sector shall use 126.85 as its frequency, OAK_B_CTR as text callsign, and "Oakland Center" as voice callsign.
3. Frequencies for secondary airports not covered in SOP_050 should be determined from appropriate publications.
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 or 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.
Airport Procedures and Runway Use Plans.

None.
Special Instructions.
1. When not manned, the following TRACONs will be operated, and the associated airspace owned by OAK_B_CTR:
  - Norcal TRACON "DELTA" Sector (SMF_APP)
  - Norcal TRACON "GROVE" Sector (OAK_APP in west ops, HWD_APP in east ops)
  - Norcal TRACON "VALLEY" Sector (MOD_APP)
  - Fresno TRACON (FAT_APP)
2. Ensure Las-Vegas-area-bound routings are in compliance with the applicable LOA. In particular give consideration to the R-2508 restricted airspace, if active (see published hours and check with Los Angeles Center).
3. Arrivals to Bakersfield Meadows Field (KBFL) in ZLA shall be descended to 10000 or below by handoff to BFL_APP or LAX_B_CTR when BFL_APP is offline.
Bay Area Arrivals.

During Bay Area normal / west flow:
1. SFO arrivals from the northeast (ECA, SAC) shall be routed via the RISTI STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the RISTI route. Aircraft on SAC transition shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to CCR_APP. Aircraft on ECA transitions shall be instructed to "descend 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 MOD 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 MOD route. Aircraft above FL240 shall be instructed to descend 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 YOSEM STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the YOSEM route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.
4. OAK arrivals from east (OAL, MVA, FMG) shall be routed via MADWN STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the MADWN route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.
5. SJC arrivals from the north (SAC) shall be routed via the CAPO STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the CAPO route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to CCR_APP.
6. SJC arrivals from the east (OAL, FMG) shall be routed via the HYP STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the HYP route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "Cross HYP at and maintain FL200" and handed off to MOD_APP.
During Bay Area east flow:
1. SFO arrivals from the east (CZQ, OAL, MVA, FMG) shall be routed via the LOCKE STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the LOCKE route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.
2. OAK arrivals from east (OAL, MVA, FMG) shall be routed via the ECA STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the ECA route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.
3. SJC Arrivals from the north (FMG) shall be received from OAK_C_CTR routed via the FMG.JAWWS 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.
4. SJC Arrivals from the east (OAL) shall be routed via the OAL.JAWWS STAR transition. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the OAL.JAWWS 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 arrivals.
1. FAT arrivals from the south (TTE) shall be routed via ALTTA STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the ALTTA route. Per the letter of agreement with ZLA, these aircraft should be handed directly from LAX_CTR (or LAX_B_CTR if they are sectorized) to FAT_APP.
2. FAT arrivals from the north (OAL) shall be routed via GIVEN STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the GIVEN route.
  - The GIVEN 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 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.)
3. NLC arrivals shall be routed via CZQ or VIS then IAF as appropriate. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross CZQ/VIS at 16000, after CZQ/VIS descend and maintain 15000" and handed to NLC_APP. Per the letter of agreement with ZLA, aircraft arriving from inside ZLA bound for NLC should be handed directly from LAX_CTR (or LAX_B_CTR if they are sectorized) to NLC_APP if they are open.
4. Per the letter of agreement with ZLA aircraft arriving from the south bound for Visalia (KVIS) or Tulare (KTLR) will be handed directly from LAX_CTR (or LAX_B_CTR if they are sectorized) to FAT_APP.
Reno area arrivals.

South ops / normal ops:
1. RNO arrivals from the southeast (MVA) during use of the normal/south ops runway plan, shall be routed via RYANN STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the RYANN route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross RYANN at and maintain 16000" and handed to OAK_C_CTR for final sequencing.
2. RNO arrivals from the southwest (SAC) during use of the normal/south ops runway plan, shall be routed via SIERRA STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the SIERRA route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross HOBOA at and maintain 16000" and handed to OAK_C_CTR for final sequencing.
North ops:
1. RNO arrivals from the south (OAL, MVA, SAC, TILTS) during use of the north ops runway plan, shall be routed via TARVR STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the TARVR route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross TARVR at and maintain 16000" and handed to RNO_APP. Exercise caution to separate SAC.TARVR arrivals from DUDES departures out of KSMF.
Sacramento and Travis area arrivals.
1. SMF arrivals from the southeast (CZQ) shall be routed via WRAPS STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the WRAPS route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "cross TURLO at and maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.
2. A fixed pointout exists for FLUNK arrivals to SMF which may briefly pass through OAK_B_CTR airspace descending to 11000.
3. SUU arrivals shall be routed via OAKEY STAR. Aircraft not able to accept the STAR shall have their clearance route amended along the OAKEY route. Aircraft shall be instructed to "descend pilot's discretion, maintain FL240" and handed off to MOD_APP.
Bay Area Departures.

During Bay Area normal / west flow:
1. De-conflict LIN transition departures with SAC.CAPO and SAC.RISTI arrivals.
During Bay Area east flow:
1. No special instructions.
Other Departures.
1. Ensure FROGO departures from SMF are 14500 or above by FROGO to pass above Bay area arrivals.
2. De-conflict DUDES departures from SMF from TARVR arrivals to RNO.
3. Ensure OAL departures from FAT are separated from the arrivals to the Bay from OAL.
Additional Comments.

None.