1.  PURPOSE.

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the procedures to be used by controllers working Norcal Approach "Woodside" Sector, the primary airport KSFO, and satellite airports, 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 Norcal TRACON "Woodside" sector airspace, as well as controllers working at positions interfacing with Norcal TRACON "Woodside" 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 Norcal Approach and other Norcal TRACON and ZOA Center 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.

5. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES.

1. During normal (west) operations sequence SFO arrivals.

2. During east operations, sequence SFO 19L/R arrivals and OAK arrivals.

6. PROCEDURES.

a. Frequencies and Callsigns

1. Norcal approach "Woodside" Sector shall use 135.65 as its frequency and SFO_APP as text callsign.

2. When handling arrivals and transitions, Norcal Approach shall use "Norcal Approach" as voice callsign. When handling departures, Norcal Approach shall use "Norcal Departure" as voice callsign.

3. Frequencies for secondary airports should be determined from appropriate publications.

b. Airspace and Sectorization Plan:

1. SFO_APP shall own the airspace within the lateral limits depicted on this graphic in west ops from surface to 11000' MSL, and this graphic in east ops, from surface to FL230, except all actively manned Class D airspace within the lateral limits. SJC_APP owns a shelf above SFO_APP to FL190 during west ops. In west ops, SFO_APP has a shelf from 5000-11000 over a small portion of OAK_APP to facilitate vectoring arrivals “down the bay.” See the graphic for details.

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

c. Release Procedures and Runway Use Plans 

1. The active runway plan will be determined by SFO_TWR and OAK_TWR per SOP_050. Normal prevailing winds are from the west.

d. Special Instructions:

1. Aircraft arriving on flight plans indicating “NO STAR” (or those that have not filed for an approved STAR) shall have their clearances amended to approved STAR’s listed in this SOP, so that all traffic is placed on consistent arrivals streams.

2. Aircraft filing “NO SID” (or those that have not filed for an approved SID) shall be have their clearances amended to approved SID’s listed in this SOP, so that all traffic is placed on consistent departure streams.

3. If SFO_TWR is not online, SFO_APP shall assume control of the SFO_TWR position.

4. During east ops, if OAK_TWR is not online, SFO_APP shall assume control of the OAK_TWR position.

e. Normal / West Flow Operations - Arrivals:

1. BSR2 arrivals are received from MRY_APP shortly after BOLDR with instructions to descend and maintain 6000. Aircraft shall then be descended and vectored to the final approach course.

2. MOD3 arrivals are received from OAK_APP. Aircraft will be received with instructions to descend and maintain 7000 from OAK_APP. Once aircraft are received, they shall be vectored to the final approach course. Use caution to keep aircraft at or above 6000 until past SJC departures.

• During Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) aircraft should expect the "Quiet Bridge Visual Runway 28R" Charted Visual Flight Procedure (or the FMS Bridge Visual if requested), with instructions after CEDES to intercept the SFO 095 radial inbound and report the airport or the San Mateo Bridge in sight.
• During Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) aircraft should be vectored to the ILS runway 28R localizer prior to DUMBA intersection and cleared for the ILS approach runway 28R reference to DUMBA.

3. RISTI4 arrivals are received from OAK_APP Aircraft will be received with instructions to depart CEDES heading 240, scratch padded "H24" and told to descend and maintain 7000 from OAK_APP. The handoff to SFO_APP will occur once the aircraft has cleared the PXN2 arriving traffic. Once aircraft are received, they shall be vectored to the final approach course. Use caution to keep aircraft at 6000 until past SJC departures.

5. PYE1 arrivals are received from STS_APP with instructions to cross HADLY 7000. Once in SFO_APP airspace aircraft shall be descended to 5000. Departing OSI, aircraft shall be vectored to the runway 28L final approach course. The GOLDN4 arrival is the preferred STAR for north arrivals, but Woodside may request OAK_C_CTR to re-route some north arrivals via the PYE1 if heavy arrivals from the east exist.

4. GOLDN5 arrivals for SFO are received from STS_APP at 11000. By default, STS_APP will advise the arriving aircraft to "Depart SFO VOR Heading 140" and handoff to SFO_APP, sending them south of the airport. STS_APP should scratch the type of approach prior to the handoff ("v8L" in VMC or "i8L" in IMC). Crossing over the top of SFO they should be instructed to "Descend and maintain 6000." The required descent rate is high at 250 knots so ATC may issue a speed restriction of 180 knots or slower prior to the descent if the pilot cannot comply with a descent rate of 2500 fpm. The aircraft should then be instructed to "Turn left heading 100" prior to the edge of the boundary line for the 3000 ft Minimum Vectoring Altitude for the terrain west and southwest of the airport. With the pilot established on a left downwind for runway 28L, they should be told to "Descend and maintain 4000." East of the San Mateo Bridge the aircraft should be turned onto a left base (BSR2 traffic permitting) by instructing them to "Turn left heading 010, descend and maintain 3000," and cleared for the visual approach runway 28L in VMC (or given a further left turn to intercept the localizer at a 30 degree angle or less and cleared for the ILS approach runway 28L in IMC).

Alternatively, if SFO_APP has a hole in traffic on the MOD3 STAR they may request STS_APP to send a GOLDN5 arrival aircraft via the "Slam-Dunk" / "Down the Bay": approach. To do this, SFO_APP will request a pointout from STS_APP for early transfer of control of the aircraft, like so: "This is Woodside request pointout AAL1028 for 28R." Sutro (STS_APP) must then pointout the aircraft to Woodside (SFO_APP) on the ASRC datablock, scratch its approach ("v8R" in VMC or "i8R" in IMC), instruct the aircraft to "Turn left heading 100" once it has crossed the shoreline from the pacific ocean, and handoff to SFO_APP prior to SFO_APP's airspace. The pointout process is in place so that STS_APP knows that the pointout aircraft is going to be on a right downwind to 28R so they can protect it from their PORTE3 and SKYL3 departures. When the aircraft reaches the Hunter's Point area on the west shore of the bay (7 nm north of SFO) SFO_APP will instruct them to "Descend and maintain 6000", on a fixed pointout through CCR_APP airspace. SFO_APP must keep the aircraft at or above 6000 until entering their airspace to protect SFO 1L/R departures climbing up to 5000 below them. Once in SFO_APP airspace they should be instructed to "Descend and maintain 4000." SFO_APP has a shelf above OAK_APP from 5000' – 11000' to facilitate vectors, but if done correctly the aircraft should be on right downwind for 28R just along the western boundary line of the shelf allowing the descent to 4000. None-the-less SFO_APP should be mindful of OAK runway 29 approaches at 4000 at the JENFR intersection. Once east of the San Mateo Bridge the aircraft may be instructed to "Turn right heading 190, Descend and maintain 3000" (MOD3 traffic permitting). From there, they can be cleared for the visual approach to runway 28R in VMC, or turned further right to intercept the localizer at a 30 degree angle or less and cleared for the ILS approach runway 28R in IMC.

Sutro sector (STS_APP) and Woodside sector (SFO_APP) should work closely as a team, and especially during periods of heavy traffic. The GOLDN5 arrival is designed specifically so that Norcal can assign the arrival runway based on the amount of traffic is coming in on the BSR2 and MOD3 arrivals. Sutro should be mindful of this (and the fact that SFO_APP could be busy), and plan ahead with arrivals by pre-emptively approving the pointout on override and via the datablock if they can see a break in the MOD3 arrival traffic. Furthermore, Sutro and Woodside can agree on running down the bay approaches to 28R exclusively if they're aware of a lot of BSR2 arrivals enroute, reducing the repetitive workload of requesting pointouts.

6. YOSEM1 arrivals are received from OAK_APP. Aircraft will be received with instructions to cross FAITH at 7000 and 210 knots from OAK_APP. Once aircraft are received, they shall be vectored to the final approach course. Use caution to keep aircraft at 6000 until past SJC departures.

7. Oceanic arrivals for SFO are received from STS_APP with instructions to cross HADLY 7000. Once in SFO_APP airspace aircraft shall be descended to 5000 and vectored for final approach.

8. Missed Approaches are passed by SFO_TWR to STS_APP for resequencing.

f. Normal (West Flow) Operations - Departures:

1. Departures from SFO during west flow operations are handled by STS_APP (west/south) or CCR_APP (north/east).

2. NUQ departures on the OSI2 DP are handled by SFO_APP and always require NUQ_TWR to get a release from SFO_APP. Other NUQ departures are handled by SJC_APP.

g. East Flow Operations - Arrivals:

1. SFO_APP has a relatively small airspace area. STS_APP and CCR_APP are set up to feed a predictable stream of arrival aircraft so that SFO_APP can handle the arrivals in its airspace. SFO_APP may place restrictions on arrivals at any time by contacting STS_APP and/or CCR_APP. SFO_APP may require a certain number of miles-in-trail (MIT) between arrivals. During busy periods, when the controller feels that parallel visual approaches are not practical to 19L/R at SFO, it is recommended that SFO_APP require 10 MIT between arrival aircraft coming from the feeder sectors.

2. Arrivals from the east (COMMO, LOCKE, ECA) are received from CCR_APP as follows (SFO_APP may contact CCR_APP or STS_APP to change the given speed assignments based on traffic):

a. OAK arrivals – These aircraft are received on a heading of 240, descending to 6000, and assigned a speed of 210 knots. Vector to final based on other traffic.

b. SFO arrivals landing 19L/R – These aircraft are received on a heading of 220 with instructions to join the 19L localizer, descending to 5000, and assigned a speed of 210 knots. Sequence these arrivals with other traffic.

c. SFO arrivals landing 10L/R - This configuration is very rare, the preferred east ops configuration is landing 19L/R. If winds require landing on 10L/R, these arrivals will be received direct SAU descending to 8000. Descend these aircraft to 5000 reference other arrivals and instruct to depart SAU heading 200. Hand to STS_APP.

3. STINS, HADLY, and Oceanic arrivals for SFO are received from STS_APP (when landing 19L/R) as a merged single stream on a heading of 010 at 6000' with an assigned speed of 210 knots. Vector these aircraft to final reference other traffic.

4. HADLY and Oceanic arrivals for OAK are received from STS_APP direct SAU at 6000 with an assigned speed of 210 knots. STS_APP is responsible for ensuring there will be no conflict with RAIDR arrivals. Vector these aircraft to final reference other traffic.

5. RAIDR2 arrivals for OAK are received from STS_APP direct SAU at 5000 with an assigned speed of 210 knots. STS_APP is responsible for ensuring there will be no conflict with HADLY arrivals for OAK. Vector these aircraft to final reference other traffic.

6. Missed Approaches during east flow operations shall be handled by HWD_APP. HWD_APP will vector missed approaches off SFO and OAK so that they enter SFO_APP airspace about 5 miles north of SFO at 5000 on a heading of 280 with an assigned speed of 210 knots.

h. East Flow Operations - Departures:

In east ops, departures are handled by HWD_APP.

i. IFR Low Altitude Routing:

None.

j. Additional Comments:

1. In east ops, keep STS_APP and CCR_APP advised on the need for arrival restrictions.

2. In east ops, CCR_APP has a fixed pointout in SFO_APP airspace for arrivals routed OAK.CCR.CCR1 to KSMF. These arrivals will cross OAK at 15000 and remain at 15000 until within CCR_APP airspace..

3. The "MODE" system of being stacked or empty is no longer in service

END