1.  PURPOSE.

This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) outlines the procedures to be used by controllers working Norcal Approach "Valley" Sector, the primary airports KMOD and KSCK, 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 "Valley" sector airspace, as well as controllers working at positions interfacing with Norcal TRACON "Valley" 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. Sequence aircraft with a destination airport inside the bay area.

2. Sequence and separate MOD arrivals and departures.

3. Sequence and separate SCK arrivals and departures.

6. PROCEDURES.

a. Frequencies and Callsigns

1. Norcal approach "Valley" sector shall use 125.10 as its frequency, MOD_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. MOD_APP shall own the airspace within the lateral limits depicted on this graphic in west ops and this graphic in east ops, from surface to FL230 except all actively manned Class D airspace within the lateral limits.

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. MOD_TWR and SCK_TWR are not required to obtain departure releases unless requested by MOD_APP.

2. The active runway plan for SCK will be determined by SCK_TWR per SOP_050. Normal winds are from the west using runways 29.

3. The active runway plan for MOD will be determined by MOD_TWR per SOP_050. Normal winds are from the west using runways 28.

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 SCK_TWR is not online, MOD_APP shall assume control of the SCK_TWR position.

4. If MOD_TWR is not online, MOD_APP shall assume control of the MOD_TWR position.

e. West Flow Operations - Bay Arrivals:

1. MOD3 arrivals for SFO received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. These arrivals will cross the path of the MARVN1 and CAPO3 STARs. Sequence these arrivals with aircraft on the RISTI4 stream, instruct them to “cross CEDES 11000” and hand off to OAK_APP.

2. MADWN4 arrivals for OAK are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. Instruct these aircraft to “cross DUGLE 14000 and CATTY 8000” and hand off to OAK_APP.

3. MARVN1 arrivals for OAK are received from OAK_A_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL200”. MARVN1 arrivals may briefly pass through SJC_APP airspace on a fixed pointout under control of MOD_APP. Ensure these arrivals pass above the SJC HYP5 arrivals and below SFO MOD3 arrivals and merge them with the MADWN4 stream. Aircraft shall be instructed to “cross VOLTA 13000 and CATTY 8000,” then hand off to OAK_APP.

4. RISTI4 arrivals for SFO pass through MOD_APP airspace. SAC transitions are received from CCR_APP at or below FL230. ECA transitions are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. Sequence these arrivals with the MOD3 arrival stream, instruct them to “cross CEDES 11000” and hand off to OAK_APP.

5. CAPO3 arrivals for SJC are received from CCR_APP at or below FL230. Ensure these arrivals are separated from aircraft on the MOD, MADWN, MARVN and RISTI arrivals. Once clear of other traffic, issue instructions to “descend/maintain 6000” and hand off to SJC_APP.

6. HYP5 arrivals for SJC are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “cross HYP at FL200”. These aircraft may pass briefly through OAK_A_CTR airspace on a fixed pointout. Ensure these aircraft are separated from OAK MARVN1 arrivals. Issue instructions to “cross PAPEE at 12000 and GILRO at 8000” and hand off to SJC_APP.

7. YOSEM1 arrivals for SFO are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. These arrivals will cross the path of the MARVN1 and CAPO3 STARs. Once clear of other arriving traffic instruct them to “cross BONNS at 11000 and 250 knots” and hand off to OAK_APP.  

f. East Flow Operations - Bay Arrivals:

1. LOCKE1 arrivals for SFO and OAK are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. These arrivals merge with ECA1 and COMMO1 arrivals. Sequence these aircraft into a single stream with the other arrivals, instruct them to cross LOCKE at 10000 (there's also a charted 250 knot restriction) and hand off to CCR_APP.

2. ECA1 arrivals for OAK from the east are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. Instruct these aircraft to “cross DUGLE at 14000 and SHARR at 9000”. ECA1 arrivals for OAK from the north are routed SAC.ECA.ECA1 with instructions to cross 20 NW of ECA at 16000. Once these aircraft are within MOD_APP airspace, instruct to cross SHARR at 9000 as traffic permits and merge with ECA1 arrivals from the east. All ECA1 arrivals merge with LOCKE1 and COMMO1 arrivals. Sequence these aircraft into a single stream with the other arrivals and hand to CCR_APP.

3. COMMO1 arrivals for OAK are received from OAK_A_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL200”. This arrival crosses the SJC JAWWS2 arrivals. Ensure separation at the crossing point. Also, these arrivals merge with LOCKE1 and COMMO1 arrivals. Instruct these aircraft to “cross VOLTA at 12000”, sequence them into a single stream with the other arrivals and hand off to CCR_APP.

4. CAPO3 arrivals for SJC are received from CCR_APP either at/above 12000 or at/below 8000 to protect the SFO / OAK arrival streams. Once clear of other aircraft, descend these aircraft to 6000 and hand to SJC_APP.

5. JAWWS2 arrivals for SJC which overfly HYP are received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240” and may briefly pass through OAK_A_CTR on a fixed pointout. This arrival crosses the COMMO1 arrival to OAK. Ensure separation at the crossing point. Instruct these arrivals to “cross PAPEE at 11,000 and JAWWS at 8000” and hand off to SJC_APP.

g. SCK Arrivals

1. During west operations, IFR arrivals for runway 29R...

i. from the north (LIN), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross LIN 2000" and cleared for the ILS 29R prior to LIN.

ii. from the east (WRAPS, V244), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross WRAPS 2000" and cleared for the ILS 29R prior to WRAPS.

iii. from the southeast (HONEZ, V23), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross HONEZ 2000" and cleared for the ILS 29R prior to HONEZ.

iv. from the south (MOD, V109), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross MOD 2000" and cleared for the ILS 29R prior to MOD.

v. that can not accept the full approach shall be vectored to the final approach course and descended in accordance with MVAs.

2. During east operations, under IMC, IFR arrivals for runway 11L/R should be routed as listed above in (6)(g)(1) and cleared for the ILS 29R for a circle-to-land approach.

3. Missed Approach instructions may be assigned per the published procedures or alternately climbed to 2000' on runway heading to be given a right or left turn as appropriate for re-sequencing downwind.

h. MOD Arrivals

1. During west operations, IFR Arrivals for runway 28R...

i. from the north (ECA), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross MOD at or above 2000" and cleared for the ILS 28R prior to MOD.

ii. from east (WRAPS), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross WOWAR at 1800" and cleared for the ILS 28R prior to WRAPS.

iii.  from the southwest (PATTY), and can accept a full approach, shall be instructed to "cross WOWAR at 1800" and cleared for the ILS 28R prior to WOWAR.

iv. from the southeast (HYP), and can accept a full approach shall be instructed "cross DLRAY at or above 1800" and cleared for the ILS 28R prior to DLRAY

2. During east operations, under IMC, IFR arrivals for runway 10L/R should be routed as listed above in (6)(h)(1) and cleared for the ILS 28R for a circle-to-land approach.

3. Missed Approach instructions may be assigned per the published procedures or alternately climbed to 2000' on runway heading to be given a right or left turn as appropriate for re-sequencing downwind.

i. SCK Departures:

1. DORES2 and STKN5 departures shall proceed under pilot navigation.

2. Departures climbing above TRACON ceiling shall be handed to OAK_B_CTR, except STKN5.BUSHY, which shall be handed to OAK_A_CTR.

j. MOD Departures:

1. Obstacle Departure procedure "All Runways, Climb to 1000' MSL on runway heading before proceeding on course," shall be given out as the Modesto Published Departure Procedure

k. SMF/SUU arrivals

1. SUU OAKEY2 arrivals for SUU received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “descend at pilot’s discretion, maintain FL240”. Instruct these aircraft to “cross OAKEY at 10000 ” and hand off to SMF_APP.

2. SMF WRAPS5 arrivals for SMF received from OAK_B_CTR with instructions to “cross TURLO at and maintain FL240”. Instruct these aircraft to “cross LIN at 16000 ”, then after LIN, descend the aircraft to 10000 and hand off to SMF_APP.

MADWN4 and WRAPS5 aircraft in west ops and ECA1 and WRAPS5 aircraft in east ops.

l. IFR Low Altitude Routing:

Bay arrivals via ECA V195 Sunol

Sacramento arrivals via LIN V23 SAC

Fresno arrivals via CZQ

Sutro and Richmond sector arrivals via LIN V108 (Available endings - CCR, SGD, STS)

San Jose arrivals via MOD V111 V485 SJC

Monterey arrivals via MOD V111 SNS

m. Additional Comments:

NONE

END