Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.1 of 10 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for UAE Centre (OMAE)
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.2 of 10 Index 1. Foreword... 3 2. Neighbour FIR... 3 3. ATC Units... 4 4. Transition altitude/level... 4 5. FIR/UIR... 4 6. Recommendations... 5 6.1. Conflicts options... 5 6.2. Use of OCA... 5 6.3. Use of TAGS... 5 7. ATS airspace classification... 6 8. Semi-circular flight level rule... 8 9. Area of responsibility... 9 10. Handoff between _CTR and _APP controllers... 9 11. Handoff between OMAE_CTR and neighbour _CTRs... 9 11.1. Traffic outbound:... 9 11.2. Traffic inbound:... 9 12. LOA and Charts... 10 12.1. LOA... 10 12.2. Charts... 10
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.3 of 10 1. FOREWORD ATCOs controlling U.A.E. Centre OMAE FIR/UIR shall be proficient in the following documents: Gen intro atc; LOAs; OMAA SOPs; OMAL SOPs; OMDB SOPs; OMFJ SOPs; OMRK SOPs; plus SSR Code UAE; Guidelines; Standard Procedures; Airport Freqs; and all documents and pages published on the IVAO AE division website. 2. NEIGHBOUR FIR Emirates ACC is bordering with Tehran FIR OIIX to the north, Muscat FIR OOMM to the east, Jeddah FIR OEJD to the south and Bahrain UIR OBBB to the west.
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.4 of 10 3. ATC UNITS In United Arab Emirates there is only one FIR/UIR, it's Emirates ACC Unit providing service Call sign IVAC name Language Frequency EMIRATES ACC U.A.E. (spelled U A E ) Centre OMAE_CTR English 120.900 4. TRANSITION ALTITUDE/LEVEL The transition altitude is always 13000 ft. The transition level is always 150. 5. FIR/UIR Vertically Emirates ACC is divided in two parts: Unit Vertical limits and Class of airspace Types of traffic permitted Emirates FIR SFC / 4,500 FT Class : G 4,500 FT / FL 145 Class : C IFR/VFR Emirates UIR FL 145 / UNL Class : A Only IFR
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.5 of 10 6. RECOMMENDATIONS 6.1. CONFLICTS OPTIONS It is recommended to select with Conflict Options to these values: 5nm/800ft; 6.2. USE OF OCA It is recommended using OCA to note on radar screen important information about coordination such as frequencies, turbulence reports, speed, ect. 6.3. USE OF TAGS In aircraft labels assigned flight level should always be updated. For waypoint tags we recommend the following use: When cleared to arrival routes and/or procedures the approach controller will insert the last two letters of the ICAO destination code for aircraft with destination OMDB (e.g. DB). Only for direct to waypoints outside of own sector or out of standard arrival routes the first three letter of the assigned FIX or navaid will be inserted, or the first three letter of the fix and the last of the destination for arrival traffic (e.g. FJV-FJ). We suggest not using tags such as FPL RTE, FP ect. which do not provide any useful information to other units and keep ATCs busy in adding them or removing them.
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.6 of 10 7. ATS AIRSPACE CLASSIFICATION Class Airspace classes used in the EMIRATES FIR are different isn t conform to ICAO and are illustrated below. Note: The lower level of airways vary and is not necessarily the 4500 FT or 2500 FT as illustrated. Type of Flight Separation provided Service Provided VMC visibility and distance from cloud minima Speed limitation A IFR only All aircraft Air traffic control service Not applicable Not applicable B C IFR All aircraft Air traffic control service Not applicable Not applicable VFR All aircraft Air traffic control service IFR VFR IFR from IFR IFR from VFR VFR from IFR 8 KM at and above 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 5 KM below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL Clear of cloud Not applicable Air traffic control service Not applicable Not applicable 1) Air traffic control service for separation from IFR 2) VFR / VFR traffic information (and traffic avoidance on request) 8 KM at and above 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 5 KM below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 1500 M horizontal: 300 M vertical distance from cloud 250 KT IAS below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL Radio comm. required ATC clearance Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.7 of 10 Class Type of Flight Separation provided Service Provided VMC visibility and distance from cloud minima Speed limitation Radio comm. required ATC clearance D IFR VFR IFR from IFR NIL Air traffic control service including traffic information about VFR flights (and traffic avoidance advice on request) IFR / VFR and VFR / VFR traffic information (and traffic avoidance advice on request) Not applicable 8 KM at and above 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 5KM below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 1500 M horizontal: 300 M vertical distance from cloud 250 KT IAS below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 250 KT IAS below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL G IFR NIL Flight information service Not applicable VFR NIL Flight information service 8 KM at and above 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 5 KM below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 1500 M horizontal; 300 M vertical distance from cloud At and below 900 M AMSL or 300 M above terrain whichever is higher - 5 KM**, clear of cloud and in sight of ground or water 250 KT IAS below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL 250 KT IAS below 3050 M (10000 FT) AMSL No No No
UIR - NOT AVAILABLE FOR VFR TRAFFIC UIR - NOT AVAILABLE FOR VFR TRAFFIC United Arab Emirates Division of IVAO Rev. 1 Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.8 of 10 8. SEMI-CIRCULAR FLIGHT LEVEL RULE The AE semi-circular flight level rule is conform to ICAO Doc 8168 - OPS, Volume 1, Part III, Section 1, Chapter 4, so the controller could check if the pilot send a flight plan conform with following table: RVSM (East-West) 180-359 (West) 000-179 (East) IFR VFR IFR VFR 1500 ft 2500 ft 3500 ft 4000 ft 4500 ft 5000 ft 5500 ft 6000 ft 6500 ft 7000 ft 7500 ft 8000 ft 8500 ft 9000 ft 9500 ft 10000 ft 10500 ft 11000 ft 11500 ft 12000 ft 12500 ft 13000 ft FL 150 FL 160 FL 170 FL 180 FL 190 FL 200 FL 210 FL 220 FL 230 FL 240 FL 250 FL 260 FL 270 FL 280 FL 290 RVSM RVSM FL 300 FL 310 FL 320 FL 330 FL 340 FL 350 FL 360 FL 370 FL 380 FL 390 FL 400 FL 410 CVSM CVSM FL 430 FL 450 FL 470 FL 490
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.9 of 10 9. AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY The area of responsibility for OMAE_CTR controller is the UIR/FIR of UAE, from SFC* to UNL. *4500 ft only for uncontrolled airspaces of class G. In case of absence of APP/TWR/GND controllers the pushback, startup, takeoff, landing, and any other clearance/instructions required will be given by OMAE_CTR controller. 10. HANDOFF BETWEEN _CTR AND _APP CONTROLLERS The _APP units will normally handle tfc up to and including altitude 13000 MSL. OMAE_CTR will normally handle traffic from Upper Levels down to and including FL150. Earlier handover is possible on coordination if traffic and situation allows, in order to guarantee a CONTINUOUS CLIMB/DESCENT to the traffic. CAUTION with MSA (highest in the AE airspace is 5500 ). Good use of data tag is paramount for a smooth and safe coordination between units. Standard traffic separation in the AE airspace is 5nm horizontally or 1000 feet vertically, with the exception of DXB and AUH where traffic on final can be separated by 3nm (comply with local SOPs published). 11. HANDOFF BETWEEN OMAE_CTR AND NEIGHBOUR _CTRS 11.1. TRAFFIC OUTBOUND: Ideally traffic leaving the OMAE FIR/UIR should be handed over to the adjacent sector at least 10nm or 1 minute from the boundary. Good coordination (if necessary) has to be completed before then. Earlier handover is possible if traffic and situation allows. Where no adjacent ATC sector is active, traffic should be instructed that Radar Service is terminated, sq 2000 and monitor UNICOM 122.8. Voice OR automatic release message are both acceptable. It is good practise to give traffic information as far as practicable. 11.2. TRAFFIC INBOUND: Ideally traffic entering the OMAE FIR/UIR should be assumed and in contact before crossing the boundary. If the traffic has an SSR code assigned by adjacent sector, there is no need to change it. Otherwise standard SSR code published should be assigned (starting from the highest applicable SSR code, downwards, e.g: traffic inbound to dxb from international and IFR= squawk 4177) When congestion over the destination airport is foreseen, use of Holding Pattern (see Local Procedures) is recommended. Ideally the traffic should stay at or above FL150 in the holding, until the expected approach time is reached. Only when the traffic is cleared to leave the Hold, It shall be transferred to the _APP unit. Good coordination is paramount. See Standard Holding Speed.
Standard Operation Procedures for UAE Centre (OMAE) Pag.10 of 10 12. LOA AND CHARTS 12.1. LOA The Letters of agreements are available to download in http://ae.ivao.aero/ 12.2. CHARTS The charts needed to control, and are available in AE-IVAO website (http://ae.ivao.aero/), or on General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) of United Arab Emirates (http://www.gcaa.gov.ae/en/ais/pages/default.aspx)