temporary instruction 2024-04-06 - PC West Splitting Procedures

[VATSIM UK Operations]

Valid 06 April 2024

For the Leeds event, in order to manage the increased workload in the PC West sector, a temporary arrangement is made to allow for the splitting of PC West.

 

Positions

PC West - MAN_W_CTR (Relief: MAN_W__CTR)

Frequency: 128.050 MHz
RTF callsign: Scottish Control
Coordination callsign: PC West

PC West is the permanently published position which, when online, takes responsibility for all of the usual PC West airspace minus any which is covered by another controller, as detailed below.

 

PC Penil - MAN_WP_CTR (Relief: MAN_WP__CTR)

Frequency: 126.875 MHz
RTF callsign: Scottish Control
Coordination callsign: PC Penil
Top-down responsibility for: PC Isle of Man & PC Wallasey

PC Penil is responsible for both the PC Isle of Man and PC Wallasey sectors, detailed below.

 

PC Isle of Man - MAN_WI_CTR (Relief: MAN_WI__CTR)

Frequency: 133.050 MHz
RTF callsign: Scottish Control
Coordination callsign: PC Isle of Man
Top-down responsibility for: EGNS, EGNH and EGNL

🗺️ Agreed Levels Diagram - PC Isle of Man

PC Isle of Man is responsible for airspace up to FL255/FL285 in an area to the west side of the Manchester TMA, as shown in Figure 1. This sector is primarily responsible for the streaming of inbounds and outbounds to/from Dublin ACC Liverpool inbounds via TIPOD from the West, Manchester inbounds to MIRSI, as well as MTMA departures toward ScAC Rathlin and Shannon.

 

PC Wallasey - MAN_WL_CTR (Relief: MAN_WL__CTR)

Frequency: 125.950 MHz
RTF callsign: Scottish Control
Coordination callsign: PC Wallasey
Top-down responsibility for: EGGP, EGNR

🗺️ Agreed Levels Diagram - PC Wallasey

PC Wallasey is responsible for airspace up to FL195 in an area on the western side of the Manchester TMA as shown in Figure 2. Their top-down responsibilities reflect the airspace of this sector (i.e. Liverpool and Hawarden) in the absence of other controllers. This sector is primarily responsible for the final streaming of inbounds to Liverpool via TIPOD and KEGUN, and Manchester via MIRSI, as well as departures from the MTMA routing west, or via MONTY and the N864 to the south.

 

 

Coordination between PC West and PC Isle of Man

Traffic Positioning

PC Wallasey should position westbound traffic from EGCC, EGGP and EGNR on a heading north of WAL prior to transfer to PC Isle of Man. This traffic is RFT on transfer of communication to PC Isle of Man.

PC Isle of Man should position eastbound traffic inbound to EGCC, EGGP and EGNR on a heading south of WAL prior to transfer of to PC Wallasey. This traffic is RFT on transfer of communication to PC Wallasey.

If traffic is not operating in accordance with this guidance or is on a heading against traffic that is unknown to the receiving sector, then coordination must be effected.

Aircraft inbound to the MTMA with an RFL below the Standing Agreement Level

Traffic inbound to MTMA airfields cruising below the standing agreement level is RFD on transfer of communications from PC Isle of Man to PC West. Coordination must be effected if the aircraft is not RFD.

Aircraft inbound to EGGP/EGNR from the northeast

Controllers should be aware that there is no standing agreement for EGGP or EGNR arriving traffic via the TIPOD 1C, 1D or 1E arrivals between PC East and PC Wallasey. A level must be individually coordinated between the controllers responsible for these sectors, as it would need to be without this event split.

 

Coordination with Adjacent Units

Sectors/ACC

When any of PC Penil, Isle of Man, or Wallasey are opened, it is the responsibility of the controller (or PC Coordinator) to inform the relevant adjacent units/ACCs:

• Scottish ACC - Antrim & Rathlin
• Dublin ACC
• Shannon ACC
• PC East
• AC North
• AC West

Airfields

Whenever either PC Wallasey or PC Penil are opened, which are non-standard adjacent controllers for Liverpool and Manchester, APC and ADC units at each field shall be informed.

Manchester

Departures with altered handoff orders:

• ASMIM/MONTY (05s): PC Wallasey (125.950) > PC Penil (126.875) > PC West...
• KUXEM/EKLAD/MONTY (23s): PC Wallasey (125.950) > PC Penil (126.875) > PC West...

PC Wallasey is the controller responsible for arriving traffic via MIRSI.

Liverpool

PC Wallasey is the controller adjacent to Liverpool ATC. As such, whenever PC Wallasey is open (or PC Penil covering the Wallasey sector), all coordination/handoffs for departures and arrivals shall be with Wallasey.

Isle of Man

The PC Isle of Man sector has an interface with Ronaldsway APC, and covers the airfield top-down in the absence of local ATC.

 

Sectors

NB: OUTDATED FIX/WAYPOINT NAMES; DIAGRAMS DO NOT REFLECT THE WEST AIRSPACE DEPLOYMENT 

Figure 1 - PC Isle of Man - Area of Responsibility

Figure 2 - PC Wallasey - Area of Responsibility

This procedure does not alter the staffing permissions as defined in the UK Division Policy or GRP.