Brazil Division

Purpose

This document describes the procedures that must be followed by the Air Traffic Service (ATS) at Palmas Airport. The procedures described here are supplementary to the DECEA procedures.

Scope

Those procedures must be followed and applied by all members that are operating at SBPJ. Especially the ATC, but not exclusive.

Procedural deviations

Exceptional situations, or unusual ones, can necessitate procedural deviations, or complementary procedures, to be added to the following procedures described in this document.

Parking Positions

Normally, the airplanes going to SBPJ must follow those rules about the Parking position:

NOTE: If the pilot request parking at Apron 2 Hangar, it's the aircraft operator's responsibility to guarantee the operational necessities.

Taxiing out

SBPJ has a peculiar characteristic, normally encountered at Brazilian small airfields: the necessity to perform backtrack (when the aircraft joins at the runway via an intermediate part, and taxi to the threshold, occupying the runway during this time) over the runway to take off, or after landing. This characteristic gives down the airport operational capacity, and the air traffic controllers must pay attention to this.

How the Brazilian documentation is a little bit omissive about this topic, we must follow this phraseology:

GLO1829, cleared to join on the runway, report lined up threshold 14.

Helicopters operations

The homologated positions to helicopter parking are 1R and 1L, at Apron 1. For this reason, pay attention when authorizing a non-helicopter to park at those positions. Because, after this, you won't have any helicopter position until the aircraft disconnects from the network. In case the pilot declares intention, the helicopter can authorize to the Apron 2 Hangar (Hangar do Estado).

Clearance to depart from an intermediate position of RWY

Following a DECEA instruction, always that a clearance/suggestion to depart from an intermediate position is given, the ATC must inform the remaining runway length from that position. To this, observe the image below:

Helicopters Operations

The landing and departure of helicopters can be performed on the runway (RWY 14/32); whatever, in case the pilot declares on the frequency that has the condition, he can arrival/depart on the taxiways (A, B, or C; depending on the parking apron). To those cases, the following phraseology must be observed:

PTOSH, do you have conditions to approach directly to Charlie taxiway?

This procedure must be done by the helicopters approaching/departing to the North sector. To the helicopters approaching/departing to the South Sector, use the RWY 14/32.

NOTE: it's prohibited to land or depart directly to/from the apron.

TGL at SBPJ

Despite being Palmas TWR responsibility area, the TWR must maintain the Palmas APP informed about the aircraft performing TGL (touch and go landing) at SBPJ; just like, when the aircraft goes to perform a 360º maneuvering on downwind leg or extending the downwind leg.

Traffic Pattern Restrictions

There is no restriction to an arriving/departing aircraft about the Traffic Pattern at SBPJ.

When the Palmas APP is providing the AFIS at SBPJ, between 21:00z and 08:59z, the procedures below must be followed:

ATC Clearance

Before giving the ATC Clearance, and after giving the meteorological conditions, the Palmas APP must ask the pilot about the runway the crew will use for departure (following the phraseology example below). With this information, the APP will define a SID to the ACFT and so will give the ATC Clearance.

GLO1817, wind 2-3-0º, 7KT, altimeter setting 1-0-1-0, temperature 1-8º, visibility 5km due to light rain over the airfield, time check 4-7'. Confirm which runway do you intend to use for departure.

Traffic information

Due to the service peculiarity, during the AFIS, the SBPJ turns an uncontrolled airfield. So, there is no to speak about taxi, pushback, backtrack, clearance to land, or takeoff AUTHORIZATION. To this end, is EXTREMELY NECESSARY that the Palmas APP give, constantly, updated information about the other aircraft's position; or, if there is no reported traffic around the airport.

Pilot -> Palmas Control, GLO1817, stand 2, starting pushback and startup.

APP -> Palmas Control roger, no reported traffic.

Let's check an example if a traffic is approaching the holding point for departure, and another traffic is on final RWY14:

Pilot -> Palmas Control, PTOMX, approaching hold point RWY14.

APP -> Roger, traffic information, a Boeing 737 on final RWY14, 5NM.

Pilot -> Roger, PTOMX will hold short RWY14

AFIS Start

Like the TWR, the AFIS provided by the Palmas APP will start following the table below:

Parking Position

The parking position definition, IRL, is an Airport Administrator attribution. But here, on virtual, we won't simulate this, even during the AFIS period. Here, the APP will be responsible for defining the parking position. However, it should be noted: TAXI CLEARANCE TO THE AIRCRAFT GO TO THE PARKING POSITION WON'T BE GIVEN.

Pilot -> Palmas Control, PSEYA, on the ground at 0-8'.

APP -> Roger, PSEYA, report vacating the runway, proceeding to stand 5, on apron 1.

Use ever the AISWEB to check the active NOTAM.

NOTE: What must prevail ever is common sense. If the pilot asks not to simulate a NOTAM, and this won't disturb other simmers, this request MUST BE attended! Punctual issues must be reported to our staff team.