Boston Consolidated TRACON

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The Boston Consolidated TRACON from the outside.
The Boston Consolidated TRACON from the outside.

The Boston Consolidated TRACON (A90) is located at 25 Robert Milligan Parkway, Merrimack, NH 03054. BCT opened in 2004. The A90 function transferred to the new Boston Consolidated TRACON on February 22nd, 2004. The MHT function transferred over on March 7, 2004. Manchester TRACON used to be located at Manchester Airport right below the old ATCT. Boston TRACON used to be located at the Logan International Airport Control Tower before being consolidated. A Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON, is responsible for descending airplanes from the ARTCC and lining them up for landing at their destination airport, as well as climbing departures before handing off to the ARTCC.

The primary responsibility of the Boston TRACON is the safe, orderly, and expedicious flow of arrival, departure, and enroute traffic. A90 is responsible for one main airport, Boston Logan International Airport. Additionally, A90 is responsible for dozens of smaller but busy fields, including Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Hanscom Field, Norwood Memorial Airport, Beverly Municipal Airport, Lawrence Municipal Airport, Pease International Tradeport, and Nashua Municipal Airport.

The Boston TRACON is one of six "Large TRACONs" currently existing throughout the United States. The others include the Atlanta Large TRACON, the New York TRACON, the Potomac Consolidated TRACON, the Southern California Consolidated TRACON, and the Northern California Consolidated TRACON.

Contents

[edit] Area Breakdown

The Boston TRACON is divided into two Areas of Specialization. Controllers certify in one area only.


Boston Area - The Boston area is the busier area in A90, handling most arrival and all departure traffic from Logan International Airport and surrounding satellites. The Boston Area can open a maximum of 8 radar positions. On a normal day, however, only 5-6 positions are staffed. On the midnight shift, there is only one position open.


Manchester Area - The Manchester area is the less busy of the two areas in A90, however it still receives a large amount of traffic. Most traffic in the Manchester area is destined to the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, however there are also many General Aviation flights destined to smaller fields. Additionally, the Manchester area provides service to all training flights conducted by Daniel Webster College, which is based at Nashua Municipal Airport. The Manchester area can open a maximum of 5 radar positions. On a normal day, only 2-3 positions are open. On the midnight shift, there is only one position open.


A90 is bordered by the following facilities:

  • Providence TRACON (PVD)
  • Bradley TRACON (Y90)
  • Cape TRACON (K90)
  • Portland TRACON (PWM)

[edit] Boston Area

A scope at the Boston Consolidated TRACON during the morning departure rush.
A scope at the Boston Consolidated TRACON during the morning departure rush.

[edit] General

[edit] Sectors

  • Final 1 - F1 - 126.5
    • The primary Final sector for arrivals to Boston Logan. Most arrivals will talk to this controller before being transferred to Boston Tower. Final 1 generally owns airspace up to 6000 feet within about 8 miles either side of the final approach course in use. Depending on the runways in use, this sector may or may not be combined with Final 2.
  • Final 2 - F2 - 119.65
    • The secondary Final sector for arrivals to Boston Logan. This sector is only functional in certain runway configurations. Final 2 is most often used for arrivals to 22L and 4L. Final 2 generally owns airspace up to 5000 feet within about 7 miles either side of the final approach course in use. At most other times, Final 2 is combined at Final 1.
  • Initial Departure - ID - 133.0
    • All departures from Boston Logan will initially talk to this sector. Initial Departure issues an initial climb and turn to a departure, then hands off to either the Rockport, Plymouth, or Lincoln sector for sequence to their first fix. The altitudes owned by Initial Departure vary based on configuration. During the Mid-shift all the sectors are combined at initial departure.
  • Lincoln - SL - 127.2
    • The Lincoln sector is primarily a West Departure sector. All departures heading westbound are handed off from Initial Departure to this sector, where they are sequenced, climbed to 14,000 feet, and handed off to Boston Center (BOSOX 47 sector ). Lincoln also handles prop arrivals to Boston Logan over WOONS, descends them, and hands off to Final 1 or 2. Lincoln is always combined at Initial Departure, and is only opened for training purposes.
  • Plymouth - SM - 120.6
    • The Plymouth sector is primarily an arrival sector for Boston Logan arrivals over PVD, as well as a departure sector for all departures heading south. Boston Logan arrivals are handed off from Boston Center (PVD 34 sector), descended and sequenced, and handed off to Final 1 or 2, depending on the assigned runway. The Plymouth sector generally owns from above Final or Satellite airspace up to 14,000 feet.
  • Rockport - SR - 118.25
    • The Rockport sector is primarily an arrival sector for Boston Logan arrivals over GDM and SCUPP, as well as a departure sector for all departures heading north. Boston Logan arrivals are handed off from Boston Center (GDM 36 sector/PARSO 16 sector), descended and sequenced, and handed off to Final 1 or 2, depending on the assigned runway. The Rockport sector generally owns from above Final or Satellite airspace up to 14,000 feet.
  • Lynch - AL - 124.1
    • The Lynch sector is primarily a satellite sector for all airports south of Boston. The Lynch sector owns from the surface to between 2000 and 4000 feet, depending on the distance from Boston Logan airport. Lynch primarily provides services to aircraft landing and departing Norwood Memorial.
  • Bedford - SB - 124.4
    • The Bedford sector is primarily a satellite sector for all airports north of Boston. The Bedford sector owns from the surface to between 2000 and 5000 feet, depending on the distance from Boston Logan airport. Bedford primarily provides services to aircraft landing and departing Hanscom Field, Beverly Municipal, and Lawrence Municipal.

[edit] Manchester Area

A busy Manchester area scope at the Boston TRACON.
A busy Manchester area scope at the Boston TRACON.

[edit] General

[edit] Sectors

  • Tommy - ST - 127.35 385.45
    • The Tommy sector is one of two Low sectors that overlies the Manchester Airport. This sector owns that airspace from the Manchester Airport to about 25 miles north of Manchester from above the surface to and including 4000 feet. The Tommy sector is either a Final or an Initial Departure sector for the Manchester airport, depending on runway configuration. Tommy is usually combined at Fitzy.
  • Fitzy - SF - 124.9 385.45
    • The Fitzy sector is one of two Low sectors that overlies the Manchester Airport. This sector owns that airspace from the Manchester Airport to about 15 miles south of Manchester from above the surface to and including 4000 feet. The Fitzy sector is either a Final or an Initial Departure sector for the Manchester airport, depending on runway configuration. This sector also handles departures coming out of Nashua and arrivals going to Nashua.
  • East - SE - 125.05 269.4
    • The East sector overlies the Low sector from above 4000 to and including 10,000. This sector sequences and descends BOS Area arrivals via ENE and hands off to the Rockport sector. This sector also climbs and descends arrivals and departures at Manchester, Pease, and satellites.
  • Low - SO - 125.825 353.5
    • The Low sector overlies the Pease Airport from above the surface to and including 4000 feet. This sector owns from about 25 miles north of Pease to about 25 miles south of Pease, and from 15 miles east to 15 miles west of Pease. This sector is primarily responsible for arrivals and departures at Pease Airport. Low is always combined at East, and is only opened for training purposes.
  • West - SW - 134.75 254.25
    • The West sector overlies both Tommy and Fitzy sectors from above 4000 to and including 10,000. It also owns from above the surface to and including 10,000 in the vicinity of Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI). This sector is primarily responsible for descending arrivals into Manchester and handing off to either Tommy or Fitzy as appropriate. This sector also climbs westbound departures from either Tommy or Fitzy and hands off to Boston Center.
  • Laconia - 119.85
    • This frequency is used to provide IFR clearances and cancellations to aircraft on the ground at Laconia Municipal Airport(LCI).

Concord - 133.65 This frequency is used to provide IFR clearances and cancellations to aircraft on the ground at Concord Municipal Airport(CON).

  • Nashua - 121.8
    • When Nashua Tower (ASH) is closed (between 9PM and 7AM), The Nashua Ground Control frequency is swithced over the Manchester Area controller. Pilots can use this frequency for clearance delivery and IFR cancellations when on the ground at Nashua.

[edit] The Operations Room

The Operations Room of the Boston Consolidated TRACON.
The Operations Room of the Boston Consolidated TRACON.

[edit] General

[edit] Position Layout

The Operations Room of the Boston Consolidated TRACON has sector equipment along three of it's four walls. When you walk in the door, the Boston Area is located on the back wall and the Manchester Area is located on the right wall. The wall on the left mainly contains extra scopes that would be used if the Bangor, Portland, or Cape TRACONs needed to consolidate into the building. Each wall of the room is able to expand outward for extra space, allowing for future expansion. In the center of the room are the Traffic Management Unit (TMU) and Supervisor positions.

[edit] Wall Displays

A90 is equipped with multiple plasma flat-screen television screens which are used to display various information needed by controllers. Although they can be set to display almost anything, they will usually be set to one of three things. Commonly, a map of the Northeast United States will be displayed that shows all traffic landing or departing at Boston or Boston Satellite fields. THis allows the controllers to look up at the screen and quickly tell if there is a rush about to come. Also commonly displayed is the IDS5 display. This information is also shown on a small touch-screen above each controller's station. Also, commonly displayed above the Initial Departure sector is a live video feed from Boston Tower showing the departure strip bay. This camera system is used to satisfy the requirement for "non-verbal rolling notification" as required by FAAO 7110.65. What is displayed on each screen can be changed at one of the center console positions, which is controlled with a computer touch screen.