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Extending

As per VATPAC Air Traffic Services Policy, Enroute controllers are permitted to extend to any adjacent sector. Controllers must ensure that when extending, they update their visibility points and have sufficient visibility coverage to cover the entirety of all sectors under their jurisdiction. If this is not possible (due to range limitations), that sector must not be extended.

TCU controllers operating the Coral or Tasmania TMAs may elect to extend to the adjacent TMA (e.g. HBA extend to LTA) at their discretion.

Frequency Management

When providing extended coverage, controllers must have all the frequencies of the sectors they are extending to; active, and cross-coupled.

Here are tips to help manage frequencies when extending:

  • Advise the aircraft to transfer frequencies at specific times/situations, such as
    • "at time xx, contact me xxx.xx"
    • "at waypoint ABABI, contact me xxx.xx"
    • "at top of descent, contact me xxx.xx"
  • Include which frequency the aircraft is currently on by placing the 3 letter sector designator in the label.
    • An aircraft on the TBD frequency would have TBD in the label.
    • An aircraft on the ARL frequency would have ARL in the label.
  • Optional: When transferring an aircraft to its final frequency in your airspace, you can remove the frequency designator from the label
  • Optional: Prior to handing off an aircraft to another ENR sector that is extending to at least 2 sectors that the aircraft will fly through, put the frequency designator of the frequency you are telling the aircraft to call in the label. eg, controlling ELW, transferring aircraft bound for YPAD to YWE, who is also extending to TBD: Put YWE in label prior to handoff.

Workload

Extending to adjacent sectors must be done with traffic levels and complexity in mind. It is very easy to start controlling to several adjacent sectors when traffic is calm, then it slowly builds up without you noticing, and all of a sudden everyone is receiving a sub-par service. A great way to see this coming is from your Preactive and Announced strip windows. The more full they are, the busier you'll be in the next 10-60 minutes.

If you find yourself actively having to zoom in to certain areas, and not seeing large areas of your airspace for extended periods, relinquish some airspace.
If you find yourself barely having any time to think in between radio calls, relinquish some airspace.
If the frequency is constantly getting stepped on by multiple aircraft, relinquish some airspace.

Tip

Stay vigilant for aircraft in your airspace taxiing without calling up. Many aerodromes have Radar/ADSB on the ground, and this can be used in conjunction with the ground radar to check for aircraft movements. If you zoom right in to a Radar/ADSB return on the ground at an aerodrome you are top down to, and it has a velocity vector, time to send a contact me!

Remarks

When extending, include in your remarks, "Extending to (Sector) (frequency), (Sector) (frequency), etc. This will have the benefit of:
- Helping pilots be aware of whether or not they are in your airspace, so they are less likely to start taxiing without a clearance or traffic statement
- Helping pilots know which frequency to use
- If entered in this format, display the extensions on certain VATSIM traffic coverage apps.

Example

Melbourne Centre
Extending to HUO 122.6, YWE 134.325, BIK 129.8.
Charts - vats.im/pac/charts
ATC feedback - helpdesk.vatpac.org