**THE TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING OF THE**

**INFORMAL PACIFIC ATC COORDINATING GROUP**

**(IPACG/26)**

(Anchorage, Alaska, USA, May 14-18, 2007)

Agenda Item 06: Air Traffic management (ATM) Issues

**Proposed Changes to ATS Routes in the**

**Oakland Flight Information Region (FIR) and Oceanic Control Area (OCA)
Boundaries**

(Presented by the Federal Aviation Administration)

**1. Introduction**

1.1 Ocean21, the air traffic control system utilized within Oakland FIR
has been operational for just under two years. The enhanced capabilities
available through this system allow for application of reduced
separation standards. With this enhanced capability, and in support of
the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) efforts to reduce
operator costs and ecological impacts, the Federal Aviation
Administration, (FAA), has been evaluating Air Traffic Service (ATS)
routes and airspace structure in the vicinities of Guam and Hawaii.

1.2 Evaluation of the ATS routes indicated that most of the airways were
developed as great circle routes. However, the structure of the routes
around Guam and Hawaii were designed to efficiently move air traffic
under the now antiquated 100 nautical mile lateral separation standard.

1.3 Initial discussion with adjacent South Pacific Air Navigation
Service Providers (ANSPs) regarding changes to ATS Routes south of
Hawaii resulted in a request for Oakland Center to investigate the
mileage savings if the routes were realigned with the existing FIR
boundary points. A subsequent assessment revealed that most of the
mileage savings could be realized by realigning the routes within the
Oakland FIR. Additional savings may be realized from continuing the
realignment through adjacent FIRs.

4.  Oakland presented an initial proposal to realign the ATS Routes
    northwest of Guam during the last Informal Pacific ATC Coordination
    Group (IPACG) meeting in October. Japan Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB)
    representatives raised some concerns regarding the proposed routes.
    In consideration of JCAB concerns, Oakland Center revised portions
    of the initial proposal. Those minor revisions provided an improved
    traffic flow, with no significant change to the mileage savings.

5.  Realignment of the routes to the south of Hawaii will afford
    significant cost savings to the operators. Three routes actually are
    great circle routes and will remain in current form. The remaining
    six routes can be adjusted to provide an average 21 nautical mileage
    reduction in distance flown.

**2. Discussion**

2.1 A review of the Honolulu Control Facility (HCF) airspace has shown
that there is a gap between their radar coverage and the control
boundary. The existence of this oceanic non-radar airspace makes use of
Automatic Dependent Surveillance, (ADS), Distance Based Separation
unusable. Oakland is in the process of assessing the reduction of the
airspace delegated to HCF to enable direct Ocean21 to radar interface.
This will allow the use of ADS Distance Based Separation standards to be
used on flights entering HCF airspace.

2.2 Additional inefficiencies exist northwest of Hawaii. When Pacific
Organized Track System, (PACOTS), Tracks A and B are generated and the
Warning Area, W-188, is airspace active, the Fifteen Degree Divergence
rule must be employed. To accomplish this, PACOTS Tracks A and B start
at a point inside HCF airspace and diverge to 170W. In keeping with the
degrees divergence rule and the requirement to develop the tracks using
whole degrees of latitude, the PACOTS tracks end up being 180 nautical
miles or more apart at 170W. The result is tracks that are in a less
favorable location with respect to forecast winds. The planned waypoints
on the west/northwest HCF boundary will enable generation of more
efficient PACOTS tracks.

2.3 The waypoints that define the Central East Pacific (CEP) ATS routes
were originally designed for slower propeller and turboprop aircraft. As
aircraft speeds increased, the routes were redefined to include a
combination of compulsory and non-compulsory waypoints. The distance
between compulsory reporting points in the middle section of the CEP
routes is such that the time between reporting points routinely exceeds
the 80 minute reporting requirement. Non-compulsory reporting points
have, at times, created confusion amongst pilots as to which waypoints
should be reported. The CEP routes will be redefined with compulsory
waypoints that are approximately equidistant. The Oceanic Control
Boundary waypoints off the California coast will remain unchanged, as
will the western most waypoints that lie within HCF airspace. With the
exception of R585, the CEP ATS route geographic orientation will remain
unchanged. ATS route R585 adjusts slightly due the revised waypoint
along R465 that defines its starting point.

2.4 ATS Route Changes

2.4.1 Realignment of ATS routes in the vicinity of Guam are proposed as
follows:

1.  ATS Route R596 will be realigned from TIDEL on the Manila FIR
    boundary to UNZ. This will provide a savings of 20 NM.

2.  ATS Route R584/R595 will be realigned from KEITH on the Fukuoka FIR
    boundary to UNZ. This will provide a savings of 11 NM.

3.  ATS Route B586 will be realigned from OMLET on the Fukuoka FIR
    boundary to UNZ. This will provide a savings of 9 NM.

4.  ATS Route G339 will be realigned from PAKDO on the Fukuoka FIR
    boundary to UNZ. This will provide a savings of 19 NM.

5.  ATS Route A216 will be realigned from HOOVR on the Guam Boundary to
    MONPI on the Fukuoka FIR boundary. This will provide a savings of 16
    NM.

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
2.  Realignment of ATS routes from Hawaii to South Pacific destinations
    are proposed as follows:

    1.  ATS Route B474 will be realigned from HNL, to ARTOP on the Nadi
        FIR boundary. This will provide a savings of 24 NM.

    2.  ATS Route B580 will be realigned from HNL, to BOILS on the Nadi
        FIR boundary. This will provide a savings of 16 NM.

    3.  ATS Route G347 will be realigned from HNL to DUNEY on the
        Auckland FIR Boundary. This will provide a savings of 26 NM.

    4.  ATS Route G457 will be realigned from HNL to ELLMS on the
        Auckland FIR Boundary. This will provide a savings of 17 NM.

    5.  ATS Route B596 will be realigned from HNL to RAMIZ on the Tahiti
        FIR boundary. This will provide a savings of 7 NM.

    6.  ATS Route B595 will be realigned from HNL to TENOR on the Tahiti
        FIR boundary. This will provide a savings of 36 NM.

3.  Realignment of CEP waypoints and A332 between the Continental United
    States and are proposed as follows:

    1.  ATS routes that make up the CEP will be redefined with three
        compulsory waypoints that are between 400 and 424 NM apart
        between the OCB and HCF boundary.

    2.  ATS Route R585 will be realigned to match the new revised
        waypoints in the CEP. The start of the route, currently CITTA,
        will be moved 100 NM west. The change is relatively minor and
        will shorten the route by 0.843 NM.

    3.  ATS Route A332 will be realigned from the HCF boundary,
        northeast of Hawaii, to HEMLO on the Seattle FIR boundary. This
        will provide a savings of 7 NM.

2.5 FAA will work together with other ANSPs to develop an Action Plan to
realign the ATS routes listed above and consider further changes as
appropriate. Careful consideration will be given to ensure that route
realignments will not create adverse effects.

2.6 After coordination with other ANSPs, FAA will be responsible for
completing the necessary ICAO coordination.

**3. [Action by the Meeting]{.underline}**

3.1 The meeting is requested to endorse the proposal provided in this
paper.

\- END -