Request for Guidance on Iraq-Turkey Civair

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 003777 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EB/TRA/AN - JYOUNG, NEA/NGA - NJENSEN, EUR/SE ROME FOR FAA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAIR PREL TU IZ SUBJECT: Request for Guidance on Iraq-Turkey Civair Agreement Ref: Young/Sirotic Email 6/10/03 and previous ¶1. Baghdad minimize considered. ¶2. This cable contains an action request for the Department in para 4. ¶3. CENTAF contacted Embassy's Assistant Air Attache in connection with the objective of establishing agreements allowing civilian air traffic control between Turkey and Iraq. With respect to air traffic between Turkey and Iraq, CENTAF is proposing a Letter of Agreement between the Area Control Centers of Ankara and Kirkuk (see para 5 for draft text) to govern air traffic control between the two countries. CENTAF provided Embassy with a draft LOA for submission to Turkish civair authorities and proposes a visit to Ankara to complete this process. ¶4. Action Request: Embassy is prepared to work with GOT authorities and CENTAF on this issue, but has received no front-channel instructions. Embassy requests Department provide instructions for transmitting the draft LOA to Turkish civil and military authorities, and other steps as necessary to help conclude this agreement. ¶5. Begin Text Letter Of Agreement Between the Area Control Centre of ANKARA, TURKEY and KIRKUK, IRAQ Subject: Procedures relating to the coordination and routing of IFR air traffic between the ACC of Ankara and Kirkuk. ¶1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Effective Date: DRAFT - TO BE COMPLETED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES 1.2 Objective: This Letter of Agreement (LOA) documents agreement of provisions for enroute air traffic control service between the CTA/FIR of Ankara and Baghdad. It delineates coordination procedures, establishes routing of IFR aircraft, and identifies transfer of control for aircraft movement. 1.3 Scope: This agreement applies to the United States Air Force Air Traffic Control Area Control Center at Kirkuk ("FREEDOM CONTROL") and Ankara Area Control Center "ANKARA CONTROL". The procedures contained in this operational letter of agreement that supplement or detail, when so required, the procedures prescribed by ICAO in the pertinent documents, shall be applied to all IFR aircraft that cross the common boundary of the CTA/FIRs of Ankara and Baghdad. Each ACC facility is responsible for the implementation of and compliance with the procedures contained within this Letter of Agreement (LOA). ¶2. CONTROL PROCEDURES 2.1 Routing of Air Traffic: ATS route VR21/V21 shall be the only ingress/egress route for Iraq. The air traffic between the CTA/FIRs of Ankara and Baghdad shall be established within the confines of this ATS route prior to KABAN Intersection as outlined in the AIP, Baghdad FIR. 2.2 Separation 2.2.1 Vertical: Reduced Vertical Separation (RVSM) shall not be permitted within the lateral confines of Iraq. 2.2.1.1 All transferring aircraft that enter the respective ACC's CTA/FIR on ATS route VR21/R21 shall be in level flight at an appropriate altitude for direction of flight unless verbally coordinated. 2.2.2 Longitudinal: During the transfer of control, longitudinal separation shall be established between aircraft at the same level, equal to or greater than ICAO minimums. Speed control will be applied between aircraft that are at or near the minimum longitudinal separation standards to prevent loss of separation. This will ensure that separation is maintained until another form of separation applied. 2.2.2.1 The minimal longitudinal separation to be used between aircraft flying at the same altitude on the same ATS route shall be fifteen (15) minutes. If navigation aids permit frequent determination of position and speed, separation may be reduced to ten (10) minutes or twenty (20) miles if each aircraft utilizes the same "on track" DME station and DME readings are checked at frequent intervals. 2.2.3 Transfer of Control Point (TCP): ATS Route VR21/R21 KABAN (CTA/FIR Boundary) 2.2.3.1 ACC's shall assume total control of aircraft once it has been positively established that the aircraft has passed KABAN Intersection and is inside the CTA/FIR lateral limits unless verbally coordinated otherwise. ¶3. CO-ORDINATION PROCEDURES 3.1 General 3.1.1. The coordination between the ACC of Ankara and Kirkuk shall be effected in accordance with the Standards, Recommended Practices, and procedures prescribed by ICAO. 3.1.2. The Ankara/Kirkuk (identify land line to be used - TO BE COMPLETED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES) telephone line circuit shall be used as the primary means of coordination for all active IFR air traffic. 3.1.1.1 In the event the above procedures cannot be carried out because of failure of the Ankara/Kirkuk circuit, co-ordination of all IFR air traffic shall be effected as follows: a) (Develop Alternate Plan - TO BE COMPLETED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES) 3.1.2 Positions serving as co-ordination points: ATS Route Point VR21/R21 KABAN (CTA/FIR Boundary) 3.1.3 All coordination involving active IFR air traffic shall be forwarded to the appropriate ACC at least ten (10) minutes prior to the aircraft's estimate for the position serving as the coordination point for the ATS route involved. 3.1.3.1 The following coordination information shall be passed: a) Aircraft Identification b) Type of Aircraft c) True Airspeed (TAS) d) Beacon Code e) Pilot's Estimated Time of Arrival Over KABAN f) Altitude g) Route of Flight (Departure airport and all routing after coordination fix.) h) Any Other Pertinent Information 3.1.4 Emergencies: The various circumstances surrounding each emergency situation preclude the establishment of exact detailed procedures. AAC's shall maintain full and complete coordination, and control personnel shall use their best judgment in handling emergency situations. 3.2 Communications 3.2.1 The transfer of air-to-ground communications of an aircraft from the transferring ACC to the receiving ACC shall be made at least five (5) minutes prior to the estimated time of arrival over the coordination fix. 3.2.2 The receiving ACC shall not notify the transferring ACC that it has established ground-to-air communications with the transferred aircraft unless specifically requested to do so. 3.2.3 Ankara ACC shall transfer aircraft communications to "Freedom Control" on 126.3 or 237.3 MHz. 3.2.3.1 In the event radio communication cannot be established with Freedom Control, Ankara will instruct aircraft to "re-attempt contact every 5 minutes and maintain a listening watch on the appropriate emergency frequency" (121.5/243.0). 3.2.4 Kirkuk ACC shall transfer aircraft communications to "Ankara Control" on frequency (TO BE COMPLETED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES). ¶4. REVISIONS 4.1 This agreement shall be subject to revision whenever a modification of Standards, recommended methods of supplementary regional procedures of ICAO occurs which might affect the procedures contained in this agreement, or when new communications facilities, or new air traffic services that might affect these procedures are commissioned. In the case of changes in ICAO regulations, the Ankara ACC or the Kirkuk ACC shall initiate the amendment of this agreement and in the cases of new installations or modification of existing installations, the facility concerned shall initiate the modification procedure. For any other matter that might make it advisable to change this agreement, the interested facility shall propose the pertinent revision. ¶5. DISSEMINATION 5.1 The dissemination of this agreement and it's subsequent modification shall be made in full by a pertinent AIC fifty-six (56) days before the effective date, and furthermore, the facilities shall include in their respective AIPs, Section RAC, those parts of interest to air operations. 5.2 This Letter of Agreement cancels all preceding air traffic control agreements between the nations of Turkey and Iraq. Signed in (Location),(Country) on (Date) In Representation of Ankara ACC Chief In Representation of Kirkuk ACC, AOF/CC Commander ACC Kirkuk End Text LOA. Pearson