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