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2. Letters of Agreement
3. ZSE-ZVR LOA

Seattle Air Route Traffic Control Center (KZSE ARTCC)

AND

   Vancouver Flight Information Region (CZVR FIR)

   Letter of Agreement

Effective: 02-APR-2015

*NOTE: ALL CHANGES NOTED IN RED

1. PURPOSE

This letter of agreement establishes standard procedures for coordination of air traffic between the VATUSA Seattle ARTCC (KZSE) and the VATCAN Vancouver FIR (CZVR) on the VATSIM Network.

2. CANCELLATION

All previous agreements are cancelled.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES

1. The minimum radar separation shall be five (5) nautical miles.

2. Unless otherwise coordinated, radar hand-offs shall be accomplished prior to the common boundary

3. The VATCAN Vancouver FIR shall provide terminal area controlservice (Approach) for the Bellingham Airport (KBLI), the VATUSA Seattle ARTCC shall provide local control (Tower and lower). If no VATUSA Seattle ARTCC controller is staffing Bellingham Tower, the VATCAN Vancouver FIR controller will provide all services for the airport.

4. DESCRIPTION OF AIRSPACE

The VATUSA Seattle ARTCC shall delegate U.S. airspace around KBLI to the VATCAN Vancouver FIR on a continuous basis to provide terminal services for KBLI as depicted in Appendix 6a.

PROCEDURES

5a. The VATUSA Seattle ARTCC and VATCAN Vancouver FIR shall both ensure:

• All data in the flight plan is current and accurate
• All IFR aircraft will be assigned a discrete beacon code
• VFR aircraft who have requested flight following from a ZSE controller, and aretransitioning northbound into a ZVR controllers airspace must be handed off, as ifnow an IFR aircraft, even if they request to terminate radar services. The onlyexception to this will be if the aircraft is maintaining VFR below 2,500 feet MSL. Inthat case, it is not necessary to hand off to the ZVR controller.
• VATUSA Seattle ARTCC/VATCAN Vancouver FIR shall coordinate, prior to departure, all aircraft departing from points within 15 minutes flying time of the common boundary. This coordination is not necessary provided a radar hand-off will be completed prior to the common boundary.
• Aircraft handed off between facilities are released for turns, and altitude changes.
• AAny information not reflected on the flight strip will be coordinated between controllers.
• AAircraft being cleared direct into a waypoint in the adjacent airspace should first have the approval of the controller whose airspace the waypoint is in.

5b. General Handoff Procedures:

5b. 1- General Handoff Procedures shall be in accordance with current VATSIM, VATUSA, and VATCAN policies.

5b. 2- When Sectorized, handoffs to ZSE are to:

• SEA_CTR on 124.200 (Combined)
• SEA_N_CTR on 120.300 (2 way split)
• SEA_A_CTR on 126.600 (4 way split; Northwest)
• SEA_C_CTR on 128.450 (4 way split; Northeast)
• NUW_APP on 118.200

5b. 3- When Sectorized, handoffs to ZVR are to:

• CZVR_CTR on 133.700 (Combined)
• CZVR_E_CTR on 133.700 (2 way split)
• CZVR_W_CTR on 125.900 (2 way split)
• CYVR_APP on 128.600
• CYYJ_APP on 133.850

5b. 3- Approach to Center Handoffs

• Vancouver and Victoria Terminal may directly handoff aircraft departing their airspace to Seattle Center, upon reaching the border.
• Departures from the Vancouver/Victoria area may only be given, at most, a climb to 16,000 ft. Any additional climb must be coordinated with Seattle Center.
• Seattle Center may directly handoff aircraft to Vancouver and Victoria Terminal
• Vancouver Center may directly handoff aircraft to Whidbey Approach

 5b. 4- Approach to Approach Handoffs

• Seattle Approach and Vancouver Terminal are NOT permitted to handoff directly.
• Whidbey Approach and Vancouver or Victoria Terminal are permitted to engage in handoffs, if required for transitioning or arriving aircraft. Note – Whidbey Approach control only extends up to 9000 ft.

5c. 1- The following table outlines arrival routing from ZVR to ZSE.

ZVR shall ensure all traffic bound for the listed destinations from the departure area is cleared via a route that includes the corresponding route segment.

*Note: 1) Any aircraft (RNAV Capable) routed via YYJ. MARNR# or YVR. MARNR# are also acceptable into Seattle. 2) Any aircraft (RNAV Capable) routed via SEA. BUWZO. KRATR# is also acceptable into Portland.

5c. 2- The following table outlines arrival routing from ZSE to ZVR.

ZSE shall ensure all traffic bound for the listed destinations from the departure area is cleared via a route that includes the corresponding route segment.

5c. 2a- Seattle controllers should clear any arrival bound for CYYJ as low as 6,000 ft.

END

LOA Proposed by: Brayden Manzella – ZSE DATM – 03-MAR-2015

LOA Approved by: Tony Jeppesen – ZSE ATM – 05-MAR-2015

LOA Approved by: Colin Bennett- VATCAN1 – 06-MAR-2015

LOA Approved by: Eldon Wilson – VATCAN3 – 06-MAR-2015

LOA Approved by: Mark Hubbert – VATUSA7 – 07-MAR-2015

6. APPENDIX

6a. - Airspace Depiction