Effective 22 Apr 2021

Revision 6

Changes

Rev.6

Updated KAUS Departure runway numbers.

Rev.5

Updated initial IFR altitude to 4,000ft to conform to real world standard.

Updated flow dependent departure headings

Rev.3

Comprehensive rewrite replacing existing Austin ATCT/TRACON Standard Operating Procedures.

Eliminated duplication of VATUSA and VATSIM policies.

General

  1. Purpose

  • This document establishes and provides the standard operating procedures for the AUS ATCT.

  • This document is considered a supplement to any VATSIM, Executive Committee, VATNA, VATUSA, and vZHU policies, procedures, and controlled documentation.

  1. Audience

  • All vZHU Controllers and Visitors

  1. Distribution

  • This document is authorized for unrestricted public release.

  1. Effective

  • This policy is effective immediately and cancels any previous revisions. This document cancels the Austin Terminal Radar Approach Control Standard Operating Procedures Rev 3 dated May 28, 2020.

  1. Cancellation

  • This policy is effective until superseded by a newer revision or May 28, 2021.

Acronyms

2.1. Austin Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS)

2.2. ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Center

2.3. ATCT Airport Traffic Control Tower

2.4. TRACON Terminal Radar Control Facility

2.5. SOP Standard Operating Procedures

2.6. VATNA North American region of VATSIM

2.7. VATUSA USA Division of VATNA


Description

Sitting on 4,242 acres, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS) is located in Austin, Texas, serving the Greater Austin metropolitan area. It is located 5 miles southeast of downtown Austin. The airport was built as the Bergstrom Air Force Base in 1942 and continued to serve as an Air Force facility until 1993. In 1999, the airport began offering passenger flights.

Today, KAUS serves approximately 250 arrivals and 250 departure operations daily. The airport is home to a healthy general aviation population and provides air transport service to over 60 destinations.

The primary service airport is KAUS, which has a Class C airspace. The Austin Class C surface area extends from SFC to four thousand five hundred (4,500) feet above mean sea level, and the outer ring extends from two thousand one hundred (2,100) feel above mean sea level to four thousand five hundred (4,500) feet above mean sea level.

ATCT

Frequency and Position List

VATSIM CALLSIGN Radio Callsign Position Frequency

AUS_DEL AUSTIN DELIVERY DELIVERY 125.50

AUS_E_GND AUSTIN GROUND EAST GROUND 121.90*

AUS_W_GND AUSTIN GROUND WEST GROUND 121.70

AUS_E_TWR AUSTIN TOWER EAST TOWER 121.00*

AUS_W_TWR AUSTIN TOWER WEST TOWER 118.22

  1. AUS_E_GND is to be the first ground control position and the combined sector.

  2. If only a single ground is expected to be on, the E/W designation may be dropped.

  3. AUS_E_TWR is to be the first tower control position and the combined sector.

  4. If only a single tower is expected to be on, the E/W designation may be dropped.

AIRSPACE

AUS ATCT AIRSPACE

  1. AUS local has primary control over a cylinder centered over the airport reference point, 5 NM in radius (the center dotted circle), extending from the surface to 3,000 MSL.

  2. AUS TRACON may use 1,500 MSL - 3,000 MSL at their discretion, under TRACON control, contingent upon a point out to the tower. TRACON is responsible for separation of aircraft under their control using this airspace.

Flows

RUNWAY OPERATIONS:

OPS DEP ARR HDG WND SPD

SOUTH* 18R/L 18R/L 090-260 CALM

NORTH 36R/L 36R/L 270-080 >15 KTS

*Standard Flow

Controllers shall honor runway requests contrary to flow. Requests for opposite direction operations shall be sequenced on a best-effort basis as not to delay other operations in compliance with current flow.


IFR Procedures

Clearance Delivery

  1. Initial IFR altitudes are 4,000’ MSL for any aircraft with a filed cruise at or above 4,000’ MSL. Expect final in 10 minutes. Aircraft with a lower filed cruise will be given their cruise immediately.

  2. Austin ATCT must formulate and issue departure clearances using generated flight plan information.

  3. Austin ATCT must route departure aircraft via the appropriate SID or ADR as shown below.

Tower Enroute Control Clearances (TEC Routes)

  1. Tower Enroute Control routes are preferred IFR routes from Austin, to airports within the I90. TEC Route clearances, are IFR clearances.

  2. Pilots are not required to file an IFR flight plan to request a TEC route clearance, but if they do, it will not include a route, it should say "TEC ROUTE" in the remarks.

  3. Austin ATCT must assign the appropriate TEC route and altitude to pilots requesting "Tower Enroute Clearance" to 45R, BMT, BPT, LCH or ORG.

  4. Austin ATCT must update the flight plan routing with the appropriate TEC route.

  5. Austin ATCT must create an IFR flight plan, for any pilot requesting a TEC route who has not filed a flight plan.

Releases

  1. Releases are automatic if assigned headings are in accordance with the "DEPARTURE HEADINGS" drop down menu unless otherwise dictated by AUS TRACON / Center as appropriate.

  2. Rolling calls are required unless otherwise coordinated with AUS TRACON / Center as appropriate.

STANDARD INSTRUMENT DEPARTURES

PROCEDURES VECTORS TO DIR

AERZO# AMUSE NW

AUSTIN#

BETTI/SAT GARDS SW

STV/JCT AMUSE W

LLO/SJT/ABI BASIS NW/N

AGJ JASMO NW

CENTEX#

ILEXY/JAYJO/CLL/TNV HOOKK E/SE

NAVYS/CQY/LOA MUNCH NE

ACT DARTE N/NE

BNDIA# GARDS W/SW

ELOEL# WLMRT NW

ILEXY# HOOKK E

MUCKY# PAYDA W

SAYBR# MUNCH NE

PALMS# PALMS SE/S

DEPARTURE HEADINGS

DEPARTURE HEADING

RW18 : 135 - RWY HDG - 235 (Max HDGS without Coordination)


RWY36 : 315 - RWY HDG - 055 (Max HDGS without Coordination)


Missed Approaches

  1. If there is an AUS TRACON controller online, standard missed instructions are runway heading offset 30 degrees divergent from the parallel runway, with a climb to 3,000’ MSL.

  2. AUS TRACON may dictate alternate missed approach procedures.

  3. If there is no AUS TRACON controller online, standard missed instructions are to fly the published missed.

Practice Approaches

AUS TRACON is responsible for issuing climb out instructions to aircraft executing an intentional missed approach at KAUS. AUS TRACON must advise tower when non-standard climb out instructions are issued.

KAUS Practice Approach

Runway Instructions

18L TL 080, CM 3k

18R TR 260, CM 3k

36L TL 260, CM 3k

36R TR 080, CM 3k

VFR Procedures

  1. VFR aircraft shall not be unnecessarily restricted.

  2. VFR aircraft should be issued discrete transponder codes while operating in/through the AUS class Charlie airspace.

  3. VFR aircraft requesting to "remain in the pattern" do not require a unique squawk code. ref. 7110.65 7-2-1.

  4. Departing VFR aircraft may be issued an “AT OR BELOW 3,000” altitude restriction on departure if traffic conditions warrant.