2. General Procedures
2.1 General provisions
Approach Control Radar is responsible for providing surveillance-based separation service to arriving traffic and between departing and arriving traffic operating within the Dubai CTA for Dubai (OMDB), Sharjah (OMSJ), Al Maktoum (OMDW) and Minhad (OMDM).
Radar control service is also provided for traffic operating within the airspace limits of the Dubai CTA departing and arriving from adjacent CTAs where required.
2.2 Separation Minima
2.2.1 Surveillance-based separation
Except as provided in 2.2.2 and 5.1.1, aircraft operating within the Dubai CTA shall be separated horizontally by a minimum of 3 NM. If this is not achievable, minimum vertical separation of at least 1000 ft shall be applied.
Controllers shall utilise appropriate speed and level instructions as well as control of aircraft lateral profile to ensure that the appropriate separation minima is maintained.
2.2.2 Wake turbulence separation
The appropriate Enhanced Wake Turbulence Separation (eWTS) minima shall always be applied between aircraft operating below 6000 ft under the following circumstances:
- An aircraft is operating directly behind another at the same altitude or less than 1000 ft below; or
- Both aircraft are using the same runway, or a parallel runway separated by less than 760 metres except as provided in 2.2.3; or
- An aircraft is crossing behind another aircraft at the same altitude or less than 1000 ft below
2.3 Dubai CTA Runway Configuration
2.3.1 Dubai (OMDB) and Sharjah (OMSJ)
Due to the interactions between the departure and arrival procedures, the runway direction in the Dubai CTA is determined by the active runway configuration at Dubai International (OMDB). This means that Sharjah (OMSJ) shall always operate in the sane runway configuration as Dubai.
2.3.2 Al Maktoum (OMDW)
Al Maktoum (OMDW) may operate in a runway configuration that is independent from Dubai and Sharjah.
2.4 Sectorisation
2.4.1 General
To reduce workload during peak times, the Dubai CTA may be split into a maximum of five sectors. Each sector is responsible for specific departures and arrivals and as such, shall comply with standard level clearance and handoff procedures to ensure separation.
2.4.2 Coordination between controllers
Clearances to proceed direct to waypoints, radar vectors before the downwind or deviation from standard level clearances shall not be given without prior coordination between the concerned controllers.
Where handoffs are to be made between controllers, traffic shall be handed off to the next sector early enough such that they may conduct a continuous climb/descent, wherever possible, provided no conflicts exist with other traffic and separation has been assured.
2.4.3 Radiotelephony procedures
When providing a departures service, Dubai Arrivals shall do so under the callsign “DUBAI DEPARTURES”.
2.4.4 Sector order
Unless otherwise authorised by UAE vACC staff, sectors within the Dubai CTA shall be opened in the following order.
For each online sector, a prerequisite sector is required which shall be online before the CTA is split into further sectors. If a prerequisite sector goes offline, the CTA must revert to the previous configuration.
Sectors not listed in this order of priority may be opened at any time.
| Online sector | Next sector to open | Prerequisite sector |
|---|---|---|
| OMDB_APP | OMDB_1_DEP | OMDB_1_TWR |
| OMDB_1_DEP | OMDB_F_APP OR OMDB_2_DEP |
OMDB_1_TWR, OMDB_APP, OMDB_1_DEP |
| OMDB_F_APP | OMDB_2_DEP | OMDB_1_TWR, OMDB_APP, OMDB_1_DEP |
2.4.5 Sector top-down coverage
When the lower sector is offline, in addition to the designated areas of responsibility, top-down sector coverage shall be as follows:
| Online sector | Offline sector | Top-down coverage |
|---|---|---|
| OMDB_APP | AMR, AIR, GND |
OMDW |
| OMDB_1_DEP | AIR SJ, GND SJ, DEP 2 |
OMSJ |
| OMDB_2_DEP | AIR SJ, GND SJ |
OMSJ |
When all lower sectors are offline, Dubai APP shall provide top-down coverage for all airports within the Dubai CTA.