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Online Controllers Flights to/from ZLA

Departures (32)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
UAL2333 KLAX NZAA Enroute 1038
BAW268 KLAX EGLL Enroute 0934
DAL1287 KLAX KIAH Enroute 0408
AAL3112 KLAX KLAS Enroute 1101
AAL4392 KLAX KPDX Enroute 1522
RPV89 KLAX KSEA Enroute 1600
AAL2656 KLAX MMSD Enroute 1050
UAL3046 KLAX KPDX Enroute 1432
AFR225 KLAX LFPG Enroute 1229
SIA37 KLAX WSSS Enroute 2130
UAL614 KLAX KPHX Enroute 1413
FFT1223 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1437
N5225J KLAX KSFO Enroute 0739
AAL217 KLAX SBGR Enroute 1402
AAL678 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1435
QTR55 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1322
AM414 KLAX KSMO Enroute 2151
XAFEC KLAX KSFO Enroute 1339
ASA1242 KLAX KLAS Enroute 1506
AAL428 KLAX KPHX Enroute 1338
DAL41 KLAX YSSY Enroute 0326
N28ZA KLAX KSAN Enroute 1949
AAL1675 KLAX KPHX Enroute 0051
DAL213 KLAX MROC Enroute 1226
CPA24 KLAX KDFW Enroute 0758
DAL2986 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1839
AAL3033 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1600
UAE37V KLAX OMDB Enroute 1600
CAL5382 KLAX KMIA Enroute 1600
AAL474 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1600
FFT3307 KLAX KSFO Enroute 1600
SWA1110 KLAX KSJC Enroute 1600

Arrivals (37)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
AFR24U LFPG KLAX Enroute 1539
DAL2040 KMIA KLAX Enroute 1534
SWA1753 KBWI KLAX Enroute 1347
FDX721 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1600
DAL585 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1600
FFT4500 KPDX KLAX Enroute 2113
DAL584 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1538
DAL1542 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1244
DAL2551 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1306
N990TR KMRY KLAX Enroute 0147
CCA3470 ZBAA KLAX Departing
UAL220 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1323
THY9 LTFM KLAX Enroute 2311
CPA882 VHHH KLAX Enroute 1357
FFT4345 KDEN KLAX Enroute 1503
AAL146 KSFO KLAX Enroute 0643
N794TW KPDX KLAX Enroute 1328
UAL473 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1420
AAL1052 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1427
AAL1630 KPHX KLAX Enroute 2157
DAL2766 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1419
AAL135 KLGA KLAX Enroute 1410
N612EM KMIA KLAX Enroute 1151
DAL5250 KSMF KLAX Enroute 1349
DAL38 KSFO KLAX Enroute 1316
B77W KJFK KLAX Enroute 1632
AM414 KLAX KSMO Enroute 2151
SWA4473 KSMF KLAX Enroute 0603
UAL350 KPDX KLAX Enroute 1201
SKW5579 KRDD KLAX Enroute 1600
ANZ6 NZAA KLAX Enroute 1606
N727BH KSFO KLAX Enroute 1600
FFT3308 KSFO KLAX Enroute 1600
AAL2930 KPHX KLAX Enroute 1600
LXJ71 K46U KHHR Enroute 1600
NKS155 KLAS KLAX Enroute 1600
DAL1727 KOAK KLAX Enroute 1600

Los Angeles (SoCal) 69

Departures (5)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
DAL8883 KSAN KJFK Enroute 0607
N1987T KSAN NONE Enroute 0149
SWA655 KSAN KSJC Enroute 1611
SWA3676 KSAN KAUS Enroute 0447
AAL1226 KSAN KPHX Enroute 1250

Arrivals (8)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
PAL351 PHNL KSAN Enroute 1109
SWA2296 KDAL KSAN Enroute 1330
RPC9305 PHNL KSAN Enroute 1109
AAL2020 KPHX KSAN Enroute 1955
AAL559 KPHX KSAN Enroute 1411
N28ZA KLAX KSAN Enroute 1949
AAL1951 KPHX KSAN Enroute 1600
AAL367 KPHX KSAN Enroute 2232

San Diego (SoCal) 13

Departures (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
ASA1159 KSNA KPDX Enroute 1515

Arrivals (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
AAL2471 KPHX KSNA Enroute 1320

Coast (SoCal) 2

Departures (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
EJA422 KVNY KSFO Enroute 2013

Arrivals (2)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
N444BC KATL KBUR Enroute 1253
N582LR KSLC KVNY Enroute 1600

Burbank (SoCal) 3

Departures (8)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA1493 KLAS KIND Enroute 0445
ASA599 KLAS KSEA Enroute 1907
NKS1681 KLAS KPDX Enroute 1821
N02RS KLAS KSFO Enroute 1815
UAL1455 KLAS KDEN Enroute 2122
NKS1542 KLAS KPDX Enroute 1536
JRE33 KLAS KAIA Enroute 1249
NKS155 KLAS KLAX Enroute 1600

Arrivals (6)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
AAL3112 KLAX KLAS Enroute 1101
N650EB KSJC KLAS Enroute 1604
N2474Y KSJC KLAS Enroute 1642
ASA1242 KLAX KLAS Enroute 1506
N824PA KPHX KLAS Enroute 0450
ACA1060 CYVR KLAS Enroute 1600

Las Vegas 14

Arrivals (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
N39TU KSLC KAZC Enroute 2208

Other 1
  • Flights To/From ZLA: 102
  • Flights in ZLA Airspace: 52
  • Controller Schedule

    July 30th, 2025

    Lindbergh Tower
    Jaden Schaffer

    Session with SJ

    1630 - 1800 PDT / 2330 - 0100 Zulu

    The Art of the Timely Handoff

    As a controller, one of the easiest things you can do to improve your life and that of your fellow controllers is to work on timely handoffs. Nearly every controller will find him or herself guilty of holding onto an aircraft too long. The result can range from delays at the runway to airspace busts or go-arounds, but it is almost always bad for everyone involved.

    So, when should you hand an aircraft off to the next controller? As soon as you no longer need to talk to the aircraft. It really is as simple as that. If there is nothing more you anticipate needing to say to a pilot, hand them off to the next controller or approve a frequency change if there’s not a “next” controller.

    Let us look at a couple of practical examples, starting with LA Ground.

    LA Ground

    As a ground controller, your primary mission is the safe and efficient movement of aircraft around the airport. For our purposes, that means not crashing airplanes into one another, and getting them to the correct location on the airport. The biggest opportunity you will have to elevate your handoffs while working LA Ground is when aircraft are taxiing from Terminals 4 through 8 to Runway 25R.

    First and foremost, make sure the pilot is on the correct taxiway and headed in the correct direction (the green arrow in the diagram below). Pilots may be unfamiliar with the field or get disoriented, so it is important to make sure they’re going where you want them to go and that they won’t get lost.

    Secondly, you want to make sure that there are no conflicts with other aircraft, which would most likely take the form of an aircraft coming out of the “Box” or one of the cargo/GA pads north of the 25R departure end (the orange boxes). Absent any potential conflicts from those areas, there is no reason you shouldn’t advise the pilot to contact Tower (or the controller staffing that position) as the aircraft approaches C5 (the yellow circle) or, at the latest, C3 (the red circle).

    146568dc7d5353afb3c4a6f9eb85811307432817.png

    There are numerous operational advantages for all parties involved. As the Ground controller, you relieve yourself of the burden of remembering to hand off the aircraft later. Anyone who has received an annoyed transmission from a pilot or message from a Tower controller can relate to this. Additionally, pilots may switch to Tower on their own. This is quite common in the real world but can result in confusion when on VATSIM.

    From the pilot’s perspective, an early handoff makes better use of their time. It is also important to remember that a handoff isn’t instantaneous. The pilot’s workload may not allow for them to switch over immediately, so build in time for that to happen.

    Additionally, by giving the Tower controller (or the radar controller providing Tower services) more time with the aircraft, you open up a wealth of options: intersection departures, takeoff clearances without the aircraft coming to a stop, and more.

    Now let us look at a radar example but stay in the area of KLAX.

    SoCal Departure

    Working a departure position (be it sectorized or as part of a larger area of responsibility) is an excellent example of both needing a timely handoff from Tower (remember Tower controllers: as soon as you see the altitude block increment, ship ‘em to Departure!) and wanting to ensure a timely handoff to Center. Let’s look at everyone’s favorite example, the ORCKA 5 departure out of KLAX.

    2017900fcc4927233cd785e0ddf698d2c0960559.png

    As the Departure controller, you’re going to still be focused on the same two tasks as earlier: the safe and efficient movement of the aircraft. In this instance, we of course want to prevent loss of separation – that’s our top priority. Secondly, we want to make sure the traffic departs the terminal area efficiently and gets headed toward its ultimate destination. No one on the ORKCA5 is looking to fly heading 251 or 236 a minute longer than they must.

    After establishing radar contact with the departing aircraft, your first instruction will likely involve canceling the restriction that they stop their climb at 5,000 feet. This is accomplished either through “climb and maintain one-three thousand” or “climb via the ORCKA Five departure” if you still need compliance with the published crossing restrictions.

    The next instruction (provided you didn’t have to correct an erroneous pilot) will likely be the left turn back toward KLIPR. This instruction is usually provided as the aircraft is climbing through 5,000 feet, which serves two purposes. One, by observing the climb through 5,000 feet, you’ve verified the aircraft has correctly canceled the restriction they received on the ground to level off at 5,000. Secondly, at that point they are over halfway to their vertical goal of crossing KLIPR at or above 10,000 feet and can start the turn.

    Looking ahead on the SID, you’ll notice things progress quickly and if left unmonitored, an aircraft climbing via the SID can climb out of your airspace in little time. So, let us review our checklist:

    • Is the aircraft clear of conflict? Is there going to be a loss of separation?
    • Is the aircraft complying with your vertical instruction to climb above 5,000 feet?
    • Is the aircraft complying with your lateral instruction to make the LEFT TURN direct KLIPR?

    If these criteria are met, it’s time to initiate the handoff to the next controller. Even though your airspace goes all the way up to 13,000 feet, you gain nothing by holding onto the aircraft. And you run the very real risk of forgetting about the aircraft and a) having it level off at 13,000, or b) having it bust through your airspace if it’s climbing via the SID (note: the ORCKA5 has a top altitude of FL230).

    Adding to the delay in the handoff from a pilot’s perspective of changing frequencies, you also now need to consider the delay in the next controller seeing your handoff. By building in this extra time, you give everyone more breathing room while also freeing up your resources for the next pilot who just took off. And you never know, that next one could be someone trying a right-turn off the deck toward KLIPR – you’ll be glad you made things easier on yourself.

    Conclusion

    Ultimately, there is no reason to hold onto an aircraft until they are right at the end of your airspace or jurisdiction. You do not increase your level of interaction with the traffic, and you do not increase safety or efficiency. All you risk doing is causing undue delays or worse, a loss of separation. Keep in mind, this is a lesson that applies at every controller position, from Ground to Center, and most controllers would benefit from being more proactive with their handoffs.