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Flights to/from ZLA

Departures (13)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
CSN231 KLAX ZGGG Enroute 2116
SAS932 KLAX EKCH Enroute 2125
UAL1082 KLAX KORD Enroute 1622
VJT2KM KLAX PHNL Enroute 2313
UAL1775 KLAX KEWR Enroute 1802
BAW21B KLAX EGLL Enroute 2355
ANZ103 KLAX NZAA Enroute 0322
ASA1178 KLAX KSEA Enroute 0127
UAL8688 KLAX CYYC Enroute 0043
DAL65 KLAX NZAA Enroute 1548
AAL1589 KLAX KPHX Enroute 2249
QTR44B KLAX OTHH Enroute 2138
SWR41G KLAX LSZH Enroute 1600

Arrivals (15)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
AAL72 YSSY KLAX Enroute 2157
PAL112 RPLL KLAX Enroute 2323
QFA11 YSSY KLAX Enroute 2041
CPA882 VHHH KLAX Enroute 0320
BAW283 EGLL KLAX Enroute 0425
SIA38 WSSS KLAX Enroute 0624
BAW7D EGLL KLAX Enroute 0515
QFA12 YSSY KLAX Enroute 2300
FDX3072 KOAK KLAX Enroute 1524
UAL731 VHHH KLAX Enroute 0411
CAL525 RCTP KLAX Enroute 0539
DLH456 EDDF KLAX Enroute 0213
CPA884 VHHH KLAX Enroute 0032
KLM603 EHAM KLAX Departing
DAL9264 KSEA KLAX Enroute 1446

Los Angeles (SoCal) 28

Departures (7)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
BAW264 KSAN EGLL Enroute 1531
WWA3311 KCRQ CYYZ Enroute 1541
N3232X KSAN KCHD Enroute 1247
SWA2129 KSAN KDEN Enroute 0952
UAL307 KSAN KIAH Enroute 1630
SWA2035 KSAN KLAS Enroute 1002
SWA1005 KSAN KSMF Enroute 0003

Arrivals (7)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
AAL480 KPHX KSAN Enroute 1600
DLH466 EDDM KSAN Enroute 0629
AAL8654 KPHX KSAN Enroute 1600
QXE2051 KLAS KSAN Enroute 0148
CCA5226 KSFO KSAN Enroute 0005
BAW265 EGLL KSAN Departing
UAL4121 KDEN KSAN Enroute 0652

San Diego (SoCal) 14

Departures (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA1555 KBUR KOAK Enroute 0036

Arrivals (2)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA1987 KLAS KBUR Enroute 0409
UAL301 KSFO KBUR Enroute 1600

Burbank (SoCal) 3

Arrivals (2)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA2355 KDEN KPSP Enroute 0704
SWA113 KLAS KPSP Enroute 0043

Palm Springs (SoCal) 2

Departures (6)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
QXE2051 KLAS KSAN Enroute 0148
SWA1987 KLAS KBUR Enroute 0409
SWA113 KLAS KPSP Enroute 0043
SWA1919 KLAS KDSM Enroute 1627
SWA5369 KLAS KSLC Enroute 0831
ACA1282 KLAS CYYZ Enroute 1600

Arrivals (7)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
PAA8863 RJAA KLAS Enroute 0212
BAW271 EGLL KLAS Enroute 0558
OCN11 EDDF KLAS Enroute 1053
GGA777 KATL KLAS Enroute 0139
JBU1177 KBOS KLAS Enroute 0257
SWA2035 KSAN KLAS Enroute 1002
DE5367 EDDF KLAS Departing

Las Vegas 13
  • Flights To/From ZLA: 60
  • Flights in ZLA Airspace: 22
  • Controller Schedule

    October 10th, 2025

    Los Angeles Tower
    Zhenyu Mao

    Session with ER

    1600 - 1730 PDT / 2300 - 0030 Zulu

    Lindbergh Ground
    Ellis Huebner

    1700 - 1900 PDT / 0000 - 0200 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.