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Online Controllers Flights to/from ZLA

Departures (20)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
CPA881 KLAX VHHX Enroute 1220
SIA11 KLAX RJAA Enroute 0149
AAL235 KLAX KBOS Enroute 2055
AAL336 KLAX KJFK Arriving
SWA217 KLAX KMIA Enroute 2336
UAL1526 KLAX KDEN Enroute 0708
SKW4148 KLAX KBOI Enroute 1038
DAL079 KLAX RJAA Enroute 0200
GTI712 KLAX KDEN Enroute 0524
UAL1440 KLAX KSFO Enroute 0839
SKW3166 KLAX KSLC Enroute 0809
DAL41 KLAX YSSY Enroute 1109
FFT305 KLAX PHLI Enroute 0304
N219DF KLAX KDFW Enroute 2238
DAL2202 KLAX KLAS Enroute 0446
ASA6 KLAX KDCA Enroute 0138
AUA2MPK KLAX LOWW Enroute 1600
FFT444 KLAX KLAS Enroute 1600
ETD8816 KLAX KSAN Enroute 1600
AFR21 KLAX LFPG Enroute 1600

Arrivals (19)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
JBU135 KJFK KLAX Enroute 0910
BAW1268 YMML KLAX Enroute 0312
CKS967 PANC KLAX Enroute 0647
UAL230 EGLL KLAX Enroute 0901
ACA785 CYYZ KLAX Enroute 0619
AAL341 CYYZ KLAX Enroute 0633
N691CC KVGT KLAX Enroute 0831
AAL554 KDFW KLAX Enroute 0610
AAL242 EDDF KLAX Departing
NKS92T KDEN KLAX Enroute 1013
NKS819 KSAN KLAX Enroute 1151
A3026 KSFO KLAX Enroute 0839
UAL1093 KDEN KLAX Enroute 0646
UAL1915 KNUC KLAX Enroute 0659
UAL122 VHHH KLAX Enroute 0618
BAW283 EGLL KLAX Departing
AAL1775 KOAK KLAX Enroute 1458
AAL8811 KMKE KLAX Departing
DAL3915 KDEN KLAX Enroute 1600

Los Angeles (SoCal) 39

Arrivals (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA427 KIAD KONT Enroute 0850

Empire (SoCal) 1

Departures (11)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SKW2055 KSAN KSFO Enroute 1524
ASA717 KSAN KSFO Enroute 1600
AXY23 KSAN KSFO Enroute 1600
UAL2615 KSAN KIAD Enroute 0021
NKS819 KSAN KLAX Enroute 1151
ASA1073 KSAN KPDX Enroute 0732
SWA2134 KSAN KOAK Enroute 0422
N646AS KSAN 0O2 Enroute 1551
N288BY KSAN 0O2 Enroute 0634
DAL8877 KSAN KATL Enroute 2112
UAL2381 KSAN KSFO Enroute 1600

Arrivals (4)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
PAY1100 PANC KSAN Enroute 0612
UAL601 KSFO KSAN Enroute 0523
ASA894 PHKO KSAN Enroute 0427
ETD8816 KLAX KSAN Enroute 1600

San Diego (SoCal) 15

Departures (3)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA733 KBUR KSLC Enroute 0617
N512SD KVNY KCMA Enroute 1620
VENOM22 KVNY KTNP Enroute 0108

Arrivals (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA1423 KPDX KBUR Enroute 1250

Burbank (SoCal) 4

Departures (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
AAL2294 KPSP KPHX Enroute 1600

Palm Springs (SoCal) 1

Departures (7)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
SWA1290 KLAS KAUS Enroute 2114
N691CC KVGT KLAX Enroute 0831
AAL1410 KLAS KPDX Enroute 0820
AAY43 KLAS KELP Enroute 0527
UAL1921 KLAS KDEN Enroute 0615
UAL2169 KLAS KDEN Enroute 1600
N2050P KHND KCEZ Enroute 1325

Arrivals (10)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
NVA1002 KSPS KLAS Enroute 1324
AAL1501 KAUS KLAS Enroute 0752
N999TA KCMR KHND Enroute 1600
UAL655 KDEN KLAS Enroute 0633
DAL2202 KLAX KLAS Enroute 0446
BAW31B EGLL KLAS Departing
N3MR KASE KLAS Enroute 0311
N22EH KDEN KLAS Enroute 1048
SWA2939 KSTL KLAS Departing
FFT444 KLAX KLAS Enroute 1600

Las Vegas 17

Arrivals (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
RAPTOR6 KLSV KLSV Enroute 1218

Nellis 1

Arrivals (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
N512SD KVNY KCMA Enroute 1620

Point Mugu 1

Departures (1)

Callsign Dep Arr Status ETA
N6529L KNYL L08 Enroute 2144

Yuma 1
  • Flights To/From ZLA: 80
  • Flights in ZLA Airspace: 39
  • Controller Schedule

    October 4th, 2024

    Socal Approach (West)
    Jovan Brooks

    Session with NC

    1700 - 1830 PDT / 0000 - 0130 Zulu

    Las Vegas Approach
    Ryan Kompare

    Session with BY

    1830 - 2000 PDT / 0130 - 0300 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.