1. PURPOSE.
This document will define TEC routes and explain when to use them for aircraft within ZLA airspace
2. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
The Office of Primary Responsibility (OPR) for this Mission Statement is the ZLA Senior Staff. This Mission Statement was originally drafted by Tim Roden, ZLA Training Administrator, on March 22, 2017. This document shall be maintained, revised, updated or cancelled by the ZLA Senior Staff or any organization that supersedes, replaces or assumes the Staff responsibilities.
3. DISTRIBUTION.
This SOP is intended for use by controllers staffing Positions within SCT, NTD, and SBA TRACONs.
4. BACKGROUND.
This document was crafted in order to explain TEC routes, what they are, and how they are utilized within ZLA.
5. REQUIREMENTS.
- The FAA has created a set of routes used for aircraft flying between most Southern California Airports. These are called Tower Enroute Control (TEC) Routes. If a TEC route is available between two airports, aircraft may use the route without filing a flight plan.
- ZLA TEC Routes can be found on the ZLA TEC Routes page
- TEC Routes are broken down into the following aircraft classes. A list of aircraft classes can be found in 7110.65 Appendix A
- J Class - Jet aircraft
- M Class - Turboprop aircraft
- P Class - Piston aircraft
- Q Class - Piston aircraft (slowest of the 4 classifications)
- If an aircraft files the coded name of a TEC Route, the full route must be input into the aircraft’s flight plan.
- Ex: CSTN41 should be input as V23.OCN.V165.SARGS
- Controllers can quickly change an aircraft’s route in one of the following ways:
- By typing “.TEC” into the command bar with an aircraft’s flight plan open and the aircraft selected, where “TEC” is the TEC route code
- By typing “.DEPARRC” into the command bar with an aircraft’s flight plan open and the aircraft selected, where “DEP” is the three-letter departure airport identifier, “ARR” is the three-letter arrival airport identifier, and “C” is the TEC class. Note that this does not work for Q class aircraft, as P and Q class share the same TEC routes.
- IFR Aircraft departing and arriving within the same TRACON, and/or aircraft remaining in the TRACON envrionnment are required to use a TEC route.
- For example:
- A jet that files from SBA to SAN at FL210 is not required to use a TEC route (climbes above TRACON)
- A prop that files from SMX to ONT at 7,000 is required to use a TEC route (stays within TRACONs)
- A Jet that files SAN to VNY at FL200 must be routed via a TEC route (same TRACON, SCT)
- Aircraft requesting routes in the low en route structure may be subject to additional delays due to traffic volume. Controllers should suggest the TEC route structure to pilots in such cases.
- While some TEC routes include a SID, routes that do not include one require the controller to issue a departure instruction, such as a heading within the DVA, a SID, or an ODP.
