¶ Standard Operating Procedures
¶ IFR
Click here to access this airport charts.
Initial Climb:
All IFR aircraft shall be assigned an initial altitude of 16,000’ft. Any aircraft with an assigned altitude below 5,000’ft must be coordinated with Houston Approach.
Example:
Cleared to Miami Intl airport via the ALEXANDRIA# departure, radar vectors to RAECN, then as filed. Maintain 16,000’ft, expect FL300 10 minutes after departure. Departure frequency 118.8, squawk 1234.
IFR squawk code assignment:
via Aurora
¶ Pre-Departure Clearance
PDC via CPDLC is available at this airport.
¶ VFR
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport is surrounded by class B airspace. Aircraft entering class B airspace VFR require a clearance in accordance with 7110.65 Chapter 7, section 9-2.
VFR Deaprture:
Cleared out of the Houston class bravo airspace to the west, maintain VFR at or below 2,500’ft until further advised. Departure frequency 122.8. Squawk 0301.
VFR Local Pattern Example:
Cleared through the Houston class bravo airspace, pattern altitude 1,000’ft, expect right closed traffic runway 15R, squawk 0301.
VFR squawk code assignment:
Via Aurora
¶ TAXIWAYS
¶ Transponder
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport is facilitated with ASDE–X (Ground Radar). Pilots are required to operate transponders on mode ‘active’.
¶ Tower Operations:
- Initial Departure Headings: According to the SID chart otherwise instructed by ATC
- Handoff Procedure: Houston Tower shall handoff a departing aircraft once aircraft is airborne
- Radar Identification: Houston Tower shall NOT radar identify any departing IFR aircraft.
¶ Missed Approach
- Aircraft on a missed approach shall fly the published missed approach procedure or shall be sent on a safe heading and altitude and transferred to Houston Approach immediately when aircraft is clear of any surrounding traffic.
¶ Airspace
Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport airport is surrounded by class B airspace. Aircraft operating in class B airspace receive services as outlined in 7110.65 Chapter 7, section 9.
¶ Class Bravo Tower Airspace Dimensions
Vertical: Surface - 3,000’ft MSL
Lateral: Up to 8MN around IAH
¶ Area of Responsibility
- TWR owns all active RWY’s.
- TWR owns all taxiways between runways 15L/R 33L/R
¶ Runway configuration
-
Preferred RWY configuration: South/East Ops
¶ VFR
VFR Local Pattern Example:
Cleared into the Houston Class Bravo Airspace, expect right traffic runway 15R, pattern altitude 1000’ft, squawk 03xx.
VFR aircraft leaving:
- You are leaving my airspace, squawk VFR, frequency changed approved.
- You are leaving my airspace, contact Houston approach on 118.800
Clearance Delivery is only responsible for entering flight plan information and issuing a squawk code. Local Control (KI90_APP) must issue the Class B airspace clearance.
VFR squawk code assignment:
Via Aurora (Any VFR flight: 0301-0366)
¶ Airspace Services
- Houston Approach shall provide the service to the following:
• Sequencing of all aircraft to the primary airport.
• Standard IFR services to IFR aircraft.
• Separation, traffic advisories, and safety alerts between IFR and VFR aircraft.
• Mandatory traffic advisories and safety alerts between VFR aircraft.
¶ VFR
-
Entering:
(Callsign) Clear into the Houston Class Bravo airspace. Maintain VFR at or below 2,500’ft, squawk 03xx. -
Transiting:
(Callsign) Clear through the Houston Class Bravo airspace, maintain VFR at or above 2,500’ft. -
Hold from entering Class B:
(Callsign) Remain clear of class bravo until further advised. -
Leaving:
(Callsign) You are leaving my airspace, squawk VFR, frequency changed approved.