¶ Southern California TRACON (SoCal)
¶ Control position
| Position | Frequency | FRA |
|---|---|---|
| KSCT_APP | 133.85 MHz |  |
¶ Background
SCT, or SoCal TRACON as it is nicknamed, provides radar air traffic approach control services to all arriving and departing aircraft for most airports in Southern California. SCT’s airspace covers an area from 20 miles north of Burbank to the US/Mexican border and from San Bernardino to Santa Catalina Island. Airports receiving SCT services include:
- Burbank Airport
- John Wayne Airport
- Los Angeles International Airport
- Long Beach Airport
- March AFB
- MCAS Miramar
- NAS North Island
- Ontario Airport
- San Diego International Airport
- Van Nuys Airport
- and many smaller airports that service general aviation.
Southern California TRACON (SCT) is a TRACON responsible for the airspace of its sectors from the surface to 13,000 feet. On departure, pilots are given a “climb and maintain” of 15,000 feet. KSCT will hand off traffic no later than 13,000 feet to Los Angeles Center (KZLA) or UNICOM.
The sectors of the Southern California TRACON are:
| Position | Frequency | FRA | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| KLAX_APP | 124.30 MHz |  |
Los Angeles TRACON |
| KSAN_APP | 119.60 MHz | |
San Diego TRACON |
| KBUR_APP | 134.20 MHz | |
San Bernardino TRACON |
| KONT_APP | 124.80 MHz | |
Ontario TRACON |
| KPSP_APP | 126.70 MHz | |
Palm Springs TRACON |
| KSNA_APP | 121.30 MHz | |
Orange County TRACON |
On the IVAO network, each sector of the TRACON can be controlled individually (KLAX_APP, KSAN_APP, KBUR_APP, etc.), or the entire TRACON can be controlled simultaneously (KSCT_APP).
If multiple sectors of the SoCal TRACON are online, position identification should be done by sector name and position.
For instance, if KLAX_APP is online alone, they will use “SoCal” over the radio and “SoCal Approach” as the position in their ATIS.
If KLAX_DEP and KPSP_APP subsequently come online, KLAX_APP, KLAX_DEP, and KPSP_APP will all use “SoCal” for radiotelephony, however, their ATIS broadcasts will be labeled “Los Angeles Approach”, “Los Angeles Departure”, and “Palm Springs Approach” respectively.
The only exception to this rule is the combined position KSCT_APP which always uses “SoCal” or (optionally) “Southern California TRACON” in ATIS broadcasts.
While the position for KSCT_APP has the position identifier for Approach control (_APP), this is a limitation caused by the IVAO position system’s inability to capture the unique nature of the TRACON.
KSCT_APP is referred to either as “SoCal” or as the “Southern California TRACON” and the position as a whole should not be referred to by controllers as “SoCal Approach” as this would (incorrectly) imply the existence of a KSCT_DEP position.
“SoCal Approach” or “SoCal Departure” may be used by pilots to refer to a SoCal controller while radar approach or departure services (as appropriate) are being provided, but these labels are not intrinsic to the position and (for example) the same controller may be referred to by three different pilots on the same frequency as “SoCal”, “SoCal Approach”, and “SoCal Departure” depending on the services being received and the personal preferences of the pilots.
Pilots should endeavor to use “SoCal” as the radiotelephony callsign for the station whenever possible.
All controllers rated APC and above may freely control the KSCT_APP position. However ALL controllers are strongly suggested to obtain a “SoCal” check out before doing so due to the unique and complex nature of the SoCal airspace.
All controllers rated APC and above may freely control the KSCT_APP position. However ALL controllers are strongly encouraged to obtain a “SoCal” check out before doing so due to the unique and complex nature of the SoCal airspace.
¶ Checkout Prerequisites
Before requesting a checkout, candidates must have met or exceeded the following prerequisites.
- Successfully completed an ADC exam administered by the XA division or an APC exam and ADC equivalent GCA checkout.
Time on scope at designated SCT sectors including a minimum of:
- KLAX APP: 2hrs
- KSAN_APP: 2hrs
- KSNA_APP, KONT_APP, or KBUR_APP (pick one): lhr
¶ Theoretical Examination
Before the verbal portion of an exam, candidates will be given a selection of Aurora flight strip screenshots. Candidates must issue correct textual clearances for each flight strip and send them to the examiner for review. Each clearance must:
- Include all elements expected of a clearance from the departure airport.
- Be in the correct, FAA format.
- Comply with all applicable standard operating procedures (SOPs) and letters of agreement (LOAs).
- Provide correct altitude/flight level instructions.
- Route via an acceptable route of flight.
- Include any necessary airspace clearances.
- Assume standard operations for all airports unless otherwise specified.
The clearance prompts will include at least the following:
- Five prompts.
- One TEC request.
- One SCT-internal IFR clearance (expanded TEC).
- One ZLA required route.
- One VFR request.
- Two routes not covered by an SOP or LOA.
- Two invalid altitudes.
- Two invalid or partially valid routes.
- One invalid departure.
- One SOP/LOA violation.
All clearances provided must be exactly correct to progress in the exam. Unsuccessful candidates may reapply but must be issued new clearance examples each time. Feedback will not include corrected clearance examples.
¶ Verbal Examination
The verbal exam must be conducted through a voice-voice channel unless prior accessibility arrangements have been agreed to by the candidate and examiner. The verbal exam should be conversational in style and include a discussion of the following:
- The candidate-submitted clearances from the theoretical examination.
- The structure and sectorization of SCT airspace, including:
- Airspace vertical & lateral boundaries,
- (IVAO) SCT sector names.
- Inter-sector coordination and coordination between sectors and SCT combined.
- Major airports within SCT and their procedures:
- All class B & C airports
- Major or significant class D airports
- Long Beach
- SMO/HHR
- Torrance, Van Nuys, Palomar, and the training area
- Bravo airspace VFR transition procedures:
- LAXSFRA
- LAX controlled transitions
- High altitude
- Low altitude
- Mini route
- Miramar airspace shelves
- San Diego airspace shelves
- SCT special procedures:
- Tower Enroute Control
- SCT-relevant LOAs & SOPs
¶ Practical Supervision
After successfully completing the verbal examination, the controller will be unrestricted for KSCT_APP, but may not log into the network without the examiner present until completing their supervision.
To complete the supervisory period, the candidate must be observed by the examiner on KSCT_APP for a minimum of:
- Two hours.
- Ten IFR aircraft.
- At least three of which must be inbound,
- At least three of which must be outbound,
- At least one of which must be covered by an LOA.
- At least one SCT internal flight.
- Two aircraft receiving VFR flight following.
- At least one transitioning or entering (not departing) Bravo airspace.
All of the checklist items must be handled correctly to count. An incorrectly handled aircraft (e.g. an incorrect clearance, failure to comply with a required route, etc.) does not count towards the requirements.
| Date | Chapter | Paragraph | Changes | VID |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2024 | Added Links to APP positions and changed contact page | 658565 | ||
| June 2023 | Conversion from PDF to WIKI | 702252 | ||
| Sept 2020 | Original PDF | 644899 | ||