5-5-1 Application

 a. Radar separation shall be applied to all RNAV aircraft operating on a random (impromptu) route at or below FL 450.
 b. Radar separation may be applied between:

  1. Radar identified aircraft.
  2. An aircraft taking off and another radar-identified aircraft when the aircraft taking off will be radar identified within 1 mile of the runway end.
  3. A radar-identified aircraft and one not radar-identified when either is cleared to climb/descend through the altitude of the other provided:

   (a) The performance of the radar system is adequate and, as a minimum, primary radar targets or ASR-9/Full Digital Radar Primary Symbol targets are being displayed on the display being used within the airspace within which radar separation is being applied, and
   (b) Flight data on the aircraft not radar-identified indicate it is a type which can be expected to give adequate primary/ASR-9/Full Digital Radar Primary Symbol return in the area where separation is applied, and
   (c) The airspace within which radar separation is applied is not less than the following number of miles from the edge of the radar display:

    (1) When less than 40 miles from the antenna - 6 miles;
    (2) When 40 miles or more from the antenna - 10 miles;
    (3) Narrowband radar operations - 10 miles, and
   (d) Radar separation is maintained between the radar-identified aircraft and all observed primary, ASR-9/Full Digital Radar

Primary Symbol, and secondary radar targets until nonradar separation is established from the aircraft not radar identified, and
   (e) When the aircraft involved are on the same relative heading, the radar-identified aircraft is vectored a sufficient distance from the route of the aircraft not radar identified to assure the targets are not superimposed prior to issuing the clearance to climb/descend.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Exceptions, paragraph 4-1-2.
FAAO 7110.65, Route Use, paragraph 4-4-1.
FAAO 7110.65, Application, paragraph 5-3-1.
FAAO 7110.65, Additional Separation for Formation Flights, paragraph 5-5-7.
FAAO 7110.65, Approach Separation Responsibility, paragraph 5-9-5.

5-5-2 Target Separation

 Apply radar separation:
  a. Between the centers of primary radar targets; however, do not allow a primary target to touch another primary target or a beacon control slash.
  b. Between the ends of beacon control slashes.

NOTE -
At TPX-42 sites, the bracket video feature must be activated to display the beacon control slash.
  c. Between the end of a beacon control slash and the center of a primary target.
  d. All-digital displays: Between the centers of digitized targets. Do not allow targets to touch.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

 REFERENCE -
  FAAO 7110.65, Simultaneous Independent ILS/MLS Approaches - Dual and Triple, paragraph 5-9-7.

5-5-3 Minima

 Separate aircraft by the following minima:

NOTE -
Wake Turbulence procedures specify increased separation minima required for certain classes of aircraft because of the possible effects of wake turbulence.
  a. Broadband Radar System or ASR-9/Full Digital Terminal Radar System:
   1. When less than 40 miles from the antenna -  3 miles.
   2. When 40 miles or more from the antenna -  5 miles.

EN ROUTE
  b. Stage A/DARC and EARTS Mosaic Mode:

NOTE -
Mosaic Mode combines radar input from 3 to 15 sites into a single picture utilizing a mosaic grid composed of radar sort boxes.
   1. Below FL 600 - 5 miles.
   2. At or above FL 600 - 10 miles.
   3. Within 40 miles of the antenna and below FL 180 - Facility directives may specify 3 miles.

NOTE -
Where a significant operational advantage is obtained by modifying a radar site adaptation to single site coverage, facility directives are required to define the areas where 3-mile separation applies.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

 REFERENCE -
  FAAO 7210.3, Single Site Coverage Stage A Operations, paragraph 8-2-1.

   4. When transitioning from terminal to en route control, 3 miles increasing to 5 miles or greater, provided:
    (a) The aircraft are on diverging routes/courses, and/or,
    (b) The leading aircraft is and will remain faster than the following aircraft, and,
    (c) Separation constantly increasing and the first center controller will establish 5 NM or other appropriate form of separation prior to the aircraft departing the first center sector, and,
    (d) The procedure is covered by a letter of agreement between the facilities involved and limited to specified routes and/or sectors/positions.
  c. EARTS Sensor Mode:

NOTE -
1 - Sensor mode displays information from the radar input of a single site.

{New-98-8 Revised August 13, 1998. Added "/MDM"}

  2 - Procedures to convert EARTS Mosaic Mode to EARTS Sensor Mode at each PVD/MDM will be established
   by facility directive.

   1. When less than 40 miles from the antenna - 3 miles.
   2. When 40 miles or more from the antenna - 5 miles.

WAKE TURBULENCE APPLICATION
  d. Separate aircraft operating directly behind, or directly behind and less than 1000 feet below, or following an aircraft conducting an instrument approach by:

NOTE -
Consider parallel runways less than 2,500 feet apart as a single runway because of the possible effects of wake turbulence.
   1. Heavy behind heavy - 4 miles.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

   2. Large/heavy behind B757 - 4 miles.
   3. Small behind B757 - 5 miles.
   4. Small/large behind heavy - 5 miles.

WAKE TURBULENCE APPLICATION
  e. TERMINAL: In addition to subparagraph d, separate an aircraft landing behind another aircraft on the same runway, or one making a touch-and-go, stop-and-go, or low approach by ensuring the following minima will exist at the time the preceding aircraft is over the landing threshold:

NOTE -
Consider parallel runways less than 2,500 feet apart as a single runway because of the possible effects of wake turbulence.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

   1. Small behind large - 4 miles.
   2. Small behind B757 - 5 miles.
   3. Small behind heavy - 6 miles.

  f. TERMINAL: 2.5 nautical miles (NM) separation is authorized between aircraft established on the final approach course within 10 NM of the landing runway when:

   1. The leading aircraft's Weight Class is the same or less than the trailing aircraft;
   2. Heavy aircraft and the Boeing 757 are permitted to participate in the separation reduction as the trailing aircraft only;
   3. An average runway occupancy time of 50 seconds or less is documented;
   4. DBRITE/BRITE/TCDD displays are operational and used for quick glance references;

REFERENCE -

FAAO 7110.65, Use of Tower Radar Displays, paragraph 3-1-9.
   5. Turnoff points are visible from the control tower.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Wake Turbulence, paragraph 2-1-19.
FAAO 7110.65, Same Runway Separation, paragraph 3-9-6.
FAAO 7110.65, Passing or Diverging, paragraph 5-5-6.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation from Obstructions, paragraph 5-5-8.
FAAO 7110.65, Successive or Simultaneous Departures, paragraph 5-8-3.
FAAO 7110.65, Approach Separation Responsibility, paragraph 5-9-5.
FAAO 7110.65, Sequencing, paragraph 7-6-7.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation, paragraph 7-7-3.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation, paragraph 7-8-3.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

  FAAO 7210.3, Reduced Separation on Final, paragraph 10-4-7.

5-5-4 Vertical Application

 Aircraft not laterally separated, may be vertically separated by one of the following methods:
 a. Assign altitudes to aircraft, provided valid mode C altitude information is monitored and the applicable separation minima is maintained at all times.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Vertical Separation Minima, paragraph 4-5-1.
FAAO 7110.65, Validation of Mode C Readouts, paragraph 5-2-18.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation, paragraph 7-7-3.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation, paragraph 7-8-3.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation, paragraph 7-9-4.

 b. Assign an altitude to an aircraft after the aircraft previously at that altitude has been issued a climb/descent clearance and is observed (valid Mode C), or reports, leaving the altitude.

NOTE -
1 - Consider known aircraft performance characteristics, pilot furnished and/or Mode C detected information which indicate that climb/descent will not be consistent with the rates recommended in the AIM.
2 - It is possible that the separation minima described in paragraph 4-5-1, paragraph 7-7-3, paragraph 7-8-3, or paragraph 7-9-4 might not always be maintained using subparagraph b. However, correct application of this procedure will ensure that aircraft are safely separated because the first aircraft must have already vacated the altitude prior to the assignment of that altitude to the second aircraft.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Procedural Preference, paragraph 2-1-3.
FAAO 7110.65, Vertical Separation Minima Between Altitudes, paragraph 4-5-1.
FAAO 7110.65, Validation of Mode C Readouts, paragraph 5-2-18.
FAAO 7110.65, Application, paragraph 6-6-1.

5-5-5 Exceptions

 a. Do not use Mode C to effect vertical separation with an aircraft on a cruise clearance, contact approach, or as specified in paragraph 5-15-4, System Requirements, subparagraph e.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Exceptions, paragraph 6-6-2.
FAAO 7110.65, Contact Approach, paragraph 7-4-6.

P/CG Term - Cruise.
 b. Assign an altitude to an aircraft only after the aircraft previously at that altitude is observed at or passing through another altitude separated from the first by the appropriate minima when:
  1. Severe turbulence is reported.
  2. Aircraft are conducting military aerial refueling.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Military Aerial Refueling, paragraph 9-3-10.

  3. The aircraft previously at that altitude has been issued a climb/descent at pilot's discretion.

5-5-6 Passing or Diverging

 a. TERMINAL: Vertical separation between aircraft may be discontinued when the following conditions are met:
  1. Aircraft are on opposite/reciprocal courses and you have observed that they have passed each other or; aircraft are on same or crossing courses and one aircraft has crossed the projected course of the other and the angular difference between their courses is at least 15 degrees.
  2. The tracks are monitored to ensure that the primary targets, beacon control slashes, or ASR-9/full digital terminal system type target symbols will not touch.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Course Definition, paragraph 1-2-2.

 b. EN ROUTE: Vertical separation between aircraft may be discontinued when they are on opposite courses as defined in paragraph 1-2-2, Course Definitions; and,

  1. You are in communications with both aircraft involved; and
  2. You tell the pilot of one aircraft about the other aircraft, including position, direction, type; and
  3. One pilot reports having seen the other aircraft and that the aircraft have passed each other; and
  4. You have observed that the radar targets have passed each other; and
  5. You have advised the pilots if either aircraft is classified as a heavy / B757 aircraft.
  6. Although vertical separation may be discontinued, the requirements of paragraph 5-5-3 d and e must be applied when operating behind a heavy jet/B757.

EXAMPLE -
"Traffic, twelve o'clock, Boeing seven twenty seven, opposite direction. Do you have it in sight?"

If the answer is in the affirmative:
   "Report passing the traffic."

(When pilot reports passing the traffic and the radar targets confirm that the traffic has passed, issue appropriate control instructions.)

5-5-7 Additional Separation for Formation Flights

 Because of the distance allowed between formation aircraft and lead aircraft, additional separation is necessary to ensure the periphery of the formation is adequately separated from other aircraft, adjacent airspace, or obstructions. Provide supplemental separation for formation flights as follows:
 a. Separate a standard formation flight by adding 1 mile to the appropriate radar separation minima.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Formation Flights, paragraph 2-1-13.
FAAO 7110.65, Application, paragraph 5-5-1.
FAAO 7110.65, Separation, paragraph 7-7-3.

P/CG Term - Formation Flight.
 b. Separate two standard formation flights from each other by adding 2 miles to the appropriate separation minima.
 c. Separate a nonstandard formation flight by applying the appropriate separation minima to the perimeter of the airspace encompassing the nonstandard formation or from the outermost aircraft of the nonstandard formation whichever applies.
 d. If necessary for separation between a nonstandard formation and other aircraft, assign an appropriate beacon code to each aircraft in the formation or to the first and last aircraft in-trail.

NOTE -
The additional separation provided in paragraph 5-5-7 is not normally added to wake turbulence separation when a formation is following a heavier aircraft since none of the formation aircraft are likely to be closer to the heavier aircraft than the lead aircraft (to which the prescribed wake turbulence separation has been applied).

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Military Aerial Refueling, paragraph 9-3-10.

5-5-8 Separation from Obstructions

 a. Except in En route Stage A/DARC or Stage A/EDARC, separate aircraft from prominent obstructions depicted on the radar scope (displayed on the video/geo map, scribed on the map overlay, or displayed as a permanent echo) by the following minima:

  1. When less than 40 miles from the antenna -  3 miles.
  2. When 40 miles or more from the antenna -  5 miles.

 b. Except in En route Stage A/DARC or Stage A/EDARC, vertical separation of aircraft above a prominent obstruction displayed as a permanent echo may be discontinued after the aircraft has passed it.
 c. En route Stage A/DARC or Stage A/EDARC: Apply the radar separation minima specified in 5-5-3 b1.

NOTE -
The determination of what constitutes a prominent obstruction is made locally after coordination with appropriate Flight Standards representatives. Prominent obstructions shall be displayed as permanent echoes on the radar display using parrots, MTI reflectors, or RTQC symbols. Digital map marks (DMM) may be used to mark obstructions. DMMs are not to be used alone for map alignment but in conjunction with one or more of the permanent echo marking devices. When RTQC alone is used for obstruction marking, it shall be certified by Airway Facilities per the appropriate certification manual.

5-5-9 Adjacent Airspace

 a. If coordination between the controllers concerned has not been effected, separate radar controlled aircraft from the boundary of adjacent airspace in which radar separation is also being used by the following minima:

REFERENCE -

FAAO 7110.65, Coordinate Use of Airspace, paragraph 2-1-14.
  1. When less than 40 miles from the antenna -  1 1/2 miles.
  2. When 40 miles or more from the antenna -  2 1/2 miles.
  3. En route Stage A/DARC or Stage A/EDARC:

   (a) Below Flight Level 600 -  2 1/2 miles.
   (b) Flight Level 600 and above -  5 miles.

 b. Separate radar controlled aircraft from the boundary of airspace in which nonradar separation is being used by the following minima:

  1. When less than 40 miles from the antenna -  3 miles.
  2. When 40 miles or more from the antenna -  5 miles.
  3. En route Stage A/DARC or Stage A/EDARC:

   (a) Below Flight Level 600 -  5 miles.
   (b) Flight Level 600 and above -  10 miles.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

 c. The provisions of subparagraphs a and b do not apply to VFR aircraft being provided Class B, Class C or TRSA services. Ensure that the targets of these aircraft do not touch the boundary of adjacent airspace.

{New-98-3 Revised February 26, 1998}

 d. VFR aircraft approaching Class B, Class C, Class D or TRSA airspace which is under the control jurisdiction of another air traffic control facility should either be provided with a radar handoff or be advised that radar service is terminated, given their position in relation to the Class B, Class C, Class D or TRSA airspace, and the ATC frequency, if known, for the airspace to be entered. These actions should be accomplished in sufficient time for the pilot to obtain the required ATC approval prior to entering the airspace involved, or to avoid the airspace.

5-5-10 Edge of Scope

 Separate a radar controlled aircraft climbing or descending through the altitude of an aircraft that has been tracked to the edge of the scope/display by the following minima until nonradar separation has been established:

 a. When less than 40 miles from the antenna -  3 miles from edge of scope.
 b. When 40 miles or more from the antenna -  5 miles from edge of scope.
 c. En route Stage A/DARC or Stage A/EDARC:

  1. Below Flight Level 600 -  5 miles.
  2. Flight Level 600 and above -  10 miles.

5-5-11 Beacon Target Displacement

 When using a radar target display with a previously specified beacon target displacement to separate a beacon target from a primary target, adjacent airspace, obstructions, or terrain, add a 1 mile correction factor to the applicable minima. The maximum allowable beacon target displacement which may be specified by the facility Air Traffic Manager is 1/2 mile.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7210.3, Monitoring of Mode 3/A Radar Beacon Codes, paragraph 3-7-4.

5-5-12 GPA 102/103 Correction Factor

 When using a radar display whose primary radar video is processed by the GPA 102/103 modification to a joint use radar system, apply the following correction factors to the applicable minima:
 a. If less than 40 miles from the antenna - add 1 mile.
 b. If 40 miles or more but not over 200 miles from the antenna - add 3 miles.