JacksonvilleARTCC
Standard Operating Procedures

Call-sign Selection

1. Purpose:

This procedure establishes the preferred and alternate call-signs to be used when staffing a facility within the Jacksonville ARTCC.

2. Roles and Responsibilities: 

This SOP shall be maintained, revised, or cancelled by the ZJX ATM and DATM.

3. Distribution:

ZJX Roster. 

4. Requirements:
1. Individuals logging in must comply with the Position Restrictions policy, and all position restrictions shown on the ZJX roster.
2. Individuals shall comply with Jacksonville ARTCC and VATUSA policies, SOPs and LOAs at all times.


5. Procedures: 
1. Preferred Call-sign Format.
1. The preferred call-sign for a facility position within the Jacksonville ARTCC shall be XXX_YYY, replacing XXX with the last three (3) characters of the ICAO code for the airfield being staffed, and replacing YYY with the appropriate type designator for the facility being staffed.
2. The accepted facility type designators are:

Designator	Description
DEL	Clerance Delivery
GND	Ground Control
TWR	Tower (Local Control)
APP	Approach Control (including departures)
CTR	Enroute (Center)

3. The the following facility type designators shall not be used while staffing any position within the Jacksonville ARTCC:

Designator	Description/Reason
DEP	Departure Control. Designating a position as "departure" control, in the past, has caused too much confusion among controllers and pilots alike. Departure control is actually an approach control position whose primary responsibility is the management of aircraft departing from one or more fields. A departure postion, however, owns a particular segment of airspace, and must provide all ATC services to all aircraft within the lateral an vertical extents of that airspace. A "departure" controller does not provide services only to departing aircraft. It is because this is often confusing to pilots and controllers alike that the Jacksonville ARTCC shall not use the DEP facility type designator. Instead, where necessary, specific approach airspace segments will be created whose primary responsibility will be departing aircraft, but who will continue to use the APP designator.
FSS	Flight Service Station. The FSS designator has been reserved by VATSIM for special-use positions only. These include oceanic positions and traffic management positions. Because Jacksonville ARTCC does not have any such positions as part of its responsibility, this designator shall not be used by any of its controllers.

4. Enroute (Center) Prefix

The three (3) character prefix for all enroute (center) positions shall be "JAX".

Example:

If the facility being staffed is clearance delivery for Colombia Metropolitan, then the ICAO code is KCAE. The last three characters are "CAE". The facility type designator is DEL. The preferred call-sign would then be CAE_DEL.
 

Example:

If the facility being staffed is enroute (center) for the Jacksonville ARTCC, then the code is JAX. The facility type designator is CTR. The preferred call-sign would then be JAX_CTR.
 

2. Alternate Call-sign Format.
1. If the preferred call-sign is not available (e.g., you are relieving someone already staffing the position who is using the preferred call-sign), then an alternate format is needed. There are two alternate formats that may be used:
1. Alternate Format 1:

The first alternate format for the call-sign of a position is to add the CLID normally shown in the controller list of the radar client software for the position to the center of the preferred call-sign.

Example:

If the position being relieved is Orlando Approach, then the CLID for that position is "4W". The alternate form of the call-sign would be MCO_4W_APP.
 

Example:

If the position being relieved is Tallahassee Tower, then the CLID for that position is "2T". The alternate form of the call-sign would be TLH_2T_TWR.
 

2. Alternate Format 2:

The second alternate format for the call-sign of a position is to add a two-digit incremental number to the center of the preferred call-sign.

Example:

If the position being relieved is Orlando Approach, and the current controller is using the preferred call-sign, then a "01" can be added. The alternate form of the call-sign would be MCO_01_APP.
 

Example:

If the position being relieved is Tallahassee Tower, and the current controller is using TLH_01_TWR call-sign, then either the preferred callsign can be used (e.g., TLH_TWR), the first alternate form can be used (e.g., TLH_2T_TWR), or a "02" can be added (e.g., TLH_02_TWR).
 

3. Training Call-signs.
1. Students staffing a facility either alone during off-peak hours, or in conjunction with active training being provided by an instructor or a mentor shall add "S" to the middle of the preferred call-sign.

Example:

If the position being staffed by the student is Charleston Approach, the form of the call-sign would be CHS_S_APP.
 

Example:

If the position being staffed by the student is Jacksonville Delivery, the form of the call-sign would be JAX_S_DEL.
 

2. Instructors providing primary instruction to a student shall either:
1. Use a call-sign in the form ZJX_CI_INS, where CI is replaced with the instructor's controller operating initials, or
2. Use a call-sign in the form XXX_I_YYY, where XXX and YYY match the code and designator in use by the student. This form of the call-sign shall be used by the instructor if he is either actively controlling the position with an observing student, or if the instructor is set up to take over for the student on the active frequency.
3. Use a special staff call-sign assigned to him by the Jacksonville ATM.
Example:
If the instructor's controller operating initials is "RB", then the instructor may use the call-sign ZJX_RB_INS.
 
Example:
If the position being staffed by the student is Jacksonville Delivery, and the instructor is set up to take over for the student on the active frequency, then the call-sign shall be JAX_I_DEL.
 
Example:
If the instructor is also the training administrator, then he may use the call-sign ZJX_TA.
 
3. Mentors monitoring or assisting a student shall either:
1. Use a call-sign in the form ZJX_CI_MTR, where CI is replaced with the mentor's controller operating initials, or
2. Use a call-sign in the form XXX_M_YYY, where XXX and YYY match the code and designator in use by the student. This form of the call-sign shall be used by the mentor if he is either actively controlling the position with an observing student, or if the mentor is set up to take over for the student on the active frequency.
3. Use a special staff call-sign assigned to him by the Jacksonville ATM.
Example:
If the mentor's controller operating initials is "DS", then the mentor may use the call-sign ZJX_DS_MTR.
 
Example:
If the position being staffed by the student is Jacksonville Delivery, and the mentor is set up to take over for the student on the active frequency, then the call-sign shall be JAX_M_DEL.
 
Example:
If the mentor is also the deputy ATM, then he may use the call-sign ZJX_DATM.
 
4. Airspace Sector ("Split") Call-signs.

If a facility is being staffed by two or more controllers using airspace segments ("splits") approved for that facility in the SOP, then the controller shall use the call-sign format specified in the SOP.

5. Observer Call-signs.

The preferred format for observer call-signs is ZJX_CI_OBS, where CI is replaced with the controller's controller operating initials.

6. Special-Use Call-signs.

From time to time the Jacksonville ARTCC will authorize special call-signs for staff members to use while observing or executing their responsibilities other than when staffing an active control position. The current set of special-use call-signs is:

Call-sign	Description
ZJX_ATM	Jacksonville Air Traffic Manager
ZJX_DATM	Jacksonville Deputy Air Traffic Manager
ZJX_TA	Jacksonville Training Administrator
ZJX_EC	Jacksonville Events Coordinator
ZJX_AEC	Jacksonville Asst. Events Coordinator
ZJX_CIC	Jacksonville Event Controller-in-Charge. This is the person designated by the EC, DATM or ATM as the person responsible for position assignments and traffic management during a high-capacity event. Typically this will be the EC himself.

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