Last Revised: 29-April-2006

JacksonvilleARTCC
Standard Operating Procedures

Clearance Delivery

1. Purpose:

This procedure establishes the actions that must be performed as part of the duties involved in staffing a Clearance Delivery position 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 logging are to only control aircraft within the lateral and vertical limits of their airspace.
3. Individuals shall comply with Jacksonville ARTCC and VATUSA policies, SOPs and LOAs at all times.


5. Radar Client Configuration:
1. Clearance Delivery shall set his radio center to the designated coordinates of the airfield using the ".vis" command (or other appropriate radar client command). The designated coordinates for the airfield are depicted on the sector file by the airport symbol visible when airports are displayed by the radar client.
2. Clearance Delivery shall set his dsiplay center and zoom such that all ramp areas at the field are visible.
3. Clearance Delivery shall set his visibility range to no greater than 5 nautical miles or the distance between the designated airfield coordinates and the point on the airfield surface area farthest from those deisgnated coordinates, which ever is greater. At no time shall Clearance Delivery set his visibility range greater than 10 nautical miles.
4. Clearance Delivery shall use any available radar mode with which he is comfortable, however use of the "Ground" radar mode is highly recommended.

   Controllers using versions of ASRC who want to use the Ground radar mode while logged into a delivery position may use the following procedure:

   • Log into the fake ground position "ZJX_CI_GND", where CI is replaced with the controller's operating initials
   • Choose the ground radar mode
   • Log out of the fake ground position
   • Without closing ASRC, log into the desired delivery position using the normal procedures.
5. Clearance Delivery is encouraged to use the arrival/departure list feature of his radar client, if available. Note that there are reports that ASRC will crash with heavy use of this feature (e.g., during a high-capacity event). If this is the case, the controller is encouraged to discontinue use of the arrival/departure list by clearing the airport list.
6. Procedures: 
1. Scope of Responsibility.
1. Controllers staffing a Clearance Delivery position shall provide clearance delivery services for one airfield.
2. Clearance delivery shall be provided for both departing IFR and departing VFR aircraft from the field staffed.
2. Airspace Designation and Movement-Area Responsibility.
1. Clearance Delivery positions shall have no airspace designated to it, nor shall it be responsible for aircraft on any active taxiways, runways or other movement areas.
2. Clearance Delivery shall provide clearance services to aircraft located in ramp areas.
1. Clearance Delivery shall not provide services to aircraft on active taxiways, runways or those that are airborne unless the controller having primary responsibility for that aircraft specifically requests that the aircraft contact Clearance Delivery for such services, and the controller with primary responsibility for the aircraft coordinates with Clearance Delivery prior to temporarilly handing off the aircraft to his frequency.
2. At no time shall the controller with primary responsibility yield that responsibility to the Clearance Delivery controller, nor shall the Clearance Delivery controller accept responsibility for an aircraft beyond providing delivery services. The controller with primary responsibility for the aircraft must either provide clearance delivery to the aircraft, or ensure that the aircraft will not pose a safety hazard and will not otherwise obstruct normal operations while temporarilly on the Clearance Delivery controller's frequency.
3. IFR Clearances.
1. Phraseology.
1. The controller shall use the phraseology specified in the current version of FAA Order 7110.65. Specifically, chapter 4, section 2 shall be used for phraseology related to IFR clearance delivery communications; chapter 2 shall be used for general phraseology, and applicable sections of the remainder of 7110.65 shall be used in all other appropriate situations.
2. For situations not specifically covered by the 7110.65, the controller shall use "clear and concise" communications with all aircraft.
2. Initial Altitude Assignment.
1. Unless otherwise stated in a facility-specific SOP, the initial altitude for all departing IFR aircraft shall be 5,000 ft MSL.
2. Approach or center controllers providing clearance services for fields where no other controller is providing this service may use an alternate initial altitude at their discretion up to the ceiling of their airspace, or up to the maximum allowed by an LOA, which ever is lower.
3. Approach controllers (or center, if there is no approach online) may instruct the controller providing clearance delivery services to use an alternate initial altitude at their discretion up to the ceiling of their airspace, or up to the maximum allowed by an LOA, which ever is lower.
3. Direct Flight-plans.
1. Pilots operating under IFR filing "DIRECT" or "GPS DIRECT" can be approved as-is, however they are discouraged.
2. If the destination of the aircraft is one covered under an existing LOA, the pilot should be encouraged to refile with a flight plan appropriate for that LOA. "DIRECT" to the inital fix or navaid specified by the LOA is permitted. If the pilot is unable to fly a specified standard arrival (STAR) into a destination covered by an LOA, then they should be encouraged to file direct to the initial fix for the STAR, and then for vectors to destination.
4. VFR and Closed Traffic Clearances.
1. All VFR aircraft departing an airfield under class bravo airspace, departing class charlie airspace, or requesting VFR flight following shall be assigned a discrete transponder code.
2. All VFR aircraft departing class bravo or class charlie airfields will be instructed to initially maintain VFR at or below 3000 ft. MSL.
3. All departing VFR aircraft shall be asked if they want VFR flight following. If they do, then they shall be assigned a discrete transponder code, and the Clearance Delivery controller shall pass this information to the next controller through normal coordination procedures.
4. Clearance delivery is not permitted to approve VFR, nor to clear a VFR aircraft into class bravo airsapce. These are functions of tower for departing aircraft, after securing the proper releases from the approach conrtoller.
5. Clearance delivery is not permitted to "approve closed traffic" for any aircraft. This is a function of the tower controller.
6. Phraseology Examples.
1. VFR departure:

N123:	Orlando Delivery, N123 VFR northbound
MCO_DEL:	N123, would you like flight following?
N123:	Affirmative.
MCO_DEL:	N123, Maintain VFR initially at or below 3000. Departure frequency 124.8. Squawk 3203.
N123:	VFR at or below 3000, 124.8 and 3203, N123.
MCO_DEL:	Readback correct, contact ground on 121.8 for taxi

2. Closed traffic:

N123:	Jacksonville Delivery, N123 would like to remain in the pattern
JAX_DEL:	Squawk 4210. Runway 7 in use. Contact ground on 121.9 for taxi.
N123:	4210 and Point niner for taxi, N123.

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