Standard Operating Procedures
Enroute (Center)

Definitions

An adjacent facility is any center, approach, tower, ground or clearance delivery position that either externally or internally touches Jacksonville Center's delegated airspace.  Examples of externally adjacent facilities are ZNY_FSS, MIA_CTR, HOU_CTR, TPA_APP, MOB_APP, etc.  Examples of internally adjacent facilities are MCO_APP, JAX_TWR (when JAX_APP is not staffed), TLH_GND (when TLH_APP and TLH_TWR are not staffed), etc.

Transfer of control and communications is the process of performing a radar handoff (if appropriate) to another controller, and once accepted, informing the pilot of the aircraft being transferred of the new frequency to which he should tune.  It must be completed prior to the aircraft crossing into the other controller's delegated airspace or lateral surface boundaries.

Frequencies, Position IDs and Squawk Codes

These may be found on the Frequencies, Position IDs and Squawk Codes page for Enroute (Center) Positions.

Airspace Delegation

The Jacksonville ARTCC and VATUSA has delegated Jacksonville Center (JAX_CTR) the airspace from the surface to FL600 within the lateral boundaries outlined in the following diagram: 

 

In addition to the lateral boundaries shown as thick lines above, Jacksonville Center is also responsible for the airspace delegated to the Orlando TRACON when Orlando Approach is not staffed, and for the airspace delegated to the Daytona TRACON when Daytona Approach is not staffed.  Jacksonville Center is not responsible for the airspace delegated to the Tampa TRACON.  The Orlando and Daytona airspace for which Jacksonville Center is responsible, and the Tampa airspace for which Jacksonville Center is not responsible are both shown as smaller dahsed lines in the above diagram.

When approach, tower, ground and delivery positions contained within the airspace delegated to Jacksonville Center are staffed, then that airspace (if applicable) and all responsibilities for aircraft operations pertinent to the staffed position(s) are no longer the responsibility of Jacksonville Center, and are transferred to the controller(s) staffing those positions.

When the coast, coast low, coast high, epcot, epcot low, epcot high, or combined superhigh sectors are staffed, JAX_CTR transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to those controller(s).

Responsibilities

The primary responsibility of Jacksonville Center is to provide positive separation of all IFR and VFR aircraft within its lateral and vertical boundaries. In addition, Jacksonville Center is responsible for the following for all airfields and airspace not otherwise delgated to a specific TRACON:

• All Clearance Delivery duties
• All Ground Control duties
• All Tower duties
• All Approach Control duties

When control positions within a TRACON are not staffed, Jacksonville Center is also responsible for all operations within the lateral and vertical boundaries of that TRACON.  As positions within the TRACON are staffed, Jacksonville Center transfers responsibility for specific sets of operations to the controller(s) staffing those positions, as follows:

If this position is staffed...	These responsibilities are transferred...	These responsibilities remain with center for that TRACON...
Clearance Delivery	Clearance delivery at only those airfield(s) where Clearance Delivery is staffed.	Clearance delivery at unstaffed airfields  Ground  Tower Approach
Ground	Ground control at only those airfield(s) where Ground is staffed. Clearance delivery at only those airfield(s) where Ground is staffed.	Clearance delivery at unstaffed airfields  Ground at unstaffed airfields Tower Approach
Tower	Tower at only those airfield(s) where Tower is staffed. Ground control at only those airfield(s) where Tower is staffed. Clearance delivery at only those airfield(s) where Tower is staffed.	Clearance delivery at unstaffed airfields  Ground at unstaffed airfields Tower  at unstaffed airfields Approach
Approach	Clearance delivery Ground  Tower Approach	None

 

Example: 

If both JAX_CTR and TLH_APP are staffed, then Jacksonville Center is responsible for the airspace depicted in the above diagram, minus the airspace delegated to the Tallahassee TRACON.  The controller staffing TLH_APP assumes the responsibility for all aircraft operations within this airspace, including all operations at airfields within its lateral boundaries.

Example:

If both JAX_CTR and MYR_GND are staffed, then Jacksonville Center is responsible for the airspace depicted in the above diagram, minus the taxiways and ramps of the KMYR airport, and minus the clearance delivery responsibilities at KMYR.  The controller staffing MYR_GND assumes the responsibility for all aircraft operations at KMYR until the aircraft reaches the hold-short point for any runway.  At the hold-short point, (in this example) JAX_CTR assumes responsibility.   

Transfer of Control and Communications

Jacksonville Center shall transfer control and communications of an aircraft to the appropriate controller staffing an adjacent facility prior to that aircraft entering the lateral and vertical boundaries of the adjacent controller's airspace.  Unless otherwise specified in a letter of agreement, the Jacksonville Center controller will ensure that the aircraft is at a 1x simulation rate, and is at an appropriate altitude and is on course.  In addition, when not otherwise specified by a letter of agreement, the Jacksonville Center controller shall initiate transfer of control and communications: 

• no sooner than 40 nm and no later than 10 nm from the adjacent controller's lateral boundary, when transferring to another center controller; 
• no sooner than 40 nm and no later than 5 nm from the adjacent controller's lateral boundary, when transferring to another Jacksonville Center sector controller; 
• no sooner than 20 nm and no later than 5 nm from the adjacent controller's lateral boundary, when transferring control to an approach controller;
• no sooner than 20 nm and no later than 2 nm from the adjacent controller's lateral boundary, when transferring control to a tower controller.

The above may be modified through coordination and mutual agreement between the controllers involved.

Split Operations

There are several Jacksonville Center sectors available to allow two or more ZJX controllers to split the responsibilities of center among them. Split operations are permitted at any time, as long as no part of the airspace delegated to Jacksonville Center remains unstaffed if any part of it is staffed.  In other words, the selection of sectors two or more controllers agree to staff at the same time must combine to provide service to the entire airspace delegated to Jacksonville Center.

East Sector

The east sector of Jacksonville Center is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL600 within the lateral boundaries indicated by the thick line in the following diagram: 

The east sector may not be staffed if the combined JAX_CTR position is staffed.  The controller staffing JAX_CTR must agree to move to the west sector, JAX_W_CTR.  Additionally, the east sector may not be staffed unless the west sector is fully staffed.

When the coast sector, the coast low sector, and/or the coast high sector are staffed, the controller staffing the east sector transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to those controller(s). 

East High and East Low Sectors

The east high and east low sectors are delegated the airspace within the same lateral boundaries as the east sector, shown in the diagram in the preceeding section.  The east low sector is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL240.  The east high sector is delegated the airspace from FL240 to FL600.

Neither the east low nor the east high sector may be staffed unless both sectors are staffed and the west sector is fully staffed.

When the coast sector or the coast low sector is staffed, the controller staffing the east low sector transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to that controller.  When the coast sector or the coast high sector is staffed, the controller staffing the east high sector transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to that controller.

West Sector

The west sector of Jacksonville Center is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL600 within the lateral boundaries indicated by the thick line in the following diagram: 

The west sector may not be staffed if the combined JAX_CTR position is staffed.  The controller staffing JAX_CTR must agree to move to the east sector, JAX_E_CTR.  Additionally, the west sector may not be staffed unless the east sector is fully staffed.

When the epcot sector, the epcot low sector, and/or the epcot high sector are staffed, the controller staffing the west sector transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to those controller(s).

West High and West Low Sectors 

The west high and west low sectors are delegated the airspace within the same lateral boundaries as the west sector, shown in the diagram in the preceeding section.  The west low sector is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL240.  The west high sector is delegated the airspace from FL240 to FL600. 

Neither the west low nor the west high sector may be staffed unless both sectors are staffed and the east sector is fully staffed.

When the epcot sector or the epcot low sector is staffed, the controller staffing the west low sector transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to that controller.  When the epcot sector or the epcot high sector is staffed, the controller staffing the west high sector transfers responsibility for the appropriate airspace to that controller.

Epcot Sector

The epcot sector of Jacksonville Center is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL600 within the lateral boundaries indicated by the thick line in the following diagram: 

The epcot sector may not be staffed unless the remainder of the Jacksonville airspace is fully staffed.

Through coordination with adjacent controllers, and if no part of the coast sector is staffed, the controller staffing the epcot sector may additionally assume responsibility for the coast sector.

Epcot High and Epcot Low Sectors 

The epcot high and epcot low sectors are delegated the airspace within the same lateral boundaries as the epcot sector, shown in the diagram in the preceeding section.  The epcot low sector is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL240.  The epcot high sector is delegated the airspace from FL240 to FL600. 

Neither the epcot low nor the epcot high sector may be staffed unless the remainder of Jacksonville center's airspace is fully staffed.

Through coordination with adjacent controllers, and if the coast low sector is not staffed, the controller staffing the epcot low sector may additionally assume responsibility for the coast low sector.  Similarly, if the coast high sector is not staffed, the controller staffing the epcot high sector may additionally assume responsibility for the coast high sector.

Coast Sector

The coast sector of Jacksonville Center is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL600 within the lateral boundaries indicated by the thick line in the following diagram: 

The coast sector may not be staffed unless the remainder of the Jacksonville airspace is fully staffed.

The controller staffing the coast sector may not assume responsibility for any part of the epcot sector.

Coast High and Coast Low Sectors  

The coast high and coast low sectors are delegated the airspace within the same lateral boundaries as the coast sector, shown in the diagram in the preceeding section.  The coast low sector is delegated the airspace from the surface to FL240.  The coast high sector is delegated the airspace from FL240 to FL600.  

Neither the coast low nor the coast high sector may be staffed unless the remainder of Jacksonville center's airspace is fully staffed. 

Neither the controller staffing the coast low sector nor the controller staffing the coast high sector may not assume responsibility for any part of the epcot sector.

Superhigh Combined Sector

The superhigh combined sector of Jacksonville Center is delegated the airspace from FL330 to FL600 within the lateral boundaries indicated by the thick line in the diagram in the "Airspace Delegation" section above.   When this sector is staffed, all staffed positions whose ceiling is listed as FL600 shall lower its ceiling to FL330, and the superhigh combined sector shall assume responsibility for all operations at FL330 and above.

The superhigh combined sector may not be staffed unless the remainder of the Jacksonville airspace is fully staffed.

Workload Reduction

The workload of the center controller can quickly become high, when multiple simultaneous approaches and departures are in progress at multiple airfields.  The efficient controller is able to manage this workload through the judicious use of:

• Visual approaches, weather-permitting
• Crossing restrictions for planned altitude changes, including
• VOR and intersection crossing restrictions
• DME crossing restrictions
• Standard arrival and departure procedures, where available
• Descents, ascents, taxis, and other operations at the pilot's discretion, traffic permitting.

As the workload for the center controller increases due to increased traffic, the following responsibilities may be reduced or eliminated in the specified order:

• Eliminate VFR flight following (however responsibility for the separation of VFR and IFR aircraft remains). 
• Reduce ground and tower services at class G, E and D airfields.
• Provide a clearance with a clearance void time, and release the aircraft for departure.  Request that they report airborne. 
• Request that approaching aircraft report cancelling IFR or landing assured, and release them to land at their discretion, maintaining VFR.  VFR conditions must exist at the airfield.
  
• Reduce ground and tower services at class C airfields. 
• Provide a clearance with a clearance void time, and release the aircraft for departure.  Request that they report airborne. 
• Request that approaching aircraft report cancelling IFR or landing assured, and release them to land at their discretion, maintaining VFR.  VFR conditions must exist at the airfield.
  
• Reduce clearance delivery at class G, E and D airports.  Eliminate pre-depature clearances, and request that aircraft depart VFR and file for IFR in the air.  Note that this still requires you to provide a proper IFR clearance when they are airborne.
• Reduce clearance delivery at class C airports.  Eliminate pre-depature clearances, and request that aircraft depart VFR and file for IFR in the air.  Note that this still requires you to provide a proper IFR clearance when they are airborne.

In no case and at no time shall a Jacksonville Center controller be permitted to reduce or eliminate the following responsibilities:

• Positive separation of all aircraft at all times, including those aircraft within Jacksonville Center's lateral and vertical boundaries who are not in communication with the center controller (with the obvious exception of separation of two aircraft who are both not in communication with the center controller).
• Any services at ZJX's primary class B airport (KMCO), or its primary class C airports (KJAX, KDAB, KCAE), if services are not otherwise being provided by another controller.  The list of primary airports shall be modified by the Jacksonville ATM from time to time. 

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