ETAD - Spangdahlem Airbase
Overview
Spangdahlem is a United States Air Force base in Spangdahlem. It is home to the 52nd Fighter Wing and thus hosts a large number of F-16 jet fighter aircraft, but also serves as a a hub for the air mobility command and has facilities for military cargo and personnel transport flights.
Due to Spangdahlem being an American airfield, controllers may use FAA procedures and phraseology if they are familiar with them, but are not required to do so.
As Spangdahlem is a military airport, charts can't be found in the normal AIP. They are accessible through the GEMIL FLIP US DoD in the milais.
Spangdahlem is an unrestricted airport. Clearance and Ground can be staffed by all controllers with an S1 rating or higher. The Tower position can be staffed by all controllers with an S2 rating or higher. The GCA position can be staffed by all controllers with an S3 rating or higher. However, controllers should closely familiarize themselves with military procedures before staffing the airport.
Spangdahlem ATC Stations
| Station |
Station ID |
Login |
Frequency |
Remarks |
Endorsement |
| ATIS |
ATAD |
ETAD_ATIS |
135.310 |
-- |
-- |
| Clearance |
TADC |
ETAD_DEL |
120.905 |
relief station, American procedures, military station |
unrestricted: no course |
| Ground |
TADG |
ETAD_GND |
121.865 |
American procedures, military station | unrestricted: no course |
| Tower |
TADT |
ETAD_TWR |
122.200 |
American procedures, military station | unrestricted: no course |
| GCA |
TADA |
ETAD_APP |
129.475 |
American procedures, military station | unrestricted: no course |
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Clearance
Spangdahlem Clearance is responsible for enroute and startup clearances for all departing IFR aircraft. It is primarily opened as a relief station when workload for Spangdahlem Ground is too high to work both positions at the same time.
Enroute clearance
Clearance limit
The clearance limit for all IFR departures is the last waypoint of the SID or first waypoint on the flight plan. Further enroute clearance will be given by the civilian radar controller in-flight. Thus, the phrase "flight planned route" shall not be used.
Departure frequency
Pilots shall always be informed of the departure frequency during the enroute clearance.
SID assignment
The use of SIDs is mandatory during all operations. However, if Spangdahlem GCA is separately staffed, omnidirectional departures are also available for all aircraft.
Non-TACAN equipped aircraft must use the applicable ROPUV departure. A reroute may be necessary depending on the filed route.
Omnidirectional departure
Aircraft given an omnidirectional departure shall be instructed to expect vectors to their initial waypoint. The actual departure heading will later be coordinated by Tower and Approach shortly before departure. Clearance for an omnidirectional departure is subject to approval by Spangdahlem GCA and only available when Spangdahlem GCA is separately staffed.
Spangdahlem Clearance: Duke 31, cleared to RUPOV via radar vectors out of runway 22, climb to altitude 5000ft, departure frequency 129.475, squawk 1000, expect further clearance by Langen Radar.
GEBSO departures
GEBSO departures are only available for aircraft on a Z flight plan or on request for VFR aircraft. Additionally, Medium and Heavy VFR GAT flights are required to leave the CTR via a GEBSO departure.
IFR aircraft filing via GEBSO shall be rerouted.
IFR pattern
The radar pattern is only available when Spangdahlem GCA is separately staffed and requires approval by Spangdahlem GCA. The precise clearance for the IFR pattern must be coordinated with Spangdahlem GCA. Tower shall be informed of any aircraft that has been cleared for a radar pattern, e.g. through a remark in the scratchpad.
Iceman 1: Spangdahlem Clearance, Iceman 1, request clearance for radar patterns.
Spangdahlem Clearance: Iceman 1, Spangdahlem Clearance, standby.TADC: GCA, Clearance.
TADA: Go ahead.
TADC: Iceman 1, F16, requesting radar patterns.
TADA: Approved at 4000ft.
TADC: Approved at 4000ft.Spangdahlem Clearance: Iceman 1, clearance available, report ready to copy.
Iceman 1: Ready to copy, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Clearance: Iceman 1, cleared to Spangdahlem via radar vectors, climb to 4000ft, departure frequency 129.475, squawk 2024.
Iceman 1: Cleared to Spangdahlem via vectors, climb to 4000ft, departure frequency 129.475, squawk 2024, Iceman 1.
Ground
Spangdahlem Ground is responsible for all ground movements at the airport.
Parking positions
Cargo and personnel transport flights park on the Southeastern side of the airport, other traffic uses the Northwestern side.
The hard shelters are used by fighter jets.
Ramps 1 thru 4 are used for helicopters, training aircraft, and similar traffic.
Ramp 5 is used for all cargo and personnel transport flights except for those transporting hazardous cargo which shall instead use Ramp 6. Additionally, all aircraft with a wingspan >41m always have to use Ramp 5 or 6.
Ground movements
All outbound aircraft can be expected to call in ready for taxi. Pushbacks are not needed at any parking position in Spangdahlem.
Hot Pits
There are three hot pits on the Northwestern side of the airport. These are used for on-the-fly refueling of fighter jets between missions. They are only used on pilot request or as per a prior mission briefing.
Arm/Dearm Pads
There are Arming/Dearming pads near the holding points on the Northwestern side of the airport. These are used by fighter jets and other aircraft equipped or to be equipped with active ammunition and/or warheads. Like the hot pits, they are only used on pilot request or as per a prior mission briefing.
Intersection departures
Intersection departures are available for all aircraft from C and D during 22 operations and B and C during 04 operations. Pilots being given an intersection departure shall always be informed of the TORA for the intersection. All taxi clearances to intersections must be approved by Spangdahlem Tower.
Spangdahlem Ground: Duke 31, taxi to holding point runway 22, intersection Delta, via Charlie, Papa, Delta, TORA 7900ft.
Tower
Spangdahlem Tower is responsible for all traffic on the runway and within the CTR of the airport.
General
Operating direction
The preferred operating direction below 5 knots tailwind component is runway 22.
During a runway change, Spangdahlem Tower is responsible for informing both military and civilian radar controllers of the change.
Runway crossing
Runway crossings are principally the responsibility of Spangdahlem Tower. However, after coordination, aircraft may remain on the Ground frequency for their runway crossing.
Low visibility operations
Spangdahlem Airbase uses different LVO minima than German civilian airfields. LVO has to be implemented at or below the following values:
- ceiling: 200ft
- visibility: 800m
- RVR: 550m
During LVO, only runway 22 is available with approaches up to CAT II.
IFR traffic
Departure procedures
Release & handoff
A departure release for all IFR departures shall be obtained from Spangdahlem GCA.
Departures shall be handed off to Spangdahlem GCA as soon as possible.
Omnidirectional departure
Traffic cleared for a radar vectored departure shall be cleared for the following default headings with their takeoff clearance unless otherwise coordinated with Spangdahlem GCA:
- runway 04: left turn heading 330
- runway 22: right turn heading 330
Spangdahlem Tower: Duke 31, turn right heading 330, wind 230 degrees, 12 knots, runway 22, cleared for takeoff.
Radar pattern
The radar pattern is always located Northwest of the airport with at an altitude of 4000ft or 5000ft AMSL. This pattern is only available on explicit pilot request and when Spangdahlem GCA is separately staffed. Spangdahlem Tower shall instruct the pilot to climb out straight ahead during 04 operations or with an initial heading of 210 during 22 operations and initiate a handoff to Spangdahlem GCA as soon as possible.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, turn left heading 210, wind 230 degrees, 12 knots, runway 22, cleared for takeoff.
Iceman 1: Turning left heading 210 for radar pattern, runway 22, cleared for takeoff, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, contact departure.
VFR traffic
Departure procedures
General
Unless otherwise instructed, pilots may leave the Tower frequency on their own once clear of the Spangdahlem CTR. Pilots are not required to use one of the reporting points to exit the CTR and may instead request a departure to a cardinal direction.
Unrestricted takeoffs, i.e. high angle climb after takeoff, are possible for all fighter jet aircraft during VMC with approval by Spangdahlem Tower. The standard maximum climb level during an unrestricted takeoff is FL95, but pilots may request a higher level which then has to be coordinated with Langen Radar.
04 operations
During 04 operations, all departures are required to climb straight ahead until exiting the CTR laterally or vertically.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, climb straight ahead until clear of the CTR, wind 020 degrees, 7 knots, runway 04, cleared for takeoff.
22 operations
Northbound departures shall be instructed to turn right to heading 280 when airborne to avoid local villages; traffic may proceed on course once passing abeam the departure end of the runway.
Southbound departures shall be instructed to turn left to heading 210 when airborne to avoid local villages; traffic may proceed on course once passing abeam the departure end of the runway..
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, turn right heading 280, after passing abeam departure end of runway proceed on course, wind 230 degrees, 12 knots, runway 22, cleared for takeoff.
Arrival procedures
General
Arriving aircraft are required to contact Spangdahlem Tower no later than 10 NM prior to reaching the planned entry point. Pilots are required to enter the CTR via one of the published reporting or military entry points; the latter are only available for military fighter jet traffic.
While military entry points are publicly available, pilots should be expected to not be aware of them and will most likely request entry via one of the reporting points.
Fighter jet approaches
When entering via military entry points Alpha, Bravo, or Lake, pilots will continue to final and shall be instructed to report initial between 3 and 5 NM final at 2700ft. These arrivals will perform an overhead approach maneuver. If necessary, Tower shall sequence traffic by instructing early or late breaks.
Aircraft may request radar vectoring guidance toward the initial.
Iceman 1: Iceman 1, overhead Alpha, 3000ft.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, roger, report 3 mile initial at 2700ft.
Iceman 1: Wilco, Iceman 1.
Iceman 1: 3 mile initial, 2700ft, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, make an early break.
Iceman 1: Making early break, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, report base with intentions.
Iceman 1: Wilco, Iceman 1.
Iceman 1: Base, gear down, for full stop, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, wind 230 degrees, 12 knots, runway 22, cleared to land.
Iceman 1: Runway 22, cleared to land, Iceman 1.
Controllers are reminded that fighter jets will fly at high speeds of ca. 300 KIAS until breaking off.
Tactical fighter jet recovery
Tactical recovery approaches via Bangor or Tucson are subject to approval by Spangdahlem Tower and only possible during VMC. There are two recovery procedures: Rhino recovery and Thud recovery. During both procedures, regardless of operating direction, pilots will cross the respective entry point between FL80 and FL95 at ca. 400 KIAS.
For the Rhino recovery, pilots will execute a descending turn Southeast and within 3 NM of the runway - pilots should be expected to complete the descend within one orbit.
For the Thud recovery, pilots will execute a straight in approach.
Iceman 1: Spangdahlem Tower, Iceman 1, 10 miles North of Bangor, FL95, for tactical arrival.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, roger, report Bangor.
Iceman 1: Bangor, FL85, for Rhino arrival, full stop, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, roger, report base.
Iceman 1: Wilco, Iceman 1.
Iceman 1: Base, gear down, Iceman 1.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, wind 230 degrees, 12 knots, runway 22, cleared to land.
Iceman 1: Runway 22, cleared to land, Iceman 1
Traffic pattern
The standard traffic pattern is always located Southeast of the airport with a maximum altitude of 2700ft AMSL. Spangdahlem Tower shall always inform pilots of these restriction.
Spangdahlem Tower: Iceman 1, join right hand traffic pattern runway 04, not above 2700ft, wind 020 degrees, 7 knots, runway 04, cleared for takeoff.
Reporting points
There are two reporting points for civilian aircraft around the Spangdahlem CTR, both of which are mandatory reporting points. Additionally, there are five military entry points.
| Reporting point |
Location |
Remark |
| Heidweiler |
village of Heidweiler |
-- |
| Nattenheim |
A60/B51 intersection, abeam village of Nattenheim |
-- |
| Alpha |
highway A1 parking lot Flußbach |
military entry during 22 operations |
| Bravo |
Kordel village |
military entry during 04 operations |
| Lake |
lake Meerfelder Maar |
military entry during 22 operations |
| Bangor |
Wallscheid village |
tactical approach entry during 22 operations |
| Tucson |
Eisenach village |
tactical approach entry during 04 operations |
Other procedures
SVFR procedures
SVFR is not approved for fixed wing aircraft. Rotary wing aircraft may be cleared for SVFR operations at or below 2000ft; higher levels are only available after coordination with Büchel Radar or, if Büchel Radar is not separately staffed, by Langen Radar.
Spangdahlem Tower shall assign squawk 4210 to SVFR aircraft.
NVFR procedures
If Büchel Radar is separately staffed, all Night VFR operations require approval by Büchel Radar.
Night VFR traffic shall be instructed to squawk 4215.
Overflights
Aircraft only crossing the CTR shall be instructed to remain at or above 1000ft AGL (2200ft AMSL).
Spangdahlem Tower: D-ETAD, enter CTR via Nattenheim, thereafter proceed to Heidweiler, not below 2200ft.
Bitburg (EDRB)
Bitburg airfield is located East of Spangdahlem Airbase. All operations at this airfield take place outside of the Spangdahlem CTR except for parachuting. The Bitburg PJE is partially located within the Spangdahlem CTR. During parachuting operations in the Bitburg PJE, IFR operations at Spangdahlem are prohibited and all VFR operations must take place Southeast of Spangdahlem's runway.
Spangdahlem GCA or Langen Radar will notify Spangdahlem Tower when parachuting operations in the Bitburg PJE begin and conclude.
Approach
Spangdahlem GCA is responsible for all airborne traffic within the Spangdahlem approach sector.
Spangdahlem GCA shall always inform the controllers of EDGG sector Eifel, EBBU sectors ELS and LUS, ELLX APP,and military approach sector Büchel when opening and closing the position.
Airspace
The airspace controlled by Spangdahlem GCA is class E which is lowered to 1000ft AGL in the majority of the area of responsibility with a small section of class E lowered to 1700ft AGL in the Southeast.
Airspace boundary
Spangdahlem GCA may use the entire vertical range of the sector. Langen Radar is responsible for maintaining full vertical separation to the sector border.
Departure procedures
Omnidirectional departure
Aircraft on an omnidirectional departure will depart on runway heading during 04 operations and on heading 210 during 22 operations. Clearance for such an omnidirectional departure is only possible when Spangdahlem GCA is separately staffed and approval for this type of departure will be requested by Spangdahlem GCA. If the omnidirectional departure goes to a waypoint other than ROPUV, Spangdahlem GCA has to acquire approval by Langen Radar before releasing the omnidirectional departure clearance.
Transfer to civilian ATC or Büchel Radar
Handoffs for departures shall always take place before the sector boundary or the final waypoint of the SID, whichever is earlier on a published departure procedure. Deviations or radar vectored departures (except for radar vectored departures to ROPUV) must always be coordinated individually.
Arrival procedures
Transfer from civilian ATC or Büchel Radar
Handoffs for arrivals shall always be coordinated individually and then take place as agreed. Spangdahlem GCA should, whenever possible, approach civilian ATC/Büchel Radar with a proposal for the handoff ahead of time, but usually a DCT to SPA at 5000ft with a full release is the best solution.
If an aircraft will fly a instrument approach procedure via an IAF, Spangdahlem GCA has to either obtain an early handoff and release to clear the aircraft for the published procedure or instruct Langen Radar to clear the procedure before initiating the handoff.
04 operations arrival coordination
During 04 operations, it is not possible to vector arrivals onto the final approach of any instrument approach procedure while maintaining the required 2.5 NM separation to the sector border. Additionally, if an arriving aircraft is flying an instrument approach procedure via an IAF, they will briefly cross the Luxembourg Approach sector.
Due to this, any IFR arrival for runway 04 is subject to coordination with Luxembourg Approach. Depending on this position's workload and/or traffic situation, controllers shall be prepared to hold such traffic or organize an opposite direction landing on runway 22.
Radar pattern
The radar pattern is always located Northwest of the airport at an altitude of 4000ft or 5000ft AMSL and will be conducted entirely through radar vectors. This pattern is only available on explicit pilot request and when Spangdahlem GCA is separately staffed. Spangdahlem Tower will instruct the pilot to climb out straight ahead during 04 operations or with an initial heading of 210 during 22 operations and initiate a handoff to Spangdahlem GCA as soon as possible.
Spangdahlem Clearance will request approval for a radar pattern clearance from Spangdahlem GCA. During this coordination, Spangdahlem GCA shall assign the pattern altitude.