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.