Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZBW; in radio communications, "Boston Center") is one of 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers in the United States, located in Nashua, New Hampshire.
The primary responsibility of ZBW is the separation of overflights, and the expedited sequencing of arrivals and departures along STARs (standard terminal arrival routes) and SIDs (standard instrument departures) for the Boston Metropolitan Area, the New York Metropolitan Area, and other areas in the Northeast region of the United States.
Boston Center is the 14th busiest air traffic control center in the United States. In 2010, Boston Center was responsible for handling 1,721,000 flights. [1] The Boston ARTCC currently covers 165,000 square miles (430,000 km2) of airspace that includes airports in Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, New York state and northeast Pennsylvania. [2]
ZBW has a total of 30 sectors, including 16 Low Altitude sectors, 10 High Altitude sectors, and 1 Super High Altitude sector. There are also three Low-High Altitude sectors which usually cover from the surface to unlimited and do not fit into any of the other sector categories. Within the center, there are five areas, which other ARTCCs often refer to as "Specialties".
In ZBW, the areas are labeled A through E.
Area A covers the majority of northeastern New York state. Area A handles a large quantity of traffic that has departed Boston Logan International Airport or other nearby airports, as well as descending arrivals destined to New York metropolitan airports and other airports in ZBW airspace.
Area B covers most of Vermont and New Hampshire. Area B is primarily responsible for descending Boston Logan and Manchester–Boston Regional Airport arrivals, as well as climbing departures from these airports. Area B also descends and climbs traffic to and from airports such as Montréal–Trudeau International Airport, Albany International, Burlington International, and Bradley International, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport.
Area C covers portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Area C also covers about 60 miles (97 km) of over-ocean airspace south of Long Island. Area C is responsible for descending Boston Logan arrivals, climbing Boston Logan departures, and working arrival and departure traffic to and from John F. Kennedy International Airport. Area C also climbs all northeast-bound and oceanic departures from the New York metropolitan area. Additionally, Area C descends and climbs traffic to and from airports such as T. F. Green, Long Island MacArthur, and Bradley International.
Area D is the largest area in ZBW, covering almost half of the total airspace. Area D overlies the eastern portions of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and most of Maine, as well as owning airspace extending around 150 miles (240 km) east of the coast. Area D is responsible for descending and climbing traffic to and from Boston Logan, Bangor International Airport, Portland International Jetport, and all Cape Cod area airports. Area D also includes some Canadian airspace, mostly over New Brunswick, but also a small area of Quebec. The bulk of this is an artifact dating back to the Cold War when Loring Air Force Base, a SAC bomber base lying very close to the international border, was active. Loring's circular terminal control area, that no longer exists, extended into New Brunswick. This area was included with the rest of the TCA in Boston's area of responsibility. The base closed in 1994, but the Canadian airspace has not been transferred back to Canadian control.
Area E covers portions of New York state and western Massachusetts. Area E is primarily responsible for working traffic landing and departing New York metropolitan airports such as John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia. The New York TRACON underlies most of Area E.
ZBW is bordered by the following ARTCCs/ACCs/FIRs:
Boston ARTCC Operating Sector Boundaries and Frequencies [3]
It is the job of the TMU to balance air traffic demand with system capacity to ensure maximum efficiency and utilization of the airspace. As a result, this creates a safe and orderly flow of traffic while minimizing delays. The TMU reports to the ATCSCC (Air Traffic Control System command center).
Some of the methods that can be used to help minimize delays are the following:
The CWSU (Center Weather Service Unit) is a Joint Aviation Weather Support Team composed of on-site NWS (National Weather Service) meteorologists and an STMC (Supervisory Traffic Management Coordinator)/TMC (Traffic Management Coordinator) assigned to the WC (Weather Coordinator) Position. The purpose of the CWSU is to provide weather consultation and advice to managers and staff within ZBW and to other FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) facilities.
The purpose of this unit is to provide data processing and monitor all flight plan related entries into the En Route Automatiom Modernization (ERAM) computer system. These flight data messages are exchanged with other air traffic facilities and occasionally require format and content corrections.
Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airspace. The primary purpose of ATC is to prevent collisions, organize and expedite the flow of traffic in the air, and provide information and other support for pilots.
In air traffic control, an area control center (ACC), also known as a center or en-route center, is a facility responsible for controlling aircraft flying in the airspace of a given flight information region (FIR) at high altitudes between airport approaches and departures. In the US, such a center is referred to as an air route traffic control center (ARTCC).
The En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) system architecture replaces the En Route Host computer system and its backup. ERAM provides all of today's functionality and:
The New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) is located in the East Garden City neighborhood of Uniondale, on Long Island, New York. New York TRACON, also known as N90, is a type of Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control facility known as a consolidated TRACON, meaning that a single location provides approach service for several large airports. It is headquartered at 1515 Stewart Avenue.
The Philadelphia TRACON/ATCT is located at the Philadelphia International Airport and is a TRACON with Up-and-Down capabilities which means it includes both a TRACON and ATCT in the same facility. The facility is "sectorized" into two sectors for the controllers. "A-side" controllers, work the tower, and half the radar room. "B-side" controllers work the entire radar room (POM).
Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZDC) is an Area Control Center operated by the Federal Aviation Administration and located at Lawson Rd SE, Leesburg, Virginia, United States. The primary responsibility of ZDC is the separation of airplane flights and the expedited sequencing of arrivals and departures along STARs and SIDs for the Washington-Baltimore Metropolitan Area, the New York Metropolitan Area, and Philadelphia among many other areas.
The Boston Consolidated TRACON (A90) is located in Merrimack, New Hampshire. A90 opened in 2004 after 8 years of development. The A90 function transferred to the new Boston Consolidated TRACON on February 22, 2004. The MHT function transferred over on March 7, 2004. Manchester TRACON used to be located at Manchester Airport below the old ATCT. Boston TRACON used to be located at the Logan International Airport Control Tower before being consolidated. The new facility is 63,000 square feet (5,900 m2). A Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON, is responsible for descending airplanes from the ARTCC and lining them up for landing at their destination airport, as well as climbing departures before handing off to the ARTCC.
ATC Zero is an official term used by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that means the FAA is unable to safely provide the published ATC services within the airspace managed by a specific facility. The term is always used in conjunction with a facility reference. FAA ATC facilities include Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC); Terminal Radar Control facility (TRACON), Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), Flight Service Stations (FSS), or the Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC). The term is defined in FAA Order JO 1900.47, Air Traffic Control Operational Contingency Plans. It is one of three designations used by the FAA to describe degraded operations and invoke operational contingency plans.
The National Airspace System (NAS) is the airspace, navigation facilities and airports of the United States along with their associated information, services, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, personnel and equipment. It includes components shared jointly with the military. It is one of the most complex aviation systems in the world, and services air travel in the United States and over large portions of the world's oceans.
The Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center is an air traffic control center located in Palmdale, California, United States. Located adjacent to United States Air Force Plant 42 and the Palmdale Regional Airport, it is one of 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC) operated by the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZAU) is one of 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) operated by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. It is located at 619 W. New Indian Trail Rd., Aurora, Illinois.
The Air Traffic Organization (ATO) is an air navigation service provider in the United States of America. The ATO is the operational division of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The London Area Control Centre (LACC) is an air traffic control centre based at Swanwick near Fareham in Hampshire, southern England. It is operated by National Air Traffic Services (NATS), starting operations on 27 January 2002, and handles aircraft over much of England and Wales. The Swanwick facility replaces that of the former site at West Drayton.
Northern California TRACON (NCT), or NorCal TRACON for short, also known as NorCal Approach, is an air traffic control facility that provides safety alerts, separation, and sequencing of air traffic arriving, departing, and transiting the airspace and airports in Northern California, United States. Located in Mather about 10 miles east of downtown Sacramento, NCT controls airspace over 19,000 square miles (49,000 km2), and serves Reno International Airport, Sacramento International Airport, San Jose International Airport, Oakland International Airport, and San Francisco International Airport, plus 19 other smaller airports with airport traffic control towers. NCT is the 3rd busiest TRACON in the US. NorCal TRACON is the step between local control and an Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), in this case, Oakland Center. San Francisco International Airport is the second largest airport in California and the largest airport serving Northern California.
Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZMP), (radio communications, "Minneapolis Center") is one of 22 Area Control Centers. It is located at 512 Division Street in Farmington, Minnesota, United States.
Karachi Area Control Centre is one of two Area Control Centers in Pakistan operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and is based in Terminal 1 at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. Karachi ACC air traffic controllers provide en route and terminal control services to aircraft in the Karachi Flight Information Region. The Karachi FIR airspace covers Pakistani airspace between the 30° North to 23° North. To the north is the Lahore FIR. To the east is the Delhi FIR. To the south is the Muscat FIR and to the west are the Tehran FIR and Kabul FIRs.
Lahore Area Control Centre is one of three Area Control Centers in Pakistan operated by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority and based at Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore. Lahore ACC air traffic controllers provide en route and terminal control services to aircraft in the Lahore Flight Information Region (FIR). The Lahore FIR airspace covers Pakistani airspace between the 30° North to 37° North. To the south is the Karachi FIR. To the north is the Urumqi FIR. To the east is the Delhi FIR. To the west is the Kabul FIR.
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New York Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZNY) is one of 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs) operated by the United States Federal Aviation Administration. It is located on the grounds of Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma within the Town of Islip, in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in the state of New York. It is the busiest of all ARTCCs within the United States, and was the world's first en-route air traffic control facility.