Letter of Agreement
Interfacility Coordination Procedures
Rev. 1 – June 2, 2025
- Purpose
- This agreement prescribes transfer of control procedures, radar handoff procedures, route/altitude assignments, and delegation of airspace between New York ARTCC (ZNY) and Washington ARTCC (ZDC).
- Cancellation
- New York ARTCC (ZNY) and Washington ARTCC (ZDC) Letter of Agreement, dated Supersedes prior ZNY–ZDC LOAs (incl. ACY TRACON & PHL TRACON/DOV RAPCON LOAs dated 23 Apr 2015), is hereby cancelled.
- Scope
- The procedures contained herein must apply unless prior coordination is effected.
- Disclosure
- vZNY and any other facilities mentioned in this document are affiliated with the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation (VATSIM) network. The procedures outlined in this document are intended exclusively for use in the VATSIM flight simulation environment and must never be used for actual flight or air traffic control operations. vZNY and any other facility mentioned in this document are not affiliated with the FAA in any manner.
- General Procedures
- Position Combining/Decombining
- Prior to combining/decombining pertinent positions within facilities that share a boundary, coordination with all affected controllers in the neighboring ARTCC must be accomplished. Use of general ATC chat or private chat is acceptable.
- Point Outs
- Use of the automated point out function (without additional verbal/text approval) is authorized only when the datablock accurately reflects the aircraft’s current clearance. If an interim altitude is entered, approval of the automated point out releases control for climb/descend to the flight plan altitude or to the top/bottom of the approving sector’s stratum.
- Handoffs and Transfer of Communications
- Handoffs must be initiated only after conflicts are resolved and no further control instructions will be issued by the transferring controller.
- The datablock/flight plan must reflect the current clearance; QU/AM entries must be made when issuing route amendments.
- Separation Minima:
- Minimum lateral separation shall be 5 NM (constant or increasing). At FL230 and below, 3 NM lateral may be used only if increasing to at least 5 NM.
- Apply wake turbulence, STAR “descend via,” and any TMIs as required.
- Altitudes:
- Unless otherwise specified or coordinated, aircraft shall be climbing to, descending to, or level at the correct altitude for direction of flight prior to handoff. “QQ” use constitutes a coordinated interim altitude on automated handoff.
- Miles In-Trail (MIT) Restrictions:
- ZDC → ZNY/N90 (via same or geographically similar route)
- Kennedy Area Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum.
- LaGuardia Area Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum.
- Newark Area Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum.
- Philadelphia Area Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum on JIIMS-STAR (sequence IROKT and HEKMN as one).
- ZNY → ZDC/PCT (via same or geographically similar route)
- Shenandoah Area (IAD) Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum.
- Mount Vernon Area (DCA) Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum.
- Chesapeake Area (BWI) Arrivals: 10 MIT minimum.
- Center-to-Center Handoffs:
- Aircraft to the same destination airport shall be separated by ≥ 5 NM (constant or increasing) when at the same altitude/route segment; apply greater spacing when required by TMIs.
- Aircraft on the same route segment and at the same altitude (not necessarily same destination) shall be ≥ 5 NM and increasing; if altitude separated, in-trail spacing not required unless otherwise stated in this LOA.
- ZDC → ZNY/N90 (via same or geographically similar route)
- Transfer of Control
- Unless otherwise specified, each facility has control for turns up to 15° within 15 NM of the common boundary for level aircraft and for aircraft climbing/descending if the turn is completed within the transferring controller’s stratum.
- ZNY has control for ≤20° turns north of V268 for traffic via J220/Q221/Q227 or HGR.
- ZNY has control for ≤20° left/right turns north of WOO (Woodstown VORTAC) for Q22 traffic.
- ZNY may clear Q437/Q409 traffic direct VILLS without prior coordination. ZDC may clear Q22/westbound traffic direct JFK without prior coordination.
- Turbojet traffic NE-bound on Q22 shall be at/above FL230.
- Facility Opening/Closed Provisions
- When a TRACON is not staffed, the overlying ARTCC assumes its delegated airspace and restrictions.
- If one center is closed, the open center may hand off directly to the appropriate terminal area (N90/PCT) that would otherwise receive from the closed center. Top altitudes and “control for turn/climb/descent” apply as specified below:
- ZNY Closed: ZDC may handoff directly to N90; assign lowest usable FL per ACY altimeter; N90 has control for descent/turns. N90/PHL may handoff departures (J6/J48/Q75, DIXIE, WHITE) to ZDC with appropriate top altitudes; ZDC has control for turn/climb.
- ZDC Closed: ZNY may handoff directly to PCT positions; “descend via” or 10,000 as appropriate. PCT may handoff north/east departures to ZNY with appropriate top altitudes; ZNY has control for turn/climb.
- Attachment 1 – Transfer of Altitude/Routes (ZNY → ZDC)
Departures: ZNY to ZDC
Arrivals/Overflights: ZNY to ZDC
- Attachment 2 – Transfer of Altitude/Routes (ZDC → ZNY)
Departures: ZDC to ZNY
Arrivals/Overflights: ZDC to ZNY
- Attachment 3 – ZNY Sectors 82, 83, and 86 and Associated Warning Areas
- Attachment 4 – Common Airspace Splits Between Centers
- Overview of Center Airspace
- NOTE: NY Center comprises North, West, South, East, and Central. When all positions are combined, NY Center is controlled by NY_CTR.
- NOTE: DC Center comprises Areas A–D. When all positions are combined, DC Center is controlled by DC_32_CTR.
- NOTE: All areas are SFC–FL600 unless otherwise stated.
- Washington Center Splits
| Two Center Operation (N/S split) | Two Center Operation (E/W split) |
|---|---|
| File:ZDC-Center-Splits-Two-NS.png | File:ZDC-Center-Splits-Two-EW.png |
| ZDC split between 1/4/6 (North) and 3/2/5 (South). | ZDC split between 5/2/6 (West) and 1/4/3 (East). |
- New York Center Splits
| Two Center Operation (SW/NE split) | Two Center Operation (E/W split) |
|---|---|
| File:ZNY-Center-Splits-Two-SW.png | File:ZNY-Center-Splits-Two-EW.png |
| Template:Red | Template:Green |
© 2025 Virtual New York ARTCC & Virtual Washington ARTCC. For VATSIM only; no FAA affiliation.