Draft:RDG SOP

New York ARTCC

Standard Operating Procedure — Reading Regional/Carl A Spaatz Field ATCT and TRACON area

Rev. 1 — Revised: 2026-01-13

Area at a glance

ICAO Code	Airport Name	Airspace
KRDG	Reading Regional/Carl A Spaatz Field	D

Purpose

This document prescribes the procedures to be utilized for providing air traffic control services at the Reading Rgnl/Carl A Spaatz Field Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and any of the positions within the Reading TRACON and the airports it serves. The procedures described herein are supplemental to the New York ARTCC Standard Operating Procedures and FAA Order JO 7110.65.

Distribution

This order is distributed to all New York ARTCC personnel.

Procedural Deviations

Exceptional or unusual requirements may dictate procedural deviations or supplementary procedures to this order. A situation may arise that is not adequately covered herein; in such an event use good judgment to adequately resolve the problem.

Operational Positions

Position	Callsign	Radio Name	Frequency	Identifier
Ground	RDG_GND	Reading Ground	121.950	RG
Tower	RDG_TWR	Reading Ground	119.900	RL
ATIS	RDG_ATIS		127.100

Sector	Callsign	Frequency	Identifier	Combined Sector
Reading	RDG_APP	125.150	RX	Covered by MDT TRACON 0000-0600 local time

ATCT

Clearance Delivery

Exit Gate	Exit	Scratchpad
North	ETX	ETX
	FJC	FJC
	RAV	RAV
South	LRP	LRP
	MXE	MXE
	PTW	PTW

Note

While strict exit direction points are not required at RDG, the guide above may come in handy for directing pilots to proper exits for departing the area.

Position	Frequency	Code
RDG_APP	125.150	RX
NY_CTR	125.325	N56

This table lists the common frequencies used as departure frequency by RDG ground. The first available controller in this list should be handling departures.

Note that this table only serves as a guide. The actual departure frequency has to be determined based on coordination with the other online controllers.

If there is no other controller online that would accept departures from RDG, advise the pilot that Departure is offline.

Routing to certain airports in ZNY, ZDC and ZBW ARTCCs is pre-coordinated through letters of agreement (LOA). These routes have been added to the Preferred Route Database (PRD).

1. The initial altitude for IFR departures of all types is 3,000’ whereas higher may be expected in 10 minutes after departure.
2. There is no published departure procedure out of Reading. All aircraft must be cleared to their destination via radar vectors to a RDG exit.

Reading is a Class Delta airport. All VFR traffic must establish two-way radio communications.

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Ground Control

Departure Sequencing

Exit Gate	Exits
North	CFB, ULW
South	FQM, SEG, DIANO, LVZ, FJC, ETX, LRP, STW, BWZ

Aircraft should be sequenced to depart in the following order:

1. By alternating gate group.
2. If not the above, then by alternating exit.
3. If not the above, then by aircraft type largest to smallest.

Runway Ownership and Crossings

• Closed runways must be owned by Ground Control. The only time runways will ever be closed is during events, and closures must be authorized by the TMU.
• Transfer of runway ownership, between Ground Control and Local Control, must be accomplished verbally (or textually).
• Ground Control is authorized to cross all active runways with coordination with Local Control.

Intersection Departures and Usable Runway Lengths

1. Since departures can come from multiple taxiways, the sequencing for intersection departures is a bit more involved as it will require Ground Control to properly push the strip to the tower controller in the correct order.
2. Below is a list of usable runway lengths from common intersections. If the numbers are not divisible to 50, you must round them down to the nearest 50 feet before providing the information to the pilot.

PHRASEOLOGY
RUNWAY (runway) AT (intersection), TAXI VIA (instructions). RUNWAY (runway) AT (intersection) DEPARTURE, (distance in feet) TAKEOFF DISTANCE AVAILABLE

EXAMPLE
"Runway tree one at delta, taxi via bravo, delta. Runway tree one at delta intersection departure, tree thousand seven hundred and fifty feet takeoff distance available."

13	31	18	36
C (5,050')	J (5,400')	D (4,200')	A (4,900')
F (3,900')	18/36 (5,200')	G (2,600')	B (3,950')
D (2,500')	D (3,750')	E (2,250')	13/31 (3,050')
	F (2,350')		E (2,800')
	E (2,900')		G (2,450')

Aircraft Movement

1. As the taxiway system is simple, there are no pre-defined routings.
2. Since there are no parallel taxiways, you may use each taxiway as a two-way road whereby aircraft may be taxied in the opposite direction on the same taxiway at the same time. When you do this, ensure that both aircraft are told to watch out for the other. This procedure is only available to single engine props during daylight hours as they are narrow enough to be able to fit two abreast.
3. When the above is not available, hold departures on the ramp until the inbound aircraft is clear of the outbound aircraft. You may use conditional taxi instructions to accomplish this.

Local Control

Tower Procedures

Releases

Releases from Reading are automatic unless the RDG TRACON requests individual releases.

Separation

The standard departure separation technique to be used is anticipated radar separation. When wake turbulence is a factor, use timed separation in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65 § 3-9-6.

Radar

This tower uses a DBRITE radar only and is not certified for any approach control services. By agreement with Reading TRACON, this tower will NOT radar identify departing IFR aircraft and will instruct a departure to contact departure control once the aircraft appears to be clear of any traffic. It is imperative that tower controllers observe departing traffic turning towards the assigned heading before handing off. VFR aircraft can and must be radar identified to receive flight following within the tower's airspace, otherwise it is not necessary.

Aircraft Exiting the Runway

Arriving aircraft shall be issued a turn onto one of the taxiways adjacent to the landing runway to ensure the aircraft continues its taxi away from the runway exit. Handoff to Ground Control after the aircraft starts taxiing away from the active runway. Local Control will coordinate with Ground Control, as needed, to determine the traffic flow on the taxiways.

Runway Selection

Wind Speed (kts)	Direction (°M)	Depart	Land
0-4	Any	13	13
>4	040-219	13	13
	220-039	31	31

Note: Runway 18/36 can be used if it is advantageous or if the winds are severe enough to warrant it's use. It can also be used if a pilot requests it.

Departure Heading (IFR)

IFR aircraft must be given runway heading, unless otherwise coordinated with the departure controller.

PHRASEOLOGY
FLY RUNWAY HEADING, WIND (wind), RUNWAY (runway), CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF.

Landing Runway	Hold Short Runway	Available Landing Distance
13	18/36	5,200'
18	13/31	3,050'

Land and Hold Short Operations

1. Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO) may only be conducted for the runways specified in the table to the right.
2. LAHSO is only authorized for day operations when there exists at least 3 miles of visibility and 1,000' ceiling, and no wind shear has been reported.

Missed Approach Procedures

1. Missed approaches or go-arounds shall be instructed to fly the published missed approach procedure prior to release to the TRACON frequency.
2. Missed approaches or go-arounds may, in lieu of the published missed approach procedure, be instructed to fly runway heading and be issued an altitude of 3,000' prior to release to the TRACON frequency.
3. If the conditions are VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions), then the Tower may keep the aircraft in the pattern and clear the aircraft for a visual approach in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65 § 7-4-3. Use best judgement to determine whether to keep the aircraft in the pattern or not.

Additional Information

1. Separation must be based on altitude initially during all missed approaches or go-arounds. Prior to issuing a climb to 3,000’, interval altitudes such as 2,000’ may be utilized to prevent converging targets from losing separation.
2. In order to prevent increased workload on the TRACON, consider issuing missed approaches or go-arounds speed restrictions in accordance with FAA Order JO 7110.65.
3. Coordinate with TRACON as soon as possible and hand off when Local Control traffic is not a factor.
4. Sound judgment must be exercised when dealing with go-arounds or missed approaches. Deviate as necessary from the headings and altitudes listed on the table if using them would compromise safety.

VFR Procedures

Airspace

1. Class DELTA.
2. The tower owns 3,000' and below within a 5 mile radius of the airport.

Departures

• Aircraft should be given the most expeditious way out of the airspace, which should be away from the IFR flow.

Flight Following

• All aircraft should remain on the tower frequency unless the route of flight will or may impede the operations of RDG TRACON while operating inside the tower's delegated portion of the Class Delta, or the aircraft will leave the tower's delegated portion of the Class Delta.

Over-flights

• Allow overflight aircraft to cross over the numbers of the active runway. Make sure to give traffic advisories as necessary.

Pattern Work

1. All aircraft wanting to perform pattern work at RDG, must be assigned left closed traffic.
2. All single engine props should be at 1,400’, twins and jets at 1,900’. Adjust these altitudes when necessary to avoid over-flights or IFR traffic flow.

TRACON

Callsign

1. Whenever a controller handles a departure, they must use the radio name “Reading Departure” when referring to themselves on frequency.
2. Whenever a controller handles an arrival or enroute traffic, they must use the radio name “Reading Approach” when referring to themselves on frequency.
3. If talking to other controllers via land line, refer to yourself as the sector name for which you are controlling.

Coordination

Procedures contained in Letters of Agreement must apply at all times unless prior verbal (or textual) coordination between facilities has been affected otherwise.

Position Combining/Decombining

Coordinate prior to combining/decombining pertinent positions within facilities with any affected controllers.

Point Outs

When using an automated point out, verbal (or textual) approval must be obtained before an aircraft may enter another controller’s airspace. An automated point out not accompanied by a verbal or textual description does NOT constitute a valid point out.

Separation Minima

Minimum radar separation between aircraft must be at least three miles (intra-TRACON) or five miles (TRACON-Center) constant or increasing when transfer of control is accomplished. Other factors such as wake turbulence separation and miles-in-trail requirements may increase this minimum.

Conflicting Flows

When the facilities for which the LOA pertains to must use conflicting traffic flows, they shall do so alternately, governed by traffic volume and delays at each airport or airspace.

Extract:LOAs-RDG