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Help knowing who to contact


Robert Cotey 1388680
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Robert Cotey 1388680
Posted
Posted

So I just had a very odd encounter. The controller was nice and all, but I still have a problem. I took off from a controlled airport. Apparently, KTPA is monitored and controlled by MIA_CTR.

 

The question is, how am I supposed to know that?

 

Skyvector, and Vattastic both have KTPA inside (though not by much) JAX_CTR. Every chart I can find and every listing I can google has KTPA belonging to JAX_CTR.

 

Is there some way to know, other than getting in trouble, that I am taking off from a controlled airport when all the charts say otherwise?

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Brian Wilks
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Posted

I wouldn't worry too much about an occasional occurrence such as the one you describe, Robert. As you've discovered, Tampa is a bit of an 'odd bird' nestled right on the border between MIA and JAX and I'm sure every controller at JAX or MIA Centre encounters this situation almost daily. Also, as you've discovered, they're a pretty friendly bunch and they seem to have sorted you out with no great fuss - hope you enjoyed your flight, by the way!

 

However, when flying in the USA, there are ways to double-check on who controls what airspace.

 

If you go to VATUSA https://www.vatusa.net/ and use the pull-down menu under 'Facilities' you can get a lot of information about the various regions. In this case, you'd see that KTPA isn't mentioned on the page for the JAX Facility (which would probably ring some alarm bells) and if this prompted you to check the page for the MIA Facility, you'd then see it confirmed that MIA controls KTPA.

 

Another (and probably simpler) way is to use AirNav http://airnav.com/airports/ and pull up the page for the particular airport you're interested in. At the top of the page for Tampa - under 'Airport Operations' you'll see that Miami is confirmed as the responsible ARTCC for the airport.

 

And lastly, you can search the FAA's own online Chart Supplements https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav/digital_products/dafd/search/ using the KTPA identifier. When it pulls up the information for Tampa, click on the end of the line, where it says 'Airport, Navaid list' and it will open a PDF doc with more information about Tampa than anyone could ever want ... including, in the top right-hand corner, the fact that Miami is the controlling Centre.

 

Hope this all helps.

 

Best wishes, Brian.

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Nick Warren
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In SkyVector, if you click on KTPA, not just a chart, but the actual airport information, it says it is in the Miami ARTCC. It's one of those quirky border fields. I think Miami got KTPA and Jacksonville got KMCO. Either clicking on the actual airport link in SkyVector, or looking at Airnav will provide you guidance in these cases for finding the overlaying ARTCC. In any event, and like stated above, it isn't a huge deal, and you can always reach out to the controller and ask to make sure ahead of time.

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Robert Shearman Jr
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Posted

Hey Robert --

 

rVnZjLT.jpg

 

Also, Philadelphia (KPHL) is within ZNY not ZDC, despite how it appears on most maps. The issue is that ARTCC boundaries are three-dimensional and what gets depicted on the charts and maps isn't always what's accurate down at the surface.

 

Hope that helps!

Cheers,
-R.

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Robert Cotey 1388680
Posted
Posted

It did, and I felt like an idiot.

 

Live and learn.

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Robert Shearman Jr
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It did, and I felt like an idiot.

 

Live and learn.

No need for feeling dumb. "Live and learn" is what VATSIM is all about.

Cheers,
-R.

fvJfs7z.png

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