EFHK arrival

[Pavel Kostrofff]

Hi to all,

trying to start flying with ATC in Europe and have some questions:

1. If we have ATC Approach available then when should we call them? From some FL or distance? If it's differs then how it is in EFHK?

2. Read EFHK charts: when we initial contact Approach we tell everything what is written there. I always thought that the structure of ATC is Euro control-Control (Radar)-Approach-Tower-Ground. But next phrase tells us about changing Helsinki Radar to Arrival. What is Arrival and what is the situation when Radar turns you not to Approach. 

Sorry if this questions have been discussed, my English is not so good to find it in forum.

Best regards.

[Koen Meier]

Answer to Q1: one option is to wait for a contact me. 

answer to Q2: usually having a look at the approach charts can tell you the frequencies with the name. both Helsinki Radar and Helsinki Arrival are both approach controllers.

Picture below gives more detail. i dont know the full finland ATC system but to me Helsinki radar is the station that handles you in the first stages of the approach, you can see it as the lower airspace areas. Arrival does the main sequencing onto the arrival runway where the station hands you over to the tower.

 

[Pavel Kostrofff]

Thanks for your answer

[Krister Larsen]

Q1: I usually contact ATC prior the start of the STAR. Have'nt experienced any problem by doing that in North Europe.

Q2: Out of what I understand, Helsinki Radar is the approach unit. If the traffic amount is high, Helsinki Arrival will open and handle the final approach to final and Radar will handle the inital approach. You will find them with theese callsigns on VATSIM (if I remember it correct):

EFHK_E_APP: Helsinki Radar
EFHK_F_APP: Helsinki Arrival

 

If you have any more questions regarding EFHK, I recommend you to visit our pilot site, witch can be found here: https://vatsim-scandinavia.org/pilots/airports-charts/airport/efhk/

Hope it did clearify 

Edited April 14, 2020 at 10:37 AM by Krister Larsen
Changed Helsinki Radar to EFHK_E_APP

[Pavel Kostrofff]

3 hours ago, Krister Larsen said:

Q1: I usually contact ATC prior the start of the STAR. Have'nt experienced any problem by doing that in North Europe.

Q2: Out of what I understand, Helsinki Radar is the approach unit. If the traffic amount is high, Helsinki Arrival will open and handle the final approach to final and Radar will handle the inital approach. You will find them with theese callsigns on VATSIM (if I remember it correct):

EFHK_APP: Helsinki Radar
EFHK_F_APP: Helsinki Arrival

 

If you have any more questions regarding EFHK, I recommend you to visit our pilot site, witch can be found here: https://vatsim-scandinavia.org/pilots/airports-charts/airport/efhk/

Hope it did clearify 

Thanks, Krister. Almost cleared for me now. Will research your site. Welcome to our Vatrus.

Pavel

[Christian Kovanen]

4 hours ago, Krister Larsen said:

Q1: I usually contact ATC prior the start of the STAR. Have'nt experienced any problem by doing that in North Europe.

Q2: Out of what I understand, Helsinki Radar is the approach unit. If the traffic amount is high, Helsinki Arrival will open and handle the final approach to final and Radar will handle the inital approach. You will find them with theese callsigns on VATSIM (if I remember it correct):

EFHK_APP: Helsinki Radar
EFHK_F_APP: Helsinki Arrival

 

If you have any more questions regarding EFHK, I recommend you to visit our pilot site, witch can be found here: https://vatsim-scandinavia.org/pilots/airports-charts/airport/efhk/

Hope it did clearify 

@Krister Larsen You have it somewhat incorrectly.

There is no such station as EFHK_APP (although this may be used as a relief callsign in case of a controller change). There is also no such station as EFHK_F_APP.

@Pavel Kostrofff

When to contact Helsinki Radar

Normally you will receive a contact me message so you don't have to worry about this. EFHK TMA is up to FL 285 and covers quite a large area. If you are gonna fly inside the TMA you need to contact Helsinki Radar. The first waypoints of all STARs are just outside the TMA (At the CTA area border that is controlled by Helsinki Radar from FL 65 to FL 95 and above that by Helsinki Control). You would want to contact Helsinki Radar at least 10 - 15 nm before the first waypoint of a STAR.

 

"HELSINKI RADAR" EFHK_E_APP & EFHK_W_APP

EFHK_E_APP is the primary station that will, most likely, be online and will in the absence of other stations cover the whole EFHK TMA. If EFHK_W_APP and EFHK_E_APP, are online the TMA is split in half between them. Both of these stations use the callsign "Helsinki Radar".

This would be the split with EFHK_E_APP and EFHK_W_APP online at the same time.

 

"HELSINKI ARRIVAL" EFHK_A_APP & EFHK_R_APP

In the event of large amounts of traffic or parallel approaches being used, it may be necessary to have more radar controllers online to split the load more effectively. EFHK_A_APP and EFHK_R_APP are the "final" controllers that will vector aircraft to the ILS or whatever approach is in use. Arriving traffic will first contact Helsinki Radar (EFHK_E_APP or EFHK_W_APP) and will, later be transferred to Helsinki Arrival at 5000ft, or as otherwise coordinated, for the approach by ATC. Departing traffic will never contact Helsinki Arrival. If parallel approaches are in use, regulations require all 4 radar stations to be manned. During normal high traffic events, you would typically only have EFHK_E_APP and one of the Helsinki Arrival stations online. EFHK_A_APP and EFHK_R_APP use the callsign "Helsinki Arrival".

[Pavel Kostrofff]

Thank you, my friends. Yesterday visited EFHK (arrived from UUEE, then departured to ESSA). Your ATC is very professional!

[Krister Larsen]

On 4/13/2020 at 2:36 AM, Christian Kovanen said:

@Krister Larsen You have it somewhat incorrectly.

There is no such station as EFHK_APP (although this may be used as a relief callsign in case of a controller change). There is also no such station as EFHK_F_APP.

Oh my, bad. Thanks for the correction😅