Super Bowl 2007 at ZMA - Scenery Update & TFR

[Tom Seeley]

Hello Everyone:

 

The Miami ARTCC will be the host for the 2007 Super Bowl event on Feb. 3, 2007. This is one of the largest events of the year, and promises to be very busy. There will be a TFR in effect for Miami airspace, and everyone who intends to fly in the area that day is highly encouraged to consult and adhere to its restrictions. It is available here:

http://zmaartcc.org/index.php?id=139

 

In addition, the Miami ARTCC airspace has undergone numerous changes that are not reflected in the default Flight Simulator, whether FS9 or FSX. The Miami staff has prepared two BGL files that will update your Flight Sim to include the new fixes. Updating with this data will enable you to fly our new STARs and DPs, and it will help lessen the frustration of controllers dealing with old and new procedures. It is available for download here:

http://www.zmaartcc.org/[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ets/files/FS9_RNAV.zip

http://www.zmaartcc.org/[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ets/files/FSX_RNAV.zip

 

Please take care to download the file appropriate for your software: FS9 or FSX. It installs easily, and each file contains a readme to aid with installation.

FS2002 compatibility is not guaranteed.

 

All the charts for the new procedures are available through myairplane.com. If you know you do not have the new scenery, just advise our controllers, and they will do their best to accommodate you.

 

In addition, we have made a file available on our website to update your scenery for KMIA which added a new runway over a year ago, and changed the designations of several others. This is a constant source of difficulty for those flying into Miami with the default scenery, and we highly recommend updating with this small file. You can download it here:

http://www.zmaartcc.org/[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ets/files/AF2_KMIA.zip

 

If you experience any difficulties, our forums are always available for help.

Thanks for flying with us!

Edited January 26, 2007 at 12:12 AM by Guest

[Nicholas Bartolotta 912967]

I remember last year I was in a hold for OVER an hour and a half coming into Detroit! You know it's a good event if you get a hold, but it's a great event if that hold lasts more than 15 min! Looking forward to see how you guys do down in the warmer region, Tom!

[Ross Carlson]

The year before that, going into Houston during the Superbowl event, I was in two different holds, the first one nearly an hour, and the second one about half an hour. The controller ended up taking planes out of the hold based on fuel remaining ... I didn't have much fuel, so I was one of the first out of the second hold. On my final approach I was getting low fuel warnings, and then some joker decides to connect to VATSIM right on the runway and take off. I had to go around again, and by the time I touched down, I was on fumes. In other words, it was great fun!

 

Looking forward to this one.

[Brian Beach 915973]

Yeah, I was DTW_E_GND last year, was fun! Now I get to hop on CTR at my convienience, too bad the Superbowl isn't in ZOB again!

[Victor Sussman 911965]

Whoa -- and the Scramble's visiting MIA on that day too, so I'll head in from or out to Toronto. Eep -- I hope my computer is up to the challenge!

 

Incidentally -- how are you going to handle the time slot clearance exemption to the TFR? Or are you just going to suggest rerouting to avoid the issue altogether?

[Keith Smith]

You know it's a good event if you get a hold, but it's a great event if that hold lasts more than 15 min!

 

Can't say I buy that one. If there's minimum separation between the guy ahead of me and behind me on final, now we're talkin'...but as a controller and a pilot, holds going into controlled fields are not a good sign. With enough planning (ie. specified miles in trail separation for each stream) and teamwork, they shouldn't happen (barring a big decline in weather.)

 

What is the purpose of the TFR? We've seen IFR slot reservations used in the past, and that makes sense, I guess. This TFR, though, will stop someone, say, flying up and down the beach under VFR where they may not have been talking to anyone in the first place.

 

Deny flight following requests if you're busy, by all means, but shutting down the airspace completely seems harsh. What am I missing?

[Travis Faudree 821145]

...but as a controller and a pilot, holds going into controlled fields are not a good sign. With enough planning (ie. specified miles in trail separation for each stream) and teamwork, they shouldn't happen (barring a big decline in weather.)

 

But then you have the 2 airplanes that some 2nd tier sector allowed to mosey on along their route of flight within 6 miles of each other until they reach the ZMA sector. And then they have 2 different weather programs, interpolating the winds aloft different ways, both using different pilot clients, one of which is measuring ground speed based on movement across the ground, and the other based on what the sim is displaying, and one misses a speed or turn instruction due to lost voice packets.

 

...holds don't seem so unreasonable now.

 

Trust me, our ARTCC has mandated MIT separations from adjacent centers...but for some reason, the TRACONs within that ARTCC don't get the memo, and they do just like normal and launch aircraft with the absolute minimum separation.

[Victor Sussman 911965]

Deny flight following requests if you're busy, by all means, but shutting down the airspace completely seems harsh. What am I missing?

 

Security and noise maybe? I think ZMA is just trying to emulate their real world counterparts which is where the TFR came from (unless I'm missing something.)

 

Lol, as for the holds issue, you're right from an operational perspective, but I think Nick was getting at it from the novelty perspective. I remember I was involved in an event a few years back where they issued gate holds, and even though I just ended up sitting parked for a bit until the backlog was cleared, I remember thinking it was pretty neat because it was so unusual (and thankfully, short-lived, lol)

[Camilo Bernal 893284]

Gentlemen,

 

The temporary flight restriction is designed to provide equitable airspace access. It does not at any time "shuts down" the Miami TRACON.

 

the TFR in the real world was established for security reasons during the Football game, while the VATSIM South Florida TFR as an aid for both pilots and controllers. for further questions or concerns, you may contact me or Tyler Smith.

 

Pilot information packet http://www.zmaartcc.org/[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ets/files/superbowl_pilot.pdf

 

Pilot Registration is now available http://superbowl.zmaartcc.org/

 

 

Best Regards,

[Tom Ferry 942166]

Looks like a lot has gone into this event by the events team at ZMA. Should be a good event. Nice Job on the preparations ZMA.

[Thomas Flanary 835147]

4. Flight training, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, ultralight, sightseeing operations, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, and banner towing operations are not authorized during this time period.

Dare I ask?

[David Reimer 913748]

Im guessing there will be no VFR Flights in the airspace during the event lol.

 

Through If a Cessna gets in the way of my 777, Its going to be a new token on my nose wheel, or taxilite

[Rick Svatos 815046]

Tom, you must suspend alligator hunting during this event.