airspace map for socal

[Keith Smith]

The VATSIM Los Angeles ARTCC site has a great page that depicts the airspace around socal (at a high level, at least). If you're a pilot, and you're interested in getting a feel for where the various areas are, that's a good place to start.

In reality, each of those areas is actually made of further sectors (ie, The Burbank, John Wayne and San Diego areas might be broken down into 3-5 additional sectors each). When traffic is light, however, the can 'combine' those tiny sectors into the larger areas that you see on this map. That is what we shoot for here on PilotEdge.

On last night's focus flight from San Diego to Burbank, for example, pilots started on 119.60 (SAN_APP), then 121.30 (SNA_APP), then LAX_DEP (124.30), etc.

As for why we give all the frequency changes, even if one controller is working it all here on PE, there are several reasons:
1) this mirrors, more or less, what a pilot would receive in real life. Pilots coming from VATSIM may be surprised at the number of frequency changes involved when flying a fast airplane without tight, TRACON airspace, but that's precisely what it's like in the real world.

2) it's not just looks. The radio system on PE models the location of the transmitters associated with these frequencies. An aircraft at low altitude near Burbank is going to struggle to be able to receive SAN_APP (119.60). Hence it's key for us to keep aircraft on the right frequencies once they're descending for their approach, if nothing else.

3) It's important for our controllers to stay sharp, treating each of the sectors as being worked by 'another guy'. That way, under high traffic conditions in the future, where we actually HAVE individual controllers working some of these areas, it will be very natural to do the hand offs and watch the sector boundaries.

[Brian Ratledge]

This morning I watched 2 of Frank Holberts Socal videos (www.160knots.com). The first one was from KAJO to KAVX. Exact same frequencies we use. Some good video of the marine layer and the arrival at AVX is great. Loved it. The second video was an eastbound flight out of KAJO and the interesting part is that he was getting his release and clearance from Chino ground. He started to explain why that was the case and then started talking to the controller again and never went back to explain why. Very interesting local knowledge.

[Keith Smith]

Thx BR. We actually had a pilot fly out of AJO here on PE, and he called CNO_GND for his clnc, too. This is similar to Lincoln Park, where you can call nearby CDW for your clearance if need be.

You're absolutely right, it's a local knowledge thing, because it doesn't appear on any approach plates, the comms section of the AFD, or the notes in the AFD.