Sondrestrom TWR
Sondrestrom Tower (BGSF_TWR) provides clearance delivery, ground, and tower control.
Delivery
Due to high terrain surrounding the aerodrome, RWY 09 is always the active departure runway, and RWY 27 is always the active arrival runway, regardless of winds. The opposite runway is available only upon pilot request.
Clearance Phraseology
Kangarlussuaq has a unique clearance format. Firstly, the met report must be given to all departures. Then, the clearance itself follows this phraseology:
[CALLSIGN], cleared to [DEST], after departure runway 27 fly runway track, passing 5300ft proceed direct [FULL FP ROUTE], RFL], [MACH if oceanic]*, [SQUAWK].
*If the flight will leave BGGL FIR and/or climb above FL285, it requires an oceanic clearance, hence the need for a Mach number.
This often makes for a very long clearance. Controllers may split the meteorological report and clearance into two transmissions, to reduce their length. Nonetheless, controllers should budget time for giving both the full clearance and the met report, as well as pilot readbacks for both.
The following is an example interaction of a full met report and clearance.
🎧 GRL418, are you ready to copy clearance and the weather?
🧑✈️ Ready to copy, GRL418.
🎧 GRL418, readback QNH only. Kangarlussuaq met report at time 50, automatic, winds 060 degrees 9 knots, visibility 10 kilometers or more, no directional variation, clouds broken at 21000ft, temperature plus one, dewpoint minus four, QNH 1014.
🧑✈️ QNH 1014, GRL418.
🎧 GRL418, correct. Cleared to Keflavik, after departure runway 09 fly runway track, passing 5300ft proceed direct GANGI, PEVAR, 66 North 35 West, SUKED, INGAN, FL330, Mach .80, squawk 3126.
🧑✈️ Cleared to Keflavik, after departure runway 09 fly runway track, passing 5300ft proceed direct GANGI PEVAR 6635N SUKED INGAN, FL330, Mach .80, squawk 3126, GRL418.
🎧 GRL418, readback correct. Report ready for push and start.
Ground
There are two main parking locations at BGSF:
- The North Apron is for scheduled passenger flights.
- The East & West Aprons are for cargo, GA, and other flights.
Otherwise, BGSF has a fairly simple ground layout. The most important thing to note is that if an arrival requires full length for landing, it will be vacating the runway from the same taxiways as departing aircraft.
Controllers may consider instructing arrivals to make a 180 and backtrack to vacate, in order to avoid coming face-to-face with departing aircraft.
Tower
Note: the BGSF CTR is cut off in the above image.
The Sondre Stromfjord Control Zone (BGSF CTR) surrounds BGSF from GND – 3500ft.
There are three visual reporting points which aircraft may follow while entering/exiting the CTR – Port Area, Musk Bay, and Sugar Loaf.
Due to BGSF's unique runway configuration (RWY 09 for arrivals / RWY 27 for departures), departures will be taking off into the arrival path. During periods with a heavy stream of arrival traffic, TWR should coordinate departures with APP to ensure adequate spacing between arrivals where aircraft can depart.