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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 arrival runway, and RWY 27 is always the active departure runway, regardless of winds. The opposite runway is available only upon pilot request.

For all departures from Kangarlussuaq:

  • The met report shall be given to all departures.
  • There is no standard initial climb. Traffic permitting, aircraft may be cleared all the way to RFL.
  • The standard departure instructions are as follows: "After departure runway 27 climb straight ahead, passing 5300ft proceed direct [FIRST FLIGHT PLAN WAYPOINT]..."

Note: Pilots often misunderstand the above as meaning their initial climb is 5300ft. Controllers should emphasize that 5300ft is the altitude at which the aircraft should turn off runway track while still continuing to climb, not the altitude where they should stop their climb.

As a reminder:

  • Flights leaving BGGL FIR and/or climbing above FL285 are considered oceanic, and the oceanic routing & Mach number must be included in the clearance.
  • Flights staying within BGGL FIR below FL285 are considered domestic, and the oceanic routing & Mach number may be omitted from the clearance.

Controllers may split the meteorological report and clearance into two transmissions. Nonetheless, controllers should budget time for giving both the full clearance and the met report, as well as pilot readbacks for both – the total exchange may take quite some time.

The following is an example interaction of a full met report and clearance.

🎧 GRL418, are you ready to copy the weather and your clearance?

🧑‍✈️ 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. Oceanic clearance to Keflavik, after departure runway 27 climb straight ahead, passing 5300ft proceed direct GANGI, PEVAR, 66 North 35 West, SUKED, INGAN, climb FL330, Mach .80, squawk 3126.

🧑‍✈️ Cleared to Keflavik, after departure runway 27 climb straight ahead, passing 5300ft proceed direct GANGI, PEVAR, 66 North 35 West, SUKED, INGAN, climb 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

Screenshot 2023-09-14 at 10.57.11 PM.png
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.

Missed Approaches

TWR shall instruct aircraft to follow the standard missed approach, and coordinate all missed approaches with APP prior to transferring to APP.

For aircraft unable the standard missed approach, TWR should instruct them to perform a visual climb to 6000ft to KEFOP (if on the RNP approaches) or SF NDB (if on any other approach.) Alternatively, TWR may coordinate radar vectors with APP.

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