FAA Course 50148001 ERAM Lab Procedures and SOP Study Guide

Introduction and Document Scope

Purpose and Audience: These procedures are designed for developmental Air Traffic Control Specialists at the FAA Academy. The document standardizes policies and procedures for the En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) lab to ensure consistent instruction across different instructors.
Status of Supplemental Material: This document is a supplement to official sources, including FAA Order JO 7110.65, Letters of Agreement (LOAs), and Facility Directives. In the event of conflicting information, standardized policies here take precedence for the training environment.
Simulation Context: Aero Center ( $ZAE$ ) is a simulated environment. The LOAs, SOPs, and directives are fictitious and may differ from those found at field facilities.
Instructional Goals: Standardization is the primary goal to avoid the "way we did it at my facility" approach. Instruction is tailored to student needs without replacing the discretion and judgment required for safe air traffic control.

ZAE Order: En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) Procedures

Effective Date: October 1, 2009.
Aircraft List (ACL) and Departure List (DL) Management:
- A flight progress strip must be posted for any flight plan not in the computer system, nonradar aircraft, or any strip necessary for safe/efficient operations.
- The EDST $Drop Track Delete$ option must be selected during operations.
Manual Coordination and EDST Menu:
- Use the Coordination menu for manual coordination when automated coordination is unavailable (e.g., $MLU$ or $JAN$ Approach, VFR Tower, FSS).
- If a flight plan changes after using the menu, remove the yellow coding from the Coordination Indicator after action is taken.
Holding:
- Use En Route Decision Support Tool (EDST) Hold annotations for flights in hold; delete these once the aircraft is cleared from holding.
Inappropriate Altitude for Direction of Flight (IAFDOF):
- The $IAFDOF$ feature must be used in $Automatic$ mode ( $IAFDOF Manual$ must remain deselected).
Delay Reporting:
- Information must be recorded via the EDST Hold Annotations menu. If EDST is unavailable, use a facility worksheet.
Automated Information Transfer (AIT):
- $AIT$ procedures between $ZAE$ and surrounding ERAM facilities are approved as defined in local documents.

Section I: Board Management and Stripmarking

Bay Operation: Students must utilize a single-bay operation for active traffic.
Sequencing: Strips must be sequenced by time at scenario start, with the earliest time at the bottom of the bay. Stripmarking must comply with the Phraseology and Strip Marking Guide.
Departures: Students cannot clear departures directly from the Departure List. The strip must be placed in the bay before issuing the clearance.
Posting Requirements: Strips are mandatory for nonradar flights, flights not in ERAM, emergencies, and arrivals/departures at airports where $JAN$ Low provides approach service ( $KGWO$ , $KVKS$ , $0M8$ , and $KTVR$ ).
Deadwood Removal:
- Departure strip: Deadwood once the aircraft is radar identified and blocked airspace is cancelled.
- Arrival strip ( $KGWO, KVKS, 0M8$ ): Deadwood once a landing time is received and all coordination/stripmarking is complete.
- Emergency strip: Deadwood after coordination, stripmarking, supervisory notification, and frequency change to the next facility.
Responsibility: The student is responsible for board management; Radar Controllers must not pull deadwood.
Handwritten Strips:
- Required for manually passed flight plans. Must be kept up to date until entered into EDST.
- For VFR flight followings using an abbreviated message ( $VP$ ), the Radar Controller copies information on a blank strip and notifies the student.
Status Information Area (SIA):
- Written notes must be organized, legible, and unambiguous for position relief. General Information ( $GI$ ) messages (PIREPs, TMU restrictions, etc.) must be acknowledged on the EDST.
Missed Approaches (MA):
- Write "MA" under the approach name. No missed approach time is required.
- The strip stays until the aircraft is radar identified. A new strip is required for another approach or holding request.

Section II: Flight Data Management

Display Preferences: Students may display the ACL and other windows according to preference, but must ensure the team can view flight data.
Bookkeeping Box: Use a Voice Communication Indicator to show an aircraft is on frequency.
Remarks Review: Review the Remarks field before an aircraft enters Sector 66. Coordinate pertinent remarks (e.g., "REQUEST NO ROUTE CHANGES") with the R-side.
Highlighting Entries: Use highlighting for tasks that cannot be done immediately, such as pending route/altitude changes, coordination, or Point Outs where a Full Data Block ( $FDB$ ) cannot be sent. Unnecessary highlighting is an error.
Preplanning Notes: Enclose notes in the free text area with asterisks (e.g., $*note*$ ). Notes are not a substitute for situational awareness.
Grayed-out Entries: Delete from ACL only when the aircraft is no longer on frequency. Do not use the "clean up" button.
Special Posting Area (SPA):
- Use for grouped aircraft of significance (emergencies, sequencing).
- Mandatory for all arrivals to $KGWO$ and uncontrolled airports (must be placed in SPA before approach clearance).
- Mandatory for all aircraft issued holding instructions.
Altitude Information:
- Data blocks should reflect the actual clearance. Radar Controllers make entries, except for certain RA tasks.
- Interim altitudes from $JAN$ or $MLU$ Approach for departures do not require entry if they follow LOA provisions.
Fourth Line Data:
- Used for headings, speeds, and weather deviations for coordination purposes ( $FAA Order 7110.65 par. 5-4-11$ ).
- No requirement to record headings/speeds for $KJAN$ or $KMLU$ arrivals in the 4th line.
Required Remarks and Coordination:
- "FUEL" (Minimum) and "NORDO" require both remarks entries and verbal coordination.
Free Text Abbreviations:
- $CTL$ = got control; $T$ = turns; $S$ = speed; $ℓ$ = descent; $↑$ = climb; $RLSD$ = gave control.

Section III: Sector Set-Up Procedures

Instructor Tasks: Sequence arrival strips by time, open the ACL, and use the bookkeeping box for aircraft on frequency before the scenario starts.
Student Entry: Students must have headsets on and be ready at start time. Scenarios assume the sector just opened; the preview portion of the briefing is skipped.
Position Relief Process:
- View and acknowledge SIGMETs, $GI$ , weather, and altimeter info.
- Open sector $OUTAGE$ and $STATUS$ windows; notify Radar Controller when ready for briefing.
- Use $PSN$ key to record the relief briefing.
- Listen to the briefing, ask for clarifications, and give initials. Do not set up EDST until briefing is complete.
- Check radar for immediate tasks.
GPD Map Configuration:
- Sector Boundaries: Select $Ultra-Low$ and $Low$ .
- Center Boundaries: Select $ZFW$ and $ZHU$ .
- Special Activities Airspace: Select $Active$ .
- Airways: Deselect $V$ .

Section IV: General Procedures

Initial Contact: Radar Controller verifies altitude and Mode C, then dwell locks the data block. Student adds the Voice Communication Indicator to the bookkeeping box.
Blocked Airspace (HEZ Shelf): Start a track named $AOBXXX$ (where $XXX$ is the upper altitude of blocked airspace).
Full Data Block ( $FDB$ ): Maintain for all aircraft in Sector 66 or pointed out to Sector 66 if possible.
Altitude Amendments: If an altitude change allows entry into the sector (e.g., $JAN$ requests higher), update the data block with interim/assigned altitude and advise the R-side.
Block Altitudes: Cannot be compressed. Cannot move into another altitude stratum ( $AOA240$ ). Combining flight levels and altitudes (e.g., $170B180$ ) is prohibited.
Boundary Limitations: Students cannot move an aircraft into Sector 45 ( $AOA FL240$ ) for separation or reach out to previous sectors to route aircraft entirely out of Sector 66 to avoid traffic.
Readback Errors: To demonstrate consequences, aircraft must fly uncorrected clearances (e.g., if a readback of $14,000$ is missed for a $4,000$ clearance, the aircraft climbs to $14,000$ ).
RAN (Route Action Notification):
- Unrecognized routing (blue $XXX$ or $??$ ) must be corrected of computer-recognized routing and issued to the pilot.
- Embedded Route Text ( $ERT$ ) routing must be issued.
MEI 1 West MOA/ATCAA: Route conflict aircraft ( $KSTF, KTUP, KGTR, KCBM, KUBS$ ) around the northern side of the restricted area.

Section IV: Departure Procedures

Clearance Effectiveness: Effective upon termination of the call (when student gives initials).
$KVKS$ and $0M8$ Departures: Enter a Departure Message ( $DM$ ), start a track, and enter interim altitude assigned.
Void Times: Must be reasonable, typically $10-15$ minutes.
Negotiation: Negotiate altitudes with the R-side for departures if an arrival is $8$ minutes or less from the NAVAID and Sector 66 has control.
NAVAID Limitations: Routes like $KGWO..IGB$ or $KVKS..SQS$ are outside limitations for non-GNSS aircraft. Revised routing via $SQS, MHZ,$ or $SQS$ is required. For GNSS-equipped aircraft ( $/L, /V, /S, /G$ ), point-to-point is allowed up to $500$ miles between points; protect $4$ miles either side of the centerline.
Departure Clearance Order:
1. Clearance limit.
2. Correct route (including $ERT$ ).
3. Altitude (and expected altitude if requested is unavailable).
4. Beacon Code.
5. Void time (if applicable).
Clearance Delay Errors: Occurs if the clearance is not issued when available, before scenario end, when $SYD$ is available, or when an $EDC$ (Expect Departure Clearance) expires (must be max $10$ minutes from current time).
$KGWO$ Releases: Aircraft must be released to the destination airport with an assigned altitude. Use the phrase "N123C released" or "N123C released to Tulsa airport, maintain four thousand."

Section IV: Holding, Arrivals, and IAFDOF

Holding Locations:
- $SQS$ : Hold on $SQS256R$ or $SQS180R$ . Missed approaches at $KGWO$ use $SQS256R$ (requires point out to Sector 67).
- $STUEE$ : Mandatory for $MLU$ arrivals. Requires point outs to 67 and $F30$ .
Arrival Status: Must investigate if no arrival time is received. Remove Strip ( $RS$ ) after landing time or IFR cancellation.
Vertical Separation (Arrival vs. Overflight): The arrival must be moved under the overflight, or the overflight climbed above the arrival.
$IAFDOF$ Requirements: Before the boundary, identify the reason for $IAFDOF$ to the Radar Controller. Coordination with receiving controller must be finished prior to frequency change or $2.5$ miles from the boundary.

Section IV: FL180 Not Usable

Usability Logic: If altimeters are below $29.92$ , $FL180$ is not usable.
In-Sector Aircraft: Suggest a viable alternative to the R-side if $FL180$ becomes unusable.
Departures: Change and issue a usable altitude for $0M8, KVKS, KGWO$ . Example: "…EXPECT ONE SIX THOUSAND ONE ZERO MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, FLIGHT LEVEL ONE EIGHT ZERO IS NOT AVAILABLE."
Coordination: Forward the request for $FL180$ to the next intra-facility sector via interphone or 4th line. A RED W is optional on the strip.

Section IV: Control Judgment and Priority

Separation Priority: Separation is the highest priority. If lost, take immediate corrective action.
Priority Items:
- Higher: Emergencies, separation, Point Outs, handoffs, APREQs, weather requests, answering landlines.
- Lower: GPD route display, strip handling, $VP$ messages.
Control Judgment Errors:
- Separating aircraft from $SUA$ when it is inactive.
- Climbing overflights when a safe altitude already exists.
- Moving yellow alert aircraft unnecessarily.
- Unnecessarily "unabling" pilot/controller requests.

Section IV: Emergencies and Position Relief

Emergency Handling: Coordinate with sectors/facilities and inform the Supervisor. Record a red "E" on the flight strip. Obtain landing times for $KVKS/0M8$ from $ZAE FDU$ .
Trial Planning: Not required for every clearance. Accuracy degrades over time; notes in free form text are common. Do not clear an aircraft past the last fix before a $STAR$ begins.
Position Relief Briefing (End of Scenario):
- Must be complete and concise (seldom $> 5$ minutes).
- Relay SIA info, current weather (METAR), turbulence (Sector 65), and airport status.
- Brief traffic using ACL/bay; state who is on frequency.
- Brief all equipment outages (even single ones).
- Rule: Interrupt briefings only for critical activities.

Section V: Coordination General

Phraseology: Use "Request AAL121 at one five thousand." Responses: "AAL121 at one five thousand (initials)" or "AAL121, WILCO (initials)."
Communication Lines: Override (intrafacility), Dial (GWO Tower/FSS), Holler (interfacility/APCH). Never say "Call me back"; use "I'll call you back."
Handoff Sequence: Handoff must be initiated prior to verbal coordination of aircraft (except emergencies).
$DATA$ and $MISM$ :
- $MISM$ (Mismatch): Inform Supervisor.
- $DATA$ in field E: Call transferring controller, verify position, enter Track ( $QT$ ) message, and inform Radar Controller.
Supervisor Notifications: Promptly inform for destination changes, first instances of mod+ turbulence, unexpected holding, emergencies, $NORDO$ , $SUA$ changes, or NAVAID outages.
Military Changes: Solicit new ETA and fuel remaining in time. Convert fuel remaining to fuel exhaustion time ( $UTC$ ).

Section V: Point Outs and APREQs

Point Out Execution: Transfer radar identification only on aircraft told "radar contact." Data block must be "sent" and then the sector called. Complete when "point out approved" is received.
Proximity Rules:
- Sector Boundaries: Complete point out when aircraft is $25$ miles or fewer from protected airspace.
- Approach Boundaries: Complete point out when $15$ miles or fewer from protected airspace.
$APREQ$ (Approval Request): Used for action affecting next controller (e.g., $IAFDOF$ , block altitude, visual approach, non-ERAM entry). Must be performed to the correct sector with correct ACID.
Getting Control: Permission to change route/altitude of an aircraft still in or handed off from another controller's airspace. Students must be specific (e.g., "control for turns" vs "control for descent").

Section VI: Separation and Alerts

Student Alert Response: Can include changing route/altitude or giving the R-side a specific, feasible plan. The goal is recognizing conflict followed by judgment to establish separation.
Conflict Alert ( $CA$ ): Requires prompt, intelligent response. Trial planning is seldom appropriate for active $CA$ .
Altitude Changes for Separation: A total change $> 4000 $feet is an error (use reroute/vector instead). Moving an aircraft$ 4000 $feet when$ 2000 feet was available is an error.\n- **Muted Red Alerts**: Must be investigated/evaluated for situational awareness. Radar Controllers do not need to report normal altitude stops that cause muted alerts.\n- **Yellow Alerts**: Relevance must be determined. If it turns red, it must be treated as a new event, even if previously suppressed.\n- **Orange Alerts**: Investigate and formulate a resolution (altitude, reroute, or vector).\n\n# Section VII: Team Concept\n\n- **Communication**: Monitor frequencies and process info. Error occurs if student asks R-side to repeat/confirm 3+ times.\n- **Instructor Help**: Instructors (not R-sides) decide when to help. Problem pausing is common in scenarios 1-10 $, less so in$ 11-12.\n- **KSD (Keyboard Selection Device)**: Return vector lengths to the one-minute setting. Students cannot use the range feature; R-side adjusts scope range on request.\n- **HALO Usage**: Intended for judging distance, not as a reminder. Must be removed before moving to a new task. R-side must not use HALOs to point out aircraft.\n- **Clock Time**: Use calculated clock time for events (e.g., 45-minute hold message received at 1400 recorded as "HOLDING... /1445").\n\n# Appendix C: Prompting Prohibitions\n\n- **Prohibited Radar Controller Prompts**:\n - Aircraft entering adjacent airspace without coordination (Point outs, APREQs, Manual Handoffs).\n - Non-compliance with LOAs or procedures.\n - FL180 issues when altimeters are low.\n - Silent prompts (HALOs, pointing, Draw feature).\n- **Expected Radar Controller Comunication**:\n - Common information (secondary airport departures).\n - Relaying details the student missed on frequency (emergencies).\n - Manual handoffs in the event of an unknown$$ interface failure.