ATS.TR.255 Operations on parallel or near-parallel runways

REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR INDEPENDENT PARALLEL DEPARTURES

(a)Parallel runways may be used for independent instrument departures as follows:

(1)both runways are used exclusively for departures (independent departures); or

(2)one runway is used exclusively for departures while the other runway is used for a mixture of arrivals and departures (semi-mixed operation); or

(3)both runways are used for mixed arrivals and departures (mixed operation).

(b)Independent IFR departures should only be conducted from parallel runways when the conditions listed below are met:

(1)the runway centre lines are spaced by a minimum distance of 760 m (2 500 ft) (as also specified in CS ADR-DSN.B.055 ‘Minimum distance between parallel instrument runways’ in EASA ED Decision 2014/013/R ‘Certification Specifications and Guidance Material For Aerodromes Design’, as amended);

(2)the nominal departure tracks diverge by at least:

(i)15 degrees immediately after take-off; or

(ii)10 degrees where:

(A)both aircraft are flying an RNAV or RNP instrument departure; and

(B)the turn commences no more than 3.7 km (2.0 NM) from the departure end of the runway;

(3)a suitable ATS surveillance system capable of identification of the aircraft within 1.9 km (1.0 NM) from the end of the runway is available; and

(4)ATS operational procedures ensure that the required track divergence is achieved.

REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR INDEPENDENT PARALLEL APPROACHES Independent parallel approaches should only be conducted to parallel runways when the following conditions are met:

(a)separate air traffic controllers are responsible for the sequencing and spacing of arriving aircraft to each runway;

(b)as early as practicable after an aircraft has established communication, the approach control unit advises the aircraft that independent parallel approaches are in force;

(c)the following ATS surveillance criteria are met:

(1)for runway centreline spacing less than 1 310 m (4 300 ft) but not less than 1 035 m (3 400 ft), an ATS surveillance system with:

(i)a minimum accuracy as follows:

(A)for SSR, an azimuth accuracy of 0.06 degrees (one sigma); or

(B)for MLAT or ADS-B, an accuracy of 30 m (100 ft);

(ii)an update of 2.5 seconds or less; and

(iii)a high-resolution display providing position prediction and deviation alert;

(2)for runway centreline spacing less than 1 525 m (5 000 ft) but not less than 1 310 m (4 300 ft), provided that it is determined that the safety of aircraft operations is not adversely affected, an ATS surveillance system:

(i)with performance specifications equal to or better than:

(A)for SSR, a demonstrated minimum accuracy of 0.3 degrees (one sigma); or

(B)for MLAT or ADS-B, a demonstrated performance capability equivalent to or better than the SSR requirement;

(ii)with an update of 5 seconds or less;

(3)for runway centreline spacing of 1 525 m (5 000 ft) or more, a surveillance system with:

(i)a minimum SSR azimuth accuracy of 0.3 degrees (one sigma), or for MLAT or ADS-B, a demonstrated performance capability equivalent to or better than the SSR requirement; and

(ii)an update of 5 seconds or less;

(d)the instrument approach procedure that aligns the aircraft with the extended runway centre line is one of the following:

(1)a precision approach procedure;

(2)an approach with vertical guidance (APV) designed using the RNP AR APCH specification where:

(i)the RNP value for B, and the RNP value for C, if that segment of the approach is within the horizontal separation minimum of a parallel approach, does not exceed one quarter of the distance between runway centre lines (A) (see Figure 51); and [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.](ii) the RNP value for B, and the RNP value for C, if that part of the approach is within the horizontal separation minimum of a parallel approach, does not exceed (A-D)/2 (see Figure 51);

Figure 51: Distance between centre lines, NTZ and NOZ

(3)an APV procedure designed using either the RNP APCH or RNP AR APCH navigation specification, provided that:

(i)an appropriate documented safety assessment has shown that an acceptable level of safety can be met;

(ii)operations are approved by the competent authority; and

(iii)the instrument approach is demonstrated to protect the NTZ from infringement during normal operations;

(e)the nominal tracks of the missed approach procedures diverge by at least 30 degrees;

(f)an obstacle survey and evaluation is completed, as appropriate, for the areas adjacent to the final approach segments;

(g)aircraft are advised as early as possible, of the assigned runway, instrument approach procedure and any additional information considered necessary to confirm correct selection;

(h)the final approach course or track is intercepted by use of either:

(1)a published arrival and approach procedures that intercept with the IAF or the intermediate approach fix (IF); or

(2)vectoring, provided that:

(i)the final vector meets the following conditions:

(A)enable the aircraft to intercept at an angle not greater than 30 degrees;

(B)provide at least 1.9 km (1.0 NM) straight and level flight prior to the final approach course or track intercept; and

(C)enable the aircraft to be established on the final approach course or track in level flight for at least 3.7 km (2.0 NM) prior to intercepting the glide path or vertical path for the selected instrument approach procedure;

(ii)when assigning the final vector, the aircraft is advised of:

(A)the runway to which the approach is being made;

(B)its position relative to a fix on the final approach course or track;

(C)the altitude to be maintained until established on the final approach course or track, to the glide path or vertical path intercept point; and

(D)if required, clearance for the appropriate approach.

(i)an NTZ at least 610 m (2 000 ft) wide is established equidistant between extended runway centre lines and is depicted on the ATS surveillance system situation display;

(j)a minimum of a nominal 300 m (1 000 ft) vertical separation or, subject to ATS surveillance system capabilities, a minimum of 5.6 km (3.0 NM) horizontal separation is provided between aircraft on adjacent approaches until the aircraft are established inbound on a final approach course or track, or on an RNP AR APCH approach, and within the normal operating zone (NOZ);

(k)a minimum of 5.6 km (3.0 NM) horizontal separation, or a minimum of 4.6 km (2.5 NM) horizontal separation if so determined in accordance with point (a) of ATS.TR.215, is provided between aircraft established on the same final approach course or track, unless increased longitudinal separation is required due to wake turbulence;

(l)the approaches to each runway are monitored with an ATS surveillance system by separate air traffic controllers (referred to as monitoring controllers) different than those in point (a) above for each runway, or, if determined by a safety assessment and approved by the competent authority, by a single monitoring controller for no more than two runways:

(1)on dedicated radio channels, or when no such channels are available to the monitoring controller until landing, it is assured that:

(i)transfer of communication of aircraft to the respective aerodrome air traffic controller’s channel is effected before either of the two aircraft on adjacent final approach tracks intercepts the glide path or vertical path for the selected instrument approach procedure; and

(ii)the air traffic controller(s) monitoring the approaches to each runway are provided with the capability to override transmissions of aerodrome control on the respective radio channels for each arrival flow;

(2)so that when the nominal 300 m (1 000 ft) vertical separation is reduced:

(i)the applicable minimum longitudinal separation between aircraft on the same final approach course or track is maintained; and

(ii)aircraft do not penetrate the depicted NTZ by issuing instructions as follows:

(A)when it is observed that an aircraft overshoots the turn-on or continues on a track which will penetrate the NTZ, the aircraft is instructed to return immediately to the correct track; or

(B)when an aircraft is observed penetrating the NTZ, the aircraft on the adjacent final approach course or track is instructed to immediately climb and turn to the assigned altitude/height and heading (break-out procedure) in order to avoid the deviating aircraft. Where parallel approach obstacle assessment surfaces (PAOAS) criteria are applied for the obstacle assessment, the monitoring controller (see below in point (f)) should not issue the heading instruction to the aircraft below 120 m (400 ft) above the runway threshold elevation, and the heading instruction should not exceed 45 degrees track difference with the final approach course or track;

(3)the monitoring is provided until:

(i)separation as stipulated in point (b)(1) of AMC3 ATS.TR.210(c)(2) is applied, provided the established procedures ensure that monitoring controllers are advised whenever such separation is applied; or

(ii)the aircraft has landed, or in case of a missed approach, is at least 1.9 km (1.0 NM) beyond the departure end of the runway and adequate separation with any other traffic is established;

(m)the meteorological conditions under which independent parallel approaches are suspended for runway centre lines which are spaced less than 1 525 m (5 000 ft) are defined by the air traffic services provider and approved by the competent authority.

REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR DEPENDENT PARALLEL APPROACHES Dependent parallel approaches should only be conducted to parallel runways when the following conditions are met:

(a)separate air traffic controllers are responsible for the sequencing and spacing of arriving aircraft to each runway;

(b)the runway centre lines are spaced by 915 m (3 000 ft) or more;

(c)the final approach course or track is intercepted by use of:

(1)vectoring; or

(2)a published arrival and approach procedures that intercepts with the IAF or the IF.

(d)an ATS surveillance system with a minimum SSR azimuth accuracy of 0.3 degrees (one sigma), or for MLAT or ADS-B a performance capability equivalent to or better than the SSR requirement can be demonstrated and an update period of 5 seconds or less is available;

(e)the instrument flight procedure that aligns the aircraft with the extended runway centre line is one of the following:

(1)a precision approach procedure;

(2)an APV procedure designed using the RNP AR APCH navigation specification, provided that the RNP value for B, and the RNP value for C if that segment of the approach is within the horizontal separation minimum of a parallel approach, does not exceed one quarter of the distance between runway centre lines (A) (See Figure 52);

(3)an APV procedure designed using the RNP AR APCH navigation specification that does not meet the provisions in point (2) above or an RNP APCH, provided that:

(i)an appropriate, documented safety assessment has shown that an acceptable level of safety can be met; and

(ii)operations are approved by the competent authority; [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.] Figure 52: RNP value and distance between centre lines

(f)aircraft are advised that approaches are in use to both runways;

(g)the nominal tracks of the missed approach procedures diverge by at least 30 degrees;

(h)the approach control unit has the capability to override the frequencies used by the aerodrome control tower;

(i)a minimum of nominal 300 m (1 000 ft) vertical separation or a minimum of 5.6 km (3.0 NM) horizontal separation is provided between aircraft until established on the final approach courses or tracks of parallel approaches;

(j)the minimum horizontal separation to be provided between aircraft established on the same final approach course or track is 5.6 km (3.0 NM), or 4.6 km (2.5 NM) horizontal separation if so determined in accordance with ATS.TR.215, unless increased longitudinal separation is required due to wake turbulence;

(k)the minimum horizontal separation to be provided diagonally between successive aircraft on adjacent final approach courses or tracks is:

(1)3.7 km (2.0 NM) between successive aircraft on adjacent final approach courses or tracks more than 2 529 m (8 300 ft) apart (See figure 53); or [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.] Figure 53: Diagonal separation for distance between centre lines greater than 2 529 m (8 300 ft)

(2)2.8 km (1.5 NM) between successive aircraft on adjacent final approach courses or tracks more than 1 097 m (3 600 ft) but not more than 2 529 m (8 300 ft) apart (see Figure 54); or [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.] Figure 54: Diagonal separation for distance between centre lines greater than 1 097 m (3 600 ft) but less than or equal to 2 529 m (8 300 ft)

(3)1.9 km (1.0 NM) between successive aircraft on adjacent final approach courses or tracks more than 915 m (3 000 ft) but not more than 1 097 m (3 600 ft) apart (see Figure 55). [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.] Figure 55: Diagonal separation for distance between centre lines greater than 915 m (3 000 ft) but less than or equal to 1 097 m (3 600 ft)

REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES FOR SEGREGATED PARALLEL OPERATIONS Segregated parallel operations should only be conducted on parallel runways when the following conditions are met:

(a)the runway centre lines are spaced by a minimum of 760 m (2 500 ft) (see Figure 56). Such minimum may be decreased by 30 m for each 150 m that the arrival runway is staggered toward the arriving aircraft, to a minimum of 300 m (see Figure 57), and should be increased by 30 m for each 150 m that the arrival runway is staggered away from the arriving aircraft (see Figure 58); [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.](b) the nominal departure track diverges immediately after take-off by at least 30 degrees from the missed approach track of the adjacent approach (see Figure 56);

Figure 56: Segregated parallel operations [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

Figure 57: Segregated parallel operations where runways are staggered [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.] Figure 58: Segregated parallel operations where runways are staggered

(c)the instrument flight procedure that aligns the aircraft with the extended runway centre line is one of the following:

(1)precision approaches and/or APV (RNP AR APCH, RNP APCH);

(2)surveillance radar approach (SRA);

(3)visual approach; and

(d)a suitable ATS surveillance system and the appropriate ground facilities conform to the standard necessary for the specific type of approach in point (c) above.

Guidance material relating to operations on parallel or near-parallel runways is contained in ICAO Doc 9643 ‘Manual on Simultaneous Operations on Parallel or Near-Parallel Instrument Runways (SOIR)’.