¶ Fiume Tower
Fiume Tower is responsible for taxiway A north of runway 25 / 07 and all traffic within LIRF ATZ from GND to 2000 ft. The ATZ is surrounded by Rome CTR 1, class D from GND to 3500 ft.
The position can be split in LIRF_TWR and LIRF_E_TWR
- TWR controls runway 25 / 07, taxiway A north of the runway and runway 34L / 16R
- E_TWR controls runway 16L / 34R
¶ Runway
The main departure runway in LIRF is runway 25
Alternatively runway 16R / 34L may be requested by heavy aircraft due to climb / takeoff performance.
The main landing runway is runway 16L / 34R
Dependent and independent parallel approaches are usually carried out on runway 16L / 34R and 16R / 34L
¶ Holding point assignment
Tower will receive departing aircraft for runway 25 monitoring the frequency and holding short of B4. It is the Tower’s responsibility to make the first contact and assign the runway holding point. The assignment shall be done tactically in order to alternate ICP of departures. This allows the application of reduced runway separation minima and allows for a more expeditious flow of traffic.
Mistral 634 continue taxi to holding point BB runway 25
TORA is the same from both holding positions, in case both BB and BA need to be used simultaneously some limitations apply:
- BA maximum code D (767/A310) if code F (A388/B748) is at BB
- BB maximum code D if code F is at BA
The use of holding points BC and BD shall be avoided during high traffic situations, the use of the two positions simultaneously is permitted only for aircraft category D
Tower is also responsible for the assignment of the holding point for runway 16R / 34L and the assignment shall be done tactically as well.
The Ground Controller will hand over aircraft departing from runway 16R at holding point A for runway 25 / 07, Tower will then instruct aircraft to cross the runway once they do not interfere with departing aircraft, and clear them to the proper holding point for 16R.
¶ IFR Departures
Handoff: Departures shall be handed off to the appropriate sector as soon as it is radar identified or passing 1000 ft.
- Aircraft flying the SOSIV 5A ICP shall be handed off LIRR_TW1_APP
- All other aircraft shall be handed off to LIRR_PN1_APP or PS1_APP
Spacing: The minimum radar separation between departures is 3 NM, if Tower determines that after being airborne the performance of the successive aircraft does not allow the application of the minimum radar separation, the second aircraft shall be instructed to amend his initial climb to 1000 ft below the assigned climb of the second one (usually to 3000 ft) and then contact Roma ACC.
The following separation shall be applied based on the runway:
- Runway 25
- 1 minute for aircraft with similar performance or in case of turboprop after a jet aircraft
- 1 minute 30 seconds for consecutive departure on SOSIV5A / 6R
- 2 minutes in case of aircraft with different performance (e.g. turboprop in front of jet aircraft)
RRSM shall be applied as explained in the paragraph below.
- Runway 16L/R, 34L/R, 07
- 1 minute 30 seconds applied as standard separation
- 2 minutes in case of aircraft with different performance (e.g. turboprop in front of jet aircraft)
If approaches are being carried out on runway 16R / 34L a departure from runway 25 must not be cleared for takeoff if the aircraft on the approach has passed the 5 NM gate
Departures from runway 16R / 34L must not be cleared for takeoff if an aircraft on the approach for the same runway has passed the 4 NM gate.
¶ Separation for departures from RWY 25 and 16R / 34L
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In case of departure from runway 25 on XIBRI or SOSAK ICP, the successive departure from runway 16R can be cleared for takeoff with an amended initial climb to 3000 ft once the other aircraft has passed 3000 ft in climb.
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In case of departure from runway 25 on SOSIV, XENOL, NENIG, or SOSAK ICP, the successive departure from runway 34L can be cleared for takeoff with an amended initial climb to 3000 ft once the other aircraft has passed 3000 ft in climb.
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In case of departure from runway 16R on SOSIV, XENOL, NENIG, or SOSAK ICP, the successive departure from runway 25 can be cleared for takeoff with an amended initial climb to 3000 ft once the other aircraft has passed 3000 ft in climb.
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In case of departure from runway 34L on SOSAK, EKLOS or XENOL ICP, the successive departure from runway 25 can be cleared for takeoff with an amended initial climb to 3000 ft once the other aircraft has passed 3000 ft in climb.
¶ RRSM
Fiumicino airport allows the application of reduced runway separation minima for departing aircraft on runway 25.
For RRSM to be applied the successive aircraft must be authorized on a different ICP than the preceeding one and the flight paths of the two aircraft must be diverging. (All ICPs are considered diverging aside from NENIG5A and XENOL5A)
Takeoff with RRSM may be authorized when the preceeding aircraft is airborne and has passed a distance of at least 2400 m from the runway threshold. RRSM shall be considered the standard procedure for departures in LIRF.
The successive aircraft shall always be given traffic information about the preceeding after the takeoff clearance:
Alitalia 1213, cleared for takeoff runway 25, preceeding aircraft passing xxxx ft
In case wake turbulence is a factor or a spacing of more than 60 seconds is necessary, Tower shall revert to regular spacing.
Reduced runway separation minima shall not be used whenever independent parallel approaches are being carried out.
¶ IFR Arrivals
The minimum radar separation for arrivals is:
Tower can expect to receive aircraft no later than 8 NM from the threshold.
After landing, aircraft are expected to vacate the runway expeditiously via the high speed exits, in the case of runway 16R / 34L aircraft shall vacate after the intersection of the runway with runway 25 / 07.
Aircraft landing on 16L / 34R shall be instructed to follow “Standard 1”
Itarrow 1274, continue standard 1.
or if unfamiliar with local procedures
Airfrans 83HH, taxi via D, hold short EG and monitor ground 121.9.
Aircraft landing on 16R / 34L shall be instructed to contact W_GND.
¶ Independent parallel approaches
Whenever IPA (independent parallel approaches) are being carried out Roma ACC will inform Fiume Tower who shall provide the service of flight path monitoring to aircraft on the approach.
¶ Terminology
NOZ Normal operating zone: Area where the aircraft is expected to remain during the approach, as long as the aircraft is within the area, it is operating normally and proper separation with the parallel aircraft is being mantained. This area is represented by the green squares in the image below.
NTZ No-trasgression zone: Area located between the two runway centerlines, where a penetration by an aircraft requires the intervention of a monitoring radar controller to manoeuvre any threatened aircraft on the adjacent approach. This area is represented by the red polygon in the image below.
¶ Application
The Tower controller shall monitor the aircraft’s flight paths at all times and, should an aircraft penetrate the NTZ, he shall vector the parallel aircraft away from the intruder using a predefined heading and issue a climb to 2000 ft.
The headings to be assigned depend on the runway in use:
- 16L: 115°
- 16R: 205°
- 34L: 295°
- 34R: 025°
After having issued the climb and the vector the Tower Controller shall hand over the aircraft to the appropriate Director frequency based on the runway he was established on.
- 16L / 34R: DE_APP 131.250
- 16R / 34L: DW_APP 119.200
If an aircraft penetrates the NTZ the controller will hear the STCA warning sound and the label and track of the two interested aircraft will turn red.
The image above depicts a possible situation where two aircrafts are established on a parallel independent approach to runway 16L and 16R, IYE742 deviates from the NOZ and enters the NTZ. The Tower Controller shall act as follows:
- Issue the proper vector and climb to AZA611 who is being threatened.
Alitalia 611, turn left heading 115 immediately to avoid traffic, climb to 2000 ft
- Instruct the intruding aircraft to return to the localizer.
Yemen 742, you have crossed the localizer 16R, turn right immediately and return to the localizer 16R
- Instruct AZA611 to contact director (in this case 131.250).
In case both Tower positions are online, each Controller will monitor the flight path of aircraft on the runway of competence and issue the instructions above only to the aircraft he has on frequency.
¶ Missed approach
Should an aircraft not be able to continue the approach and the landing manoeuvre Fiume Tower shall:
- Instruct the aircraft to follow the published missed approach (unless otherwise coordinated with Roma Arrivals [TW1_APP])
- Advise of the missed approach Roma Arrivals and Roma Departures (to avoid conflicts with departing aircraft)
After a go-around the next departure is always held for release by Roma ACC unless runways 16s are in use for arrivals and the following procedures are in use:
- RWY 16R: ILS Y
- RWY 16L: ILS W
ILS Y and W are used with parallel dependent approaches, while ILS Z and X are used during IPA
Aircraft in the missed approach for the ILS Y 16R will be transferred to the departure sector at the end of the right turn, the departing aircraft will be considered released when the aircraft going missed has passed 4000 ft.
In case of aircraft going around on the ILS Z 16R, all departures are held for release by Roma ACC (departure sector who shall coordinate with the arrival sector)
In case of departures from runway 25 and arrivals to runway 16R / 34L, should the aircraft on approach perform a missed approach and a conflict with the ICP of a departing aircraft is expected, Tower may apply the following recovery procedure:
- Instruct the departing aircraft to mantain runway heading until 3000 ft, after which he may be instructed to rejoin the planned ICP
- Instruct the arriving aircraft going around to maintain runway heading and climb to 2000 ft until the departing aircraft has passed 3000 ft, after vertical separation has been achieved the aircraft may be authorized to continue to the holding pattern associated to the published missed approach.
Aircraft on the missed approach for runway 16L / 34R shall be handed off to LIRR_AET_APP
¶ LVPs
Low visibility procedures shall be activated by Fiume Tower whenever:
- RVR falls below 550 m
- Ceiling is below 200 ft
The minimum radar separation in case of CAT II/III operations changes as follows:
- Runway 16R:
- Minimum radar separation for arrivals increased to 10 NM
- In case the runway is used for LVTO separation increased to 12 NM
¶ VFR
GAT are not allowed to operate in the LIRF ATZ, Roma ACC delegates to Fiume Tower and Pratica di Mare Tower the management of VFR traffic (BAT, SAR, HEMS ecc.) in the area surrounding the two airports.
Aircraft requesting to proceed along the coastline via Ostia shall be coordinated with Roma ACC
The VRPs relevant to Fiume Tower are:
| NAME | CODE |
|---|---|
| Fiumicino | RFS1 |
| Focene | RFW1 |
| Ostia | RFS2 |
| Colombo | RFS3 |
| Ponte Galeria | RFE1 |
| Passo | RFN1 |
| SS1 Aurelia | RFNE1 |
| Spinaceto | RRS1 |
| Trigoria | RAW1 |