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Mohammed V Approach

Airspace

Mohammed V Approach (APP) is in charge of all traffic within the Casablanca TMA as well as the Casablanca CTR and is required to offer approach control services to aircraft from the time and location at which arriving aircraft are transferred from Casablanca ACC until control is transferred to TWR, departing aircraft on specific routes are transferred from TWR until they are transferred to Casablanca ACC or until an aircraft is clear of controlled airspace.

Approach provides services suitable for approach control tasks and ensures uniform separation between Special VFR and IFR flights as well as between Special VFR flights.

CTR/TMA/CTA

APP is responsible for the Casablanca TMA, which extends vertically from FL65 to FL195 and is comprised of two subsectors: the Mohammed V CTA and the Rabat CTA, with vertical limits of 2000 ft to FL65 and 1500 ft to FL65, respectively.

Mohammed V CTA is managed by Mohammed V Approach, while Rabat CTA is managed by Rabat Approach, and, when offline, APP assumes responsibility for top-down coverage. Radar coverage in the Rabat CTA is limited; therefore, procedural separation must be applied within this airspace. The Casablanca CTR, which surrounds the Casablanca ATZ, has vertical limits defined from surface to 2000 ft.

All flight information services within the lateral limits of the Mohammed V CTA shall be provided by APP, while services within the horizontal limits of the TMA but outside the vertical limits of the Rabat CTA shall be provided by ACC.

Separation Minima

Separation between aircraft shall always be equal to or greater than the required minima. Within the TMA, excluding the Rabat CTA or any area lacking radar coverage, APP shall apply a radar separation minimum of 10 NM between all aircraft.

Departures

The initial climb shall be FL50. After departure, traffic shall contact APP. All departures shall be climbed to FL150, or to the request LVL if lower, and transferred to ACC (NOR), except for southerly departures, which shall be transferred to SOU and are to be handed off 2 minutes prior to reaching the vertical or lateral limits of the TMA.

The controller may coordinate a higher Transfer Flight Level (XFL) with ACC, up to FL190, when unable to initiate the transfer of control and communications in a timely manner, in order to support continuous climb operations and avoid level-offs. Coordination is required and should ideally be conducted via Automated Coordination Messages (TIP or HOP). Speed restrictions below FL100 may be cancelled by Approach in order to increase separation. When issuing deviations off track are required, APP shall ensure departures are above MRVA or are able to maintain visual separation from the terrain.

Rabat (GMME)

Departures to Rabat on the ESALA route shall be transferred descending to FL70 when reaching ESALA, as they approach the lateral limits of the Rabat CTA. Arrivals to Rabat that do not transit the Mohammed V CTA shall be transferred directly to GMME and released, subject to the discretion of ACC. Top-down coverage shall be provided by APP if Rabat Approach is offline, with arrivals transferred when approaching the TMA in stack along airways, descending to FL70 in accordance with MEA.

The initial climb for Rabat departures is FL60. However, where possible, GMME departures should always be accommodated for further climb by coordination with adjacent sectors. Typically, at least FL100-FL130 shall be approved for sequential departures climbing in stack of 2000 ft respectively, to avoid level-offs and minimise time spent outside radar coverage. If transiting the TMA to EAS, departures shall be coordinated climbing FL240. Alternatively, if all parties agree and traffic permits, departures may be approved unrestricted.

Rabat departures are automatically released when climbing and transiting the TMA, where outside the horizontal limits of the Mohammed V CTA. NOR provides the departure release and coordinates with APP for southbound departures climbing into the horizontal limits of the Mohammed V CTA for airspace crossing in order to provide a shortcut. Otherwise, southbound departures shall receive delay vectors by ACC until they are above FL160 for TMA crossing within the horizontal limits of Mohammed V CTA.

Where possible, and subject to APP approval, the standard cleared level for airspace crossing is FL110 climbing, coordinated by NOR. This level may be adjusted as needed by coordination. If ACC is offline, APP assumes full responsibility for the TMA within its vertical limits, and GMME shall coordinate with APP for departure releases and handoffs.

Arrivals

Arrivals shall be transferred descending to FL160, and transfer of control shall take place no higher than FL200 when approaching the CTA boundary, or at the TMA boundary if the requested LVL is below FL160, or as otherwise coordinated. The TMA is delegated above FL160 to ACC, and traffic transiting the TMA above that level shall remain under ACC control.

Arrival separation standards are as follows:

  • 10 NM: Standard separation between arrivals.

  • Minimum 7 NM: May be applied on final when at least one of the aircraft is within 10 NM of the airport, provided that:

    • Vertical separation exists at the time of establishing,

    • Horizontal separation is greater than 7 NM at the time of establishing on final.

  • 15 NM: During LVP.

Default to 10 NM, as this is the separation minimum based on the ATS surveillance system. Use 7 NM target spacing only when the above conditions are met.

STARs

On first contact with APP, aircraft shall report callsign, cleared LVL, and assigned STAR, which should have already been issued by ACC. In the absence of ACC, the STAR must be assigned by APP. Routing should generally be as direct as possible.

Effective coordination between Casablanca ACC and Approach is essential for efficient management of arrivals into GMMN. Tactical directs are often issued early to establish a sequence, as many arrivals do not follow STARs in full. Instead, they are sequenced via various arrival points and subsequently vectored to align with final approach. Most arrivals are assigned a STAR but are typically vectored prior to reaching the IAF, or cleared direct to SLK.

Approach

ILS is the default approach type at Casablanca, with NDB used if the ILS is unavailable. If a pilot requests another type of instrument approach, it should be accommodated, as it typically has no significant impact on operations. In EuroScope, assign the corresponding STAR+APP, or just the APP, in the STAR field for the correct runway in the Traffic Management List. No further coordination is required.

If a pilot requests a visual approach, first assess whether traffic conditions allow for it. If so, clear the visual approach only when the arrival sequence can still be maintained without negatively impacting downstream traffic, and the requesting aircraft has the preceding traffic in sight. Clearing a visual approach effectively hands off control of the base turn to the pilot, limiting the controller's ability to fine-tune spacing by adjusting vectors. For this reason, visual approaches are generally only feasible during periods of lighter traffic.

Local pilots frequently request visual approaches when arriving from the north or east inbound to Runway 35, allowing for a tighter pattern and reduced track mileage.

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