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Arrivals/Approach

Coordination and Entry into Controlled Airspace

When a VFR aircraft is approaching controlled airspace (CTR), the responsible ATS unit must coordinate its arrival before handing it over. If the airspace is congested, ATC may request adjustments to the aircraft’s altitude or route or, if necessary, deny entry to ensure safe traffic management.

For VFR flights arriving from uncontrolled airspace, ATC should initiate contact with the pilot approximately 2-5 minutes before they enter controlled airspace by sending a .contactme message or other suitable notification.

Establishing Contact with a VFR Arrival

Upon initial contact, controllers must confirm the intentions of the pilot, such as:

  • Full-stop landing
  • Touch-and-go
  • Low approach
  • Other special requests

If a squawk code has not been assigned yet, ATC should provide one at this stage.

VFR Arrival Clearances

For VFR aircraft arriving via designated VFR routes, a route clearance should include:

  • The assigned VFR route
  • The runway in use
  • The QNH
  • A squawk code (if needed)
  • A request to report passing the last VRP (Visual Reporting Point)
Example Phraseology:

[CALLSIGN], follow route X for runway XX, [QNH], [SQUAWK if necessary], report passing [REPORTING POINT].

Example:

Cessna 45X, follow route 6 for runway 01, QNH 1005, report passing the Church.

For arrivals not using a VFR route, ATC should provide an appropriate clearance that includes:

  • Routing instructions (e.g., direct entry, overhead join, downwind join, etc.)
  • Assigned altitude
  • Local QNH
  • Squawk code (if required)
Example Phraseology:

[CALLSIGN], [ROUTING], [ALT], [QNH], [SQUAWK*].

(*Squawk may be omitted if already assigned.)

Traffic Management on Arrival

Before being cleared to land, VFR aircraft must establish initial contact with the appropriate controller. In high-traffic situations, ATC may instruct pilots to hold outside the airspace or orbit at a specific point until sequencing permits entry.

Once inside the circuit, ATC assigns a sequence number, which informs the pilot about their position in the landing order. For example:

"You are number three to land."

This indicates that two aircraft are ahead, and the pilot must maintain appropriate separation until cleared for final approach.

By following these structured VFR arrival procedures, controllers ensure a safe, efficient, and predictable flow of traffic into controlled airspace.

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