Call Ins?

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nute

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Hello all,

LDRS34 will be my first "big" launch, and my first time really flying high. How do call-ins work? are there specific windows, or do you get a group of people to coordinate a given time, or...? Is there a set # there can be, etc. This is all new to me, so I'd appreciate any insight :)

Thanks,
Nate
 
They try to group them up. Bill will chime in with details I'm sure.

How high are you going?
 
Thanks Dave, Our waiver is 23,500 but the FAA does not keep the area "clear" to altitude all day long. We can fly from the ground to a certain altitude all day long with out bothering them for "call ins" That altitude will be determined by them each day depending on air traffic above and around us. For the flyers you each day you let us know you want to fly to X high. when your ready we group high flight together and coordinate with the FAA to open a window to X altitude. Not a big deal just an extra step for the LD.
 
Thanks guys, I'm looking at just about 15k, which sounds like it's right on the line between call in or not, so I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. I'll probably be flying that first thing Friday, if possible.

Thanks,
Nate
 
Just let the guys at Safety check know how high your sim says.
 
The ATC system is divided into 2 levels: low altitude sectors from ground level to 18 kft. MSL , and high altitude sectors from 18 kft. MSL to 60 kft. MSL, and every sector has a different set of controllers which may be located in a different physical location.

A basic rule of the ATC system is maintaining a vertical separation of 2 kft. vertical and 3 nm horizontal between air vehicles. If you request a waiver of 16 kft. MSL or lower, the high level ATC has no need to know of your activities and life is easier as you normally only have to deal with one ATC control center. That ATC will issue a NOTAM for your activities and vector all IFR flights around your location. Once you need to exceed 16 kft MSL, the high altitude ATC sector controller must also get involved. This is the high speed air travel corridor where airliners typically travel at 600 mph (10 miles per minute) so ATC must look out over 250,000 square miles to see what might be traveling thru your section of the airspace within the next 30 minutes. This is the reason why high altitude launch windows are typically limited to 20 minute windows for flight clearances over 16 kft. It takes several minutes for the sector controller to determine which flights will be influenced by your launch activities and will have to be diverted around it, and then it will take several more minutes to redirect those flights. As the controllers sight line is only a few hundred miles, he most likely does not know what's coming into his control region more than 30 minutes ahead of time so that determines your call-in waiver window.

For Potter (~1 kft MSL), the low level ATC sector is Rochester and the high level ATC sector is Cleveland. Rochester continually maintains horizontal AC separation during LDRS operating hours for launches to 15 kft AGL, and Cleveland will maintain high latitude separation for defined 20 minute launch windows on request during LDRS for launches between 15 kft. to 23 kft. AGL.

Bob
 
Thanks guys, I'm looking at just about 15k, which sounds like it's right on the line between call in or not, so I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. I'll probably be flying that first thing Friday, if possible.

Thanks,
Nate

Hey Nate me too!! I plan on flying Aurora first thing Friday morning to about 19,000'. Good to know there will be someone else ready for a call in :)
 
Bob you are going to force me to learn how to read!

We will let you know each day what the FAA says about call-ins. Just try to keep them under 18K make it easier.
 
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