Birmingham Departure

[Coastin]

Was down in BHM the other day and on departure I got vectors to the "departure gate". Can someone please explain to me where the departure gate is? I was always taught to never except a vector without knowing what you are being vectored to. Seemed a bit odd.

 

[BoilerPilot]

Departure Gates

Coastin,

Departure & Arrival gates are used by many terminal facilities. I am not sure where they are in BHM, but the layout varies depending on the facility and are depicted on their charts as per the SOPs and LOAs with other controlling facilities. For example, MEM uses GQE, UJM, HLI, and the LTOWN fix I believe are the general areas for the arrival gates. The departure gates are usually the corridors between the arrival gates. I don't think you will find these depicted anywhere unless you access the charts used by the facilities.

The gates are used to keep traffic separated at higher traffic facilities. That way there is more lead way for vertical spacing. It is much easier to separate traffic going only one way versus traffic going in opposite directions.

Hope this helps...

 

[Coastin]

Boilerpoint,
Thanks for the reply. I think in my 15 years of flying this is the first time I have ever been given a vector to a point I could not identify if I had a comms failure. It just seemed a bit non standard. In MEM do you give vectors to unknown locations? Or do you give the "fly heading 360 when able direct FAM"

 

[BoilerPilot]

Coastin,

It happens all of the time, but it's usually associated with a SID or DP as they are now called. I don't work in Memphis, but I know quite a bit about the area. If you are given a vector for the gate then it's usually "NXXXXX, Fly heading 270, expect on course with the center". You are right, there are some issues with lost com procedures, because there is no EFC or clearance limit in some of the clearances. If you are worried about a lost com situation feel free to ask for an EFC or a demarcation. Hopes this helps.

 

[TigerDriver]

the gates are based off of VUZ and they are a specific radial and distance, depends on which sector into ZTL airspace you are going into. Typically out the west you get IGB, HAB, or MEI. I tracked one of our flights on flightaware.com and it showed some oddball combination off of vulcan.

 

[gkrangers]

Usually the ATA/DTA (arrival and departure transition areas - gates) aren't fixed points themselves. But they are sometimes associated with an intersection or VOR.

As stated above, they are used for traffic flow and coordinating arrivals/departures between enroute and terminal facilities.

 

[BoilerUP]

This may be wrong, but I always think of it as the first or second fix on a DP...ie ELIOT out of NYC, MXE westbound out of PHL, HYK southbound from CVG, etc. Obviously smaller facilities may not have published DPs but they'll have a fix they are working you toward to get you to the center or the next facility.

If that is wrong, disregard, I'm learning from this thread too