Airspace

Currently we have two (2) types of controlled airspace in the game.

Deois

Deois has what is very similar to an Enhanced Class B airspace (37km laterally and 5.5km vertically) with a procedural area (where the menus start appearing) at 55.5km and 18.25km respectively.

Speed limit is 125 m/s IAS. Air Traffic Control cannot clear you to go faster.

Choosing Approach or Departure

Choose the controller according to where your flight is going, not simply whether you are taking off or landing.

• Approach Clearance: Use Deois Approach when your destination is inside Deois controlled airspace. This includes a flight whose origin and destination are both inside the airspace, such as flying from an east colony pad to a west colony pad or a district landing zone. Select the appropriate local destination when asked for your intentions.
• Departure Clearance: Use Deois Departure when leaving Deois controlled airspace. The EAST and WEST departure choices describe the direction in which you intend to leave the terminal area; they are not the choices for a local flight between Deois landing sites.
• Transition Clearance: This is intended for a flight passing through Deois controlled airspace with both its origin and destination outside the airspace. It is not intended for a local flight or for departing from a Deois landing site. As of October 24, 2026, this menu option is displayed but is not implemented. Selecting it does not obtain a clearance to enter the airspace.

Local flights still need takeoff or dustoff clearance. When starting on the ground in controlled airspace, contact the appropriate controller, state your destination, and wait for explicit takeoff or dustoff clearance before lifting off. Selecting Approach, making initial radio contact, or hearing "radar contact" is not a takeoff clearance.

If you selected Departure but intend to land somewhere else inside Deois airspace, use Flight Options > Change Destination and select the local landing destination. ATC can then handle the flight with Approach. Follow the new instructions and acknowledge them.

Personnel

Shifts lengths can be up to 10 hours. Controllers must not work more than 6 consecutive days.

• Veena Russell - SATCS (retired)
• Swathi Patel - SATCS (active)
• James Garrett - SATCS (retiring October 3!)
• Lee Bush - ATCS (starting October 4!)
• Julie Williams - ATCS (started 6-18-2249)

Procedures

Arrivals

• LHEED ONE
• RUSTY ONE
• FLEET TWO and MUVER FOUR

Approaches

• ILS 36

Airport

• Airport Diagram

Runway incursions

Tower's runway protection areas in the Port District. Click the thumbnail for the full diagram. This is a layout guide, not a live traffic display or a map of surveyed hold lines.

A runway incursion occurs when an aircraft or ground vehicle enters or occupies the runway without appropriate clearance or interferes with an authorized runway operation. Even an aircraft that has landed normally can keep the runway occupied until it has vacated completely.

Tower is responsible for the Port District runway and its taxiway entry and exit areas. Hold short means keeping the entire aircraft clear of the runway, including its nose, wings and tail. Being on the frequency or hearing "radar contact" does not authorize runway entry or takeoff. Wait for the appropriate clearance, and keep ground vehicles clear of the runway during flight operations.

Automated monitoring rollout: As of October 25, 2026, the runway-occupancy checks described below are implemented but awaiting deployment and in-game verification.

The surface check includes aircraft that have not contacted ATC, aircraft whose ATC service has ended, and ground vehicles. It checks the vehicle's footprint and whether its movement is about to carry it onto the runway. Aircraft parked on the ramp or waiting on the parallel taxiway do not block the runway unless their footprint or projected movement reaches it.

• Departures: Tower can instruct an aircraft to hold short, or hold position if it is already on the runway. A waiting takeoff clearance can be cancelled when an obstruction appears. Wait for a fresh clearance after the runway is clear.
• Arrivals farther out: Tower can allow the approach to continue while withholding landing clearance, explaining that traffic is on or approaching the runway. "Continue approach" is not a landing clearance.
• Close or already-cleared arrivals: If the runway becomes obstructed, tower can instruct the aircraft to go around. Follow the missed-approach instructions and acknowledge subsequent vectors.
• Takeoff already underway: An aircraft moving quickly on its takeoff roll or already airborne receives a traffic caution rather than an automatic stop instruction.

This protection covers runway use. A separate ground-control service for ramp movements and taxi routes is planned for later.

Departures

• CARGO FOUR
• PRIMA ONE

Docks

The docks have what is similar to a Class C airspace except that it is a sphere around the facility with a 20km procedural zone and a 18.5km perimeter.