ZSE Radar Cheat Sheet

The ZSE Radar Cheat Sheet is an air traffic control reference guide covering radar separation standards, identification procedures, and communication phraseology used in the Seattle Center (ZSE) airspace. It outlines required lateral and vertical separation distances between IFR and VFR aircraft in different airspace classes, as well as rules for vectoring, handoffs, approach clearances, and wake turbulence. The document serves as a quick-reference tool for controllers managing aircraft in and around the Seattle area, including procedures relevant to operations near Sea-Tac Airport.

Notes

ZSE Radar Cheat Sheet V1.2 covering FAA air traffic control radar procedures including terminal radar separation (5-5-4) for Class B, C, D, and E airspace, enroute radar separation (5-5-4d) below and above FL600, one in/one out rule for uncontrolled fields with departure release phraseology (4-3-4), minimum altitude definitions (MVA, MSA, MIA), radar identification methods (5-3-2) including IDENT, squawk changes, 30-degree turns, position reports, wake turbulence (5-5-4f), merging targets (5-1-4), safety alerts (2-1-6), traffic advisories (2-1-21), vectoring (5-6-2), handoffs (5-4), flight following (7-6-1), pop-up IFR (4-2-8), VFR-on-top (7-3-1), speed restrictions (5-7-2), approach clearances (4-8-1), PTAC, practice approaches (4-8-11), holds (4-6-1/4-6-4), course deviation (2-6-4h), in-air refueling (9-2-13), formation flights (2-1-13), precipitation advisories, HIWAS (2-6-6), and block altitude (4-5-7g).

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