GEN | Southend (EGMC)¶

ATC Positions¶

Callsign	Position Logon	Controller Identifier	Frequency
Southend Information	EGMC_ATIS	ATIS	136.055
Southend Tower	EGMC_TWR	ADC	127.730
Southend Director	EGMC_APP	MC DIR	128.965
Southend Radar	EGMC_L_APP	MC RAD	130.780

MC DIR is the principal radar controller, and must be open before MC RAD. When MC DIR and MC RAD operate split:

MC DIR is responsible for control of IFR inbounds/outbounds and executive coordination
MC RAD is responsible for the control of VFR traffic operating within the CTR, the provision of Southend LARS to 25 NM and any other tasks delegated by MC DIR.

The collective MC DIR and MC RAD functions are referred to as Southend APC.

VATSIMism

When Southend ATC is closed, it is covered top-down by Thames Director (THAMES_APP on 132.700). In the absence of Thames, it is covered in the following priority order:

Coordination Name	Position Logon	Controller Identifier	Frequency
TC South East	LTC_SE_CTR	TCSE	120.530
TC South	LTC_S_CTR	TCS	134.125
TC Bandbox	LTC_CTR	TC	135.805
AC Dover	LON_D_CTR	LD	134.905
AC South	LON_S_CTR	LS	129.430
AC South Central	LON_SC_CTR	LSC	132.605
AC Bandbox	LON_CTR	L	127.830

Altimeter Setting Procedures¶

All arriving and departing aircraft will operate on the Southend QNH. Aircraft remaining in the visual circuit will operate on the Southend QFE (QNH - 2 hPa).

Aircraft operating beneath the London TMA shall be passed the London (Heathrow) QNH.

The Transition Altitude is 6000 feet.

Info

From here on, unless otherwise specified, vertical references measured in feet are to be assumed as altitudes AMSL.

Runways and Instrument Approach Procedures¶

Subject to overall traffic volume, when the tailwind component is less than 5 knots the preferred runway for departures is Runway 05 and for arrivals is Runway 23. A CAT I ILS is available for both runways (identifier I-ND Runway 23/I-SO Runway 05 – 111.35 MHz).

Additionally, Surveillance Radar Approaches (SRA) are available for both runways terminating at 2 NM from touchdown. SRAs are restricted to aircraft in Approach Categories A, B and C. Example phraseology for an SRA at Southend is located in the SRA section.

Low Visibility Procedures¶

Southend is not equipped for CAT II/III operations. However, to safeguard CAT I ILS operations, LVP are enforced when the reported horizontal visibility is less than 2000 metres, or the cloud ceiling is less than 300 feet. Where available, RVR values will be passed to arriving aircraft with landing clearance and departing aircraft on start-up, with taxi instructions and take-off clearance.

During LVP:

Only Taxiways A and C are available – Taxiway D may only be used if there are no runway movements during the period that an aircraft is taxing on Taxiway D.
Any helicopter movements will be to/from the runway.
Only two aircraft will be permitted to move on the manoeuvring area at any time.
Aircraft will not be permitted to enter the runway once an arriving aircraft is 8 NM from touch-down until the landing aircraft has vacated the runway.
Final approaching spacing shall be a minimum of 10 NM.

VFR Procedures¶

VFR circuits operate at:

During the day - height 1000 ft, or height 1500 ft for aircraft weighing greater than 5700 kg
During the night - height 1500 ft for all aircraft.

The circuit direction is variable but shall typically be to the north of the airfield (i.e. Runway 23 right-hand, Runway 05 left-hand).

VFR departures may be cleared by ADC to leave the CTR not above 1500 ft via:

Runway 23 - that portion of the CTR defined from Sheerness VRP then clockwise to South Woodham Ferrers Sewage Works VRP, or
Runway 05 - that portion of the CTR defined from South Woodham Ferrers Sewage Works VRP then clockwise to Sheerness VRP.

Traffic cleared via the above routes, not above 1500 ft, shall be pre-noted to MC RAD prior to departure and assigned the Southend conspicuity SSR code 4575.

Traffic requesting requesting other routes or above 1500 ft shall require individual clearance from MC RAD and are subject to release from MC RAD prior to departure.

MC RAD should typically clear inbound traffic into the CTR via an appropriate VRP not above 1500 ft. Inbound traffic shall be coordinated with ADC (obtaining circuit joining instructions if applicable) and transferred before the ATZ boundary.

Local SSR Code Procedures¶

Circuit traffic shall squawk 7010.

Southend is assigned the local SSR code range 5051-5067. Code 4575 is the Southend conspicuity code and shall be assigned to standard VFR departures or transit traffic receiving a Basic Service.

Code 5050 is the Southend frequency monitoring code (‘listening squawk’) and traffic displaying this code should be maintaining a listening watch on 130.780 (MC RAD).

VATSIMism

On Vatsim, traffic will be monitoring MC DIR on 128.965 if MC RAD is closed.