Welcome to the Federal
Aviation Administration's
New York Community
Engagement video series.
This video is the second in a series
and will provide a basic explanation
of how the FAA's
air traffic control system
works in the New York area.
This video explains the New York Airspace
and flight procedures
with a focus on the LaGuardia
Airport "TNNIS" departure
procedure and aircraft operations
at LaGuardia Airport
and John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Runway selection
at each airport is determined
from several factors.
Wind direction, weather
and runway availability conditions
are determining factors.
There are also operational considerations.
Airports in the New York airspace
operate dependently upon each other
due to their proximity.
Therefore, when one airport changes
its runway configuration,
other airports may also need
to change the runways in use.
Air Traffic Controllers ensure
airplanes are safely separated
while maintaining
an efficient flow of air traffic.
Accomplishing this task is complex,
labor intensive and requires
great precision.
The New York - New Jersey Metro Area
includes more than 50 airports,
including Newark Liberty
international airport,
John F. Kennedy international airport
and LaGuardia airports.
LaGuardia Airport has two runways:
Runway 4/22 and Runway 13/31.
Aircraft that depart
Runway 13 fly the runway
heading of 130 degrees,
then turn north or south,
based on the flight procedure used.
Aircraft that depart Runway 13
must turn in order to maintain separation
from JFK air traffic,
including arrivals
on a straight approach on Runway 22 left
and/or Runway 22 Right.
Maintaining separation ensures aircraft
maintain required safe
distances from each other,
vertically or laterally.
A flight procedure is a predetermined
route in the sky
that keeps flights clear of obstacles
and terrain, providing safe
passage through the skies.
When used in combination
with other procedures,
It may also safely segregate
air traffic flight paths from each other.
Conventional navigation procedures
use radio frequency signals
generated from ground-based equipment.
Satellite-based navigation
called area navigation or RNAV,
allows an aircraft
to use virtual navigational waypoints.
The aircraft's flight management system
adjusts for flight conditions
to keep aircraft on track.
The use of satellite-based procedures
ensures aircraft make use
of precision flight paths
which are automatic,
safe, and predictable.
Conventional and
satellite-based departure
procedures are both used
for Runway 13 at LaGuardia.
Conventional procedures
such as the Flushing
and Whitestone climbs,
turn aircraft to the north,
while the Coney and Maspeth
climbs turn aircraft southbound.
Satellite-based or RNAV procedures,
include the TNNIS climb
that turn aircraft to the north,
and the GLDMN and NTHNS climbs
the turn aircraft to the south.
These satellite-based
procedures are "overlays"
of the conventional procedures
which provides better
flight path precision
and predictability.
This allows for enhanced
procedural separation between aircraft,
which also increases safety.
These procedures can be used
at any given time
based on runway configuration,
wind direction, and operational needs.
Air traffic control uses
all climbs to maximize
operational efficiency,
which reduces delays and disperses noise
when LaGuardia is not restricted
to TNNIS departures.
Prior to 2007,
the majority of aircraft at JFK
were primarily either arriving
or departing at one time,
called arrival or departure banks.
Between 2007 and 2012,
airlines seeking to serve
passenger demand
that could not be served at LaGuardia,
began scheduling
additional flights at JFK.
As a result, JFK air traffic
increased considerably,
and aircraft started arriving
and departing at the same time
creating a "rush hour" in the sky.
Aircraft rush hours are
managed by ground delay programs:
holding aircraft on the ground,
at airports across the country,
until there is room
to put them into the sky.
Just like a parking lot,
airports eventually fill up,
so ground delay programs
can only manage aircraft volume
up to a certain point.
In response to these operational demands,
the TNNIS departure procedure
was first implemented
in 2011 for aircraft
departing from LaGuardia.
Often called the "Tennis climb",
this procedure allows aircraft
departing on Runway 13
to turn north while maintaining
the safe separation
of LaGuardia departures
from JFK arrivals.
This process of separation is referred
to as deconfliction.
Before the TNNIS procedure,
aircraft departing
from LaGuardia on Runway 13
and turning north
would use the Whitestone
or Flushing Climbs.
These conventional procedures
do not provide the added
safety enhancements
that RNAV procedures provide,
thereby requiring additional
air traffic controller guidance
to maintain
Historically, the TNNIS
climb was designed
as an overlay of the Flushing climb
which allowed aircraft
to depart LaGuardia using Runway 13,
while JFK arrivals were landing
Runway 13 using the ILS.
The original TNNIS overlay
was used in the same manner
as the Flushing Climb:
When JFK is using the ILS
Runway 13 Left approach.
During match play at the
US Open by agreement
with the city of New York.
When strong winds
make the Whitestone climb inadvisable.
Once implemented,
it was apparent that
this more predictable
satellite-based route
had operational benefits
for both LaGuardia and JFK airports.
To help deconflict LaGuardia
and JFK traffic,
and manage the rush hour in the sky,
FAA then added the use of the TNNIS climb
when JFK uses one of the following
runway configurations:
When aircraft are using
the ILS Runway 22 Left for arrivals
and Runway 22 Right for departures.
When aircraft are using
the ILS Runway 22 Left for arrivals
and Runways 22 Right
and 31 Left for departures.
When aircraft are using
the ILS Runways 22 Left
and 22 Right for arrivals
and Runway 22 Right for departures.
When aircraft are using the ILS Runways
22 Left and 22 Right for arrivals
and Runways 22 Right
and 31 Left for departures.
When aircraft are using
the ILS Runways 22 Left
and 22 Right for arrivals
and Runway 31 Left for departures.
Over the years, the TNNIS
climb has enhanced
both safety and efficiency.
LaGuardia and JFK airports share
an airspace called
the Belmont airspace.
This airspace is shared
between controllers
working LaGuardia airplanes
and/or JFK airplanes,
depending on the airport configuration.
When aircraft are landing at JFK,
on a straight approach, on Runway
22 Left and/or Runway 22 Right,
the Belmont airspace belongs to the JFK
air traffic controllers.
LaGuardia departures
cannot enter the Belmont airspace.
The TNNIS climb is the only procedure,
for aircraft turning north,
that ensures LaGuardia departures
from Runway 13 remain
clear of the Belmont airspace.
Without use of the "TNNIS" procedure,
aircraft would not be able
to depart LaGuardia on Runway 13
while JFK arrivals
were landing on a straight approach,
on runway 22 left and or runway 22.
This would mean aircraft
would stay on the ground
longer waiting to depart,
causing delays, and pushing
aircraft departures and noise
into nighttime hours.
Arriving aircraft would be delayed,
using a ground delay program
from entering the New York airspace
causing a domino effect of delays
at other airports
throughout the National Airspace System.
Air Traffic Control will continue
to use the TNNIS and other procedures
to safely and efficiently
manage the New York Airspace.
The FAA is continually
looking for ways
to engage with the community,
airlines, and pilots
to manage the effects of noise
on surrounding communities
while maintaining the safest
air traffic system in the world.
Flight procedures
and separation standards
are used to maintain
the safe and efficient
flow of aircraft in the air
and on the ground.
This video provides a basic understanding
of how flight procedures work
in the New York
and New Jersey metro airspace.
For more information
and additional videos
about the New York Airspace,
please visit our website.