Letter of Agreement (LOA) Between People's Republic of China Division (VATPRC) and Republic of Korea Division (VATKOR)

Revision 0

Date Issued: Jan 1, 2025

VATPRC Document Number: VATPRC-LOA-2-R0-EN

VATKOR Document Number: VATKOR-VATPRC-LOA-2

1. Purpose

This Letter of Agreement (LOA) establishes standard procedures and coordination responsibilities of air traffic control between Shenyang FIR (ZYSH), Shanghai FIR (ZSHA) of the People's Republic of China Division (VATPRC) and Incheon FIR (RKRR), Pyongyang FIR (ZKKP), of the Republic of Korea Division (VATKOR).

2. Cancellation

This document supersedes any agreements previously established in verbal or written form between VATPRC and VATKOR.

3. Scope

3.1

The information contained herein are supplementary to the rules established under VATSIM regulations, Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) used in the real world.

3.2

While such regulations shall generally be strictly followed on the VATSIM network, in some circumstances, exemptions or modifications to the real-world regulations are necessary due to operational need in an online environment. Such deviation shall be discussed in this document.

4. Disclosure

Both parties shall make this Letter of Agreement available for public access on their respective official websites. The information contained herein is for the exclusive use on the Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network (VATSIM) only. Under no circumstances shall such information be used in the real world, including but not limited to, real-world air navigation or real-world air traffic control.

5. Language

This Letter of Agreement is officially and originally prepared and documented in the English language. Both parties are encouraged to translate this LOA into Korean and/or Simplified Chinese for reference purposes, but this is optional. The English version of this LOA shall always prevail, and future revisions to this LOA shall be based upon the English version.

6. General Procedures

6.1

Unless otherwise stated or coordinated, all transfers must be completed 10NM before the FIR boundary.

6.2

The separations between handovers need to be in accordance with the horizontal and vertical separations specified in ICAO Doc 4444.

6.3

There are differences between Mainland China's flight levels and international flight levels. To avoid this difference affecting traffic, all AGAVO, GOLOT, TOMUK handovers must be in meters and completed within Korea and all LAMEN handovers must be in feet and completed within Mainland China.

7. Control Airspace definitions

7.1 Mainland China ATC

7.1.1 Shanghai ACC

• Position: ZSSS_CTR; Callsign: Shanghai Control
• When Shanghai ACC Center sector (ZSSS_C_CTR) is online, aircraft shall be handed off to this sector instead.
• In the absence of ZSSS_CTR and ZSSS_C_CTR, the Shanghai FIR controller (ZSHA_CTR) shall be responsible for this sector.
• PRC_FSS (Callsign: Beijing Control) shall be responsible for Shanghai ACC above S0780(F256) (not incl.) when none of the Shanghai ACC controllers are online.
• The horizontal boundary of Shanghai ACC is shown in Figure 7.1
• Handoffs to Shanghai ACC shall be made in the following order:
  • ZSSS_C_CTR -> ZSSS_CTR -> ZSHA_CTR -> PRC_FSS (Above S0780/F256)

Figure 7.1: Shanghai ACC Sector

7.1.2 Dalian ACC

• Position: ZYTL_CTR; Callsign: Dalian Control
• In the absence of ZYTL_CTR, the Shenyang FIR controller (ZYSH_CTR) shall be responsible for this sector.
• PRC_FSS (Callsign: Beijing Control) shall be responsible for Dalian ACC above S0780(F256) (not incl.) when none of the Dalian ACC controllers are online.
• The horizontal boundary of Dalian ACC is shown in Figure 7.2
• Handoffs to Dalian ACC shall be made in the following order:
  • ZYTL_CTR -> ZYSH_CTR -> PRC_FSS (Above S0780/F256)

Figure 7.2: Dalian ACC Sector

7.2 Korea ATC

7.2.1 Incheon ACC

• Position: RKRR_CTR ; Callsign: Incheon Control
• RKRR_A_CTR (Callsign: Incheon Control) shall be responsible for all Incheon FIR when none of the Incheon ACC or Daegu ACC controllers are online.
• The horizontal boundary of Incheon ACC is shown in Figure 7.3
• Handoffs to Incheon ACC shall be made in the following order:
  • AGAVO: RKDA_1_CTR (above FL295) or RKDA_2_CTR (below FL295) -> RKDA_W_CTR -> RKDA_CTR -> RKRR_A_CTR
  • LAMEN: RKRR_6_CTR (above FL335) or RKRR_7_CTR (below FL335) -> RKRR_S_CTR -> RKRR_CTR -> RKRR_A_CTR

Figure 7.3: Incheon FIR Sector (basic operation)

7.2.2 Daegu ACC

• Position: RKDA_CTR ; Callsign: Daegu Control
• RKRR_A_CTR (Callsign: Incheon Control) shall be responsible for all Incheon FIR (including Daegu ACC) when none of the Incheon ACC or Daegu ACC controllers are online.
• The horizontal boundary of Incheon ACC is shown in Figure 7.4
• Handoffs to Daegu ACC shall be made in the following order:
  • AGAVO: RKDA_1_CTR (above FL295) or RKDA_2_CTR (below FL295) -> RKDA_W_CTR -> RKDA_CTR -> RKRR_A_CTR
  • LAMEN: RKRR_6_CTR (above FL335) or RKRR_7_CTR (below FL335) -> RKRR_S_CTR -> RKRR_CTR -> RKRR_A_CTR

Figure 7.4: Incheon and Daegu FIR Sector (Phase 2 operation)

Figure 7.5: Incheon and Daegu FIR Sector (Phase 3 operation)

Figure 7.6: Incheon and Daegu FIR Sector (Phase 4 operation)

7.2.3 Pyongyang ACC

• Position: ZKKP_CTR ; Callsign: Pyongyang Control
• ZKKP_CTR (Callsign: Pyongyang Control) shall be responsible for all Pyongyang FIR.
• The horizontal boundary of Pyongyang ACC is shown in Figure 7.7

Figure 7.7: Pyongyang FIR Sector

8. Routing Requirement

8.1

All direct cross-border flights are strictly forbidden.

8.2

Aircraft departing from Pyongyang FIR (ZKKP) to all airports in Beijing FIR (ZBPE) and Shenyang FIR (ZYSH) shall use GOLOT route, except landing ZBTJ and ZYTL.

8.3

Aircraft departing from Pyongyang FIR (ZKKP) to all airports other than 8.2 shall use TOMUK route.

9. Handoff altitude at transfer of control points (TCP)

9.1 Shanghai ACC - Incheon ACC

9.2 Dalian ACC - Daegu ACC

9.3 Dalian ACC - Pyongyang ACC

10. Special agreement

10.1

The controlled airspace of Shanghai ACC is different from that of Shanghai FIR (shown in Figure 10.1). Shanghai ACC sector 03 is located in the Incheon FIR (RKRR). For the details, on VATSIM, the airspace of VATKOR to the east and VATPRC to the west of the LAMEN fix(124 degrees east longitude) will be defined as the airspace of VATKOR and VATPRC. To comply with the will of both divisions and avoid hotspot conflicts, VATPRC and VATKOR agreed that when Korea ATC is offline, Shanghai ACC ATC can issue the aircraft to fly directly to SADLI or IKEDO.

10.2

To further avoid hotspot conflicts, VATPRC and VATKOR agreed to replace the direct flight request of each aircraft with one-time coordination of direct flights to SADLI/IKEDO when both ATCs are online. If either ATC becomes offline, the previous coordination will be deemed invalid.

10.3

The aircraft is required to maintain level flight before the handover 10nm from TCP, and all uncoordinated altitude changes shall be prohibited. If achieving the altitude agreed upon by both divisions is impossible, an alternative altitude may be assigned as an exception. However, in such cases, the counterpart ATC must be notified if they are online.

Figure 10.1: Shanghai FIR boundary and Control Area as shown in China AIP ENR6.2.

11. Validity, Review, and amendment

11.1

This Letter of Agreement becomes valid and takes immediate effect upon the approval of the Division Director (VATPRC1) of the People's Republic of China Division (VATPRC), the Division Director (VATKOR1) of the Republic of Korea Division (VATKOR).

11.2

Should there be any changes to real-world procedures made by the local authorities, both parties shall decide whether an amendment to this LOA is necessary.

11.3

A content review of this LOA shall take at most six (6) months after this LOA takes effect. During the review, both parties shall convene to discuss the implementation of this LOA and make proper amendments to it if necessary. Subsequent content review shall take place at most every six (6) months henceforth.

11.4

Any parties wishing to amend this LOA (by adding, omitting or changing any clauses) shall contact the other party to call for an immediate review of the LOA. Both parties must reach a consensus on any amendments before they take effect. Subsequent content review shall take place at most every six (6) months henceforth.

This Letter of Agreement is approved on Jan 1, year 2025:

Appendix A: References

Aeronautical Information Publication of the Republic of Korea, published by the Korea Office of Civil Aviation.

Aeronautical Information Publication of the People's Republic of China, published by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

ICAO Doc 4444

Appendix B: Quick Reference Table

Positions on the below take over positions on the above if they are offline.