ENR 1  General rules and procedures

ENR 1.5   Holding, approach and departure
procedures

1. General
 
1.1Holding procedures
 
Holding shall be accomplished in accordance with the latest edition of ICAO Document 8168 – Procedures for Air Navigation Services – Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS). Standard holding procedures have been prescribed, and if the procedures are requested by the pilot, the Belize air traffic service unit shall specify the holding procedure to be followed. In Belize the holding fix established is that over the Belize VOR/DME or upon request at VOR radial(s) and/or VOR/DME position. All holdings must remain within ten miles radius unless otherwise authorized by Belize ATC.
 
All turns in the standard holding patterns are to be made to the right. Turns are to be made at rate 1 (3 degrees per sec) or with 25 degrees of bank whichever requires the lesser bank. Aircraft holding at speeds in excess of 170 knots will therefore generally turn at less than 3 degrees per second. Holding patterns should be entered and flown at or below the following indicated airspeeds:
 
LEVELNORMAL CONDITIONSTURBULENT CONDITIONS
Up to and including 14,000 ft. 170 kts (Cat A/B)
230 kts (Cat C/D/E 		170 kts (Cat A/B)
280 kts (Cat C/D/E)
Above 14,000 ft. up to and including 19,000 ft.240 kts280 kts or 0.8 mach. whichever is less.
 
The length of outbound leg may be specified by time and should be 1 minute up to and including 14,000 ft. and 1½ minutes above 14,000 ft.
 
Pilots are required to adjust both heading and timing whilst entering and flying holding patterns to allow for known wind in order to keep the aircraft flight path within the holding area.
 
If for any reason a pilot is unable to conform with any of the procedures or limitations for a particular holding pattern, he is to inform Belize ATC as soon as possible. Deviation from the procedures may take an aircraft outside the holding area, with consequent possible loss of terrain clearance or separation.
 
Altitudes at holding facilities will be assigned so as to permit aircraft to approach in their correct order. Normally the first aircraft to arrive over a holding facility should be at the lowest altitude with following aircraft at successively higher altitudes/levels.
 
If a pilot reports that he is unable to comply with approach control holding of communication procedures, alternative procedures requested by him should be approved if traffic conditions permit.
 
The holding patterns overhead the BZE VOR/DME are described in AD (Instrument approach charts).
 
2. Approach sequence
 
The approach sequence shall be established in a manner which will facilitate arrival of the maximum number of aircraft with the least average delay. However, priority in the approach sequence is to be given to certain aircraft as indicated.
 
When aircraft are given a time at which to leave the specified aerodrome holding facility, the departure time will be passed sufficiently in advance to permit the pilot to arrange his flight path accordingly.
The first aircraft will descend from the lowest level of the holding stack and commence approach when instructed. The second aircraft in the approach sequence may be instructed to descend to the level previously occupied by the first aircraft after the first aircraft has reported vacating it. If, however, severe turbulence is known to exist, the instruction will be withheld until the first aircraft has reported at least 1000 ft below the vacated level. The second aircraft may be instructed to leave the holding facility and descend for approach when:
 
  1. The required separation has been established between it and the preceding aircraft or
  2. When the preceding aircraft has:
 
  • Reported that it is able to complete its approach in VMC; or
  • Has been sighted by and is in communication with Aerodrome Control and a reasonable assurance exists that a normal landing can be accomplished.
 
3. Departing aircraft
 
Air Traffic Control clearances issued by Belize ATC shall specify any or all of the following:
 
  1. Turn after take off.
  2. Track to be made good before turning into desired heading,
  3. Initial altitude and/or level to fly,
  4. Time, point and/or rate at which changes of altitudes and levels are to be made.
 
Some of these instructions will be given by Aerodrome Control on behalf of Approach Control.
 
Outbound clearances issued by the Merida or Central America (CENAMER) ACCs may not take into account the need for separation from any inbound aircraft which have passed the release point of over flying aircraft. The responsibility for separation rests with Belize Approach Control once it is under this Unit’s responsibility.
 
Outbound clearances issued before inbound aircraft pass the release point will take into account the need for separation of traffic.