BOSTON CONSOLIDATED TRACON

The 'Boston Consolidated TRACON (A90)' is located at 25 Robert Milligan Parkway, Merrimack, NH 03054. A Terminal Radar Approach Control, or TRACON, is responsible for descending airplanes from the ARTCC and lining them up for landing at their destination airport, as well as climbing departures before handing off to the ARTCC.
The primary responsibility of the Boston TRACON is the safe, orderly, and expedicious flow of arrival, departure, and enroute traffic. A90 is responsible for one main airport, Boston Logan International Airport. Additionally, A90 is responsible for dozens of smaller but busy fields, including Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Hanscom Field, Norwood Memorial Airport, Beverly Municipal Airport, Lawrence Municipal Airport, Pease International Tradeport, and Nashua Municipal Airport.
The Boston TRACON is one of six "Large TRACONs" currently existing throughout the United States. The others include the Atlanta Large TRACON, the New York TRACON, the Potomac Consolidated TRACON, the Southern California Consolidated TRACON, and the Northern California Consolidated TRACON.

Contents

Area Breakdown

Boston Area

General

Sectors

Manchester Area

General

Sectors

The Operations Room

General

Position Layout

Area Breakdown

The Boston TRACON is divided into two Areas of Specialization. A controller will certify on all sectors in both areas (13 in total) before reaching CPC (Certified Professional Controller) status.
'''Boston Area''' - The Boston area is the busier area in A90, handling most arrival and all departure traffic from Logan International Airport and surrounding satellites. The Boston Area can open a maximum of 8 radar positions. On a normal day, however, only 5-6 positions are staffed. On the midnight shift, there is only one position open.
'''Manchester Area''' - The Manchester area is the less busy of the two areas in A90, however it still receives a large amount of traffic. Most traffic in the Manchester area is destined to the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, however there are also many General Aviation flights destined to smaller fields. Additionally, the Manchester area provides service to all training flights conducted by Daniel Webster College, which is based at Nashua Municipal Airport. The Manchester area can open a maximum of 5 radar positions. On a normal day, only 2-3 positions are open. On the midnight shift, there is only one position open.
A90 is bordered by the following facilities:

★ Providence TRACON (PVD)

★ Bradley TRACON (Y90)

★ Cape TRACON (K90)

★ Portland TRACON (PWM)

Boston Area

General

Sectors

★ Final 1 - F1 - 126.5

★
★ The primary Final sector for arrivals to Boston Logan. Most arrivals will talk to this controller before being transferred to Boston Tower. Final 1 generally owns airspace up to 6000 feet within about 8 miles either side of the final approach course in use. Depending on the runways in use, this sector may or may not be combined with Final 2.

★ Final 2 - F2 - 119.65

★
★ The secondary Final sector for arrivals to Boston Logan. This sector is only functional in certain runway configurations. Final 2 is most often used for arrivals to 22L and 4L. Final 2 generally owns airspace up to 5000 feet within about 7 miles either side of the final approach course in use. At most other times, Final 2 is combined at Final 1.

★ Initial Departure - ID - 133.0

★
★ All departures from Boston Logan will initially talk to this sector. Initial Departure issues an initial climb and turn to a departure, then hands off to either the Rockport, Plymouth, or Lincoln sector for sequence to their first fix. The altitudes owned by Initial Departure vary based on configuration.

★ Lincoln - SL - 127.2

★
★ The Lincoln sector is primarily a West Departure sector. All departures heading westbound are handed off from Initial Departure to this sector, where they are sequenced, climbed to 14,000 feet, and handed off to Boston Center (BOSOX 47 sector ). Lincoln also handles prop arrivals to Boston Logan over WOONS, descends them, and hands off to Final 1 or 2. Lincoln is always combined at Initial Departure, and is only opened for training purposes.

★ Plymouth - SM - 120.6

★
★ The Plymouth sector is primarily an arrival sector for Boston Logan arrivals over PVD, as well as a departure sector for all departures heading south. Boston Logan arrivals are handed off from Boston Center (PVD 34 sector), descended and sequenced, and handed off to Final 1 or 2, depending on the assigned runway. The Plymouth sector generally owns from above Final or Satellite airspace up to 14,000 feet.

★ Rockport - SR - 118.25

★
★ The Rockport sector is primarily an arrival sector for Boston Logan arrivals over GDM and SCUPP, as well as a departure sector for all departures heading north. Boston Logan arrivals are handed off from Boston Center (GDM 36 sector/PARSO 16 sector), descended and sequenced, and handed off to Final 1 or 2, depending on the assigned runway. The Rockport sector generally owns from above Final or Satellite airspace up to 14,000 feet.

★ Lynch - AL - 124.1

★
★ The Lynch sector is primarily a satellite sector for all airports south of Boston. The Lynch sector owns from the surface to between 2000 and 4000 feet, depending on the distance from Boston Logan airport. Lynch primarily provides services to aircraft landing and departing Norwood Memorial.

★ Bedford - SB - 124.4

★
★ The Bedford sector is primarily a satellite sector for all airports north of Boston. The Bedford sector owns from the surface to between 2000 and 5000 feet, depending on the distance from Boston Logan airport. Bedford primarily provides services to aircraft landing and departing Hanscom Field, Beverly Municipal, and Lawrence Municipal.

Manchester Area

General

Sectors

★ Tommy - ST - 127.35

★ Fitzy - SF - 124.9

★ East - SE - 125.05

★ Low - SO - 125.825

★ West - SW - 134.75

The Operations Room

General

Position Layout