Background: On December 17, 2018, Salt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC), in collaboration with Salt Lake City TRACON, stopped issuing IFR clearances off RWY 22 at Heber Valley airport for the following reasons:

1.     Procedures and airspace configuration did not provide adequate Non-RADAR separation from Salt Lake City TRACON airspace.
2.     Procedures did not provide initial En-Route terrain separation.
3.     Conflicting Air Traffic Control (ATC) procedures/orders regarding the issuance of clearances containing a Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA).

We have taken steps to resolve ALL the issues that have prevented us from issuing IFR clearances.  Beginning May 20, 2021, ZLC will resume issuing IFR clearances off the ground to aircraft departing KHCR RWY 22.

The following is an example of the clearance you can expect to receive when requesting clearance off KHCR RWY 22:

“Cleared to the destination airport via (COOLI or NONTY) then as filed. Depart via the Heber City runway two two obstacle departure procedure, remain within five NM of KHCR. Climb and maintain one four thousand.”  Aircraft receiving this clearance are required to remain within 5NM of KHCR airport while climbing in visual conditions to cross KHCR airport at or above 11,300’ MSL.  Traffic may dictate ATC issuing other crossing restriction either over the airport or NONTY.

Additional information on VCOAs can be found in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) paragraph 5-2-9 and in the Terminal Procedures Publication (d-TPP).

Regardless of the intended direction of flight, ALL aircraft requesting to depart KHCR on an IFR flight plan will be routed over COOLI or NONTY.

Salt Lake City ATRCC has developed a Heber City Regional Airport Air Traffic Control Information Briefing (below) that details information about the KHCR airport departure procedures for both IFR and VFR flight.

HEBER VALLEY AIRPORT INFORMATION

SURROUNDING TERRAIN

Heber Valley Airport (KHCR) is located in mountainous terrain. There is no radar, ADS-B, or radio coverage below 9,500’-10,500’ MSL. The minimum IFR altitude (MIA) directly over the airport is 12,000’ MSL, with higher surrounding MIAs. Less than two miles off the departure end of runway 22 the MIA is 13,700’ (see figures 1 & 2).

SURROUNDING AIRSPACE

The Heber Valley Airport is located in the southwest corner of ZLC sector 03’s airspace. ZLC sector 03 overlies northeastern Utah and extends upward from the surface to FL600. Sector 03 is bordered by Salt Lake City Approach Control immediately to the west.

Traffic in sector 03 is primarily Salt Lake City International Airport (KSLC) departure aircraft climbing eastbound. Sector 03 has numerous overflight aircraft which often conflict with KSLC departures as they climb to altitude. Sector 03 provides enroute spacing to Denver International Airport (KDEN) landing aircraft and initial enroute descent and routing of aircraft bound for Colorado’s ski country airports.

The sector 03 controller provides approach control services for aircraft landing at the Vernal (KVEL), Heber Valley (KHCR), and Evanston (KEVW) airports.

Salt Lake City Approach airspace lies 3.6 miles west of the departure end of KHCR RWY 22 (see figure 3). To ensure non-radar separation of KHCR departures, ATC has created a “Heber Shelf” airspace which delegates Salt Lake City Approach airspace to ZLC 14,000’ and below.

SURROUNDING SIDs and STARs

Heber Valley Airport is in close proximity to Salt Lake City Approach airspace, including the KSLC RUGDD SID to the north (see figure 4) and the KSLC LEEHY STAR to the south (see figure 5). 

LOCAL AIRPORT PROCEDURES

KHCR Runway 22 is the airport’s calm wind preferred departure runway. Runway 4 is the ZLC preferred IFR departure runway.

Pilots be advised there is a potential line of sight issue affecting aircraft lined up at both ends of the runway. It is highly probable that aircraft lined up at both ends of the runway will not be able to see each other or hear each other on UNICOM.

KHCR IFR DEPARTURE PROCEDURES

KHCR has one graphic departure procedure (COOLI SIX) and a textual Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP) which is a Visual Climb Over Airport (VCOA) only procedure.

Aircraft requesting to depart IFR should contact ZLC Flight Data at 801-320-2568 for clearance. Please state what runway you will depart when calling.

All IFR departures, regardless of take-off runway or the direction to your destination airport can expect clearance via either COOLI or NONTY intersections then as filed.

Runway 4 IFR departures can expect the COOLI SID to COOLI then as filed.

Runway 22 IFR departures can expect clearance via the KHCR ODP (i.e. Cleared to the destination airport via (COOLI or NONTY) then as filed. Depart via the Heber runway 22 obstacle departure procedure, remain within 5 NM of HCR. Climb and maintain one four thousand.” Aircraft receiving this clearance are required to remain within 5NM of HCR airport while climbing in visual conditions to cross HCR airport at or above 11300 MSL.

KHCR VFR DEPARTURE PROCEDURES

This is for VFR flights or aircraft departing VFR and picking up IFR in-flight.

VFR departures to the northwest clockwise to the southeast should maintain VFR at or below (AOB) 14,500’ until clear of the RUGGD SID. (see figure 4)

VFR departures to the southeast clockwise to the southwest should remain VFR AOB 14,500’ until south of the LEEHY/SPANE STAR. (see figure 5)

CAUTION: If you are requesting flight following or plan to pick up an IFR clearance in flight, ZLC strongly cautions southbound KHCR departures to maintain VFR AOB 14,500’ and to contact ATC as soon as practicable due to the high density of air traffic converging in the vicinity of the FFU/PVU area. The sector working 133.9 is often working KSLC arrival and departure streams on multiple frequencies. Pilots should expect possible delays of several minutes or more before receiving IFR clearances in this area.

VFR departures to the west through Provo Canyon should contact Salt Lake City Approach on 128.6 ASAP. Maintain VFR AOB 12,500’ until clear of KSLC arrival/departure traffic. If you are flying south after exiting Provo Canyon, remain east of the Spanish Fork Airport (SPK) VFR below 12,500’ until clear of KSLC arrivals/departures. (see figure 6)

If you have any questions, please contact the Salt Lake District Airspace and Procedures Manager, Mark Whitney, at 801-320-2530 or mark.whitney@faa.gov.

 f you have any questions, please contact the Salt Lake District Airspace and Procedures Manager, Mark Whitney, at 801-320-2530 or mark.whitney@faa.gov.