Overview and General Rules

New Zealand has seven Enroute Sectors, six of which can be staffed routinely on the network. This section provides detailed information on how to run each sector's operations, and lists some nuances that may be associated with them.

VATNZ Controllers are able to staff all six permanent Enroute Sectors at once, in a situation known as Extended Services. You can find out more about Sector Inheritance and Extended Services here.

General Rules of Thumb for ENR

This section outlines some general rules for Enroute Controllers. More specific rules for each sector can be found on the individual sector pages.

STARs

Generally, if an aircraft's destination is in a bordering sector, you should ensure that a STAR clearance has been issued. In most cases a STAR clearance will be issued by the sector immediately before it's destination sector.

Altitude Management

In most cases aircraft should cross an ENR border either at their RFL, or in climb to their RFL.

If an aircraft requires a descent into an ENR sector, they can be descended to FL200 if northbound, or FL190 if southbound without coordination from the next sector.

If an aircraft requires a descent into a TMA or Procedural TWR sector, they can be descended to that airspace's Upper Limit without coordination from the that sector.

Direct Routing

Aircraft should never be routed directly to a fix that is outside of your sector without coordination first.

Enroute sectors may clear an aircraft directly to a ENR boundary fix without coordination, provided that they fly on an established airway thereafter.

Enroute sectors may clear an aircraft directly to a TMA STAR boundary fix, provided they have then been cleared to track by the STAR thereafter. Additionally, an aircraft may be cleared direct to a point on the STAR, provided that it has been coordinated, and they have been told to rejoin the STAR thereafter.