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McGuire RAPCON Airspace

McGuire RAPCON is a Terminal Radar Approach Control facility operated by the United States Air Force at McGuire AFB, located in Wrightstown, New Jersey.  McGuire RAPCON controls low-level (8000 feet and below) civilian and military IFR/VFR air traffic operations over the central portion of New Jersey. 

In the picture to the right, McGuire RAPCON airspace is outlined in red. McGuire RAPCON is one of three radar approach control facilities that control all low-level air traffic operations in the state of New Jersey. The northern portion of New Jersey is controlled by New York TRACON, and the southern portion of the state is controlled by Atlantic City Approach Control.


In the image to the left, the McGuire RAPCON airspace is outlined in blue. This airspace is divided into different sections, each one extending from the ground upwards to a different alititude. Similar lines divide the airspace further into "sectors".  Notice the blue line in the middle of the picture.  This line used to divide North Approach from South Approach when we had separate sectors for each.  Not that way anymore with decreased manning and different traffic workload.  Each sector is controlled by one air traffic controller at McGuire.  The green lines indicate routes (airways) that planes normally follow.  

The red dots are airports that McGuire RAPCON controls. These airports include: Lakehurst NAS (NEL), Trenton Robbinsville Airport (N87), Allaire Airport (BLM), Robert J. Miller Airport (MJX), South Jersey Regional (VAY), Flying W (N14), Red Lion (N73), Camden County (19N), Old Bridge (3N6), Marlboro(2N8), and Lakewood (N12) Airports.  The purple areas are restricted areas. When active, these areas are used by the military for weapons or combat training. And last, but not least, the yellow dot is McGuire AFB.  See below for a more detailed map of the airspace.


The image above is an outline of McGuire's airspace in relationship to the airspace depicted on a low altitude VFR chart.   The information in the background provides navigational information such as airways, navaids, altitudes, and frequencies for aircraft to contact different facilities on.


Here is another great map outlining the airspace the adjacent facilities own.  The airspace outlined in red is owned by New York TRACON.  They control aircraft landing at John F. Kennedy, Newark, and LaGuardia International airports among others.  To the west, in green, is the airspace owned by Philadelphia TRACON.  To the south, in yellow, is the airspace controlled by Atlantic City approach.  To the east, over the water, the airspace is owned by New York Center.  As you can see, we are right in the middle of the most congested and busiest airspace in the country.