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McGuire
RAPCON Airspace
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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. |
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