Southern California TRACON (SoCal TRACON or SCT, radio communications: SoCal, SoCal Approach, SoCal Departure) is a terminal radar approach control (TRACON) facility in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, California, that serves the

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...

region. It is a unit of the Air Traffic Organization (ATO) of the

Federal Aviation Administration The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...

(FAA). Southern California TRACON is the busiest approach control facility in the United States. In 2024, SoCal handled 2,212,674 aircraft operations, handling more aircraft than 11 of the 22 area control centers in the United States.

Area breakdown

SCT serves the following major Southern California airports (in order of volume, Class B & C), in addition to many surrounding satellite airports. *

Los Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles and its Greater Los Angeles, surrounding metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of California. LAX is located in the Westchester, Los Angeles, Westcheste ...

- LAX -

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

John Wayne Airport John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

- SNA -

Costa Mesa Costa may refer to: Biology * Rib (Latin: ''costa''), in vertebrate anatomy * Costa (botany), the central strand of a plant leaf or thallus * Costa (coral), a stony rib, part of the skeleton of a coral * Costa (entomology), the leading edge o ...

Long Beach Airport Long Beach Airport is a public airport northeast of downtown Long Beach, California, Long Beach, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is also called Daugherty Field, named after local aviator Earl Daugherty. The airport was an ...

- LGB -

Long Beach Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

* San Diego International Airport - SAN -

Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar) is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force. It is located in Miramar, a commu ...

- NKX - San Diego *

Hollywood Burbank Airport Hollywood Burbank Airport is a public airport northwest of downtown Burbank, in Los Angeles County, California, United States.. Federal Aviation Administration. effective November 9, 2017 The airport serves Burbank, Hollywood, and the norther ...

- BUR -

Burbank Burbank may refer to: Places Australia * Burbank, Queensland, a suburb in Brisbane United States * Burbank, California, a city in Los Angeles County * Burbank, Santa Clara County, California, a census-designated place * Burbank, Illinois, ...

Ontario International Airport Ontario International Airport is an international airport east of downtown Ontario, California, Ontario, in San Bernardino County, California, United States, about east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino. It is ow ...

- ONT -

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

SCT is broken down into six areas and a Traffic Management Unit: * Burbank Area: Responsible for BUR, VNY, & WHP * Del Rey Area: Responsible for SMO, LAX, TOA & HHR departures * Los Angeles Area: Responsible for LAX & HHR & SMO arrivals * Coast Area: Responsible for SNA, LGB, FUL, TOA & SLI * San Diego Area: Responsible for SAN, NKX, NZY, NFG, MYF, SEE, SDM, RNM & CRQ * Empire Area: Responsible for ONT, AJO, PSP, RIV, SBD, RAL, CNO, EMT, & POC Each area has five or six individual sectors that are worked by controllers. SoCal TRACON is responsible for the handling of aircraft departing and arriving these airports, generally below . SCT is responsible for sequencing inbound, separating from crossing and VFR traffic, and departing traffic. Separation is achieved by vectoring traffic and assigning altitudes.

Sectors

Area 1 (Burbank)

* Moorpark - 1M - 128.750 * Valley - 1V - 124.600 * Woodland - 1W - 134.200 * Filmore - 1F - 120.400 * Glendale - 1X - 135.050 * Pasadena - 1J - 119.850

Area 2 (Los Angeles)

* Downey - 2D - 124.900 * Stadium - 2U - 128.500 * Zuma - 2Z - 124.500 * Feeder - 2F - 124.050 * ILS Monitor 25 - 120.950 * ILS Monitor 24 - 133.900

Area 3 (Empire)

* Norton - 3N - 127.000 * Pomona - 3P - 125.500 * March - 3M - 119.250 * Riverside - 3I - 135.400 * Hemet - 3V - 134.000 * Springs - 3S - 126.700 * Desert - 3D - 135.275

Area 4 (Coast)

* Pacific - 4P - 128.100 * Tustin - 4T - 121.300 * Beach - 4B - 125.350 * Harbor - 4H - 127.200 * Maverick - 4A - 133.850 * Shore - 4S - 124.100

Area 5 (San Diego)

* North - 5N - 125.300 * South Bay - 5Z - 125.150 * East - 5E - 124.350 * West - 5W - 119.600 * Del Mar - 5D - 127.300 * Miramar - 5M - 132.200

Area 6 (Del Rey)

* Katalina - 6K - 127.400 * Laker - 6L - 134.900 * Malibu - 6N - 125.200 * Manhattan - 6S - 124.300 * Newport - 6X - 134.350

References

Air traffic control in the United States Aviation in California Transportation in San Diego County, California Transportation in Los Angeles County, California {{aviation-org-stub