Briefing
Welcome to ZOB

Welcome to the Virtual Cleveland ARTCC, one of the 20 contigious ARTCCs represented in VATUSA; alongside the Pacific Control Facility. We are the smallest en-route facility by area (89,000 Mi.2) but contain a great wealth of traffic as we provide sequencing to six adjacent ARTCCs and the Toronto FIR. At the Cleveland ARTCC we hold three Class Bravo airspaces which include: Detroit (KDTW), Cleveland (KCLE), and Pittsburgh (KPIT).

We recommend that you check out our next chapter of the briefing to review some great options for departing and arriving within the Cleveland ARTCC. Our controllers appreciate any amount of traffic, and we personally invite you to fly out of our popular hubs, or not so-popular smaller controlled or uncontrolled fields.


Airport Overview


Above you will find a map that contains markers that indicate all of the controlled airports that the Cleveland ARTCC offers within our airspace boundary. Each airport is signified by their Class of Airspace, and a key and amount relevant to the map can be found below:

  • Class Bravo Field (3)
  • Class Charlie Field (6)
  • Class Delta Field (21)

Our most popular airport at the Cleveland ARTCC by numbers is Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport; followed by Cleveland-Hopkins, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo Niagara airports. There are several TRACON facilities, and two RAPCON facilities in which the Cleveland ARTCC encompasses. There is a good quantity of fields to choose from within the Cleveland ARTCC airspace.


Airport Weather

KDTW

VFR
Wind 210/10
KDTW 220453Z 21010KT 10SM CLR M18/M24 A3050 RMK AO2 SLP343 T11781239 411221178 $

KCLE

VFR
Wind 220/6
KCLE 220451Z 22006KT 10SM CLR M19/M26 A3050 RMK AO2 SLP368 T11941256 411221194 $

KPIT

VFR
Wind 300/6
KPIT 220451Z 30006KT 10SM CLR M18/M23 A3047 RMK AO2 SLP355 T11781233 410941183 $

KBUF

VFR
Wind 260/5
KBUF 220454Z 26005KT 10SM FEW045 M17/M22 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP324 T11671222 411061167

KCAK

VFR
Wind 260/3
KCAK 220451Z 26003KT 10SM CLR M21/M26 A3047 RMK AO2 SLP351 T12111256 411221211

KFNT

VFR
Wind 200/10
KFNT 220453Z AUTO 20010G17KT 10SM CLR M19/M25 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP326 T11941250 411501194

KLAN

VFR
Wind 210/13
KLAN 220453Z 21013KT 10SM CLR M20/M26 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP327 T12001261 401501200

KROC

VFR
Wind 250/8
KROC 220454Z 25008KT 10SM CLR M15/M20 A3044 RMK AO2 SNE30 SLP325 P0000 T11501200 410941167

KTOL

VFR
Wind 230/9
KTOL 220452Z 23009KT 10SM CLR M18/M25 A3051 RMK AO2 SLP349 T11831250 411281183 $

CYQG

VFR
Wind 240/9
CYQG 220400Z AUTO 24009KT 9SM CLR M18/M24 A3049 RMK SLP343

KAGC

VFR
Wind 310/5
KAGC 220453Z 31005KT 10SM CLR M18/M22 A3046 RMK AO2 SLP350 T11781222 411061183

KARB

VFR
Wind 220/8
KARB 220453Z AUTO 22008KT 10SM CLR M19/M25 A3046 RMK AO2 SLP337 T11941250 411281194

KBKL

VFR
Wind 220/11
KBKL 220453Z 22011KT 10SM CLR M18/M24 A3053 RMK AO2 SLP354 T11831244 411171183

KBVI

VFR
Wind 280/4
KBVI 220455Z AUTO 28004KT 10SM CLR M18/M24 A3047 RMK AO2 T11841240

KCGF

VFR
Wind 220/8
KCGF 220455Z AUTO 22008KT 10SM CLR M19/M24 A3051 RMK AO2 T11931243

KCKB

VFR
Wind 280/6
KCKB 220453Z AUTO 28006KT 10SM FEW043 M14/M20 A3048 RMK AO2 SNE05 SLP343 P0000 T11441200 410891228

KDET

VFR
Wind 230/11
KDET 220453Z 23011KT 10SM CLR M17/M24 A3048 RMK AO2 SLP339 T11671244 411171167

KERI

IFR
Wind 200/11
KERI 220451Z AUTO 20011KT 2SM -SN OVC019 M17/M21 A3048 RMK AO2 SNB0355 SLP338 P0000 T11721206 411111172 $

KHLG

VFR
Wind 280/7
KHLG 220453Z AUTO 28007KT 10SM CLR M17/M23 A3049 RMK AO2 SLP355 T11721228 410891178

KIAG

VFR
Wind 260/12
KIAG 220453Z AUTO 26012KT 10SM CLR M16/M24 A3044 RMK AO2 SLP335 T11611239 411001161

KJST

IFR
Wind 320/10
KJST 220454Z AUTO 32010KT 1SM -SN BR VV009 M17/M19 A3029 RMK AO2 SLP317 P0000 T11671189 411331211 $

KJXN

VFR
Wind 190/7
KJXN 220456Z AUTO 19007KT 10SM CLR M21/M26 A3043 RMK AO2 SLP333 T12061256 411441206

KLBE

VFR
Wind 270/4
KLBE 220455Z AUTO 27004KT 10SM CLR M15/M19 A3048 RMK AO2

KMBS

VFR
Wind 210/8
KMBS 220453Z 21008KT 10SM CLR M19/M26 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP318 T11891256 411441189

KMFD

VFR
Wind 240/4
KMFD 220352Z 24004KT 10SM CLR M22/M26 A3046 RMK AO2 SLP351 T12171256 $

KMGW

MVFR
Wind 310/3
KMGW 220453Z AUTO 31003KT 10SM BKN020 OVC025 M14/M18 A3048 RMK AO2 SNB0354E18 SLP350 P0000 T11391178 410891211

KMTC

VFR
Wind 220/7
KMTC 220455Z AUTO 22007KT 10SM CLR M17/M25 A3046 RMK AO2 SLP336 T11691249 411121174 $

KPTK

VFR
Wind 210/5
KPTK 220453Z 21005KT 10SM FEW055 M19/M26 A3041 RMK AO2 SLP326 LAST T11941256 410501194

KYIP

VFR
Wind 210/11
KYIP 220453Z 21011KT 10SM CLR M18/M24 A3048 RMK AO2 SLP337 T11831239 411221183

KYNG

VFR
Wind 240/4
KYNG 220451Z 24004KT 10SM CLR M21/M26 A3047 RMK AO2 SLP350 T12061261 411171211

Center Splits


Low Splits
Above you will find a map detailing our commonly-used Low-Center Splits. There are rare scenarios where we use all of these splits with extremely high-density traffic. The primary Low Center sector is ZOB 04. This sector takes control of all of the airspace when no High Sectors are present. When High-Sector splits are present; all Low-Center sectors have an airspace from SFC-FL230 (excluding C33/C31/C70/C73 which own SFC-FL270). If you are departing through a field; the Low-Center sectors will be responsible for your climbs, or any arrivals into fields via STARs, and descents through the flight level transition altitude into TRACON airspace.



High Splits
Above you will find a map detailing our commonly-used High-Center Splits. (more sectors may be open on discretion of the TMU/CiC) The scenarios where all high sector splits are utilized is usually in home, or adjacent ARTCC/FIR events where en-route support form the Cleveland ARTCC is required. The primary High Center sector is ZOB 48. This sector takes control of all of the high center airspace when no other sectors are present. The high-center sectors primarily control all descending, and climbing airspace through FL240-FL600 (excluding C37/C36/C77 which own FL280-FL600); as well as all traffic inbound or outbound through our neighboring airspaces.

Clearances

When departing out of the Cleveland ARTCC airspace there is a variety of airports that are available to you. After you have read our Overview section of the Briefing you will have known that there are four main fields:

  • Detroit-Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (KDTW)
  • Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (KCLE)
  • Pittsburgh International Airport (KPIT)
  • Buffalo Niagara International Airport (KBUF)
Each of our four main fields support both verbal, and PDC (Pre-Departure Clearance) which are available for aircraft either by choice, or in heavy traffic situations. For verbal clearances you are required to readback your squawk code at minimum, and for amendments to the route, altitude, etc. you are required to readback the amended segment of your plan, and the squawk code. For PDCs you are required to initially contact the controller handling ground/ramp movements with your assigned SID (Standard Instrument Departure), squawk code, and current ATIS information.

If you are departing out of one of our four main fields you will be most likely be assigned an available Standard Instrument Departure. Planning ahead is key in high-traffic situations and we recommend you use tools such as SimBrief or FlightAware to plan your routes, or our facility Routing page for preferred routing in our local airspace.

An example of a Pre-Departure-Clearance at Detroit with an RNAV SID can be seen below:
**PRE-DEPARTURE CLEARANCE START** | 2322 Z | CALLSIGN: AAL1236 | EQUIP: B738/L | DEP: KDTW | ARR: KMCO | SQUAWK: 4332 | APPROVED ROUTE: CLVIN2 STAZE VXV ATL YUESS OTK PIGLT6 | FINAL ALT: 34000 | ALTITUDE RESTRICTIONS: CLIMB VIA SID | DEP FREQ: 126.220 PLAN RUNWAY 22L FOR DEPARTURE. CONTACT Metro Ground ON FREQ 121.800 FOR TAXI WITH ASSIGNED SID, SQUAWK CODE, AND CURRENT ATIS CODE ONLY. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR ARE UNABLE TO ACCEPT ANY ASSIGNMENT, CONTACT ATC ON FREQUENCY 120.650 | **PRE-DEPARTURE CLEARANCE END**
When spawning in at a gate you should always run through your checklists as expeditiously as possible, and request your clearance prior to pushing back from your terminal. Prior to requesting your IFR clearance: you should tune in to the ATIS frequency for your airport, or get your METARs through the internet or EFBs. When you have the current weather you shall contact the controller handling IFR clearances, and call in with your callsign, ATIS information or weather confirmation, and your intentions to pick up your IFR clearance. (and/or request for Pre-Departure Clearance)
NOTE: You should never pushback if you will end up in the movement area (taxiways) without approval from the controller handling ground movements at your specific airport.


Pushback & Taxi

When you are ready for push and start you either are advised that push is approved at pilot's discretion, or to call for push and start. If your push has already been approved you may push at your discretion and call ready for taxi. If you are required to call for push and start approval: you must contact the controller handling ground/ramp movements, and advise you a ready for push and start. The controller handling ground/ramp movements shall give you a direction to face, or for your tail to turn towards, and approval to push onto a movement area, or a crowded ramp in heavy-traffic density scenarios.

When you are ready to taxi to the runway for departure: you shall advise the controller handling ground movements that you are ready for taxi instructions, and advise that you have the weather or ATIS information. Your instructions will include a combination of taxiways, and possibly runway crossings. If you are told to hold short of a runway you shall read these instructions lastly, and include the taxiway you are holding short of the runway. Your controller will verbally hand you off to local control once nearing or reaching the runway.

Descent

Once entering our en-route environment (refer to Overview) at the Cleveland ARTCC you will be issued a set of instructions by one of our center sectors for a variety of descent instructions into your arrival field. The following are examples of descent clearances into our four main fields:

  • DTW: "... Descend Via the FERRL# arrival, the Metro Altimeter 30.01."
  • CLE: "... Descend Via the ROKNN# arrival, the Cleveland Altimeter 29.98, Cleveland Landing South."
  • PIT: "... Cross CUTTA at and maintain 10,000, the Pittsburgh Altimeter 29.97, Pittsburgh Landing West."
  • BUF: "... Descend and Maintain 10,000, the Buffalo Altimeter 30.03, Buffalo Landing Runway 23."
Above are several examples of different descent clearances that can be issued by the en-route controllers who have authority of the center sectors. Both Detroit Metro (DTW) and Cleveland (CLE) have RNAV Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) that are utilized by pilots for their descents via Optimized Profile Descent (OPD) that are described in both the chart, and through the Flight Management Computer (FMC). Aircraft on the OPDs will most likely, if not always be issued a "...descend via..." clearance which instructs the pilot to follow the defined altitude and speed restrictions until further notice. Aircraft on OPDs may likely be descended while on the RNAV STAR; which cancels the altitude restrictions, and is known as a "hard" altitude as depicted on the chart, but still requires that you fly the lateral portion of the arrival until otherwise vectored off this profile.
NOTE: Speed restrictions on STARs are absolutely mandatory unless authorized by ATC.
Aircraft descending into Pittsburgh (PIT), Buffalo (BUF) or several of the other controlled or uncontrolled fields, you will be issued a different variety of other crossing restrictions, hard descents, or step-descents to set you up for your approach. If you are issued a crossing restriction you must meet the altitude at or before arriving at the fix laterally.
NOTE: You are not cleared to descend until ATC issues a clearance to either "descend via" a STAR, crossing restrictions, or other methods.
Regardless of whether or not you are on a STAR: you will be issued an altimeter for your arrival field, and any other information that is vital to your approach.


Approach

Upon entering the TRACON environment, or you are approaching your destination you will be issued an approach to expect. Below are examples of different types of approaches that may or may not be supported at your destination field.

  • Instrument Landing System (ILS) *
  • RNAV (GPS/RNP)) *
  • Localizer (LOC)
  • VOR
  • Visual *
One or more of these examples are available at most controlled fields in the Cleveland ARTCC, and will be assigned upon entering or nearing the approach phase of your flight. You will be most likely vectored, or depending on your approach's descriptions: cleared to a fix/waypoint, and restrictions to cross the fix/waypoint at a certain altitude to join your approach. Once you are cleared for an approach you may presume the approach based off the charts, or your FMC's approach description, or based off visual reference per a "Visual Approach". When nearing the runway you will be given clearance to land, and if required: your distance from traffic arriving on the runway, or advisory of traffic departing the field.

If absolutely required and safety is at risk: you may be issued a go-around, or missed approach, and you will be issued instructions to climb out of the field, and vectored away from the field, or you will be advised to fly the missed approach procedure as filed for your specific approach which is described on the approach chart.
* These approaches will be utilized more frequently than others, and will be more openly available. Other approaches are available upon request and chart availability.