Chapter 5

Arrival Charts
 Chapter 5 Arrival Charts

§5.1 Introduction
§5.2 The Layout & Information of
STAR Charts
§5.3 Example
 §5.1 Introduction
Standard terminal arrival route (STAR)
procedures provide a method for leaving
the enroute structure and transitioning
into a busy or congested terminal area.
They typically terminate with an instrument
or visual approach procedures.
STAR propose:
STARs are designed to simplify arrival
procedures for pilots and air traffic
controllers by streamlining ATC
instructions for frequently used arrival
patterns.
For Example:
To illustrate how arrival procedures can be used to
simplify a complex clearance and reduce
frequency congestion, consider the following
clearance:
Cessna 1732G, cleared to the Seattle/Tacoma
International Airport as filed. Maintain 12,000. At
the Ephrata VOR, intercept the 221° radial to
CHINS intersection. Intercept the 284° radial of
the Yakima VOR to SNOMY intersection. Cross
SNOMY at 10,000. Continue via the Yakima
281° radial to AUBRN intersection. Expect radar
vectors to the final approach course.
If a STAR is published for this arrival procedure, look
at what the clearance can become:
Cessna 1732G, cleared to Seattle/Tacoma
International Airport as filed, then CHINS TWO
ARRIVAL, Ephrata Transition. Maintain 10,000 feet.
This brief transmission conveys the same information
as the longer example, while reducing the chance
for misunderstanding, and freeing the frequency
quicker.
 §5.1.1 STAR vs ARRIVAL

In most regions, "STAR" is the term used

for arrival routes, but some charts use
the term "ARRIVAL." In most cases, the
terms are considered synonymous.
However, in a few regions, a distinction is
made between a STAR and an arrival
chart.
Arrival charts represent preferred routes
approaching the airport.
There is no specific standardized arrival
route that can be filed by name on a flight
plan.
 STAR identifier

ARRIVAL identifier
 §5.1.2 Locating Arrival Charts
Arrival charts are normally filed in the
Jeppesen Airway Manual before the
departure charts for the corresponding
airport.
A white-on-black box located on the upper
right corner of the chart identifies the
chart as a STAR.
How to find a arrival chart for a particular
airport:
• Look up the city in which the airport is
located.
• Look up the airport name.
• The index number at the top of the
chart ends in "0-2" for arrival charts.
When more than one arrival chart exists for an
airport, their index numbers are listed in
alphabetic sequence.
• One or several arrival procedures may be
displayed on one chart, with the name of the
arrival listed at the top of the plan view section.
Some airports may use arrival procedures
for another airport in the area.
§ 5.2 The Layout & Information
of STAR Charts
• The Heading
• Plan View
• Heading Border
• Communications
• Transition Altitude/Level
• Restrictions
 §5.2.1.1 Heading Border
The heading border data located at the
top border of each Jeppesen arrival
chart, contains standard information to
help you quickly identify and retrieve the
proper arrival procedure.
Revised Dates Location Name

Primary Airport Name Effective Dates

Index Number
Chart Procedure
Identifier
 Chart procedure identifier
• STAR
Chart Procedure Identifier
• ARRIVAL

• LOST COMM STAR: A LOST COMM

provides arrival procedures that address
only lost communication procedures.
Location Name
Primary Airport Name
Chart Index Number
Dates
 §5.2.1.2 Communications
• D-ATIS: This symbol indicates that digital
ATIS (Automatic Terminal Informal
Service) is available for those aircraft that
have the equipment to receive it.

• *ATIS
§5.2.1.3 Transition Level and
Altitude
 §5.2.1.4 Chart Restrictions
In addition to the name of the arrival, the
chart title may include any number of
restrictions, such as:
• Type of aircraft
• Speed
• Onboard Equipment
• Ground-based Equipment
• Abatement Procedure
 Type of Aircraft

Some routes are designated specifically

for jet, turboprop, or non-turbojet
airplanes.
 Speed
Restrictions on speed are often noted in a reverse
type box with several criteria for the pilot to follow.
 Onboard Equipment
Some arrivals are designed for aircraft with specific
equipment; for example, DME, GPS, or RNAV.
Equipment required may be specified in the title, or in
this case, special procedures might be required if certain
equipment is not available.
 Ground-based Equipment
When an arrival is based on specific ground-
based equipment, it may include restrictions if
that equipment is not operative. For example, in
this chart, you only use this chart when the
Glasgow VOR is unserviceable. In this situation,
primary navigation is conducted using the
Glasgow NDB as an alternative navaid.
Abatement Procedure
 §5.2.2 Plan View

• Chart Naming and Numbering

• Orientation
• Airports
• Navaids and Fixes
• Flight Tracks
• Navigation Planning
 §5.2.2.1 Chart Naming and
Numbering
Generally, arrival procedures are named after
the first fix on the STAR .
Sometimes a plan view displays more than one
arrival procedures. When several arrivals are
named from the same fix , they are
distinguished numerically (if the procedure
name does not include a number) or
alphabetically (if the procedure name does
include a number).
Typically in the United States, transition routes
guide pilots from the enroute structure to a
specific fix in the STAR. In these cases, the
STAR name is usually the same as the last fix on
the enroute transitions where they come
together to begin the STAR.
A few arrival charts, such as the 10-2A chart
for Warsaw, are simply named “ARRIVAL
PROCEDURE,” followed by the designations
of applicable runways for the route charted.
These charts represent preferred arrival
routes approaching the airport.
With the arrival name, a number of other
important data may be listed:
• Computer code
• Arrival type
• Arrival direction
• Runway designation
 Computer Code
For airports that have computerized their route
identification for flight planning/filing purposes,
the computer code for a particular arrival
procedure is displayed in parentheses following
the route name. This is omitted when there are
no computerized routes for an airport.
 Arrival Type
The type of arrival is enclosed in parenthesis
following the name of the arrival. Arrival types
could be: PILOT NAV, RNAV, VECTOR, DME,
GPS, or LOST COMMS. For more information
about the different types of arrivals, see the
Flying an Arrival lesson later in this course.
 Arrival Direction
Many large airports have an arrival covering each
of primary directions that an aircraft might
approach an airport, such as “FROM EAST”
 Runway Designation
If an arrival applies to specific runways, these will
be listed just below the title. Otherwise , they
are specified in the plan view of the chart.
§5.2.2.2 Orientation

North arrow

Not To Scale
Arrival charts may include any of the
following types of boundaries:
• Region borders between countries or
states
• Transition level boundaries
• Special use airspace boundaries
Region Borders
Transition level boundaries
 Special Use Airspace
Boundaries
When special use areas (SUAs) are referenced in
the arrival procedure, they are charted on the
plan view. In addition to the outlined depiction for
the area, the following information may be
included:
• Identifier: The Identifier includes three items of
information: the country code (on U.S. charts the
country designation is omitted), the type of SUA
— (P)rohibited, (D)anger, or (R)estricted — and a
sequential number.
• Lower and upper limits
• Time of operation

When times of operation and limits are

omitted, refer to the corresponding enroute
chart for additional information.
 §5.2.2.3 Airports
Most arrival charts are designed for one
airport , referred to as the primary
airport. The primary airport is displayed
in the plan view by as a shaded circular
area, centered on an outlined sketch of
all active or temporarily closed runways.
When the procedure also serves other
airports, a notation is included in the plan
view lists the additional airports served.
Also, the elevations and runway information
are listed nearby the airports.
 §5.2.2.4 Navaids and Fixes
Arrival routes are defined by various navigation
facilities in the area. Typically, the arrival chart
shows all the navaids that define the route within
the plan view section of the chart.
Also, along the route, there may be designated
locations that provides a means for checking the
progress of your flight .Again ,these fixes may be
defined by their relative position to various
navaids, as well as latitude and longitude
positioning.
 Navaid

On the STAR chart, the navaid has not

the symbol of the magnetic north!
Occasionally, a chart references a navaid that
is not located on the chart . In lieu of the
navaid symbol , the plan view provides the
navaid identifier, frequency, and Morse code.
 §5.2.2.5 Flight Tracks
• Arrival Tracks
• Transition Routes
• Radar Vectors
• Holding Patterns
• Visual Flight Tracks
 Arrivals Tracks
An arrival track is depicted as bold, solid line with
a prominent arrowhead at the end of the route
segment. These tracks are typically annotated
with the following information:
• The magnetic course given as bearing from, or
to, a specific navaid. On some routes, you fly a
heading rather than receive positive course. In
this case, the letter “hdg” are printed with the
magnetic bearing.
• The distance in nautical miles. Occasionally,
the distance will also be given in DME. In
such cases, the number is preceded by the
letter D.
• The expected altitude at which you will fly
the segment. Altitudes are established above
mean sea level in feet, or , when the altitude
is preceded by the letters FL, as flight level.
Altitudes may be given as either MEAs,
MOCAs, or MAAs.
 MEA
The MEA is the minimum enroute altitude that
guarantees navigation radio reception for the
stations that define the route and least 1,000
feet obstacle clearance in non-mountainous
terrain areas. For areas with mountainous
terrain, the MEA guarantees 2,000 feet
obstacle clearance. The MEA is the most
common altitude shown on arrival charts. For
example, the MEA between the JASON and
GILBY intersections on Washington’s Jasen
Three arrival is 5,000 feet.
 MOCA
The MOCA is the Minimum Obstruction
Clearance Altitude. When this altitude is
maintained, you are guaranteed
obstacle clearance, but navigation radio
reception is only assured within 22
nautical miles of the station. MOCA
altitudes are shown in the same manner
as MEA altitudes, except that the letter
“T” follows the altitude limit.
 MAA
A maximum authorized altitude (MAA) is a
ublished altitude representing the maximum
usable altitude or flight level for an airspace
structure or route segment.
It is the highest altitude on a Federal airway, jet
route, RNAV low or high route, or other direct
route for which an MEA is designated at which
adequate reception of navigation signals is
assured.
 Transition Routes
Transition routes provided guidance from the
enroute structure to a common fix where the
arrival route begins.( They are most commonly
found in the USA)
Transition routes are depicted in the plan view with
bold , dashed line . An arrowhead located at the
end of each route segment is added for emphasis
to aid in the following the transition. Like arrival
tracks, transition routes may be labeled with
their name, distance, altitude, and bearing.
Transitions are named
with the navaid or
fix that begins the
transition, followed
by the fix where the
arrival route begins.
 Radar Vectors
When ATC provides radar vectors in the arrival
procedure, you will see a series of closely
spaced arrowheads. These symbols are
used only as a sample representation of the
route that you will fly ,and therefore do not
provide a specific course or heading. Instead,
ATC assigns you the appropriate headings
and courses as required.
Holding Patterns
Outbound Bearing

Holding Fix

Inbound Bearing

Hold altitude:
• MHA: minimum
holding altitude
• MAX: maximum
holding altitude
Leg limit :When DME
figures are associated
with a holding course
symbol, the first denotes
the location of the
holding fix. The second
figure is the outbound
limit.
 Time limit

Holding speed
limit
 §5.2.2.6 Navigation Planning
• Routing information
• Descent planning
• Lost communications procedures
• Speed limit procedures
 Routing Information
Textual descriptions, when provided, give written
details of each arrival route and transition. The
text is separated and labeled in a manner that
helps you clearly distinguish each flight track
in the procedure.
Descent Planning
 Lost Communications
Procedures
When communication with ATC are lost
while on an IFR flight, you are expected
to follow standard lost communications
procedures unless you have been
advised to expected a specific
clearance, or when other instructions
are published in a lost communications
procedures.
For many arrivals, lost communications
procedures are published in the plan view
section of arrival chart, within a cross-
hatched or “LOST COMMS” border.
In some airport, lost communications
procedures are published in the plan
view section of arrival chart, within “
” border.
If there is a individual published lost
communication procedure for a specific
airport, the STAR is displayed
individually . Meanwhile, “LOST
COMMUNICATION” is labeled nearby
the type of arrival procedures.
 Altitude & Speed Limits
Arrival charts often include speed limit
restrictions or procedures for all or parts of
the arrival procedure. when the speed
limits apply to the entire procedure, the
limit is typically part of procedure title, as
shown here. In this case, no matter where
on the procedure you are, if you are below
10,000feet,you have a max IAS of 250
knots.
FRANKFURT/MAIN Airport
In other cases, speed limits may simply
be annotated to the portion of procedure
to which they apply.
Finally, some speed limits are included as
a boxed procedure.
 §5.3 Example
• Flight Planning for Arrivals
• Flying a Standard Arrival
• Flying an RNAV Arrival
• Flying with Lost Communications
• Flying a Visual Arrival
 §5.3.1 Flight Planning for
Arrivals
Flight planning for arrivals offers different
scenarios that might occur at the flight
planning stage and ways ATC might
respond to a flight plan.
An IFR flight plan plays an integral role in
communicating your intentions to ATC.
When planning an arrival at an airport
with published STARs, you should
usually specify your preferred STAR on
the flight plan form with route of flight.
If you plan to use a transition, include the
transition code in your flight plan. In
most cases, the transition identifier
codes are found on STAR charts.
If you do not specify a STAR in your flight plan,
one may be assigned by ATC in your clearance.
You're not required to accept a STAR, but you
should let ATC know ahead of time if you
choose not to use one .In the United States, you
can do this by entering “NO STAR” in the
remarks section of the flight plan .TO fly a
STAR, you must have the charted procedure, or
at least the textual description, in your aircraft.
Generally, ATC responds to an IFR
clearance request in one of two ways:
• When ATC agrees to accommodate the
routing filed with little or no change, the
controller responds with an abbreviated
IFR departure clearance and the phrase
“cleared as tiled”.
• When traffic congestion, weather, or
other conditions warrant, the controller
may specify a different STAR, route, or
altitude than what you Requested.
When you accept a clearance with a STAR,
it assures the controllers that you are
capable of complying with the
requirements and restrictions of the STAR
as published. It is your responsibility to
review each STAR and refuse any
procedure that is beyond the limits of your
aircraft.
Some charts indicate that you may request
a deviation if you cannot comply with a
published arrival procedure.
Pilots unable to comply with this published
arrival procedure may make a request to
ATC for a non-standard arrival.
§5.3.2 Flying a Standard Arrival
§5.3.3 Flying an RNAV Arrival
RNAV, also referred to as area navigation, is an
all-encompassing term used to describe flight
utilizing navigation by GPS, FMS, VOR/DME,
LORAN, and INS systems. Using RNAV
routes designed around waypoints, pilots can
fly efficient, direct routes to their destinations.
Each waypoint has a predetermined,
unchanging, geographical position and is
defined by longitude and latitude coordinates,
or by position relative to a VOR/DME or
VORTAC.
On most STAR charts, even for those not
designated as RNAV arrivals, navaids
and intersections are identified with their
geographical coordinates to
accommodate GPS and FMS
navigation equipment.
When a fix has been designed exclusively for
use with RNAV equipment , Jeppesen charts
identify it with a four-pointed star symbol.
On some older charts, like in Lyon, some fixes
are marked with both a star and triangle
symbol, indicating they can be used for both
RNAV- and VOR/DME-equipped aircraft.
Newer chart formatting eliminates this dual
symbology, leaving the star symbol
exclusively for RNAV-only waypoints and
the triangle for VOR/DME-identified
intersections, which may also be accessed
with RNAV equipment.
Although many arrivals can be flown using
onboard RNAV navigation equipment, only
those routes that use RNAV as the primary
means of navigation are labeled as "RNAV“
arrivals. Usually these charts are identified
under the title text.
§5.3.4 Flying with Lost
Communications
Loss of communications while arriving in
a congested airport environment is a
serious concern for pilots on an IFR
flight plan.
However, procedures have been
established to preclude extended IFR
operations within the ATC system,
since these operations may adversely
affect other users of the airspace.
In the event of two-way radio
communications failure while operating on
an IFR clearance in the United States, you
should:
• Set the transponder to 7600, which notifies
ATC of a lost communications situation.
• Continue the arrival under VFR (if
possible) and land as soon as practicable.
If a STAR must be continued under IFR
conditions, handle last communications in
one of the following ways:
• Follow the procedures published on the
LOST COMM STAR chart, if there is one
for the airport.
• Follow the special lost communication
procedures included on your standard
arrival charts.
 LOST COMM STAR
For some arrival charts, like in Cape Town, lost
communication procedures are published on a
separate page. Upon losing communications
while flying either of the Greyton Two Arrivals,
you should refer to the LOST COMM STAR (10-
2A).You’ll follow the arrival directions on this
chart the same way as you would for any STAR.
The Special Lost Communication
Procedures
When special lost communications procedures have
been established for an instrument arrival, a textual
description of the instructions are displayed on the
chart. The format for these instructions can vary.
Often, lost communication procedures are enclosed
with a hatched line or as shown on the Perth chart.
If no special procedures are listed for a
particular STAR, comply with standard
lost communications procedures for the
area in which you are flying.
The aviation authorities in other parts of the
world may require different procedures,
so be sure you are thoroughly familiar
with the relevant regulations in any area
you fly.
 §5.3.5 Flying a Visual Arrival
Some arrival charts include textual and
graphic instructions for visual arrival
routes.
When flying a visual arrival, you want to
note the minimum safe altitude (MSA).