terminalområden

Terminalområden, or terminal areas, are designated blocks of controlled airspace around airports with significant approach and departure activity. They exist to provide safe, efficient sequencing and separation as aircraft transition between en-route airspace and the terminal area. In practice, a Swedish or European terminal area is managed by air traffic control units responsible for approach and terminal control near the aerodrome, collaborating with the tower.

The horizontal boundaries depend on traffic, terrain and radar coverage and typically surround the aerodrome, extending into adjacent en-route sectors. Vertical limits usually start at the surface or a few thousand feet above ground level and rise to the upper levels where en-route airspace begins. Terminal areas incorporate protected air routes and holding patterns.

Operations within a terminal area rely on instrument procedures and ATC procedures: Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) guide arriving traffic; Standard Instrument Departures (SIDs) guide departures; controllers may issue radar vectors and sequencing instructions. Separation is maintained between IFR aircraft and, where applicable, between IFR and VFR traffic.

Regulation: Terminal areas are designed and managed according to international standards set by ICAO and implemented by national air navigation service providers. In Europe, this is coordinated within the Single European Sky framework and national authorities, such as LFV in Sweden. Changes to terminal areas require safety assessments and airspace reconfiguration.

Significance: Terminal areas enable higher throughput and safer operations at busy airports, balancing efficient landings and take-offs with en-route traffic flows, while accommodating weather deviations and capacity constraints.