SBWF - Recife

General data

Useful Information

Map

Click a volume to see its limits and class. Use the layer control to change the base map and toggle the volumes.

The Visual corridors (REA) layer shows the 5 REAs of AIC N 06/25 and the gates (yellow). Solid magenta line: class C, with the APP; dashed blue: class G. Click a segment to see the tracks, altitudes and contact. Details in Visual corridors (REA).

Volumes

ATC Units

Top-down coverage

Read from bottom to top: when a position is offline, the airspace falls to the next online position above.

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    p2["SBWF_APP"]:::app
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    a1(["Recife CTR"]):::esp --> p3
    a2(["João Pessoa CTR"]):::esp --> p4
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VFR circulation

TMA layers and who handles VFR

• Mandatory REAs: in the Recife CTR and along the north coast, between Caaporã (PB) and Itapissuma (PE), VFR traffic must use the REAs and gates, at the published tracks and altitudes, unless the APP instructs otherwise.
• Corridor class: all are class C, with the APP, except the start of ALFA, from TABU to CERVEJARIA, in class G on the free FCA 123.450.
• In the real world, VFR traffic talks to Recife APP on 129.600, 129.200, 120.400 or 128.950.
• In the package, VFR traffic calls SBWF_APP (120.400); for the SBRF circuit, SBRF_TWR (118.350). Pilots call the online position, not the real-world frequency. Without it, the next position in the coverage takes over. Air-to-air coordination goes on UNICOM 122.800.

General VFR rules

• A mode A/C or S transponder, a VHF radio and landing or taxi lights on are mandatory in and below the TMA. The transponder exception applies only on the special routes for aircraft without transponder (REAST) in the Recife CTR.
• Right of the centreline: aeroplanes and helicopters fly to the right of the corridor centreline and keep their own separation; if they can't, they tell the APP.
• Width: REAs 3 NM (1.5 NM either side); gates 1 NM (0.5 NM either side).
• Altitudes: the maximum must be obeyed (it separates VFR from IFR above); the minimum is the segment's obstacle clearance altitude. Keeping to the maximum is recommended, because of noise.
• Speed: maximum 200 kt in controlled airspace.
• QNH from the SBRF ATIS (127.650).
• Helicopters may use the REAs.
• Z plan: departures from aerodromes in the TMA changing from VFR to IFR wait for the APP clearance, keeping to the corridor altitudes.
• On busy dates, the class of any part of the airspace, including the REAs, may change from G to C by NOTAM.

Visual corridors (REA)

The 5 REAs of the TMA, all two-way. Altitudes in feet (QNH), as maximum / minimum; a single altitude is the mandatory maximum. Tracks are given as outbound / return.

What each corridor does:

• ALFA is the arrival from the north coast: from the TABU gate via TEJUCUPAPO to CERVEJARIA (Itapissuma), in class G, and from there, with the APP, via FORTE ORANGE (Itamaracá) and CASA CAIADA (Olinda) to the CAIS DE SANTA RITA gate, the northern entry to SBRF. The SBR-221, SBR-222, SBR-246 and SBR-278 areas and the SBP-227 prohibited area (Coroa do Avião island) lie nearby.
• BRAVO is the north-south axis west of the city: from the ACADEMIA DA POLÍCIA MILITAR via MORENO PARK AQUÁTICO and BARRAGEM (Pirapama) to MURO ALTO and the PORTO DE GALINHAS gate. Watch the SBP-209 (Suape port) and SBP-268 (Abreu e Lima refinery) prohibited areas, GND to 1500 ft.
• CHARLIE links the ACADEMIA DA POLÍCIA MILITAR to the ARAÇOIABA gate and CERVEJARIA, where it meets ALFA. It is unavailable while the SBR-220 area (Aldeia, GND to FL100) is active.
• DELTA comes from the PEDREIRA gate (Itamatamirim) via MORENO PARK AQUÁTICO to LAGOA AZUL, the southern entry to SBRF.
• ECHO links BARRAGEM to LAGOA AZUL, at 1200 ft.

SBRF arrivals, departures and crossings

• Joining the SBRF RWY 18 and 36 circuits, or crossing the aerodrome, is via CAIS DE SANTA RITA (ALFA) or LAGOA AZUL (DELTA and ECHO), with Recife Tower clearance.
• On the ALFA, DELTA and ECHO REAs, crossing the RWY 18/36 departure and approach sector needs an express APP clearance, coordinated with the Tower. Without it, the aircraft stays in its own sector, at the CAIS DE SANTA RITA or LAGOA AZUL gates.
• Traffic from the north sector to SBRF, other than the Coroa do Avião (SIFC) training flights, uses ALFA and waits for clearance at the CAIS DE SANTA RITA gate.
• Crossing the TMA north to south (or south to north): preferably CHARLIE and BRAVO, with SBR-220 deactivated. ALFA and ECHO are subject to holding at SBRF's busy times.
• From the southwest or west to the north sector: CHARLIE (with SBR-220 deactivated), or DELTA, BRAVO and CHARLIE leaving through the ARAÇOIABA gate. With SBR-220 active, use ALFA, DELTA or ECHO, waiting at the gates for the Tower to clear the field crossing.
• Departures from aerodromes or landing areas inside the Recife CTR call the APP before start-up for instructions.
• Special VFR at SBRF may be cleared by the APP; the clearance limit is the TMA boundary.

Other rules

• AFIL flight plans are not accepted.
• SBJP: aircraft without radio may not operate; contact with Pessoa Tower is mandatory before taxi.

Phraseology

On contact, the pilot gives registration, route, position or gate, altitude and direction². Brazilian VFR traffic usually calls in Portuguese:

Controle Recife, PP-IUR, corredor ECHO, posição Barragem, 1200 pés, proa de Lagoa Azul.

Controle Recife, PT-IUR, corredor CHARLIE, portão Araçoiaba, 1500 pés, proa de Cervejaria.

In class G, on the free FCA (UNICOM on VATSIM):

Coordenação, PT-IUR, corredor ALFA, portão Tabu, 1600 pés, proa de Tejucupapo.

Remarks

• The TMA is class A between FL145 and FL195 and class C between 3500 FT and FL145.
• Volumes and map follow AIP AMDT AIRAC 2612A1 (26 NOV 2026): the CTRs go up to 3500 FT AMSL.
• There is no João Pessoa TMA: SBJP lies inside the Recife TMA. In the real world, Pessoa Tower also provides approach service inside the João Pessoa CTR.

Back to the Recife FIR terminals overview.