Hey guys so wow, i had an amazing time down at the Tracon...I spent a good 2 hours in there with a controller working on position and stuff, He was working the LAKR sector for a while and then moved over to another sector but i can't remember it for the life of me. He was mostly a departure controller even though he did do some arrivals into SMO and VNY and SNA. I did get a chance to ask him all of the questions that you guys asked but I can answer a couple...sorry...my technical knowledge is not that great but here goes:
Regarding the noise abatement he said there there is no real issue...they bring in the airplanes on 7L but require additional spacing due to the departures off of that runway. Again, he's a departure controller mostly so he said it's a bitch for the arrival guys who are working that sector (I got a chance to watch the guys doing the arrival streams into LAX, and lemme tell you that is quite intense...there are 3-4 guys working one scope--one guy managing the strips, one guy talking to the other airports and sectors getting clearances and such, then the guy who is actually talking to the traffic, and a fourth guy watching over the entire process!!! it was crazy!!!--talk about stressful!)
I didnt ask about the ACE-IDS system, but from looking at those screen shots, I didnt recognize that from anything I saw in the building so Im gonna assume they dont have it (yet)
And as far as coordinating with Mazatlan Center and other centers in Mexico and such, it is done fairly the same as with any other center or approach sector--they are in direct connection with the controller from the sector that controls aircraft passing over the border--he did say however that because of the language barrier and some differences in procedures (and technology) the handoffs can be difficult but for the most part they are handled like any other handoff.
Regarding the SNA question, the aircraft are decended to 5200 (or climbed to 5200) because there is another sector that partially intercects the sector that handles traffic into SNA which requires the controller to keep traffic in his or her sector without having to hand them off into the other sector and then have the aircraft handed back to the original controller...they do use what's called a POINT OUT where the controller can decend the aircraft without giving the handoff, but it must be approved by the other controller first so this method is easier.
I hope that answered your questions...he got busy towards the end of his shift so he and i were more focused on the traffic and i forgot to ask some of the questions that you all asked when he went on his break.
So i had an awesome time down there!!!!!!!! that place is soooooooooo cooooooooool (I now know what i definately want to do for the rest of my life!!!!!!!!!)--to bad the FAA is F***ing stuff up with their new procedures and pay scales and stuff but that's for a different thread.
peace out guys
Michael