Aerodrome MATS 1 Flashcards
What services shall an aerodrome contriol unit provide?
a) Aerodrome Control Service.
b) Basic Service.
c) Alerting Service.
1.2 An Aerodrome Control unit provides services principally to aircraft flying with visual
reference to the surface in, and in the vicinity of, the ATZ and operating on the
manoeuvring area. It is normally a separate unit but may be combined, either
temporarily or permanently, with an Approach Control unit.
1.3 An aerodrome controller shall not provide Approach Radar Control Services whilst
engaged on Aerodrome Control duties.
What are the responsibilities of an aerodrome controller?
under its control to achieve a safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic and to
assist pilots in preventing collisions between:
a) aircraft flying in, and in the vicinity of, the ATZ;
b) aircraft taking-off and landing;
c) aircraft moving on the apron;
d) aircraft and vehicles, obstructions and other aircraft on the manoeuvring area.
2.2 In order to execute his duties, an aerodrome controller has authority over aircraft,
vehicles and personnel on the manoeuvring area and aircraft moving on the apron.
How may aerodrome control be divided?
Aerodrome Control may be divided into Air Control and Ground Movement Control.
Air Control shall provide services for a) and b) and has absolute authority over
all movements on active runways and their access points.
Ground Movement Control shall provide services for c) and d) except on
active runways and their access points.
2.4 Clearance Delivery Officer (CDO) positions may be established at aerodromes to relay
ATC departure clearances with approved procedures detailed in MATS Part 2.
What additional specific responsibilities does aerodrome control have?
a) Alerting the safety services;
b) Informing aircraft under its control of any depletion of the aerodrome emergency
services;
c) Providing an Approach Control Service when carrying out functions delegated by
Approach Control;
d) Supplying the following information to Approach Control and, according to unit
instructions, Approach Radar Control:
i) Pertinent data on IFR, Special VFR and VFR traffic including departures, missed
approaches and overdue aircraft;
ii) Appropriate items of essential aerodrome information.
e) Informing the Aerodrome Operator when it becomes apparent that there is a
deterioration in the state of the aerodrome or associated facilities for which the
Aerodrome Operator is responsible;
f) Initiating overdue action at aerodromes where no Approach Control unit is
established.
Approach Control may instruct approaching IFR flights to contact Aerodrome Control
before transfer of control has become effective. Until approaching aircraft are flying
with visual reference to the surface, Aerodrome Control shall not issue any
instructions or advice which would reduce the separation established by Approach
Control
What does aerodrome need to coordinate with Approach?
a) departing IFR flights;
b) arriving aircraft which make their first call on the tower frequency (unless they are
transferred to Approach Control).
Aerodrome Control shall co-ordinate with adjacent aerodromes to ensure that the
traffic circuits do not conflict
What does approach need to coordinate with aerodrome?
a) aircraft approaching to land; if necessary requesting landing clearance;
b) arriving aircraft which are to be cleared to visual holding points;
c) aircraft routeing through the traffic circuit.
2.6.3 Approach Control may delegate the responsibility for co-ordination to Approach Radar
Control
When should transfer of control take place for departing ac?
a) in VMC: prior to the aircraft leaving the vicinity of the aerodrome, or prior to the
aircraft entering IMC;
b) in IMC: immediately after the aircraft is airborne.
What is essential aerodrome information?
Essential aerodrome information is that concerning the state of the manoeuvring area
and its associated facilities that may constitute a hazard to a particular aircraft. It shall
be issued to pilots in sufficient time to ensure the safe operation of aircraft. This may
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include the provision of urgent information to pilots during aircraft take-off and landing
runs.
What information shall be included in essential aerodrom information?
a) construction work or maintenance on the manoeuvring area;
b) rough portions of the manoeuvring area and whether marked or not;
c) failure or irregular functioning of the aerodrome lighting system. Defects must be
passed to pilots in the form that they have been reported to the controller.
Controllers should not make assumptions that a particular defect renders an
associated aid unserviceable or not available. The pilot is responsible for deciding
his course of action;
d) failure or irregular functioning of approach aids;
e) aircraft parked close to the runways or taxiways and aircraft engaged in ground
running of engines;
f) depth of snow layers on runways and taxiways, snow piled or drifted on the
manoeuvring area, melting snow and slush, rutted ice and snow;
g) in snow and ice conditions: information concerning sweeping and/or sanding of
runways and taxiways;
h) reports on the estimated braking action determined either by the equipment
described in Chapter 8 or by reports from pilots of aircraft, which have already
landed, including: a description of the prevailing conditions, e.g. standing water,
snow settling; the time of measurement; the type of aircraft if an aircraft report.
When the braking action has been reported as less than good and more than thirty
minutes has elapsed since the previous aircraft report or measurement, the
braking action should be checked before passing details to an aircraft.
The assessment of braking action by use of a brake testing decelerometer (e.g. the
Tapley Meter) is to be carried out solely in conditions of dry snow and ice, gritted
or ungritted;
i) bird formations or individual large birds reported or observed on or above the
manoeuvring area or in the immediate vicinity of the aerodrome and the extent of
any bird dispersal action being carried out. When flocks of birds or single large ones
are seen, the Aerodrome Operator or Bird Control Unit must be informed;
j) warnings of the presence of water on runways (as described in Chapter 7);
k) information on the location and operational status of any arrester gear installation.
What information is to be passed when ac request start-up or taxi?
• Runway in use;
• Surface wind direction and speed, including significant variations;
• Aerodrome QNH;
• Outside air temperature (turbine-engine aircraft only);
• Significant meteorological conditions, e.g. RVR or marked temperature inversion.
9.2 Those items which are known to have been received by the pilot may be omitted.
When may line up be given to more than one ac at different positions?
Line-up instructions may be issued to more than one aircraft at different points on the
same or crossing runways provided that:
a) it is during daylight hours;
b) all aircraft are continuously visible to the aerodrome controller;
c) all aircraft are on the same RTF frequency;
d) pilots are advised of the number of aircraft ahead in the departure sequence, and
the position/runway from which these aircraft will depart;
e) the physical characteristics of the runway do not render preceding aircraft in the
departure sequence invisible to succeeding aircraft on the same runway
What phrase is to be used when ac request the instantaneous surface wind?
the word “instant” is to be inserted to indicate that the wind being reported is not the two
minute average
What provisions must there be to enable a “land after”?
a) the runway is long enough to allow safe separation between the two aircraft and
there is no evidence to indicate that braking may be adversely affected;
b) it is during daylight hours;
c) the preceding landing aircraft is not required to backtrack in order to vacate the
runway;
d) the controller is satisfied that the landing aircraft will be able to see the preceding
aircraft which has landed, clearly and continuously, until it has vacated the runway;
and
e) the pilot of the following aircraft is warned. Responsibility for ensuring adequate
separation rests with the pilot of the following aircraft
What does MATS 1 say about release of racing pigeons?
Proposed liberation within 13km of a licensed aerodrome shoule be notified at least 14 days prior.
ATCU should be notified by phone 30 minutes before release
ATC manager or senior controller may delay release by up to 30 minutes (exceptionally longer) for traffic purposes
When may a SMR be used?
Surface movement radar may be used when traffic on the aerodrome cannot be
adequately seen from the control tower during the periods of low visibility or during
the hours of darkness
What is the SMR used for?
a) To monitor the movements of aircraft and vehicles on the manoeuvring area;
b) To provide advice and assistance for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft
and vehicles on the manoeuvring area. This should include the following:
• To ensure that departing aircraft are lined up on the correct runway;
• Determining that a runway is clear of aircraft and vehicles;
• To ascertain that aircraft have commenced take-off run;
• To monitor the positions of traffic in order to facilitate switching of taxiway
lighting;
• To monitor and assist emergency service vehicles when required.
How do you identify using SMR?
a) By correlating the position of a visually observed aircraft/vehicle to that displayed
on the SMR; or
b) By correlating an identified SMR position from another ATS surveillance system
source; or
c) By correlating an SMR position complying with an ATC instruction for a specified
manoeuvre; or
d) By correlating a displayed SMR position to an aircraft/vehicle as reported by radio;
or
e) By correlating a displayed SMR position to an aircraft/vehicle position, e.g. entering
a runway or taxiway, holding position or any position marked on the situation
display.
