Airspace and Separation Flashcards
What are the three categories of flight plans and how can they be submitted?
Categories:
Full flight plan- full information on form CA48
Repetitive flight plan- regularly occurring flights, usually operated by companies, no need to file full flight plan each time just relevant information.
Abbreviated flight plan- limited info required to obtain clearance for a portion of the flight.
Submitted by:
Direct filing, processed by originator.
Completed CA48 handed in to ATS who check, address and transmit.
Via Parent unit- if no ATSU or AFTN.
For which flights MUST a pilot file a flight plan? (6 points)
- Any flight or portion thereof to be provided with an ATC service.
- Any IFR flight within advisory airspace (F)
- Any flight within or into areas, or along routes, designated by the authority to facilitate the provision of flight information, alerting and search and rescue services.
- Any flight within or into areas or along routes designated by the authority, to facilitate coordination with appropriate military units or with air traffic service units in adjacent States in order to avoid the possible need for interception for the purposes of identification prescribed by the States concerned.
- Any flight across international boundaries.
- Any flight planned to operate at night, if leaving the vicinity of an aerodrome.
When is a pilot ADVISED to file a flight plan?
- If the flight involves flying over the sea more than 10 miles from the coast,VOR flying over sparsely populated areas where SAR operations would be difficult.
- If the pilot intends to fly into an area in which SAR operations are in progress.
When MAY a pilot file a flight plan?
For any flight.
How far in advance must flight plans be filed?
- North Atlantic and flights subject to air traffic management (ATFM) at least 3 hours notice is required.
- On the ground at least 60 minutes before clearance to start/taxi is requested.
- In the air at least 10 minutes prior warning must be given of intention to enter controlled airspace.
What is a Repetitive Flight Plan (RPL)?
A flight plan related to a series of frequently recurring, regularly operated individual flights with identical basic features. (Not available for Trans-Atlantic flights because the track system changes every day with the position of the Jet Stream).
What is a Flight Plan, and what information does it contain?
Specified information provided to air traffic service units relative to an intended flight or portion of a flight in an aircraft.
Divided into three parts:
Addressing- departure aerodrome, en-route sector control units, arrival aerodrome, alternate aerodromes, etc.
Flight Details- aircraft identification and type, flight rules (IFR or VFR), cruising speed and level, intended route, expected time, departure and arrival aerodromes, other notes.
Supplementary Info.- (not sent to ATC except in emergency) endurance limit, persons on board, safety equipment, colour and markings, pilot etc.
To which flights must standard separation be applied?
Class A- ALL
Class C, D and E- IFR
Class C- IFR & VFR (not VFR from VFR)
As appropriate- SVFR (CTZ clearance), IFR & SVFR
Class F ADR (advisory route)- as far as possible between IFR (none in the UK)
Class G- No standard separation, Deconfliction or Procedural Service provides information AIMED at achieving deconfliction minima. However still pilots responsibility.
When shall separation be increased, and for what reasons?
When requested by the pilot- reasons may include turbulence, aircraft malfunction, crew incapacitation, doubts about ability to maintain course and/or level.
When a controller considers it necessary- loss of a navigational aid, reported turbulence, emergency, pilot not complying with (or unable to comply with) instructions.
When directed by the CAA- notified in MATS Parts 1 & 2.
When may separation be reduced?
When authorised in MATS Part 2 by the CAA.
When escort is provided by search and rescue aircraft to aircraft in emergency (no minima, may be reduced to visual separation).
In the vicinity of an aerodrome.
When may separation be reduced in the vicinity of an aerodrome?
When either:
- The controller has each aircraft in sight, or
- Pilots have each other in sight and report they can maintain own separation, or
- the following pilot can see the aircraft ahead and can maintain separation.
What is loss of separation? What must the ATCO do in the event?
When aircraft are separated by less than the required minima.
The controller is to use every means to obtain the required minimum with the least possible delay, and when practicable pass traffic information (if ATS surveillance is being provided), otherwise pass essential traffic information.
What is Traffic Information?
Information issued by a controller to alert a pilot or controller to other known or observed traffic which may be in proximity to the position or intended route of flight.
What is Essential Traffic Information? What does it contain?
Where traffic is separated for any period by less than standard separation, Essential Traffic is passed when ATS surveillance systems are NOT available.
It includes: direction and cruising level of conflicting flight, and ETA for reporting point (or ETA for RP nearest to where levels will cross), type of conflicting aircraft, any alternative clearance.
What separation responsibilities do Aerodrome Control have?
1) Prevent collisions between:
- aircraft flying in, and in the vicinity of, the ATZ.
- aircraft taking off and landing.
- aircraft and vehicles, obstructions and other aircraft on the manoeuvring area.
2) Assist in the prevention of collisions between aircraft on the apron.
How do we separate aircraft in the ATZ and traffic circuit?
Requirements dictated by type of airspace (eg no VFR in Class A). IFR must have standard separation from other IFR, and traffic info on VFR flights must be passed as necessary. VFR flights are passed Traffic Information positive instructions on how to integrate their flight with other aircraft.
How do we guarantee separation on the manoeuvring area?
The movements of aircraft, persons or vehicles on the manoeuvring area and the movement of aircraft on the apron are at all times subject to permission from Aerodrome Control.
Clearances shall contain concise instructions and adequate information so as to avoid collisions with other aircraft or objects.
What separation rules govern aircraft taking off and landing?
An aircraft shall not be permitted to begin take-off until the preceding departing aircraft is seen to be airborne or has reported airborne by RFT AND all preceding landing aircraft have vacated the runway in use.
Unless specific procedures have been approved by the CAA, a landing aircraft shall not be permitted to cross the threshold of the runway on its final approach until a preceding aircraft, departing from the same runway, is airborne.
When might a landing aircraft using the same runway be permitted to touch down before a preceding landing aircraft has vacated the runway? (5 points)
When aircraft are using the same runway, a landing aircraft may be permitted to touch down before a preceding landing aircraft which has landed is clear of the runway provided that:
1) 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,
2) It is during daylight hours,
3) the preceding landing aircraft is not required to backtrack in order to vacate the runway,
4) 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
5) The pilot of the following aircraft is warned.
Responsibility for ensuring adequate separation rests with the pilot of the following aircraft.
What are standard separations for departing and en route aircraft in the vicinity of an aerodrome?
Departure following departure-
1) 10 minutes, or
2) 5 minutes if:
- The preceding aircraft has a filed TAS of +20kts, or
- Vertical separation will be at least 1000ft over an RP, or
- The angle of divergence at an RP will be at least 30°, or
3) 2 minutes if:
- The preceding aircraft has a filed TAS of +40 kts and neither aircraft execute a manoeuvre that would decrease separation, or
4) 1 minute if:
- Departures diverge by at least 45° (this may be reduced if independent diverging or parallel runways are utilised, and authorised by the CAA).
NB- Wake turbulence requirements may require more spacing to be applied.
Departure vs En-route aircraft over RP:
1) 10 minutes, or
2) 5 minutes if:
- En-route aircraft has a filed TAS of +20kts, or
- En-route aircraft has reported over an ERP (Exact Routing Point) at which the departing aircraft will join the same route, or
- Departing aircraft will arrive at the same ERP 5 minutes behind an en-route aircraft.
What is Airspace Management (ASM)?
Objective- Maximising the utilisation of available airspace.
Combined function:
- Categorising, legislating and regulating airspace
- Licensing Air Traffic Services
- Determining the capacity for Air Traffic Flow Management.
What are the 3 levels of ASM activity?
Strategic ASM- Level 1: (Yearly) National HLAPB (High Level Airspace Policy Body) formulates ASM policy, taking into account national and international airspace users and ATS providers requirements. (Includes FUA procedures).
Pre-Tactical ASM- Level 2: (Daily- day before operations)
Day-to-day management and temporary allocation of airspace.
Tactical ASM- Level 3: (Daily- on the day)
Consists of real time activation, deactivation or reallocation of airspace allocated at Level 2.
What is FUA?
Based on the fundamental principle that airspace is one continuum to be allocated for use on a day to day basis.
Airspace is no longer designated as purely ‘military’ or ‘civil’.
Any necessary airspace segregation is temporary, based in real time usage within a specific time period.
Contiguous volumes of airspace are not restricted by national boundaries.
What is a Temporary Segregated Area (TSA)?
Airspace of pre-defined dimensions within which activities require reservation of airspace for the exclusive use of specific users during a determined period of time. (More generic than TRAs).