Alerting Service Flashcards
In what cases shall alerting services be provided?
1) for all aircraft provided with air traffic control service;
2) in so far as practicable, to all other aircraft having filed a flight plan or otherwise known to the air traffic services;
3) to any aircraft known or believed to be the subject of unlawful interference
Who is responsible for collecting information for an aircraft in need of emergency services?
Flight information centers or area control centers shall serve as the central point for collecting all information relevant to the state of emergency of an aircraft operating within the FIR or control area concerned and forwarding such information to the appropriate rescue coordination center.
When shall ATS units notify rescue coordinating centers?
Without prejudice to any other circumstances that may render such notification advisable, air traffic services units shall, except as prescribed in 5.5.1, notify rescue coordinating centers immediately when an aircraft is considered to be in a state of emergency in accordance with the emergency phases.
What is the Uncertainty Phase?
A phase when:
1) no communication has been received from an aircraft within a period of thirty minutes after the time a communication should have been received or from the time an unsuccessful attempt to establish communication with such aircraft was first made, whichever is earlier
2) an aircraft fails to arrive within thirty minutes of the estimated time of arrival last notified to or estimated by ATS units , whichever is the later
Except when no doubt exists as to the safety of the aircraft and its occupants.
What is the alert phase?
A phase when:
1) following the uncertainty phase, subsequent attempts to establish communication with the aircraft or inquiries to other relevant sources have failed to reveal any news of the aircraft
2) an aircraft has been cleared to land and fails to land within five minutes of the estimated time of landing and communication has not been re established with the aircraft
3) information has been received which indicates that the operating efficiency of the aircraft has been impaired, but not to the extent that a forced landing is likely,
Except when evidence exists that would allay apprehension as to the safety of its occupants
4) an aircraft is known or believed to be the subject of unlawful interference
What is the distress phase?
A phase when:
1) following the alert phase, further unsuccessful attempts to establish communication with the aircraft and more widespread unsuccessful inquiries point to the probability of the aircraft being in distress
2) the fuel in board is considered to be exhausted, or to be insufficient to enable the aircraft to reach safety
3) information is received which indicates that the operating efficiency of the aircraft has been impaired to the extent that a forced landing is likely,
4) information is received or it is reasonably certain that the aircraft is about to make or has made a forced landing ,
Except when there is reasonable certainty that the aircraft and its occupants are not threatened by grave and imminent danger and do not require immediate assistance.
How should an alert notification be constructed?
The notification shall contain such of the following information as is available in the order listed:
1) INCERFA, ALERFA or DETRESFA, as appropriate to the phase of the emergency
2) agency and person calling
3) nature of the emergency
4) significant information from the flight plan
5) unit which last made contact, time and means used
6) last position report and how determined
7) colour and distinctive marks of aircraft
8) dangerous goods carried as cargo
9) any action taken by reporting office
10) other pertinent remarks
How shall Air traffic services use communication facilities in regards to alerts?
Air traffic services units shall, as necessary, use all available communication facilities to endeavor to establish and maintain communication with an aircraft in a state of emergency, and to request news of the aircraft
Explain the process of plotting aircraft in a state of emergency.
When a state of emergency is considered to exist, the flight of aircraft involved shall be plotted on a chart in order to determine the probable future position of the aircraft and its maximum range of action from its last known position.
The flights of other aircraft known to be operating in the vicinity of the aircraft involved shall also be plotted in order to determine their probable future positions and maximum endurance.
How should the operator receive information in regards to an alert?
When an area control or a flight information center decides that an aircraft is in the uncertainty or the alert phase, it shall, when practicable, advise the operator prior to notifying the rescue coordination center.
When a rescue coordination center is given information, who else should receive said information?
All information notified to the rescue coordination center by an area control or flight information center shall, whenever practicable, also be communicated, without delay, to the operator.
In addition to the operator and rescue coordination center, who else should be informed about an aircraft in a state of emergency?
When it has been established by an air traffic services unit that an aircraft is in a state of emergency, other aircraft known to be in the vicinity of aircraft involved shall be informed of the nature of the emergency as soon as practicable.
Who should be informed about an aircraft believed to be the subject of unlawful interference?
When an air traffic services unit knows or believes that an aircraft is being subjected to unlawful interference, no reference shall be made in ATS air ground communications to the nature of the emergency unless it has first been referred to in communications from the aircraft involved and it is certain that such reference will not aggravate the situation.
What method of communication shall be used for aeronautical mobile service (air - ground communications)?
Radiotelephony and or data link shall be used for air ground communications for air traffic services purposes.
What method of communication shall be used in the aeronautical fixed service?
Direct speech and/or data link communications shall be used in ground - ground communications for air traffic services purposes.
