All The Usual Gubbins!

Question 1

What conditions are attached to multiple line up clearances?

Answer 1

Line-up instructions may be issued to more than one aircraft at different points on the same or crossing runways provided that:
(1) it is during daylight hours;
(2) all aircraft are continuously visible to the aerodrome controller;
(3) all aircraft are on the same RTF frequency;
(4) pilots are advised of the number of aircraft ahead in the departure sequence, and the position/runway from which these aircraft will depart;
(5) the physical characteristics of the runway do not render preceding aircraft in the departure sequence invisible to succeeding aircraft on the same runway.
-When line-up will take place at a position other than for a full-length runway departure the intermediate holding position designator shall be included in the line-up instruction. Controllers may include holding position designators in any clearance to line-up as considered appropriate.

Question 2

What conditions are attached to “land after” clearances?

Answer 2

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.

Question 3

What are the rules for reduced separation in the vicinity of an aerodrome?

Answer 3

In the vicinity of aerodromes, the standard separation minima may be reduced if:
(1) adequate separation can be provided by the aerodrome controller when each aircraft is continuously visible to this controller; or

(2) each aircraft is continuously visible to the pilots of other aircraft concerned and the pilots report that they can maintain their own separation; or
(3) when one aircraft is following another, the pilot of the succeeding aircraft reports that he has the other aircraft in sight and can maintain own separation.

Question 4

Where the criteria for VMC flight in Class G airspace by day?

Answer 4

• Below F100 - distance from cloud horizontally of 1500m and vertically of 1000m, with a flight visibility of 5km.
• Alternatively 3000ft and below - clear of cloud and with the surface in sight, with a flight visibility of 5km.
• For aircraft, other than helicopters, with an indicated air speed of 140kts or less - clear of cloud and with the surface in sight, with a flight visibility of 1500m.
• For helicopters - clear of cloud with the surface in sight and at a speed which, having regard to the visibility, is reasonable, with a flight visibility of 1500m.

Question 5

Where the criteria for VMC flight in Class G airspace by night?

Answer 5

• Below F100 - distance from cloud horizontally of 1500m and vertically of 1000m, with a flight visibility of 5km.
• Alternatively 3000ft and below;
• For aircraft, other than helicopters - clear of cloud and with the surface in sight, with a flight visibility of 5km.
• For helicopters - clear of cloud with the surface in sight and at a speed which, having regard to the visibility, is reasonable, with a flight visibility of 3km.

Question 6

What is the procedure for agreeing to the release of racing pigeons?

Answer 6

• If the pigeons are to be released within 13km of the aerodrome it should be notified 14 days prior to the event.
• 30 minutes before the intended release ATC are to be notified of the number of birds, intended destination and direction of flight.
• ATC may delay the release for 30 minutes or longer in exceptional circumstances.

Question 7

What action is taken when a captive balloon breaks free?

Answer 7

When an ATSU receives information that a captive balloon has broken free the appropriate ACC shall be telephoned without delay stating:
- The type of balloon and whether carrying any person.
- Position of balloon site.
- Direction and speed of drift.
- Last observed height.
- Length of cable attached to balloon.
- Balloon operator’s name and telephone number.

Question 8

What are the 11 items of essential to aerodrome information?

Answer 8

• Construction work or maintenance on the manoeuvring area.
• Rough portions of the manoeuvring area and whether marked or not.
• 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.
• Failure or irregular functioning of approach aids.
• Aircraft parked close to the runways or taxiways and aircraft engaged in ground running of engines. - Depth of snow layers on runways and taxiways, snow piled or drifted on the manoeuvring area, melting snow and slush, rutted ice and snow.
• In snow and ice conditions: information concerning sweeping and/or sanding of runways and taxiways.
• 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.
• 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.
• Warnings of the presence of water on runways (as described in Chapter 7).
• Information on the location and operational status of any arrester gear installation.

Question 9

When reporting the presence of water on runways what do the following reporting terms mean: dry, damp, wet, water patches and flooded.

Answer 9

• Dry: The surface is not affected by water, slush, snow, or ice.
• Damp: The surface shows a change of colour due to moisture. If there is sufficient moisture to produce a surface film or the surface appears reflective, the runway will be reported as WET.
• Wet: The surface is soaked but no significant patches of standing water are visible. Standing water is considered to exist when water on the runway surface is deeper than 3mm.
• Water Patches: Significant patches of standing water are visible. Water patches will be reported when more than 25% of the assessed area is covered by water more than 3mm deep.
• Flooded: Extensive patches of standing water are visible. Flooded will be reported when more than 50% of the assessed area is covered by water more than 3mm deep.

Question 10

What is essential aerodrome information?

Answer 10

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 include the provision of urgent information to pilots during aircraft take-off and landing runs.

Question 11

What are the specific responsibilities of an aerodrome controller?

Answer 11

• Notifying emergency services as per local instructions.
• Informing aircraft under its control of any depletion of the aerodrome emergency services.
• Providing an Approach Control Service when carrying out functions delegated by Approach Control.
• Supplying the following information to Approach Control and, according to unit instructions, Approach Radar Control:
  (a) Pertinent data on IFR, Special VFR and VFR traffic including departures, missed approaches and overdue aircraft;
  (b) Appropriate items of essential aerodrome information.
• 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.
• Initiating overdue action at aerodromes where no Approach Control unit is established.

Question 12

When is a pilot required to file a flight plan?

Answer 12

A pilot is required to file a flight plan for ((EU) 923/2012 SERA.4001(b)):
- Any flight or portion thereof to be provided with an air traffic control service.
- Any IFR flight within advisory airspace.
- 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;
  For the purposes of (EU) 923/2012 SERA.4001(b)(5) ‘Submission of a flight plan’ in the UK, the international borders for flight planning purposes are the international FIR boundaries.
• Any flight planned to operate at night, if leaving the vicinity of an aerodrome.

Question 13

When is a pilot advised to file a flight plan?

Answer 13

• If the flight involves flying over the sea more than 10 miles from the UK coast or flying over sparsely populated areas where SAR operations would be difficult.
• If the intention is to fly into an area in which SAR operations are in progress. The flight plan should include the expected times of entering and leaving the area and the details must also be passed to the parent ACC. The ACC is to notify the ARCC concerned.

Question 14

What is Windshear?

Answer 14

• Windshear is a sustained change in the wind velocity along the aircraft flight path, which occurs significantly faster than the aircraft can accelerate or decelerate.
• Windshear can occur at any level, but it is low-level windshear, occurring from the surface to a height of approximately 1500 feet which can cause problems of sufficient magnitude to affect the control of aircraft in departure or final approach phases of flight.

Question 15

What is the phraseology for reporting windshear to pilots?

Answer 15

• AT (time) A DEPARTING/ARRIVING (a/c type) REPORTED WINDSHEAR AT (altitude). AIRSPEED LOSS/GAIN (number) KNOTS, STRONG LEFT/ RIGHT DRIFT.

Question 16

Which flights have flight priority categories and what categories are they in?

Answer 16

• Category A: Aircraft in emergency (e.g. engine fault, fuel shortage, seriously ill passenger). Aircraft which have declared a ‘Police Emergency’. Ambulance/Medical aircraft when the safety of life is involved.
• Category B: Flights operating for search and rescue or other humanitarian reasons. Post accident flight checks. Other flights, including Open Skies Flights, authorised by the CAA. Police flights under normal operational priority.
• Category C: Royal Flights, Flights carrying visiting Heads of State, both of which have been notified by NOTAM/Temporary Supplement.
• Category D: Flights notified by the CAA carrying Heads of Government or very senior government ministers.
• Category E: Flight check aircraft engaged on, or in transit to, time or weather critical calibration flights. Other flights authorised by the CAA.
• NORMAL FLIGHTS: Flights which have filed a flight plan in the normal way and conforming with normal routing procedures. Initial instrument flight tests conducted by the CAA Flight Examining Unit. (RTF callsign “EXAM”)
• Category Z: Training, non-standard and other flights.

Question 17

As a general rule, controllers shall only transmit meteorological information that has been supplied, or agreed, by the Meteorological Office. The exceptions are:

Answer 17

• Indicated wind direction (degrees magnetic) and speed when anemometer indicators are fitted in the control room.
• RVR observations.
• Sudden or unexpected deteriorations which, in the interests of safety, a controller considers it advisable to warn aircraft of immediately and consult with the Meteorological Office afterwards.
• Information from an aircraft in flight may be passed to other aircraft when a controller considers that it may be useful to them. Whenever this is done the controller shall state that the information originated from an aircraft in flight and the time at which the observation was made. Aircraft reports of meteorological conditions that affect safety, e.g. severe icing or severe turbulence, shall always be passed to other aircraft likely to be affected. Information on severe icing and/or severe turbulence is to be communicated as soon as possible to the duty meteorological forecaster who will decide whether the conditions warrant the issue of a special report.
• Cloud echoes observed on the situation display. The use of ATS surveillance systems for reporting and avoiding weather is described in Section 1, Chapter 6.
• Observations made at aerodromes by ATS staff who hold a meteorological observers certificate.
• Observations made at aerodromes without accredited observers (Meteorological Office staff or MET certificated ATS personnel) are not regarded as official reports. If transmitted to aircraft or disseminated beyond the aerodrome, the message must be prefixed by: “Unofficial observation from (name of aerodrome) at (time) UTC gives (observation)”.

Question 18

How should runway-in-use be determined and who should be made aware of the change in runway?

Answer 18

• By considering traffic pattern, the length of runways or landing runs, approach aids available and any meteorological conditions which may be significant to the choice of runway. At certain aerodromes more than one runway may be in use at any one time.
• Aircraft under their control.
• Aerodrome Fire Service.
• Contractors working on the aerodrome who will be affected by the change.
• Other agencies according to local instructions.

Question 19

When must Aerodrome lighting be displayed?

Answer 19

• By day: High intensity systems, where installed on the runway to be used, whenever the visibility is less than 5 km and/or the cloud base is less than 700 feet;
• By night: Irrespective of weather conditions.
• 15mins before an ETA.
• 15mins after an ATD.

Question 20

What is the phraseology for informing aircraft the category of fire cover available?

Answer 20

• “All stations message from the aerodrome operator, rescue and fire facilities reduced to category…/no rescue or fire facilities available”

Question 21

What are the responsibilities of aerodrome control?

Answer 21

Aerodrome Control shall issue information and instructions to aircraft under its control to achieve a safe, orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic with the objective of:
- Preventing collisions between:
(a) aircraft flying in, and in the vicinity of, the ATZ;
(b) aircraft taking-off and landing;
(c) aircraft and vehicles, obstructions and other aircraft on the manoeuvring area. (Aerodrome Control is not solely responsible for the prevention of collisions. Pilots and vehicle drivers must also fulfil their own responsibilities in accordance with Rules of the Air).
- Assist in preventing collisions between aircraft on the apron. (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).

Question 22

What are the objectives of an air traffic control service?

Answer 22

• Prevent collisions between aircraft.
• Prevent collisions between aircraft on the manoeuvring area and obstructions on that area.
• Expedite and maintain an orderly flow of air traffic.
• Provide advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights.
• Notify appropriate organisations regarding aircraft in need of search and rescue aid, and assist such organisations as required.

Question 23

SIGMET messages are issued and disseminated on OPMET and AFTN when phenomena which may affect the safety of aircraft have been reported, or are expected to occur, in an area over which a meteorological watch is maintained. What are the different types of weather that are reported SIGMET?

Answer 23

• Thunderstorms (inc cumulonimbus clouds that may not be currently accompanied by a thunderstorm).
• Heavy hail
• Freezing rain
• Severe icing
• Severe turbulence
• Tropical cyclone
• Severe mountain waves
• Heavy dust or sand storm
• Volcanic ash cloud

Question 24

Special Aircraft Observations will be passed to ATC as Special Air-Reports whenever an aircraft encounters or observes any of the following conditions:

Answer 24

• Moderate icing (MOD ICE) or severe icing (SEV ICE).
• Moderate turbulence (MOD TURB) or severe turbulence (SEV TURB).
• Severe mountain wave (SEV MTW).
• Thunderstorms with or without hail (that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines) (TSGR or TS).
• Volcanic ash cloud (VA CLD or VA).
• Special and non-routine Air-Reports shall be transmitted by ATS units, as soon as practicable in accordance with (EU) 923/2012 SERA.12020(a) to:
  (1) other aircraft concerned and shall cover the portion of the route up to one hour’s flying time ahead of the aircraft;
  (2) the Met Office at Exeter or Aberdeen (as appropriate) without delay, who will decide whether the conditions warrant the issue of a SIGMET; and
  (3) other ATS units concerned.

Question 25

When are runway inspections carried out?

Answer 25

• Before flying commences.
• Before night flying.
  Additional surface inspections should be made:
• At cessation of work on the manoeuvring area.
• When a runway not previously inspected is brought into use.
• Following an aircraft accident.
• Following an abandoned take-off by a turbine engined aircraft due to engine malfunction, or by any aircraft due to burst tyres.
• During snow and ice conditions as frequently as weather conditions warrant;
• When considered necessary by ATC, the Aerodrome Operator or as detailed in local instructions.
• At aerodromes with runways, the inspection should cover the runway-in-use and those likely to be used prior to the next regular inspection, together with their associated prepared strips, clearways, stopways and appropriate taxiways.