ATC Seperation

Question 1

• Minimum vertical separation when VMC from Special Use Airspace established for aircraft activity.
  
  • Danger Area
  • Military Area
  • Restricted Area

Answer 1

Below FL290

• 500ft

At or above FL290

• 1000ft

Question 2

• Explain Lateral Separation

Answer 2

• Separation provided to aircraft on converging tracks.

Question 3

• Explain Geographical Separation

Answer 3

• Requires 1 or more a/c to operate by visual reference.
• To follow tracks identified by:
  
  • Prominent geographical features, landmarks or VRPs
• Remain within specified CTR/CTA sectors
• May be applied in CTRs/CTAs up to 6000ft AMSL

Question 4

• ATC will provide separation and pass traffic information to which aircraft in Class D airspace?

Answer 4

Separation

• IFR from IFR & SVFR
• SVFR from SVFR when vis is reported <5km

Traffic Information

• IFR about VFR flights (and avoidance advice on request)
• VFR from VFR (and avoidance advice on request)

Question 5

• Minimum vertical separation when IMC from Special Use Airspace established for aircraft activity.
  
  • Danger Area
  • Military Area
  • Restricted Area

Answer 5

Below FL290

• 1000ft

At or above FL290

• 2000ft

Question 6

• Explain Longitudinal Separation

Answer 6

• Aircraft following another.
• Expressed as a distance or a time.

Question 7

• Will ATC provide separation between an IFR aircraft at the lowest cruising usable cruising level in Class C airspace and a VFR flight in Class D airspace operating at the common airspace level?
• (Effectively 500ft separation)*

Answer 7

• No, Provided the VFR aircraft is operating at an altitude of 4500ft or below.

(ENR 1.1-22 9.2(b) and ENR 1.1-23 9.4.1)

Question 8

• Minimum vertical separation from Special Use Airspace NOT established for aircraft activity.
  
  • Danger Area
  • Military Area
  • Restricted Area

Answer 8

• No Minimum at any level

Question 9

• What are the different types of horizontal separations

Answer 9

• Longitudinal
• Lateral
• Radar
• Geographical

Question 10

• What will ATC do regarding separation when an aircraft(s) are responding to a TCAS RA, GPWS or TAWS

Answer 10

• They will not provide any separation while the aircrft are carrying out required manoeuvres.
• When the pilot advises “Clear or Conflict”, ATC will make every endeavour to restore standard separation.
  • ATC responsibility for maintaining separation resumes from the time that separation is re-established between all aircraft involved in the manoeuvre

Question 11

• ATC will provide separation and pass traffic information to which aircraft in Class C airspace?

Answer 11

Seperation:

• IFR from IFR, VFR and SVFR
• VFR from IFR
• SVFR from SVFR when vis is reported <5km

Traffic Information:

• VFR from VFR flights and SVFR flights when vis is <5km.
  
  • VFR flights must maintain their own separation from each other.

Question 12

• When will ATC not provide IFR from IFR separation in Class D airspace?

Answer 12

• When the flights have been cleared to climb or descend subject to maintaining own separation in VMC.

Question 13

• Requirements for maintaining own separation in VMC

(When in Procedural Airspace)

Answer 13

• An IFR flight may be cleared to maintain own separation from another and reamin in VMC provided:
  
  • In class D airspace only; and
  • Pilot must request it; and
  • A radar control service is not available; and
  • During the Day; and
  • During climb or descent for a specified portion of the flight at or below 10,000ft; and
  • The pilot of the other IFR flight Agrees

Question 14

• Minimum Vertical separation between flights in controlled airspace.

Answer 14

• 1000ft
  
  • Can be reduced to 500ft in controlled airspace providing both aircraft
    
    • Are medium to light weight, and
    • The lower aircraft is VFR or SVFR operating at an alitude of 4500ft or below.

Question 15

• Minimum vertical separation from Special Use Airspace.
  
  • Volcanic Hazard Zone

Answer 15

• No Minimum at any level

Question 16

• What is the minimum radar separation distance
  
  • Can it be reduced?
  • If so when?

Answer 16

• Minimum Radar separation between aircraft is 5nm.

It can be reduced

• ​When a/c are within 60nm of AA, OH, WN & CH to 3nm
• When a/c are within 60nm of the Te Weraiti SSR site (SE of Matamata) to 3nm
• When a/c on reciprocal tracks have passed and their radar symbols have separated.

Question 17

• What is required if you wish to have visual separation with another aircraft in Controlled airspace beyond the vacinity of an aerodrome?

Answer 17

In Classes C & D airspace, vertical and horizontal separation may be reduced by the application of visual separation provided that:

• Only during the day; and
• Requested by the pilot; and
• Both aircraft on same frequency*; and
• Both flights remain VMC; and
• Both aircraft are continually in sight of each other; and
• Both pilots agree to the procedure; OR
• The aircraft behind reports having the aircraft ahead in sight and can maintain visual separation

*Except when under the control of adjacent radar positions sharing common airspace.

Question 18

• What is required if you wish to have reduced/visual separation with another aircraft when operating in the vacinity of an aerodrome.

Answer 18

Vertical and Horizontal separation maybe reduced in the vacinity of aerodromes if:

• Adequate separation can be provided by the controller when each aircraft is continuously visable to that controller; or
• Both pilots of the other aircraft in sight and report they can maintain visual separation; or
• In the case of one aircraft following another, the aircraft following has the preceding aircraft in sight and can maintain visual separation.