ATC Services Flashcards
What callsigns are used for terminal area control in Centres like Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane?
- Approach
- Departures
- Centre
State the five objectives of Air Traffic Control
- Prevent collisions between aircraft
- Prevent collisions between aircraft on the maneuvring area and obstructions on that area.
- Expedite and maintain an orderly flow of aircraft
- Provide advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights; and
- Notify appropriate organisations regarding aircraft in need of search and rescue aid, and assist such organisations as required.
What are the three Air Traffic Services provided by Airservices Australia?
- Air Traffic Control Service
- Flight Information Service
- Alerting Service
What are the three ATC roles as defined by ICAO?
- Aerodrome - aerodrome traffic
- Approach - those parts of controlled flights associated with arrival or departure
- Area - controlled flights outside the control zones of major aerodromes
What is the duty priority for ATS staff?
Give first priority to separating aircraft, issuing safety alerts and providing directed traffic information as required by MATS.
Perform first that action which is most critical from a safety standpoint.
May a control tower provide an approach control service?
Yes, where there is no separate approach service.
e.g. at some Regional or Metropolitan Class D Towers.
Do all ATC services also provide flight information and alerting services?
Yes
What callsign do Area Control Units operate under?
Centre
What is approach also known as?
TMA - Terminal Management Area
TCU - Terminal Control Unit
What is TAAATS
The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System
What consoles are currently used by Australian ATCs?
EUROCAT
How long is the initial training period for an ATC?
Approx. 12 months
What topics does ATC classroom training include?
- Air Law
- Air traffic Services
- Meteorology
- Navigation
- Aerodynamics
- Communications
- Aerodromes
- Landing Surfaces
- Aircraft Performance
- Separation Standards
What is the minimum number of hours an ATC must have in the simulator for each endorsement?
100 hours
What causes/kinds of ongoing training will an ATC experience?
- Further endorsements
- Staff movements
- New ATC procedures
- New technologies
- Software upgrades
- All documents/charts replaced every 3 months
- Annual refresher training focused on rarely used knowledge and skills. e.g. TAAATS degraded modes, in-flight emergency response, seasonal weather, compromised separation
What are the operational positions in tower/aerodrome control?
- Airways Clearance Delivery (ACD)
- done via data link at most major aerodromes - Surface Movements Controller (SMC)
- Callsign - Ground
- Controls the manoeuvring area
- Does not own runways - Coordinator
- Does all communications with outside units. e.g. ARFF, Airport, Enroute, Approach - Aerodrome Controller (ADC)
- Callsign - Tower.
- Owns the runways
What callsign does the Flight Information Service use?
Flightwatch
Which ATC positions provide a flight information service?
All ATC positions.
Define a Flight Information Service
A service provided for the purpose of giving advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights:
- Pre-flight information
- Operational information
- Traffic information
- ATS surveillance system information
- Other information likely to affect safety.
How is pre-flight information managed?
Accessed via Canberra from NAIPS (National Aeronautical Information Processing System)
What does the Alerting Service deal with?
- Missing aircraft
- Imminent or known crashes
- Distress beacon interceptions
- Emergency phases
- Provide communications information to aircraft in distress & SAR aircraft.
What advice should be provided to a VFR pilot in IMC?
- Keep wings level
- Keep speed constant
- Trust instruments
- LSALT
- Turn on pitot heat (and anti-icing) if available
How often must an ATC undergo practical assessment for an endorsement?
Every 6 months
How often must an ATC undergo a theory assessment for ratings & endorsements?
Every 12 months for both ratings and endorsements
What is IFER?
In-Flight Emergency Response
What should an ATC do as part of IFER?
Provide reasonable advice to assist PIC of an airborne emergency to:
- Operate in safe airspace
- Resume normal operations
- Land the aircraft safely
When does IFER become SAR?
As soon as the aircraft lands or crashes.
Explain the emergency phases.
- Uncertainty Phase - uncertainty exists as to the status of the aircraft and its occupants.
- Alert Phase - apprehension exists as to the status of the aircraft and its occupants.
- Distress Phase - reasonable certainty that the aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger.
To whom is a Flight Information Service provided?
Provide FIS to all aircraft which are:
- provided with air traffic control service; or
- otherwise known to the relevant air traffic services units
