ATCOs Responsabilities

Question 1

What are ATCOs mainly responsible for?

Answer 1

For the SAFE, ORDERLY and EFFICIENT movement of aircraft. From the moment they leave the gate until they arrive to the end gate.

Question 2

What ATCOs’ role will entail?

Answer 2

Whether working in a Tower or a Centre, the role will incorporate one or more of the following responsibilities:

• Preventing collisions between aircraft in the air
• Assisting in preventing collisions between aircraft moving on the apron and the manoeuvring area
• Assisting in preventing collisions between aircraft and obstructions on the manoeuvring area
• Expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of air traffic

Question 3

What ATCOs are provided with?

Answer 3

Details of any flight that intends to fly through the airspace they are responsible for, or
any flight that is due to arrive/depart from an aerodrome by means of an electronic or paper flight progress strip

Question 4

What details are displayed on the electronic or paper flight progress strip?

Answer 4

• Callsign
• Route
• Altitude
• Speed

Question 5

How ATCOs and pilots communicate?

Answer 5

Using VHF radio. Any instructions that the Controller issues to an a/c must be read back by the pilot

Question 6

Do Controllers communicate with each other? Why? How?

Answer 6

Yes, they must communicate with each other to pass details of flights as they move from one sector to another.
Often the information is passed by a computer link, but also by using telephones to communicate with these adjacent centres

Question 7

What other ATC Centres does UK must co-ordinate with?

Answer 7

With Air Traffic Centres in
- Dublin,
- Shannon
- Brest
- Paris
- Brussels
- Maastricht
- Copenhagen.
Likewise, these adjacent centres must inform the UK about flights approaching UK airspace

Question 8

Name ATCO types

Answer 8

• Aerodrome Controller
• Approach Controller
• Area Controller