Emergency Phases Flashcards
An ATS ‘Alerting Post’ is responsible for?
- Declaring emergency phases
- Responding to in-flight emergencies
- Notifying appropriate authorities regarding aircraft in need of search and rescue
- Assisting such authorities as required
ATS Providers’ responsibilities include the SAR alerting of ________?
- Overdue aircraft following the completion of communications checks
- Imminent or known aircraft crashes
- Missing aircraft
- Distress beacon interceptions by ATS units or reported by aircraft
- All emergency phases declared by aircraft where continued safety of flight is in doubt
ATS responsibilities include assistance with the ______________________________ for aircraft engaged in SAR operations
Provision of aeronautical communications services
Communications checks will commence where the pilot fails to ___________?
- Report by a SARTIME
- Submit a report at the prescribed time
- Acknowledge a call initiated by the ground station
In the provision of an alerting service, who should be notified?
- JRCC Australia:
i. aircraft for which an uncertainty phase has been declared because of a failure to report;
ii. information concerning imminent or known aircraft crashes, or missing aircraft; - The operator, prior to notifying JRCC Australia and when practicable, for aircraft subject to an uncertainty or alert phase
- Emergency services at ATS staffed aerodromes
- The Police to activate emergency services at non-ATS staffed aerodromes (unless the Department of Home Affairs has had prior notification as part of the IFER checklist)
- The Australian Government Crisis Coordination Centre for acts of unlawful interference
How is SARWATCH maintained?
- Continuous visual or surveillance monitoring
- A time nominated by ATS or a pilot which may include
a) an estimate
b) a NOCOM time
c) a time to report, such as a SKED or an operations normal time.
For which aircraft is SARWATCH maintained?
- All aircraft subject to an air traffic control service in Class A, C, D or E airspace.
- IFR operations in Class G airspace
- VFR on request
- TIBA (Traffic Information Broadcast by Aircraft) where capability permits.
Pilots operating VFR may lodge a SARTIME ______ or _________
SARTIME FOR DEPARTURE
SARTIME FOR ARRIVAL
What notifications or requests may ATC receive regarding SARTIMEs?
- Notifications of cancellation of SARTIME on frequency
- May be requested by the SARTIMEs team to perform communications checks for pilots that have not reported.
What methods should an ATC use to conduct communications checks?
- Attempt to contact the pilot direct by calling on the normal and alternative frequencies, repeating the calls with discretion;
- Attempt to contact the aircraft through another pilot in VHF or HF range.
- Ascertain whether the report has been received by another unit; and
- Arrange for other ground units to call the pilot on normal and alternative frequencies. A unit instructed to call a pilot notifies the originating unit if contact is not established within a period of five minutes
- Arrange for pilots to be contacted by phone on a number nominated in the flight plan.
When shall communication checks be considered completed?
Once it has been determined that the pilot cannot be contacted on ATS frequencies.
Who, and in what circumstances, is responsible for declaring an emergency phase?
The ATS officer first becoming aware of an aircraft operating in other than normal circumstances, and there is doubt concerning the aircraft’s safety, is responsible for declaration of the phase appropriate to the emergency situation.
List the emergency phases.
Uncertainty Phase (INCERFA)
Alert Phase (ALERFA)
Distress Phase (DETRESFA)
Define the Uncertainty Phase
Uncertainty exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants.
Define the Alert Phase
Apprehension exists as to the safety of an aircraft and its occupants.
Define the Distress Phase
Reasonable certainty that the aircraft and its occupants are threatened by grave and imminent danger
How may military aircraft advise of comms failure?
By flying in triangles
Clockwise - receive only
Anti-clockwise - no transmit or receive
Where an aircraft experiences communications failure, what should an ATC base control on?
The understanding that aircraft will follow the ERSA emergency procedure unless:
a) it is determined that the aircraft is following a different procedure
b) the use of electronic or other aids enables the position of each aircraft to be accurately determined, when control is to be based on this position data
c) information is received that the aircraft has landed or has resumed normal communication
How will a pilot communicate an emergency, and what information should be included?
MAYDAY followed as necessary by:
i. station addressed
ii. aircraft identification
iii. nature of distress condition
iv. intentions
v. position, level and heading
vi. any other useful information
How will a pilot communicate an urgency message, and what information should be included?
PAN PAN followed as necessary by:
i. station addressed
ii. aircraft identification
iii. nature of distress condition
iv. intentions
v. position, level and heading
vi. any other useful information
How will an ATC acknowledge a MAYDAY or PAN call respectively?
- ROGER MAYDAY
- ROGER PAN
How should ATC acknowledge MAYDAY or PAN frequency transfer?
- MAYDAY ACKNOWLEDGED
- PAN ACKNOWLEDGED
If an aircraft fails to report departure after a call notifying readiness to taxi or take-off, when should communications checks begin?
10 minutes after taxiing call.
When an aircraft fails to report departure after an airborne call, when should communications checks begin?
5 minutes after airborne call
When an aircraft fails to report position or scheduled report, including NOCOM cancellation time, or OPS NORMAL time, when should communications checks begin?
3 minutes after the report was due
If an aircraft fails to report after a frequency change, when should communications checks begin?
3 minutes after the call was due
When an aircraft fails to reply to a call by a ground station, when listening watch is required, when should communications checks begin?
3 minutes after the call
When an aircraft fails to report arrival at a non-controlled aerodrome, when should communications checks begin?
10 minutes after estimate
When an aircraft fails to report arrival or departure having nominated SARTIME, when should communications checks begin?
At SARTIME.
When after an aircraft that had been given approach or landing instructions by ATC fails to land, should communications checks begin?
At the estimated landing time.
When after an aircraft fails to report departure after a call notifying readiness to taxi or take-off, should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 min after taxiing call
When an aircraft fails to report departure after an airborne call, when should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 minutes after airborne call
When an aircraft fails to report position or scheduled report, including NOCOM cancellation time, or OPS NORMAL time, when should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 minutes after the report was due
When an aircraft fails to report after a frequency change, when should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 minutes after the call was due
When an aircraft fails to reply to a call by a ground station, when listening watch is required, when should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 minutes after the call
When an aircraft fails to report arrival at a non-controlled aerodrome, when should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 minutes after the estimate
When an aircraft fails to report arrival or departure, having nominated SARTIME, when should an uncertainty phase be declared?
30 minutes after SARTIME.
When, after an aircraft is recognised to not be on proper track or at proper level should an uncertainty phase be declared?
Immediately
When, after an aircraft is recognised to be unable to use appropriate navaids should an uncertainty phase be declared?
Immediately
When, after an aircraft is recognised to be experiencing navigational difficulties or be lost should an uncertainty phase be declared?
Immediately
Information has been received that an aircraft for which flight notification has not been lodged is missing.
What must be done?
Uncertainty phase must be declared immediately.
Information has been received that a pilot is about to, or has, made a landing other than a forced landing on one of the below:
a) where the position is in doubt;
b) on an unprepared surface;
c) at an aerodrome (in the case of helicopters, a landing area) which is considered by the pilot has being operationally unsuitable.
Which emergency phase, if any, must be declared and when.
Uncertainty phase declared immediately upon recognising the condition of the aircraft.
After subsequent communication checks and enquiries to other relevant sources fail to reveal news of the aircraft, what must be done?
Alert phase should be declared immediately once the condition is recognised
After widespread communication checks and unsuccessful enquiries indicate probability that the aircraft is in distress, what must be done?
Distress phase must be declared immediately once the condition is recognised.
When the pilot of a radio-equipped aircraft at a controlled aerodrome after having been given approach or landing instructions or information by ATC at its landing place then fails to land, when should an Alert phase be declared?
5 minutes after the estimated landing time
When an aircraft is recognised to be experiencing impaired operating efficiency, having difficulty in maintaining height, or may have difficulty in making a normal approach and landing, which, if any emergency phase should be declared and when?
An alert phase should be declared immediately upon recognition of condition.
When a VMC flight is recognised to be operating in IMC or a daylight flight operating at night, what must be done?
An Alert phase must be immediately declared.
When, after an aircraft has been recognised to not be on proper track or at proper level, should an Alert phase be declared
If there is reason to believe the conduct of the flight is in jeopardy - Immediately.
When, after an aircraft has been recognised to be unable to use appropriate navaids, should an Alert phase be declared?
If there is reason to believe the conduct of the flight is in jeopardy - Immediately.
In the event of a bomb warning, when should an Alert phase be declared?
Pending evaluation by the operator or pilot except on the ground at an aerodrome where ATS is on duty
Information has been received that an aircraft for which flight notification has not been lodged is missing.
When should an Alert phase be declared?
When communications checks lead to apprehension
An aircraft is known, or believed to be the subject of unlawful interference.
Which emergency phase should be declared and when?
An alert phase - immediately
A radio survival beacon has been activated for a period greater than 10 seconds.
What emergency phase should be immediately declared?
Distress phase
You receive information that a pilot is about to, or has, force landed, ditched or crashed.
What must you immediately do?
Declare a distress phase.
When, after receiving information that an aircraft for which flight notification has not been lodged is missing, should a distress phase be declared?
When continued absence of news indicates possibility that the aircraft is in distress.
In the event of a bomb warning, when should a distress phase be declared?
Immediately on notification of ‘genuine’ evaluation except on the ground where ATS is on duty.
When an aircraft’s fuel is exhausted, which emergency phase should be declared, when, and with what exception.
Distress phase should be declared immediately. Unless SARTIME has been notified.
Which emergency phase should be declared when an aircraft is recognised to be experiencing major impaired operating efficiency - forced landly likely
Distress phase - immediately upon recognising the aircraft’s condition
