Fundamentals

Question 1

ATS Surveillance Service
Fundamentals

Answer 1

Use an ATS surveillance control procedure in preference to a procedural control procedure unless you or the pilot gain an operational advantage.

Question 2

Vectoring into Class G
Airspace

Answer 2

You may vector an aircraft into Class G airspace if you inform the pilot and obtain the pilot’s approval.

Question 3

Equipment Operation and Status

Answer 3

Verify the operating status of unit equipment in accordance with unit procedures and the user manual for the equipment.

Do not tamper or interfere with the normal operating status of equipment.

Coordinate with appropriate maintenance personnel the release of equipment for maintenance, taking into account the requirements of current and anticipated traffic during the period of interruption. If requested, make every effort to
release equipment for routine maintenance

Question 4

If you are not satisfied that the displayed ATS surveillance information is adequate:

Answer 4

• Inform the supervisor or delegated authority.
• Base subsequent control actions on direction provided in ATS directives supplemented by direction from your supervisor or delegated authority. If such direction is not available, base your actions on your assessment of the equipment.

Question 5

Control Service
SOE

Answer 5

Issue clearances and instructions as necessary to maintain a safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of traffic under the control of your unit.

Question 6

Provide area, terminal, or oceanic control service to:

Answer 6

• IFR aircraft in controlled airspace
• VFR aircraft in Class A and Class B airspace. Give priority to providing control service. Provide other services to the fullest
  possible extent.

Question 7

Separate aircraft consistently according to these fundamentals of safe, orderly, and expeditious control: 3 steps

Answer 7

• Planning: determine the appropriate separation minimum required
• Executing: implement the selected standard
• Monitoring: ensure that the planned and executed separation is maintained

Question 8

Separation Basics

Answer 8

To ensure an expeditious flow of traffic, operate as closely to the prescribed minimum as circumstances permit. If exceptional circumstances call for extra
caution, apply greater separation than the specified minimum.

Question 9

SSRs and Aircraft Codes

Answer 9

Instruct pilots of transponder-equipped aircraft to reply to SSR interrogation by assigning the appropriate code. If required, you may assign special condition
codes.[1]

As pilot workload during departure and arrival is extremely high, avoid issuing code changes during these phases of flight.

Question 10

If the PPS or data tag for a particular aircraft is not displayed as expected:

Answer 10

• Instruct the pilot to reset the transponder, stating the currently assigned code.
• If resetting the transponder does not resolve the problem, assign a different code.
  If an aircraft’s transponder appears to be unserviceable or malfunctioning, inform
  the pilot and, if appropriate, the adjacent sector or unit. If an aircraft’s transponder is set to standby or turned off, inform the adjacent sector or unit.

Question 11

Code Assignment Discrete and
Non-Discrete Codes

Answer 11

Assign an aircraft a discrete code in preference to a non-discrete code.
You may assign a non‑discrete code to either of the following:
* An aircraft that has canceled or closed its IFR flight plan and is not requesting further ATS surveillance service
* A VFR aircraft for which ATS surveillance service is being terminated.

Due to system limitations regarding the number of codes, minimize discrete code assignment changes.

Question 12

Situation Display Must Display

Answer 12

• Unlinked targets[1]
• CJSs
• Coast list in a full format showing all pertinent information (to enable prompt detection of newly de-linked aircraft)
• Altitude readouts (mode C)
• Current weather data and history, as necessary, for the provision of severe weather information
• VMI
• Appropriate geographic map
• Other features of the system may be used at your discretion.

Question 13

When using a CSiT situation display, ensure that the following settings are applied:

Answer 13

• PPS brightness is at least one level higher than other elements on the display.

Question 14

Inset Windows

Answer 14

When using inset windows, ensure they are:
* Placed outside sector boundaries or in areas where they do not obstruct jurisdictional traffic.
* Not used for ATS surveillance separation purposes.

Question 15

Restrict communications to air traffic services messages. In all radio, interphone, SATVOICE, and telephone communications, use:

Answer 15

• Proper phraseology
• Phonetic alphabet and numbers, as necessary
• Correct procedures for transmitting numbers

Question 16

Communication Systems to use

Answer 16

Normally, transmit ATC messages via one of the following communication
systems:
* ATC Interphone: for IFR and CVFR movement and control messages[1] (This
may be accomplished electronically)
* Air-Ground: for messages to aircraft concerning control and safety of flight
If primary communication systems are congested or not available, use an
alternate communication system:
* Transmit IFR and CVFR movement and control messages using the quickest
method[2], which may include placing or accepting long distance telephone
calls.
* SATVOICE is approved for routine communications; however, preference should be given to primary VHF, HF, and CPDLC communication methods.
* You may transmit VFR and DVFR movement messages that require immediate action via ATC interphone.
* You may arrange to have ATC messages accommodated on meteorological circuits provided you coordinate with the local meteorological office.

Question 17

Restrict communications to air traffic services messages. In all radio, interphone,
SATVOICE, and telephone communications, use:

Answer 17

• Proper phraseology
• Phonetic alphabet and numbers, as necessary
• Correct procedures for transmitting numbers

Question 18

Correcting a Clearance or Instruction

Answer 18

Identify and correct any errors made during delivery or readback of a clearance or instruction, even if a readback is not required. If there is any possibility of misunderstanding, cancel and restate the clearance or instruction in full.

Question 19

Denying Pilot Requests

Answer 19

When a request from a pilot is denied, provide a reason. The Pilot’s situational awareness is improved when you provide a reason

Question 20

When to Obtain Readbacks
unless?

Answer 20

When issuing or relaying an IFR clearance or IFR instruction or amendment, obtain an accurate readback unless one of the following applies:

• Information is relayed electronically.
• An arrangement specifies otherwise.

Question 21

Inform the pilot if you observe any of the following:

Answer 21

• It appears that the aircraft will deviate or has deviated from its assigned route or holding area.
• The altitude readout indicates that the aircraft has deviated by 300 feet or more from its assigned altitude.
• The altitude readout indicates that the aircraft has deviated by 200 feet from its assigned altitude and the VMI indicates that the aircraft is continuing its climb or descent away from the assigned altitude.
  When an aircraft has deviated from assigned airspace, if necessary, assist it in returning to the assigned airspace.

Question 22

Take action as indicated in Invalid Altitude Readouts when either of the following applies:

Answer 22

• An altitude readout is invalid.
• You observe a previously validated altitude readout to be invalid for four or more successive readout updates.

Question 23

Do not use invalidated altitude readouts to determine an aircraft’s altitude.

Answer 23

You may use invalidated altitude readouts to do any of the following:
* Observe whether an aircraft is in level flight, climbing, or descending
* Observe rates of climb or descent
* Provide traffic information.

Question 24

When Assigning Altitudes priority goes to

Answer 24

Give priority to an aircraft carrying a sick or seriously injured person, whose condition requires priority.
When one or more pilots request the same altitude, give priority to the aircraft already at the altitude.
When two or more aircraft are at the same altitude, give priority to the leading aircraft. You may adjust the altitude assignment for either of the following reasons:
* To accommodate the maximum number of aircraft at their requested altitudes
* To comply with ATFM* requirements

Question 25

Clearances and Instructions constitute?

Answer 25

An ATC clearance or instruction constitutes authority for an aircraft to proceed only as far as known air traffic is concerned and is based solely on the need to safely separate and expedite air traffic.

1 Pilots are required to comply with ATC clearances that they accept, and with ATC instructions that they acknowledge, subject to a pilot’s final responsibility for safety of the aircraft

Question 26

You may amend the route provided in a previous clearance by doing one of the following:

Answer 26

• State the route amendment and, if applicable, that the rest of the clearance is unchanged.
• Issue the entire route.

Question 27

If the aircraft’s previously filed route has not changed, you may use one of thefollowing phrases in a departure clearance

Answer 27

Flight Planned Route

Via centre-stored flight planned route

Question 28

Separation Basics - Maintaining Minimums

Answer 28

If the type of separation or the minimum used to separate aircraft cannot be maintained, take action to ensure that another type of separation exists, or another minimum is established, before the current separation becomes
insufficient.

Question 29

SAME STRATA

Answer 29

Aircraft that are within four thousand feet or less of each other are in the same strata as far as IAS and Mach are concerned.

Question 30

Speed Assignments may be used if?

Answer 30

If required to achieve or maintain required spacing or to minimize vectoring, instruct a pilot to adjust the aircraft’s speed.

Question 31

TC AIM RAC 2.5.2 Aircraft Speed Limit Order

Answer 31

According to CAR 602.32, no person shall operate an aircraft in
Canada;
(a)below 10 000 ft ASL at more than 250 KIAS; or
(b)below 3 000 ft AGL within 10 NM of a controlled airport and at more
than 200 KIAS, unless authorized to do so in an air traffic control
clearance.

Exceptions
(a)A person may operate an aircraft at an indicated airspeed greater
than the airspeeds referred to in (a) and (b) above where the aircraft is being operated in accordance with a special flight
operations certificate – special aviation event issued under CAR 603.(b) If the minimum safe speed, given the aircraft configuration, is
greater than the speed referred to in (a) or (b) above, the aircraft
shall be operated at the minimum safe speed

Question 32

Speed Reductions and Slower Speed Ranges

Answer 32

You may instruct a pilot to fly at slower speeds. Do not specify the minimum aircraft speed when a higher speed would suffice.

Question 33

Terminating Speed Assignments

Answer 33

Except when the aircraft has been cleared for an approach, advise the aircraft to resume normal speed when a speed adjustment is no longer necessary.

Question 34

Monitoring Speed Assignments

Answer 34

Unless the pilot advises they are unable to comply, promptly restate a speed assignment if it appears the aircraft is not operating in accordance with a
previously assigned speed instruction.

Question 35

Flight Priority for First Come First Serve

Answer 35

Provide air traffic services to aircraft on a “first come, first served” basis, and give priority as indicated in the following sections.[3]
Exceptions to “first come, first served” are permitted when they increase overall
efficiency and reduce the average delay. 3 Factors that could affect traffic sequence include:
* The type of approach intended
* The types of aircraft and their relative performance
* Any specified minimum departure interval between takeoffs
* The routes to be followed after takeoff
* Wake turbulence separation minima
* Aircraft subject to ATFM