General ATC Flashcards
An emergency can be declared by…
Tower, Pilot, Facility Personnel (Ops, Maintenance)
Duty Priority 1
Separating aircraft and issuing safety alerts as required
Minimum information needed in an emergency…
Aircraft ID, aircraft type, nature of emergency, pilot’s intentions
SID use
Airport system enhancement, expedite traffic flow, reduce pilot & controller work load.
Bird Activity reports
Position, species (if known), course of flight, altitude. Issue alerts for at least 15 minutes or until no longer a factor.
ALNOT
Alert Notice. Generally 50 miles on either side of the route of flight form the last reported position. Cancel when aircraft is located or search is abandoned.
Aircraft orientation options
Radar, Navaids, Pilotage, Sighting by other aircraft
Purpose of the ATC system
The primary purpose of the air traffic control system is to prevent a collision between aircraft operating in the system, to organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and to provide support for national security and homeland defense.
HIWAS
Hazardous Inflight Weather Advisory System. AIRMET, SIGMET, Convective SIGMET. Noted by an H in a circle on FLIPS
Operational Priority
Provide air traffic control services on a “first come first serve” basis as circumstances permit.
Exceptions:
Aircraft in distress, Medevac, SAR, Presidential aircraft, Flight Check aircraft
Recorded with PIREPS
Time, Aircraft position, Type of aircraft, Altitude, When icing is involved: type, intensity, air temp
TAWS
Terrain Awareness Warning System. Provides safety alerts regarding terrain or obstructions. Once recovery maneuver has started, controller is no longer in control. ATC responsibility resumes once maneuver is complete.
Duty Priority 2
Provide support to national security and homeland defense. Report suspicious and/or unusual aircraft.
Duty Priority 3
Provide additional services to the extent possible
TCAS
Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System. Provides safety alerts regarding aircraft or other obstructions. Once recovery maneuver has started, controller is no longer in control. ATC responsibility resumes once maneuver is complete.
Light Gun Signals (Vehicles, Equipment, etc.)
Steady Green - Cleared to cross, proceed, go
Flashing Green - N/A
Steady Red- Stop
Flashing Red - Clear taxiway/runway
Flashing White - Return to starting point
Alternating Red/Green - General warning, exercise extreme caution
Light Gun Signals (Aircraft on ground)
Steady Green - Cleared for takeoff
Flashing Green - Cleared to taxi
Steady Red - Stop
Flashing Red - Taxi clear of area or runway
Flashing White - Return to starting point
Alternating Red/Green - General warning, exercise extreme caution
Light Gun Signals (Aircraft in flight)
Steady Green - Cleared to land
Flashing Green - Return for landing
Steady Red - Give way to other aircraft and continue circling
Flashing Red - Airport unsafe, do not land
Flashing White - N/A
Alternating Red/Green - General warning, exercise extreme caution
Traffic Advisory
“Aircraft ID, traffic, clock position, distance (miles), route of flight, type (if known), altitude
Interphone Transmission Priorities
- Emergency messages
- Clearance and control messages
- Movement & control messages (IFR)
- Movement & control messages (VFR)
movement & control messages include progress reports, departure/arrival reports, flight plans
Interphones should be monitored…
Interphones and assigned frequencies should be monitored continuously
Pilot Acknowledgement
When issuing clearances or instructions, ensure acknowledgements by the pilot.
Ensure read back is correct.
If incorrect or incomplete, make corrections as appropriate.
Airport Traffic Control Servies
Provide airport traffic control service based only upon known or observed traffic and airport conditions.
Coordination between local and ground control…
Local and ground controllers must exchange information as necessary for the safe and efficient use of airport runways and movement areas.
Visually Scan Runways…
Local controllers must visually scan runways to the maximum extent possible.
Ground controllers must assist local control in visually scanning runways, especially when runways are in close proximity to other movement areas.
NOTAMS
Notice to Airmen. Issued when changes to published information occurs.
Movement area Communications Services (hours of operation) Special WX Airspace (parachute jumps/skydiving)
Information should be issued…
In enough time to be useful to the pilot
Solicit a PIREP when…
Ceiling at or below 5000' Visibility at or less than 5 miles Thunderstorms and related phenomena Turbulence of a moderate degree or greater Icing of a light degree or greater Windshear Volcanic ash Braking action advisories
obtain each hour until condition no longer exists
Visual Contact Lost
If the control tower loses sight or contact with an aircraft in the traffic pattern, the control tower will instruct the pilot to turn on the landing light for identification.
Airfield Security
It is the responsibility of air traffic controllers to keep a constant vigil of the airfield while on duty, and to notify the proper authorities of any violations observed or reported.
Except where a “runway use” program is in effect, use the calm wind runway when the wind is less than…
5 knots
Surface wind shall be described as “calm” when the wind velocity is…
Less than 3 knots
Types of safety alerts
Traffic alert & low altitude alert.
Don’t hit shit in the air, don’t hit shit on the ground
Initial contact with aircraft
Issue Runway, Wind, Altimeter
Weather phenomenon most hazardous to aviation
Thunderstorms
The most common forms of precipitation which cause restrictions to visibility are…
Rain, Drizzle, Snow
A time check is given…
To the nearest quarter minute, “Time ….”
General time is given using fur digits in terms of…
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)
When issuing surface wind, state the indicated direction to the nearest…
10 degrees
Flight progress strips are made with printed characters to…
Prevent misinterpretation
When combining positions in the tower, do not…
Use ground control frequency for airborne communications
The specialist being relieved and the relieving specialist share equal responsibility for the…
Completeness and accuracy of the position relief briefing
“Cleared for the option” includes…
Touch & Go, Low Approach, Missed Approach, Stop & Go, Full Stop
Arriving aircraft - DRWAR
Direction (enter left base, enter downwind, etc...) Runway in use Wind Altimeter Report (base, final, etc.)
Overhead Maneuver
Initial - First reporting point, 3-5 miles out
Break - Descending 180 degree turn, now considered to be in the traffic pattern
Base - Starts second 180 degree turn
Landing Clearance - AW(LS)WC
Advisories - Not in sight, Men & equipment, etc.
Wheels - Check wheels down (Fixed wing only)
Landing Surface - surface aircraft will be landing to
Wind - Current winds
Clearance - To land, T & G, Option, etc.
Pilots request closed traffic to…
Conduct successive landings and takeoffs
Departure Clearance - (DS)AWC
Departure Surface - state surface aircraft is departing from
Advisories - Men & equipment, vehicles, etc.
Wind - Current winds
Clearance - Takeoff
Line Up and Wait (LUAW)
Intent is to position aircraft for an imminent departure
Emergency Procedures - Local Control
Aircraft - “EMERGENCY”
Local Controller to aircraft - “Go ahead”
Aircraft - “Provides emergency information”
Local Control will copy emergency information verbatim, deconflict traffic, and issue landing clearance
Emergency Procedures - Ground Control
In an emergency, the ground controller must obtain the same information as the the local controller. During the emergency, ground shall coordinate the emergency information with crash (and flight data)
Local Controller - “EMERGENCY”
Aircraft - “Provides emergency information”
Ground control will copy emergency information verbatim
“Crash, emergency, aircraft ID, type, nature of emergency, landing surface, any other pertinent information”
A pilot requests to land on a closed/unsafe surface/area…
Notify pilot the surface/area is close/unsafe. If pilot persists, quote the appropriate NOTAM. If pilot still persists and the action, in your opinion, has no adverse affects on traffic, inform pilot the operation will be at his own risk.
An aircraft cleared for a LA is considered a departing aircraft when…
It has crossed the landing threshold
