MATS 1 sect 2 Flashcards
What services does an Aerodrome control unit provide?
- Aerodrome Control Service
- Basic Service
- Alerting Service
What are the objectives of aerodrome control?
To provide information and instructions to aircraft under its control to achieve a safe, orderly and efficient flow of air traffic with the objective of;
- Preventing collisions between:
a) Aircraft flying in, and in the vicinity of, the ATZ
b) Aircraft taking off or landing
c) Aircraft and vehicles, obstructions and other aircraft on the manoeuvring area - Assist in the prevention of collisions between aircraft on the aprons
What are the additional specific responsibilities of aerodrome control?
- Notifying Emergency services as per local instructions
- Informing Aircraft under its control of any depletion of the aerodrome emergency services
- Providing an approach control service when carrying out functions delegated by approach control
- Supplying the following information to approach control and, according to unit instructions, approach radar control;
a) Pertinent data on IFR, SVFR, and VFR traffic including departures, missed approaches and overdue aircraft
b) Appropriate items of essential aerodrome information - Informing aerodrome operator when it becomes apparent that there is a deterioration in the state of the aerodrome or associated facilities for which the aerodrome operator is responsible
- Initiating overdue action at aerodromes where no approach control unit is established.
What do Aerodrome control co-ordinate with Approach?
- Departing IFR flights
- Arriving aircraft making their first call on tower frequency (unless they are transferred to Approach control)
What shall approach control coordinate with Aerodrome?
- aircraft approaching to land; if necessary requesting landing clearance
- arriving aircraft which are to be cleared to visual holding points
- aircraft routing through the traffic circuit
What do aerodrome control need to co-ordinate with adjacent aerodromes?
The direction of circuits to ensure that they do not conflict.
When shall Aerodrome control transfer control of aircraft to approach?
- In VMC, prior to the aircraft leaving the vicinity of the aerodrome, or prior to the aircraft entering IMC
- In IMC, immediately after the aircraft is airborne.
What do we ask of pilots when ground visibility reduces below 5km and/or the cloud ceiling falls below 1500ft in Class D airspace?
We advise the pilots of this and request them to specify what type of clearance they require
What do we advise pilots of regarding LVPs?
The implementation and cancellation of them
When do we pass traffic information to aircraft?
Traffic information and instructions shall be passed to aircraft on any occasion that a controller considers it necessary in the interests of safety, or when requested by a pilot.
What is Essential Aerodrome Information?
Information concerning the state of the manoeuvring area and its associated facilities that may constitute a hazard to a particular aircraft. It shall be issued to pilots in sufficient time to ensure the safe operation of aircraft. This may include the provision of urgent information to pilots during take-off or landing runs.
What would constitute Essential Aerodrome Information?
- Construction work or maintenance on the manoeuvring area
- Rough portions of the manoeuvring area and whether marked or not
- failure of irregular functioning of Aerodrome lighting system. Pilot is responsible for deciding whether this affects his flight
- Failure or irregular operation of approach aids
- Aircraft parked close to the runways or taxiways and aircraft engaged in ground running of engines
- depth of snow layers on runways and taxiways, snow piled or drifted on the manoeuvring area, melting now and slush, rutted ice and snow.
- In snow or ice conditions, information concerning sweeping and/or sanding of runways and taxiways
- Reports on the estimated braking action
- Bird formations or individual large birds on the manoeuvring area or in the vicinity of the aerodrome. Also bird dispersal action taking place
- Warnings on presence of water on runways
- Information on the location and operational status of any arrester gear.
What is the order of priority on the manoeuvring area?
Aircraft taking off/ landing
Aircraft taxiing
Aircraft under tow
Vehicles (Except emergency vehicles in an emergency situation)
What do you need to consider regarding jet blast and propeller slipstream?
The hazard it may cause to aircraft behind
When and for what can an SMR be used for at an Aerodrome?
During periods of darkness or low visibility,
May be used to;
- Monitor the movements of aircraft and vehicles on the manoeuvring area
- To provide advice and assistance for the safe and efficient movement of aircraft and vehicles on the manouevring area, including the following;
a) To ensure aircraft are lined up on the correct runway
b) Determining that a runway is clear of aircraft and vehicles
c) To ascertain that aircraft have commenced a take-off run
d) To monitor the positions of traffic in order to facilitate switching of taxiway lighting
e) To monitor and assists emergency vehicles when required.
What are the methods of identification using an SMR?
- By correlating the position of a visually observed aircraft/vehicles to that displayed on the SMR
- By correlating an identified SMR position from another ATS surveillance system
- By correlating an SMR position complying with an ATC instruction for a specified manoeuvre
- By correlating a displayed SMR position to an aircraft/vehicle as reported by radio
- By correlating a displayed SMR position to an aircraft/vehicle position, eg. Entering a runway or taxiway, holding position or any position marked on the situation display.
What information is passed to an aircraft requesting taxi/start-up clearance?
- Runway in use
- Surface wind direction and speed, including significant variations
- Aerodrome QNH
- Outside Air temperature
- Significant met conditions eg RVR or temp inversions
What are the conditions for allowing multiple aircraft to line up on the same runway?
- It is during daylight hours
- All aircraft are continuously visible to the controller
- All aircraft are on the same RTF frequency
- Pilots are advised of the number of aircraft ahead in the departure sequence and the position/runway from which these aircraft will depart
- The physical characteristics of the runway do not render preceding aircraft in the departure sequence invisible to succeeding aircraft on the same runway.
What do you need before an IFR flight can be cleared to depart?
- His departure clearance
- Authorisation from approach for the departure (ie release)
What would you expect an aircraft cleared for an immediate take-off to do?
Taxi onto the runway and begin his take-off roll in one smooth motion
What is the UK phraseology for cancelling an aircraft’s take-off when it hasn’t yet commenced its take-off run?
GABCD, Hold position, cancel take-off I say again cancel take-off, acknowledge
What is the phraseology for stopping an aircraft take-off when it has already begun its take-off run?
VIR798 stop immediately, i say again VIR798 stop immediately, acknowledge
What are the mandatory position reports in the circuit?
Downwind (abeam the upwind end of the circuit)
Final
What level does a standard overhead join begin at?
2000ft above aerodrome elevation
Describe a standard overhead join
When can an aircraft be cleared to depart?
When preceding departing aircraft are airborne or landing aircraft have vacated the runway
When can an aircraft be permitted to land?
When a preceding departing aircraft is airborne or a landing aircraft has vacated (if not using a land-after)
What are the conditions for a land after?
- The runway is long enough to allow safe separation between the two aircraft and there is no evidence to indicate that braking action may be adversely affected
- It is daytime
- The preceding landing aircraft is not required to backtrack in order to vacate the runway
- The controller is satisfied that the second aircraft will be able to maintain continuous visual with the first aircraft until that one has vacated.
- The pilot of the following aircraft is warned. Responsibility for ensuring adequate separation rests with the pilot of the following aircraft.
What can an ATM be used for?
- Determine the landing order, spacing and distance from touchdown of arriving aircraft
- Assist in providing longitudinal separation for departing aircraft
- Enable the controller to confirm that the initial track of a departing aircraft conforms with the clearance issued
- provide information to aircraft on the position of other aircraft in the circuit or carrying out an instrument approach
What are the additional uses of the ATM when approved by the CAA?
- Following identification, validate SSR codes of departing aircraft and verify associated Mode C read-outs;
- Monitor the progress of overflying aircraft identified by approach radar control to ensure that they do not conflict with the tracks of arriving or departing aircraft
- establish separation between departing aircraft
- pass traffic information
- establish separation in the event of a missed approach
- assist in taking initial corrective action when the separation between arriving aircraft becomes less than the prescribed minima
this is all providing the ATCO is;
- trained to do so
- providing only an Air service
- and this is approved in MATS 2
What is the level restriction for an aircraft conducting a low approach when the runway is occupied?
Not below 400ft QFE
Not below 400ft+ threshold elevation rounded up to the nearest 50ft QNH
Aircraft shall also be informed about one another.
Who do we inform regarding runway changes?
Should a change of runway be necessary Aerodrome Control, after consultation with Approach Control, shall inform the following:
(1) Aircraft under his control;
(2) Aerodrome Fire Service;
(3) Contractors working on the aerodrome who will be affected by the change;
(4) Other agencies according to local instructions.
How long after ATD are you supposed to leave the aerodrome open?
15 minutes after ATD to allow for aircraft having to return
When must the runway lighting be on?
By day= High intensity lighting must be used when Vis is less than 5000m and or cloud base is less than 700ft
What happens in the event of a laser attack on a pilot?
What should you do if subjected to a malicious laser attack?
- Look away from beam
- Shield eyes and consider using sun blinds
- Advise aircraft that your are subject to laser attack
- Avoid rubbing eyes
- Consider increasing ambient light levels to minimise effects
- Consider handing over to a colleague
- Inform a supervisor who can then inform aerodrome operator and police
- Record event in the ATC watch log.
What is wind shear?
A sustained change in wind velocity along the aircraft flight path, which occurs significantly faster than the aircraft can accelerate or decelerate
Can occur at any level
Why is wind shear on approach especially dangerous?
Because the aircraft is in a critical phase of flight close to the ground where there is not much room for error
