MATS Part 1 Question of the week

Question 1

What is the minimum reported visibility required for VFR flight operating to/from an aerodrome in Class D airspace?

Answer 1

• By day: fixed wing 5km, rotary 1500m
• By night: all aircraft 5km

Question 2

What variation in surface wind, both speed and direction should be reported?

Answer 2

10kts or more than the mean speed. The extremes in direction when the variation is 60 degrees or more and the mean speed exceeds 3kts

Question 3

What are the conditions for a visual approach?

Answer 3

Pilot reports that he can maintain visual reference to the surface and:

• The reported cloud ceiling is at or above the level of the beginning of the initial approach segment; or
• The pilot reports at any time after commencing the approach procedure that the visibility will permit a visual approach and landing, and a reasonable assurance exists that this can be accomplished.

Question 4

When shall an aircraft be instructed to carry out a missed approach?

Answer 4

• On instructions from Approach/Aerodrome Control
• When no landing clearance is received before 2 miles from touchdown (or such other range agreed with Aerodrome Control)
• When it appears to be dangerously positioned on final approach

Question 5

How is transmissometer unavailability transmitted?

Answer 5

The transmissometers are to be named along with the values, including the U/S transmissometer reporting it as “Not Available”.

Question 6

When may ATC clear an aircraft for a visual approach and under what conditions is it permissible?

Answer 6

To expedite traffic at any time, IFR flights, either within or outside controlled airspace, may be authorised to execute visual approaches if the pilot reports that he can maintain visual reference to the surface and:

• The reported cloud ceiling is at or above the level of the beginning of the initial approach segment; or
• The pilot reports at any time after commencing the approach procedure that the visibility will permit a visual approach and landing, and a reasonable assurance exists that this can be accomplished.

Question 7

When should additional surface inspections be made?

Answer 7

• 1. At cessation of work on the manoeuvring area
• 2. When a runway not previously in use is brought into use
• 3. Following an aircraft accident
• 4. Following an abandoned take off by a turbine engine aircraft due to engine malfunction, or by any aircraft due to burst tyres
• 5. During snow and ice conditions as frequently as weather conditions warrant
• 6. When considered necessary by ATC, the Aerodrome Operator or as detailed in local instructions.

Question 8

What phraseology will be used to inform ATC that an aircraft is no longer responding to a TCAS RA?

Answer 8

(C/S) CLEAR OF CONFLICT: RETURNING TO (assigned clearance) / (assigned clearance) RESUMED

Question 9

What information shall Approach Control pass to Aerodrome Control?

Answer 9

Approach Control shall supply the following information to Aerodrome Control:

• Pertinent data on all relevant flights including the type of flight i.e. IFR or VFR, level of arriving aircraft and ETA
• The anticipated order in which control of aircraft is to be transferred
• The anticipated delay to departing IFR flights together with the reason for the delay.

Question 10

What actions shall a controller take if a pilot declares or states ‘Minimum Fuel’?

Answer 10

• Confirm estimated delay in minutes or remaining track mileage from touchdown
• Confirm whether or not the pilot wishes to declare an emergency

Question 11

Define Essential Aerodrome Information and when should it be issued.

Answer 11

Essential Aerodrome Information is that concerning the state of the manoeuvring area and it’s associated facilities that may constitute a particular hazard to a particular aircraft. It shall be issued in sufficient time to ensure the safe operation of the aircraft. This may include the provision of urgent information to pilots during take-off and landing runs.

Question 12

What are the low approach restrictions?

Answer 12

X

Question 13

What actions shall ATC take if the rescue services are known to be depleted?

Answer 13

If the rescue services are depleted for any reason the ATC unit at the aerodrome shall:

• Transmit to aircraft the message received from the Aerodrome Operator. An example of the phraseology is shown in Appendix E;
• Inform the Watch Supervisor at the parent ACC;
• Inform any other agency, unit or controller as appropriate.

Question 14

When and how is traffic information passed to an aircraft in receipt of a TS?

Answer 14

Traffic is normally considered relevant if it’s flight profile indicates it will pass within 3nm and 3000ft (if mode C available) of the aircraft in receipt of the TS. The controller should aim to pass traffic information before the conflicting traffic is within 5nm. If the flight profile of the aircraft indicates it will route behind or is diverging, controllers may use judgement on whether to pass traffic information. Traffic information should be given in the following format in accordance with CAP 413 and CAP 493 SI 2013/04:

• Bearing of the confliction using the 12 hour clock, or cardinal points if the aircraft under service is established in the turn.
• Distance from the conflicting traffic.
• Relative movement of the conflicting traffic; or if the if the aircraft under service is established in the turn, direction of flight of the conflicting traffic using cardinal points.
• Level of aircraft if known.
• Speed and/or type of aircraft if considered relevant.

Question 15

When can multiple line-up clearances be issued on the same or crossing runways?

Answer 15

• During daylight hours
• All aircraft are continuously visible to the aerodrome 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

Question 16

What information must be passed to an aircraft which is on fire on the ground?

Answer 16

In the event of an aircraft on the ground reporting that it may be on fire or when an aircraft on the ground is advised of signs of fire, the surface wind shall be passed to the aircraft with the acknowledgement of the pilot’s report or together with the transmitted observation.

Question 17

What are the weather criteria for the display of High intensity lighting systems?

Answer 17

• By day: Whenever the visibility is less than 5km and/or the cloud base is less than 700ft
• By night: At all times

Question 18

19. A) What is windshear? B) Under what typical conditions would windshear be encountered? C) Describe the effect of windshear on aircraft. D) What action would you take on receipt of a pilot report of windshear conditions?

Answer 18

X

Question 19

When may the standard separation minima be reduced in the vicinity of an aerodrome?

Answer 19

In the vicinity of aerodromes, the standard separation minima may be reduced if:

• Adequate separation can be provided by the aerodrome controller when each aircraft is continuously visible to this controller; or
• Each aircraft is continuously visible to the pilots of other aircraft concerned and the pilots report that they can maintain their own separation; or
• When one aircraft is following another, the pilot of the succeeding aircraft reports that he has the other aircraft in sight and can maintain own separation.

Question 20

Who is responsible for terrain clearance when an aircraft is in receipt of BS, TS, DS?

Answer 20

X

Question 21

When are the IRVR values to be passed to a pilot?

Answer 21

• At the beginning of each approach for landing and, thereafter when there is a significant change in value until the aircraft has landed
• To an aircraft before take-off

Question 22

After which period of time are EATs issued?

When should the phrase “No delay expected” be used?

Answer 22

Unless otherwise instructed controllers shall pass EATs to aircraft with whom they are in contact. EATs shall not normally be issued when the delay is expected to be less than 20 minutes. The statement ?no delay expected? is only to be used if it genuinely reflects the situation. However, at the request of a pilot, controllers are to give a general indication of the likely delay based on the information available at that time.

Question 23

What Traffic Information shall controllers at aerodromes pass when operating in Class D airspace?

Answer 23

a) To IFR flights on VFR flights
b) To VFR flights on IFR flights
c) To VFR flights on other VFR flights
d) To VFR flights on SVFR flights
e) To SVFR flights on VFR flights

Question 24

The presence or otherwise of surface water on a runway is reported using which five descriptions?

Answer 24

• Dry
• Damp
• Wet
• Water patches
• Flooded

Question 25

What are the controller’s actions if a pilot reports that the visibility conditions on the runway are significantly different to those being reported?

Question 26

What is an HTZ and what are the dimensions?

Answer 26

A Helicopter Traffic Zone is an area established as notification of helicopters engaged in platform approaches, departures and extensive unco-ordinated inter-platform transit flying. It is a type of ATZ.

Dimensions:

• 1.5nm radius laterally
• Surface to 2000ft vertically
• Adjacent HTZ’s joined if tangential lines connecting them are 5nm or less

Question 27

What are the ATC actions on receiving a TCAS RA report from a pilot, both from normal operators and from offshore MoU aircraft?

Answer 27

Acknowledge the report and wait for the pilot to report ‘clear of conflict’

Question 28

How should a controller respond to pilots when they have indicated or suggested that they are becoming short of fuel or have used the RTF phraseology ‘minimum fuel’?

Answer 28

Controllers are not required to provide priority to pilots who have indicated they are short of fuel in such manner.

Controllers should ask the pilot to confirm whether or not he wishes to declare an emergency after confirming the estimated delay in minutes, or the remaining track miles from touchdown.

Pilots will then determine whether or not they should declare an emergency and will either respond affirmatively or use the following RTF phraseology “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY” or “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY FUEL” and controllers shall provide such aircraft with flight priority category A.

The term MINIMUM FUEL indicates that the pilot, having committed to land at a specific aerodrome, calculates that any change to the existing clearance to that aerodrome may result in landing with less than the planned final reserve fuel.

The term “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY FUEL” indicates that the pilot calculates the fuel available upon landing at the nearest aerodrome where a safe landing can be made is less than the planned final reserve fuel.

Question 29

What co-ordination can Approach Control expect from Aerodrome Control?

(What co-ordination can Aerodrome Control expect from Approach Control?)

Answer 29

Aerodrome Control shall co-ordinate with Approach Control:

• departing IFR flights;
• arriving aircraft which make their first call on the tower frequency (unless they are transferred to Approach Control)

Approach Control shall co-ordinate with Aerodrome Control:

• Aircraft approaching to land, if necessary requesting clearance to land
• Arriving aircraft which are to be cleared to visual holding points
• Aircraft routeing through the traffic circuit

Question 30

When shall separation minima be increased from that prescribed?

Answer 30

• When requested by the pilot
• When a controller considers it necessary
• When directed by the CAA

Question 31

What action is to be taken by the controller when they observe an unknown aircraft in Class D airspace, which they consider to be in unsafe proximity to traffic under their control?

Answer 31

• IFR flights shall be given avoiding action and traffic information shall be passed.
• SVFR flights shall be given traffic information and if requested, avoiding action.
• VFR flights shall be given traffic information.