MATS RAC 1-3 Flashcards
What should you do when you encounter a situation that is not covered by MATS?
Exercise best judgement; consider safety as their primary objective.
What action shall you take when an aircraft declares “MINIMUM FUEL”?
- Verbally acknowledge min fuel declaration - “ROGER MINIMUM FUEL”
- Controller shall inform the pilot as soon as practicable of any anticipated delays or that no delays are expected.
- Verbally pass info to the next controller
Under what circumstances is a controller able to modify the vertical and/or horizontal boundaries of CAA designated airspace?
None.
What are a controller’s responsibilities when a pilot reports a TA/RA in uncontrolled airspace?
Controller shall pass or reiterate traffic information in accordance with RAC 10.
For an outbound Oceanic flight, who is responsible for detecting conflictions and separating it from other flights entering and/or leaving Oceanic airspace, and why?
- The last Area controller is responsible.
- Due to OCS probing only for conflicts at the CFL, conflicts will not display for aircraft climbing and/or descending in domestic airspace through the CFL of Oceanic traffic
Unless otherwise specified in LUO’s, when is an appropriate time for the transferring controller to issue instructions to contact the accepting controller in the following environments:
a) Radar
b) non-Radar
a) 15nm
b) 5min
In what airspace are gliders permitted to operate IMC?
Class G only. Or in Restricted area specifically designated for IMC flying, designated only by the Director of CAA.
How is radar separation achieved between IFR/VFR aircraft and parachute descents conducted in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace?
Class C/D
Unless visual separation - Flights kept clear (min 3nm = 5nm for Area)
Class G
Traffic information in accordance with RAC 10
If an aircraft has both Mode A/C and Mode S but it’s “ALT” is not operating, what alerts TA/RA will it generate to an ACAS equipped aircraft?
Pilot will be provided with a TA but no RA (due to no level information)
May an aircraft without an operable transponder be permitted to enter TM controlled airspace?
Specific authorisation by ATC, due:
- Emergency (diversion due wx/fuel or declaring emergency)
- Transponder Failure (failure in-flight or to destination to fix)
- Specific Authorisation (GM of ATS)
What are a controller’s responsibilities when a pilot reports an RA?
- Pass essential traffic information to aircraft reporting RA and all other aircraft that may be affected by the manoeuvre.
- No control instructions.
- No responsibility for separation, terrain avoidance, airspace containment etc with aircraft in RA manoeuvre.
- Responsibility resumes once separation has been regained (after pilot reports “CLEAR OF CONFLICT”)
What is the clearance limit for an aircraft that intends to leave controlled airspace, and for what portions of the flight shall the clearance apply?
Clearance limit shall be aerodrome of first intended landing. Clearance shall only apply to those portions of the flight conducted in controlled airspace. Otherwise traffic information.
What ACAS events are required to be reported?
ACAS RA = filed as ASI (and logged)
ACAS TA = logged only (unless meets criteria for reporting as ASI)
If Oceanic is unable to approve a level for an Oceanic flight, what must you do?
Area controller shall hold the aircraft in domestic airspace until the level is approved.
What should you do if you become aware of hazardous weather conditions along a flight’s intended route?
The pilot shall be warned of the conditions, and where possible, alternative routing shall be offered. Where alternate routing not available or the pilot elects to continue through the conditions, increased separation may be applied.
When an aircraft is making a visual departure on a promulgated route, at what point does the pilot’s responsibility for terrain clearance cease?
Pilot’s responsibility for own terrain clearance until MSA. Pilot can then continue to maintain terrain clearance visually or fly above Enroute descent (distance) steps or VORSEC chart steps.
When does an enroute flight require a clearance to leave controlled airspace?
- When it is intended that an aircraft will leave controlled airspace on other than it’s currently cleared route
- When the aircraft will leave controlled airspace by a change in level
What are the accepting controller’s responsibilities with regard to establishing radio communication at the RTF contact point?
The accepting controller is responsible for ensuring the aircraft establishes radio communication. Efforts shall be made if the aircraft does not make contact at the RTF contact point. Initial enquiries as to the whereabouts of the aircraft shall be commenced not later than 3 minutes after the anticipated time of contact.
Following an early release, describe what factors the accepting controller must consider before climbing, descending, or turning the released aircraft.
Verbal coordination is required before the accepting controller climbs an arriving aircraft, descends a departing aircraft, or instructs an aircraft to hold while it is still in the transferring controller’s airspace.
Accepting controller may turn aircraft provided revised routing instructions will not infringe separation with aircraft known to be under the control of the transferring controller.
Give the times prior to which a CPL or Estimate message shall be passed between the following units/sectors:
a) Area to Area
b) Area to Approach
a) 20 mins
b) 15 mins
What are a controller’s responsibilities when a pilot reports a TA?
If required, Advise the pilot of any measures that are in place to ensure separation, or reiterate traffic information.
If separation or traffic information has not been provided the controller shall take immediate action to provide such.
What does RDR in the RMK field of a domestic flight plan indicate, and what restriction does it impose on coordination?
Route Description Required.
No ability to say “FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE” - both to the aircraft in initial clearance and with inter sector/unit coordination when resolving the issue.
SRC’s, reporting points or ATS route shall be used to clearly identify the route.
What elements of ATC instructions are pilots required to read back?
- ATC route clearances
- RWY in use
- Altimeter settings
- SSR codes
- Level instructions
- Heading and speed instructions
- Frequency, after frequency change instructions
What are the transponder requirements for aircraft operating within NZ controlled airspace?
Aircraft must operate their transponder in either: Mode A and C, Mode S, or transmit ADS-B.
ADS-B mandatory above FL 245.
What provisos must be met before approving flights on unevaluated routes?
- The pilot requests the routing or agrees to controller proposal.
- Pilot responsible for navigation unless radar vectored
- Separation is provided from: SUA, GAA, and parachuting
- Deviation or direct routing requires coordination, irrespective of any strip posting; either verbally (i.e. off track) or as per LUO’s/LOA (i.e. GoTo)
- When under radar control, track and distance of the direct route is passed to the pilot when considered necessary.
- When under radar control but under own navigation, controller shall inform pilot when a deviation of greater than 5nm is observed
Terrain Clearance is provided (in controlled airspace), either of:
- Radar terrain when under radar control
- Approved area MSA
- 13,000ft (or FL 160 when in Mt Cook Raised Transition Area)
What actions/considerations are required when approving an aircraft to operate at a non-standard level?
Verbal approval is required from the subsequent sector/unit prior to the aircraft reaching the ATS sector boundary.
Flights at standard levels have priority over non-standard levels.
What figures are entered into the CFL of a VFR flight plan:
a) in controlled airspace where VFR is subject to level restrictions
b) in controlled airspace where VFR is not subject to level restrictions, or is in uncontrolled airspace
a) the cleared level
b) 000
What items are included in a clearance for an aircraft to hold at a distance, or between two distances, on a VOR radial, and what level requirements apply?
- Instruction to hold on the VOR radial number
- Name of the VOR
- Distance, or distances
- Level instructions
- DIrection of inbound track
- Direction of holding pattern
- Timing of outbound leg
Who is responsible for entering an IFL?
If an IFL other than that displayed in the IFL field is allocated, the level and any clearance limits shall be verbally issued to the departure tower or pilot.
The Planner or Radar controller shall manually enter the IFL at the time it is passed. Or, unless it is recorded by some other means (eg. FPS), updating the IFL may be delayed until as soon as practicable after the aircraft is airborne.
Under what conditions may an aircraft be permitted to leave controlled airspace, either vertically or horizontally or by a temporary deviation off a promulgated route?
- Pilot request
- Under pilot navigation
- The controller ensures a suitable obstacle clearance that a pilot can comply with is promulgated
- IFR traffic information is passed
What is the purpose of an “Expected Approach Time” and when shall it be passed?
They enable the pilot to determine whether to hold or divert, assist the pilot to position the aircraft to take advantage of the approach clearance, and form the basis of action in the event of communications failure.
If in the event an aircraft is to be held, or is holding at initial approach fix and the delay will exceed more than 5 minutes, an EAT shall be passed.
What is an “Onwards Clearance Time” and when shall it be issued?
In the event an aircraft is holding en route or at a location other than the initial approach fix, the aircraft shall be given an Onwards Clearance Time ASAP. This is the time at which the aircraft can expect to leave the hold. They shall also be advised of any further expected holding.
