Technology Relevant to ATC

Question 1

A lot of development in technology is to increase…

Answer 1

Safety and capacity.

Question 2

What is the name of the tool used to improve systems at LACC and ScACC?

Answer 2

MTCD (Medium Term Conflict Detection).

Question 3

Complete the sentence.

Implementation of MTCD will help NATS to meet the future demands of over ___ million annual movements.

Answer 3

3.

Question 4

MTCD aims to reduce ATCs workload by equipping with a tool that aids with…

Answer 4

Decision making.

Question 5

What variety of data does the MTCD tool use to predict where aircraft will be in 20 minutes?

Answer 5

Level, speed and heading.

Question 6

True or false.

The system is not updated if ATCs input tactical instructions?

Answer 6

False.

The system IS updated.

Question 7

Controllers can also input “what-if’s”. The trajectory is shown on the screen so that the controller can visualise what?

Answer 7

New information.

Question 8

What does ANSP mean?

Answer 8

Air Navigation Service Provider.

Question 9

NATS was the first ANSP to introduce TBS on final approach at…

Answer 9

LHR.

Question 10

Complete the sentence.

Instead of space being determined by distance it’s determined by (a)________, taking into account (b)_______________________ and associated (c)________________________ being produced.

Answer 10

(a) Time
(b) Prevailing winds
(c) Wake turbulence

Question 11

True or false.

Stronger winds disperse wake vortex’s quicker, so the stronger the winds the closer together aircraft can be positioned in sequence, increasing the landing rate.

Answer 11

True.

Question 12

Both primary and secondary radar assist ATC with ensuring safe…

Answer 12

Separation.

Question 13

Where are radar sides placed?

Answer 13

Both at airports and at strategic sites around the country.

Question 14

The radars ensure that ATCs at the various units get the best possible…

Answer 14

Picture and information.

Question 15

Primary radar provides only very basic information about what?

Answer 15

The position of an aircraft in relation to the radar.

Question 16

Other than showing all of the aircraft within a radar’s coverage, what else will it show?

Answer 16

Objects such as high terrain, certain weather and possibly large flocks or birds.

Question 17

Complete the sentence.

Secondary radar is selective, and only displays information from aircraft equipped with a _____________.

Answer 17

Transponder.

Question 18

Before an aircraft departs from an airfield or enters the airways system it is allocated an individual four-digit core, which the pilot dials up in the transponder. What is this called?

Answer 18

Mode A.

Question 19

When the aircraft gets airborne, or before it enters the airways systems, the ground based radar interrogates the transponder. When it recognises the code the aircraft’s height information and callsign is displayed as a label next to the position of the aircraft. What is this called?

Answer 19

Mode C.

Question 20

Controllers are also able to display maps or airways, upper air routes, coastlines and danger areas of on the display of which radar, primary or secondary?

Answer 20

Secondary.

Question 21

Mode S is designed to supersede Mode A and C technology. What does it do that makes it supersede Mode’s A and C?

Answer 21

Target individual aircraft rather than trying to solve all of the replies.

Question 22

Complete the sentence.

Mode S provides the controller with the opportunity to view certain information, e.g. (a)_____________________ / (b)____________________ / (c)___________ etc., which the pilot’s have set in the cockpit to aid with conformance monitoring and reducing (d)____________ between controllers and pilots.

Answer 22

(a) Selected flight level
(b) Indicated air speed
(c) Heading
(d) Communications

Question 23

What does conformance monitoring do?

Answer 23

Allows ATC to monitor how an aircraft is conforming with the instructions input by a controller. If there is a discrepancy between the two, and alert is provided to the controller which can be checked and acted upon.