Tower Operations Flashcards
What is Air Traffic Control?
Air traffic control means a service operated by appropriate authority to promote the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic.
What is an Air Traffic Controller?
An air traffic controller is a person who is responsible for the safe, orderly, and
expeditious flow of air traffic in the global air traffic control system.
What are an ATC duties and responsabilities?
Communications
Maintaining clear and effective communication
Air Traffic Management
Managing the flow of traffic in the assigned airspace
Safety Assurance
Ensure safety of aircraft and passengers
Emergency Response
Provide guidance and assistance in emergency situations
Navigation Assistance
Provide information on most efficient routes, airspace restrictions, and available navigational aids
Record-Keeping and Documentation
Maintain detailed records of all communications, clearances, and incidents
Training and Mentoring
Experienced controllers mentor, provide guidance, share their knowledge, and help train the next generation
Continuous Monitoring and Professional Development
Staying updated on the latest regulations, procedures, and technological advancements in the field
What is the National Airspace System?
The National Airspace System (NAS) is a network of both controlled and uncontrolled airspace, both domestic and oceanic.
It also includes air navigation facilities,
equipment and services; airports and landing areas; aeronautical charts; information and services; rules and regulations; procedures and technical information; and manpower and
material.
What is the FAA?
The FAA is the federal agency responsible for all civil aviation operations in the United States.
What are the FAA responsabilities?
- Certification of pilots, mechanics, and other safety-related air carrier employees.
- Promoting and regulating commercial space transportation and for developing programs to study and mitigate some of the adverse
environmental effects of civil aviation. - Operating the National Airspace System, including civilian and military air navigation and air traffic control.
What is the Air Traffic Organization?
- The Air Traffic Organization (ATO) is the operational arm of the FAA responsible for providing safe and efficient air navigation services to 29.4 million square miles of airspace.
- The ATO also provides air navigation
services to private and commercial
clients and the United States military. - The organization operates several service units whose functions range from safety monitoring, workforce training, information technology, operational performance, metric, weather observation, and interface with the U.S. Department of Defense.
What are the eight (8) service units of the ATO?
- Safety and Technical Training
- System Operations Servives
- Mission Support Services
- Air Traffic Services
- Management Services
- Program Management Organization
- Technical Operations
- Flifght Program Operations
ATO Service Units
Air Traffic Services
Air Traffic Services provides safe, secure, and efficient management for the NAS and international airspace assigned to US control.
ATO Service Units
Flight Program Operation
This service unit is responsible for all aspects of aircraft operations, aircraft maintenance, flight safety program, and flight program administration.
ATO Service Units
Management Services
Makes sure that the ATO’s performance stays on track. They provide a framework for executing and integrating the ATO’s plans, programs, and activities.
ATO Service Units
Mission Support Services
Fullfils the FAA mission by providing innovative and strategic direction for infrastucture and airspace design, developing policy, promoting international and domestic airspace safety, and ensuring execution of policies and procedures.
ATO Service Units
Program Management Organization
The PMO assembles in one organization the majority of programs that specialize in program management. This allows the program organization to focus on developing improvements to the airspace and making sure these solutions are on time, cost effective, and within scope.
ATO Service Units
Safety and Technical Training
Influences and addresses risk in the NAS
ATO Service Units
System Operations Services
Provides a broad range of operational services as part of the ATO. All national air traffic flow management initiatives are provided by SysOps along with policy and concept development for new airport surface flow management programs.
ATO Service Units
Technical Operations
Ensures safety and efficiency in the NAS by effectively managing air navigation services and infrastucture.
What are the FARs?
The Federal Aviation Regulations are rules prescribed by the FAA governing all aspects of aviation in the United States.
Which Title of the CFR the FARs comprise?
Title 14 CFR Aeronautics and Space
What are the primary objectives of the Title 14 CFR Aeronautics and Space?
Ensure safe aviation procedures and programs.
Protecting aviation employees, the general public, and the national security of the United States.
How are the CFR organized?
Each title is organized into sections, called parts. Each part deals with a specific type of activity.
What is the 14 CFR Part 65?
It is called “Certifications: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers”.
“Certifications: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers” is which CFR?
14 CFR Part 65
What does the 14 CFR Part 65 prescribes?
It prescribes the requirements for issuing the following certificates and associated ratings and the general operating rules for the holding of those certificates and ratings:
- Air Traffic Control Tower operators
- Aircraft Dispatchers
- Mechanics
- Repairmen
- Parachute Riggers
What does the 14 CFR Part 65.33 prescribes?
It prescribes the eligibility requirements to be an air traffic control tower operator. Which they must:
- Be ar least 18 years of age
- Be of good moral character
- Be able to read, write, and understand the english language and speak it without accent or impediment of speech that would interfere with two-way radio conversation
- Hold at least a second-class medical certificate issues under Part 67 within the 12 months before date application is made, except for a person employed by the FAA or employed or on active duty with the Department of the Air Force, Army or Navy or the Coast Guard.
- Comply with 65.35
What does the 14 CFR Part 65.35 prescribes?
It prescribes the knowledge requirements for each applicant for an air traffic control tower operator cerficate. Which are:
- The flight rules in Part 91
- Airport traffic control procedures
- En route traffic control procedures
- Communications operating procedures
- Flight sssistance Service
- Air navigation, and aids to air navigation,
- Aviation Weather
What does the 14 CFR Part 65.49 prescribes?
It prescribes the general operating rules of air traffic control tower operators.
What does the 14 CFR Part 65.50 prescribes?
It prescribes the Currency Requirements for and air traffic control tower operator. Which maintains that a holder of an air traffic control tower operator certificate may not perform any duties under that certificate unless:
- He has served for at least three of the preceding 6 months as an air traffic control tower operator at the control tower to which his facility rating applies, or at the operating positions for which he has qualified; or
- He has shown that he meets the requirements for his certificate and facility rating at the control tower concerned or for operting positions for which he has previously qualified.
What is the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)?
Is the FAA’s official guide to basic flight information and ATC procedures.
It contains the basic aeronautical knowledge information requires to fly in the United States National Airspace System.
FARs VS AIMs
FARs - Regulatory rules that describes the required standars for all aviation activities.
AIMs - Non-regulatory publications that provide insight and helps individuals on interpreting and complying with the regulations.
FARs VS FAA Orders
FARs - Regulatory rules that provide the required standards for all aviation activities.
FAA Orders - non-legally binding information that provides guidance about the recommended procedures and phraseology for ATC operators. They also provide information of varios aviation activities.
Which is the main ATC FAA order?
The Order JO 7110.65, which prescibes air traffic control procedures and phraseology for use by personnel providing air traffic control services.
What are Letters of Agreements?
Are documents that define the responsabilities and coordination requirements between different aviation entities.
When should LOAs be prepared?
They should be prepared when necessary to:
- Supplement established operational/procedural instructions
- Define responsabilities and coordination requirements
- Establish or standardize operating methods.
- Specify special operating conditions or specific air traffic control procedures.
- Delegate responsabilities for ATC service.
- Establish responsabilities for:
1. Operating airport equipment.
2. Providing emergency services.
3. Providing airport management with braking action reports.
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Are a specific set of procedures that defines how the responsabilities of ATC operators are to be coordinated in a specific ATC facility.
LOAs VS SOPs
LOAs - documents that defines the responsabilities and coordinated requirements between aviation entities.
SOPs - are a specific set of procedures that defines how the responsabilities of ATC operators are to be coordinated in an ATC facility.
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)
They have the ultimate responsability for separating every IFR and participating VFR aircraft operating within controlled airspace.
The basic function of ARTCCs is to separate aircraft between airports.
What are the ARTCC Controllers?
- Flight Data
- Radar
- Nonradar
ARTCC
What does the Flight Data Controller do?
- Assist other controllers
- Effect coordination with other controllers
- Pass on pertinent flight information to the controllers on other sector.
ARTCC
What does the Radar Controller do?
- Issue changes in aircrafts altitide, airspeed, and heading to keep aircraft separated and in accordance with the letters of agreement.
ARTCC
What does the NonRadar (Associates) Controllers do?
- Update the flight strips to keep the aircrafts altitude, position, and route accordingly.
- Assist Radar Controllers when separating aircraft that does not appear on the radar.
Air Traffic Control Towers
Provides separation to aircraft using an airport.
Their primary responsabillity of a control tower is to ensure sufficient runway separation exist between aircraft landing and departing.
What are the general categories of control towers?
- VFR Control Towers
- Non-Radar Approach Control Towers
- Radar-Approach Control Towers
All three types of control towers are responsible for the separation of aircraft
taking off or landing at the airport.
What are the control towers subdivisions of air traffic controllers?
- Flight Data
- Clearence Delivery
- Ground
- Local
- Approach and Departure
