advanced atc techniques - part 1a

7/29/2019 Advanced ATC Techniques - Part 1a

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Advanced ATC techniquesPart 1

for online controllers & pilots


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Disclaimer ~ words of warning ~

dont try this in real life, even with

strict supervision!

All rules, suggestions, methodology &

separation standards etc are specificallyfor online aviation simulation only.

They have been modified &/or simplified

for the online environment & are not to beused in the real world under any

circumstances.


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Flow control & sequencing

Normally initiated by the Centre controller

Enter a standard 2 minute holding pattern(either published or unpublished)

= 6 minute delay Make one left or right hand orbit

(used more for light aircraft than for jets)

= 2 minute delay Speed control

Radar vectors


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Speed control for sequencing

Most common: 30 knot speed differential for descent

phase, issued if possible whilst still on cruise

(assuming 300k descent is the norm. for jets)

For sequencing, make your speed not above 270kIAS on descent, or

For sequencing, make your speed not below 330k

IAS on descent, or

For sequencing, make your speed 320k IAS til 20nm,or

For sequencing, make your speed 250k IAS on

descent etc.


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6 nm difference for a jet following a jet, or

12 nm difference for a turboprop following

a turboprop.

A 30k differential for the entire descent

will result in approximately


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Speed control for separation

Most common: 10% speed differential for climb

(eg. 30 knots, assuming 300k climb is the norm.

for jets)

The leading aircraft receives Climb not below300k IAS & the following aircraft receives

Climb not above 270k IAS.

If issued as a procedural / non-radar clearance,the following aircraft must depart >=2 min later.

NB: The following aircraft should always be

assigned a higher level than the leading aircraft.


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Speed control turboprop & other

high performance aircraft

30k differential can still be applied.

Climb & descent speeds vary, if in doubt

ask the pilot Please advise climbing (or

descending) indicated airspeed.

As a rule of thumb you could expect climb

to be approximately 160k IAS & descent to

be approximately 200k IAS.


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Speed control points to remember

On climb, it is more desirable to issue aslower speed as a restriction (because

faster speeds are eventually limited by

aircraft performance).

On descent, faster or slower is ok, but

remember to issue speed reductions as

early as possible, preferably well before

top of descent. Unplanned speed

reductions can result in an aircraft

becoming too high on approach.


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Radar vectoring on departure

Slower preceding aircraft.

Faster following aircraft.

Departing aircraft is on a crossing or

conflicting SID or route, with another

aircraft, which is already airborne.


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Tower advises App/Dep: Releasing TQQ (Dash 8),followed by QF455 (Jet).

App/Dep advises tower:TQQ Cancel SID, turn right heading 220, unrestricted.

QF455 unrestricted.

Slower preceding aircraft(assuming the SID will not

provide separation)

Original track of botha Dash 8 and a Jet.


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Tower advises App/Dep: Releasing TQV (Dash 8),followed by QF232 (Jet).

App/Dep advises tower:TQV maintain A040.

QF232 cancel SID, turn right heading 030, unrestricted.

or faster following aircraft(assuming the SID will not

provide separation)

Original track of botha Dash 8 and a Jet.

on leaving A050 or after QF232 hasovertaken TQV, issue a further

vector &/or instruction to track directfor resumption of own navigation.


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Tower advises App/Dep: Releasing QF592.

App/Dep advises tower:QF592 cancel SID, turn right heading 090,

maintain A070.

Departing aircraft will conflict with other traffic which isalready airborne how to facilitate easy climb for the jet

Original track of the airborne aircraft (VH-MWK) at A080,

& of the next departing aircraft.

after vertical (on leaving A090)or lateral (has overtaken) separationhas been achieved, issue a further

vector &/or instruction to track direct

for resumption of own navigation.


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Dont forget that further radar vectoring &/or

track directions will be required, until the

controller establishes the aircraft back ontrack.

The word unrestricted (at the end of any

radar departure clearance) is in place of any

altitude restriction the App/Dep controller may

want the tower controller to issue to the

aircraft.

If unrestricted is used on its own, then itsimply means that no SID track or altitude

restrictions are required by the App/Dep

controller.


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Radar vectoring for sequencing

Far more common than holding patterns or

orbits & can be used for professionally fine

tuning an arrivals sequence.


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For sequencing, turnleft heading 360

Turn right heading 080(or cancel radar heading &

track direct to RIVETplanned route etc)

Position 60nm southwest ofSydney, cancel radar heading &track direct to the Sydney VOR(or intercept the localiser etc)


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Radar vectoring for

sequencing & separation

In addition to helping your sequence work,

vectoring in the arrivals or descent phase can also

help to facilitate the descent of a faster followingaircraft - eg. jet following a turboprop.

Radar vectoring can be efficient, professional &

can often provide the controller with an easy

solution to a traffic problem.

The minimum radar separation distance is 5nm.


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No delay in descent for the jet happy pilot!Track shortening for the jet happy pilot!Probably no delay for the turboprop happy pilot!

Sequence & separation easily achieved ecstatic controller!

Slower aircraftmaintains

planned route

Faster aircraft for track shortening & to facilitate

descent, turn left heading 320

Off your present heading,make a pilot intercept ofthe localiser or otherappropriate instruction to

re-gain track.


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Creative methods of separation ~

using altitude maintains

QFA001descendingfrom FL280

VH-TQP taxying,

requesting climb toFL190

TQP can receive a clearance uponreceiving his departure report,

climb & maintain A080. QFA001could be given a level that would bein keeping with the descent profile

at this crossing point eg. descend &maintain FL120. This allows for fine

tuning to either aircrafts levelrestriction, as they become closer.

Bigsmoke

Bushtown


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Creative methods of separation ~

using climb & descent requirements

QFA001descendingfrom FL280

VH-TQP taxying,

requesting climb toFL190

TQP can receive a clearance uponreceiving his departure report,

climb & maintain F190, requirementreach A100 by 55DME/GPS Bushtown.

QFA001 would be given normal descentwith an added requirement eg.

descend & maintain A070, requirementreach A090 by 40DME/INS Bigsmoke.

If later there eventuates to be noconfliction, then cancel requirement to

reach XXX by XXX could be issued.

Distance to/fromappropriate fix =

55nm (which allowsa 10nm radar

tolerance from the

conflicting track)

Distance to/from

appropriate fix =40nm (which allows

a 10nm radartolerance from

conflicting track)

Bushtown

Bigsmoke


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How to control online procedurally, when

simulating outside radar coverage

& thats a big chunk

of Australia with

no radar!

Current radar coverage areas.


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Fundamental procedural

en-route separation.

Vertical 1,000 feet. Longitudinal time or distance.

Lateral using allowable track tolerance.

Opposite direction aircraft available options for definite passing.


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Longitudinal (same or near same route)

10 mins (recorded over previous fix, &based on ETA for next fix).

20nm by DME,

or 50nm by RNAV, INS, GPS etc.

No closing* (ie. must be same airspeed,

or slower aircraft following)!

*However, closing is ok if some other formof separation is achieved before the above

standards are infringed.


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Lateral (crossing routes)

Broadly speaking, a 50nm RNAV OCA(30nm CTA) tolerance can be applied

either side of each aircrafts track.


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Application of the 15nm RNAV

lateral separation standard

Brisbane

Auckland

Sydney

Nandi

50nm

50nm

FJI914 requests climbfrom F290 to F370.

Multiple crossing aircraftat F300, F310 & F320.

FJI914 climb to F370, requirement

reach F330 by 400nm Sydney.


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alternatively, 15 minutes at the

crossing point may be used

Brisbane

Auckland

Sydney

Nandi

FJI914 requests climbfrom F290 to F370.

Multiple crossing aircraftat F300, F310 & F320.

FJI914 climb to F370, requirementreach F330 by time 0340

(time 0355 minus 15min).

FJI914 estimates thiscrossing point at time 0355 Z

NB: If FJI914s estimate is atleast 15mins earlier than the

first crossing a/c, or >=15minsafter the last crossing a/c, then

no separation conflict exists.


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Opposite direction aircraft

~ sight & passing

Vertical separation must have alreadybeen established.

Can setup a sight & passing, whereby

both aircraft are asked to Report sighting& passing opposite direction (eg.) B7371,000 feet above / below ...

estimated time of passing 0452, or

estimated passing at 74 DME Sydney.

Both aircraft must report sighting &passing each other.


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10 minutes have lapsed since theestimated time of passing.

Reports indicate that the aircraft have

passed & at least 10nm (or 50nm RNAV)exists between both aircraft (& isincreasing).

Reports with reference to a prominenttopographical feature or navaid, indicatethat the aircraft have passed.


~ definite passing (no sighting)


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~ separation in advance.

Vertical separation must be established by at

least 10 minutes prior to the ATC estimated time

of passing (there is no other way)!

ANZ123maintaining

F320(g/s = 380k).

QFA36maintaining F310,requesting F350(g/s = 540k).

ATC calculatesETP = 0947 Z

QFA36 climb to F350, requirementreach F330 by time 0937(time 0947 minus 10min).


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Procedural tower & non-radar

lateral track separation techniques

VORs, NDBs & DMEs all haveequipment & pilot error which must be

taken into consideration. With all tolerances taken into account, a

minimum of 1nm separation must then

exist between the possible positions of allaircraft involved.

However, one simplified rule of thumb canbe used.


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TJO issued amended clearanceoutbound on 015 VOR radial / track.

(ie. 20 degree difference to AMRs track)

AMR inbound on 035VOR radial / track

20o

Once TJO is vertically separated above AMR(ie. periodically check TJO & AMR report in turn present level),

TJO may then be issued with a right turnto intercept track, or track direct to the next enroute fix.

Either a/c at or outside of 11nm = separated

Both a/c inside of 11nm = not separated

TJO is taxying, with a planned outbound

track also on the 035 radial

Hot Tip!Basic lat sep point of11 DME, for tracks20 degrees apart

(0 to FL150)or 16 DME(up to FL600)


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Additional considerations

There may be situations where the

descending a/c may need to be issued

with a requirement to reach a level below

the climbing a/c, if it is not guaranteed thatthat both a/c will pass outside of 11 DME.

Alternatively, you may need to initially use

vertical separation (delaying climb &descent briefly for both a/c), until the

outbound a/c has passed outside 11 DME.


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So, how were you separating those?

RADAR: Easier to justify - its nearly always thesubjective call of the controller, based on an up-to-date & accurate visionary picture (generally

only involving basic separation standards).

PROCEDURAL / NON RADAR: If someone wereto ask you How were you separating those

aircraft?, then I thought theyd mostprobably miss is kind of not really sufficient

you should always have some kind of specificseparation standard applied.


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Tower / runway separation tips

At the capital city primary airports (Sydney,Brisbane, Melbourne etc), remember the towerowns no airspace! It all belongs to App/Dep.

The tower owns just the runways & taxiways.

Towers at some airports however, such asCanberra & Coolangatta for example, do own asmall amount of airspace encompassing

basically just the circuit area. Towers at GAAP airports (Bankstown,Moorabbin etc) own the airspace within theirown small control zone.


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If your landing a/c is at least 5nm fromtouchdown, then you can safely clear an

aircraft for takeoff (if it has reported ready& is at the holding point).

Dont be afraid to use immediate or

expedite if youre becominguncomfortable with your decision.

You may clear an a/c to land, even if thepreceding a/c is still on the runway,providing you are certain no collision riskexists (ie. sufficient distance exists, nobacktracking required etc.)


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Tower controllers should try to minimise the use

of the phrase Go round, as pilots prefer the use

of other phrases such as Clear to land. Dont forget though, Go round is a legitimate

form of separation & must be used if necessary.

If an a/c goes round, you must issue a

clearance. Typically, Maintain runway heading,

maintain A030, & this must eventuallybe

coordinated with, or originate from the App/Dep

controller for relay to the a/c. The a/c should then be handed off & told to

contact App/Dep again, as if it were departing.


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On approach, an absolute minimum of

6nm should exist between consecutive

aircraft. For sequencing though, 10 to

15nm is suggested between all arrivals.


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Leading departing

aircraft

Following

departing aircraft

Time ordistance

requirement

Heavy (& B757*) Heavy 1 min 4 nm

Heavy (& B757*) Medium (& B767*) 2 min 5 nm

Medium Medium/Small Med 0 n/a

Medium Light 2 min 5 nm

Small medium Light 0 n/a

Examples of aircraft types

Heavy B747, B767*

Medium B737, B727, B757*

Small Medium Dash 8, Learjet

Light C172, BE350


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Caution re presentation content:

Please bear in mind that this presentationgrossly over-summarises all the real lifeseparation standards & rules.

There are many many more rules, hencethe real ATC course being over 12months, amazingly not just 50 minutes!

Naturally then, application of the previousstandards would at times be not legallycorrect, & are just a general guideline foronline controllers.


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Alternative route planning for realism

Pilots, instead of flying just the main trunkroutes feel free to be super imaginative &fly some obscure crossing routes as well.

ie. Instead of SY-ML, ML-SY etc., try WOL-WM, MB-BDG, BTH-CB, PID-AY etc etc.

These can generally all be flown in a Learjetif you still want the speed, or try a BE350 etc.

If CENTRE is active over your airport, thenyou can still experience the realism of a fullATC service even more so, because of thecomplexity presented to ATC.


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SY

BTH

ML

CB

MB

BDG

WOL

WM

PID

AY

AD

NW

PKS

GTH

HOT

From the controllers point of view


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Common online misconceptions(reality tuning)

No need to say callsign twice, just once at the start orfinish of each call is fine.

No need to ask for a shutdown clearance, but its oftenhelpful to report parked & shutting down.

Preliminary call to ATC is really only needed if ATCmay not be expecting your call (& is a non-routine call).

If you dont have the SID/STAR or full charts, thatsno problem - however please add that comment in the

remarks of your flight plan. If your airways clearance is to F330, then that is your

cleared level. The App/Dep controller may not alwaysrequire an initial low altitude restriction, such as A050.

Controllers, no need to say readback correct.


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Dont forget that above all,in Real Life & VATSIM,

Air Traffic Controllers are all kind

hearted individuals who are verywilling to offer assistance

whenever possible (just like pilots really)


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What weve covered

Flow control, sequencing & radar vectoring.*

Creative methods to separate aircraft, when youthink theres just no way! using maintains orrequirements.

Fundamental procedural en-route separation. Procedural / non-radar tower separation basics.

Tower & runway separation tips.

Alternative aircraft route planning - for increased

realism, enjoyment & challenges, for pilots &controllers.

Tweaking the realism of radio communications, forpilots & controllers (& that were all good blokes).


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Questions ???

advanced atc techniques - part 1a

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