I'll ask the controller to clear us for landing.

controller: a person who is responsible for controlling air traffic

Only two controllers are on duty at night.

What qualifications do you need to become a tower controller?

The controller requested that we hold our position.

departure control: an ATC service for aircraft departing from an airport

Please contact departure control.

Did you contact departure control after takeoff?

Departure control requested we turn left to heading 130 degrees.

go-around: the act of an aircraft going around

There is an aircraft on the runway; prepare for a go-around.

Jet 579, prepare to go-around.

How many go-arounds did you make on your approach?

heavy jet: an aircraft with a gross weight of 300,000 pounds or more

Are we flying behind a heavy jet?

A Boeing 747 is a heavy jet.

There's dangerous wake turbulence behind a heavy jet.

hold: to keep an aircraft in a specific location

Taxi into position and hold on Runway 12.

Did ATC issue instructions to hold on the runway?

We'll hold at this position until we're cleared for takeoff.

roger: a term used to indicate that the previous radio transmission was received

The term roger shouldn't be used to respond to a question requiring a negative or affirmative answer.

When should a pilot respond by saying "roger"?

To acknowledge a transmission, the pilot identifies his flight and then says "roger."

separation: the spacing of aircraft, intended to achieve safe and orderly movement

ATC is responsible for safe air traffic separation.

Is there adequate separation between our aircraft and the heavy jet?

We must maintain a separation of at least five miles behind the heavy jet.

transmission: radio signals that are passed between sending and receiving stations

Transmissions should be as short as possible.

Did you hear our transmission?

We didn't receive your latest transmission.

wake turbulence: air turbulence generated from the wing tips of an aircraft during flight

It is necessary to maintain a particular distance from a heavy jet in order to avoid wake turbulence.

Is wake turbulence very dangerous?

We had to wait three minutes before takeoff in order to avoid wake turbulence.

C. Check-Up

Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the list.

approach approach control ARTCC clear controller

departure control heavy jet hold roger wake turbulence

1. An aircraft that weighs more than 300,000 pounds is a ___________.

2. ___________ is responsible for planes arriving or operating in the vicinity of an airport.

3. A plane flying behind a heavy jet has to avoid ___________.

4. The ___________ is the part of the flight preceding landing.

5. When pilots want to indicate that transmissions have been received, they say "___________".

6. The person who coordinates air traffic is the ___________.

7. ___________ provides en-route traffic separation to aircraft operating in controlled airspace.

8. When ATC wants an aircraft to stay at a certain position, the aircraft is instructed to ___________.

9. ___________ provides service for departing aircraft.

10. When a runway is ___________, it is free from obstruction.

LESSON 6

Departure and Approach Control

A. Dialogue

Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Pilot: Departure: Pilot: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Approach: Pilot: Approach:

If traffic is light, does the same person handle both departure and approach control? Yes, that's possible. However, when traffic at the airport and in the airways is heavy, there's a different person for each job. In either case, the safe sequencing of departing and arriving aircraft must be maintained. The radar scopes look confusing. How do the controllers identify airplanes? Most planes are equipped with transponders. The transponder causes a distinctive pattern, called a target, to appear on the radar scope. Each target has an individual squawk designated by ATC. The pilot selects the squawk on the aircraft's transponder. When the pilot pushes the ident button, the aircraft's target becomes brighter. So that's how the controller differentiates between aircraft. What does the number next to the target represent? The number identifies the aircraft. A Mode C transponder also shows altitude, which is represented by another number next to the target. Ground speed is computed using a computer connected to the radar system. I see. Those marks in the center of the radar scope look like the airport's runway layout. Is the target coming off the end of the runway a departing aircraft? Yes, it is. The tower controller will ask the departing aircraft to contact departure control. The departure controller will then receive a call from the aircraft, and will advise the aircraft that it's in radar contact. Let's listen. *** Departure, Lockheed 114 heavy is with you, climbing past 1,000 feet. Lockheed 114 heavy, this is departure control. Your radar contact altitude confirms. Turn left to heading 180 degrees. Climb and maintain 14,000 feet. Maintain an airspeed of 210 knots. Lockheed 114 heavy, left to 180 degrees, climb and maintain 14,000 feet, speed 210 knots. *** How long will an aircraft be under the authority of departure control? Until it reaches the limit of departure control's radar coverage. Then the aircraft is handed off to the next radar facility. The departure controller advises the next controller by telephone and informs the aircraft of the new facility's frequency. Is ATIS used by a plane approaching an airport? Yes. That's a good observation. ATIS informs the pilot of the landing-runway and the instrument approach in use. Then the pilot can study the appropriate approach plate and tune in the frequency for the radio. Look. There's the aircraft target moving into position to make its approach to Runway 15. What's the controller doing now? Calling out vectors. Let's listen. *** Jet 700, descend and maintain 2,500 feet. Turn left to a heading of 240 degrees. Reduce speed to 170 knots. Jet 700 cleared to 2,500 feet, left to 240 degrees, slow to 170 knots. Jet 700 further left to a heading of 180 degrees, cleared for an instrument landing system (ILS) Runway 15 approach. Maintain 2,500 feet. Intercept the localizer and fly it inbound. Contact the tower.

B. Terminology Practice

airway: a designated route for aircraft, equipped with navigational aids

The thunderstorms were north of the airway.

Fly at a heading of 150 degrees to intercept the airway.

How long was the airway?

approach plate: a diagram of an approved instrument approach that includes instructions for procedures, communication, and navigation

We can obtain the ILS frequency on the approach plate.

The approach plate shows the inbound approach course.

Did you review the approach plate after listening to ATIS?

ground speed: the speed of an aircraft relative to the surface of the earth over which it is traveling

We'll have the computer calculate the ground speed.

What's the relationship between the airspeed and the ground speed?

Our ground speed is 450 knots.

hand off: to transfer radar traffic from one controller to another

Approach control will hand off the approaching traffic.

One ARTCC will hand off traffic to the next ARTCC.

Who hands off the inbound air traffic?

ident: to activate a feature on the transponder of an aircraft that accentuates the target on a radar screen.

Squawk transponder code 5433 and ident.

If you understand the message, ident.

When does a pilot ident?

instrument landing system (ILS): a system designed to provide an approach path for the exact alignment and descent of an aircraft preparing to land

Turn left to heading 340 degrees and intercept the ILS.

You are cleared for the ILS approach to Runway 33.

Will the ILS guide the aircraft to the end of the runway?

intercept: to meet and follow a navigational course or route

Intercept the localizer and fly it inbound.

We intercepted the airway 50 miles from the station.

At what altitude do we intercept the approach course?

localizer: an electronic beam that is part of the ILS and provides the pilot with course guidance to the centerline of the runway.

Fly at a heading of 350 degrees and intercept the localizer.

The localizer provides course guidance to the runway.

Is the localizer used during takeoff?

Mode C: a type of transponder that provides altitude information

Check your Mode C since we don't read your altitude.

Without a Mode C transponder, the altitude of the aircraft isn't indicated on the radar.

When did the Mode C become imperative?

sequence: to arrange events in a particular order

ATC is responsible for sequencing arriving and departing flights.

Has ATC sequenced the flight yet?

Proper sequencing is essential for the safe flow of air traffic.

squawk: to set the transponder code of an aircraft

Your squawk code is 4321.

Are we squawking the right code?

We are requested to squawk a new code for 1567.

target: the representation of an aircraft on a radar scope

This target will be handed off to the next radar facility.

What was the last position of that target?

The target has disappeared from the radar.

transponder: an electronic device located on an aircraft that generates a distinctive pattern on radar

Turn on the transponder before takeoff.

A transponder transmits an electronically coded signal.

Who usually issues transponder codes?

vector: a heading issued to an aircraft that provides navigational guidance

What is the vector to the ILS approach course?

The vector to intercept the airway is 230 degrees.

The controller has issued a vector.

C. Check-Up

Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the list.

airway approach plate ground speed ILS ident

localizer Mode C sequence target transponder

1. The ___________ provides an approach path for aircraft preparing to land.

2. A ___________ generates a distinctive pattern on radar.

3. Both approach and departure control must ___________ planes in order to provide safe air traffic separation.

4. An ___________ is a designated route for aircraft, equipped with navigational aids.

5. To activate a transponder's identification feature, the pilot must ___________.

6. The ___________ transponder provides altitude information.

7. The component of the ILS that provides guidance to the centerline of the runway is the ___________.

8. The ___________ is a diagram of information regarding the instrument approach.

9. A ___________ is a representation of a plane on a radar scope.

10. ___________ is an aircraft's speed relative to the earth's surface.

LESSON 7

En-Route ATC

A. Dialogue

Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Pilot: Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot: Student: Instructor: Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot:

Is ATC capable of providing radar coverage over a large area? Yes, it is. That's why there are so many more radar screens and personnel in this ARTCC facility than in the control tower. This facility, like others throughout the world, is connected to remote radar and communication antenna sites. They receive targets from great distances and then transmit them to the ARTCC. These controllers are in contact with aircraft many miles from here. Exactly. This center is divided into several sectors. Each one has its own radio frequency. Then a sector is responsible for radar coverage of a particular area. And traffic is handed off from one screen to the next as the aircraft passes out of the radar range of one sector and into another. What happens if a plane doesn't appear on the radar screen? The pilot would have to make position reports. As a matter of fact, if the controller doesn't inform the crew that the plane is in radar contact, the pilot is required to make position reports. Can you tell me a little about navigation during the flight? The airway system is made up of VHF omnidirectional range stations (VORs), many of which have distance measuring equipment (DME). There's also an increasing use of area navigation (RNAV), since it is independent of the VOR airways. There's an aircraft flying in the northeastern sector that's not on the radar. Let's listen to the position report. *** Boston Center, this is Beech 143V, with a position report. Beech 143V, Boston Center, stand by. Beech 143V, Boston Center, go ahead with your report. Beech 143V, position Montpelier at 1725Z, 7,000 feet. Estimate Berlin VOR at 1800Z. Next position Kennebunk. Beech 143V, verify Berlin estimate as 1800Z. Boston Center, Beech 143V, affirmative, Berlin at 1800Z. Boston Center, roger. Beech 143V, out. *** Does an ARTCC give amended clearances and holding instructions? Yes, it does. An amended clearance may be issued because of traffic congestion or poor weather conditions. A holding pattern is usually issued when there's no routing available. Let's listen to an amended clearance. *** Jet 691, Boston Center, we have an amended clearance. Jet 691, go ahead. Jet 691 is cleared direct to Providence, then flight plan route, maintain flight level (FL) 330. Jet 691, now cleared direct to Providence, flight plan route. Say again the flight level. Jet 691, maintain flight level 330. Flight level 330 for Jet 691.

B. Terminology Practice

affirmative: a term used to indicate assent

Affirmative, Jet 567, you're cleared to land.

Affirmative, your squawk code is 1234.