ATC Procedures Module 1

Primary Purpose of the ATC System

Prevent a collision involving aircraft operating in the system, Provide a safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of air traffic, and Support national security and homeland defense missions.

En-Route Center

Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC)

Does NOT work at an airport tower

Terminal Tower

Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT)

Controls aircraft at airports

Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)

~400 Terminal Facilities in U.S.

Controlled Airspace

Airspace of defined dimensions within which ATC service is provided to IFR flights and to VFR flights in accordance with the airspace classification.

Class A,B,C,D,E airspaces are considered ……………….

Class A Airspace

18,000 to 60,000ft MSL (FL180 - FL600)

All must operate under IFR/IMC

Must get ATC Clearance to enter this airspace

Class B Airspace

Resembles upside down wedding cake.

Largest terminal airspace

Need ATC clearance to enter this airspace

All aircraft receive separation services

Always Terminal

Class C Airspace

Surface to 4,000ft AGL.

Must have operational control tower

Pilot must establish two way communication with ATC prior to entering this airspace (Don’t need clearance, only communication)

Class D Airspace

Surface to 2,500ft AGL

Must have operational control tower

Pilot must establish two way communication with ATC prior to entering this airspace (Don’t need clearance, only communication)

Class E Airspace

Begins at 14,500ft MSL

Airspace overlying oceans off the coast (Up to 12 Nautical Miles)

Also airspace above 60,000ft MSL (FL600)

Class G Airspace

Uncontrolled Airspace

Special Use Airspace (SUA)

Airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the Earth wherein activities must be confined because of their nature and/or wherein limitations may be imposed upon aircraft operations that aren’t a part of those activities.

Alert Area

Airspace which may contain a high volume of pilot training activities or an unusual type of aerial activity, neither of which is hazardous to aircraft.

Controlled Firing Area (CFA)

Airspace wherein activities are conducted under conditions so controlled as to eliminate hazards to nonparticipating aircraft and to ensure the safety of persons and property on the ground.

Military Operations Area (MOA)

Airspace used to separate non hazardous military activities from civilian aircraft.

VFR aircraft are allowed in …

Prohibited Area

Airspace within which no person may operate an aircraft without the permission of the using agency.

Restricted Area

Airspace within which the flight of aircraft while not prohibited, is subject to restriction.

Warning Area

Airspace that contains activity that may be hazardous to nonparticipating aircraft.

Visual Flight Rules (VFR)

Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC)

Pilots are responsible for separation

Cloud ceiling is 1,000ft AGL and visibility is 3 statute miles or more

Primary reason to file … is for Search and Rescue

Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)

Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC)

Anything less than VFR/VMC (Ceiling or visibility doesn’t meet standards)

ATC is responsible for separation

IFR Flight Plan is automatically cancelled when the aircraft lands at an airport with operational control tower.

Nautical Miles vs Statute Miles

Nautical miles take in the curvature of the Earth, statute does not.

1 NM = 1.15 sm

Pilot in Command

Person who: Has final authority and responsibility for operation and safety of the flight. Directly responsible for, and is the final authority to, the operation of that aircraft

Flight Level

………… are described as anything 18,000ft MSL and higher

18,000ft MSL and higher = Altimeter set to 29.92

17,000ft MSL and lower = ATC gives closest Altimeter setting

7110.65

Prescribes procedures and phraseology for use by air traffic personnel

If a situation isn’t covered in it, controllers shall use their best judgement

7340.2

Approved word and phrase contractions used by personnel of the FAA

7350.9

Location Identifiers

7360.1

Aircraft Type Designators

Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)

Designed to provide the aviation community with basic flight info and ATC procedures for use in the National Airspace System (NAS) of the United States.

Letters of Agreement (LOA)

Agreement between your facility and a different facility.

Inter-Facility

Standard Operations Procedure (SOP)

Define operational procedure within your facility

Intra-Facility

Notice to Airmen (NOTAM)

Provides info not known sufficiently in advance concerning the establishment, condition, or change of hazard to the National Airspace System (NAS).

NOTAM D

Classification of NOTAM’s containing info concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any aeronautical facility, en-route navigational aids, services, procedures, hazards, and civil public-use airports listed in the Chart Supplement.

Flight Data Center NOTAM (FDC)

Classification of NOTAMs containing flight info that is normally regulatory in nature including, but not limited to, changes to IFR charts, procedures, and airspace usage.