ATC, a service to pilots
Air Traffic Control (ATC) provides a service .....
ATC is providing a service to the pilots. Not one, but in fact several services at the same time (http://academy.ivao.aero/node/36). Those services can go a long way. Look back and listen to the tapes of the by now famous Hudson landing in New York (http://be.forum.ivao.aero/index.php/topic,100567.0.html). If you have the right tapes to listen to, you will hear that there is at such serious moment only one task left for ATC: Follow the situation and assist the pilots in any way possible. Be at their service like a good and devoted servant and do what ever is needed, asked or necessary, at such a vital moment. What else could you do as ATC? You provide your service and assist (http://academy.ivao.aero/node/90).
On the pilot's side, I would say, as shown in New York, use this service to its optimum. Ask ATC what ever you need to ask that could help you in the situation you are in. ATC is there waiting and more than willing to be at your service.
Let's move away from the New York scene.
In general, I would say: Pilots, your ATC is there for you to help you to make your flight a pleasant, successful and above all, a safe one.
That does not mean ATC is a slave or somebodies doormat. Not at all. Pilot and ATC are a team. In a way they perform together any flight that takes place in these big (IVAO) virtual skies. Each with its own role and adding to each other. ATC is or could be an addition to the position of the pilot. ATC assists with information, provides proper separation for the safe conduct of flights, is there as the guide in the air in any situation, especially in case of an emergency. .....
In short, ATC plays a very important role in the performance of a pilot.
So, let's aim for a good relation between them, between ATC and pilots.
Ah, and realise that in this IVAO hobby here, one may say that ATC is a duty, where the pilot is having fun..... Think about it :)
There is a considerable difference between the real life and IVAO situation when we compare an emergency situation. For the IVAO pilot, in most cases he continues to fly his aircraft, whereby in fact the computer will do most of the work. Keep pushing the correct buttons and continue.
For IVAO ATC this is very different. For him it real gets busy since he is absolutely alone and on his self. Contrary to real life, where a controller hardly ever will be alone..... but always surrounded with colleagues.In short, ATC is at duty where the pilot sits in his cockpit and has his fun .....
While ATC is on duty, he will immediately recognize the newbie, the beginner and the pilot in need of help. ATC will always remain calm and will assist in any way possible to make the pilot at comfort. Whether this is with talking in a slow (!!) mode, or with repeating friendly if the pilot did not copy immediately the first time.
And you know what, pilots will be grateful for that. In return it will make the ATC happy. At the end of his duty he will look back and say to him self: That was fun, I made happy many pilots again today, even if it was my duty :).
Which brings me to a forum topic that I read recently about motivation and challenge or say satisfaction. Interesting to read that some IVAO users see and realize that there is a limit in the top we can reach here.
Indeed, there is that limit. If you climb the ladder and finally reached the top as a C3/ACC controller or even a C4 and you can call yourself a "principle controller", than what is next? Not necessarily instructor.... This is interesting where many people think that instructor is a next rank that you can reach so as to be on top of some one else. Wrong! You know what an instructor is? That is not someone ABOVE you, but that is someone NEXT to you. That's the guy who sits next to you and will try to tell you how you could do the work of ATC or how to fly as a pilot. You know, instructor is something the one has and the other never will get. It is a kind of a talent. You are able to do it or you cannot. Therefore, it is not part of that bewished ladder and badge system.
Someone could be a very good C1/ADC instructor while training IVAO friends to become a TWR controller. But he does not need to have an instructor rank for that purpose.
The motivation is, every day again, to satisfy the pilots as happy customers. To provide the service which they are looking for and which they need. One way or the other. If the pilots are happy, ATC can be happy.
What is the challenge? The challenge is to have all those pilots, every time again, guided through your area in a safe and expeditious way. To help them when they need help, to provide them with that missing piece of information they need. Every day again, since every day is different, any moment is different.
At the other side, yes I can understand the question of motivation and challenge or of satisfaction. You know, in real life an ATC would look for an interesting hobby next to his professional work and duty as ATC. Just to relax and have something different from time to time. Maybe an idea for IVAO as well ..... ?? Look for a hobby, maybe of IVAO piloting ?? Do some flying from time to time and experience the other side of the link. Like we do in real life where ATC makes their cockpit flights regularly, to meet pilots and to see how they are at their work and enjoy the ATC services.
Enjoy it, either side.
edited May 2010; originally published in the IVAO Virtual Sky Magazine, April 2009 top
In ATC it's all about communication when we look at the interaction between pilots and ATC. Proper communication in line with the strict standards which has proven to be necessary. Think back about the Tenerife disaster and you will realise how vital the correct communication is.
Recently I was listening on a frequency and trying to follow the traffic and the communication between ATC and the pilots. After just a few minutes I had to check my equipment to see whether I was at the correct place and with the right equipment. You know why?? I thought I was connected to a real life ATC scanner radio ... ?
I have a number of strong objections when I hear such a thing. IVAO is not real life but virtual.
IVAO has highly trained pilots, but not all of them (yet). Many are still in the process of learning or are newbies.
IVAO has highly skilled ATC, but they were never trained to speak through a microphone and on a radio.
IVAO pilots and ATC are not trained professionals in the use of proper aviation English.
In short, imitating what you hear on the real live scanners is wrong. It may serve as an example, but not to imitate it.
Let me add what ICAO, our real live big brother tells us:
a) before transmitting, listen out on the frequency to be used to ensure that there will be no interference with a transmission from another station;
b) be familiar with good microphone operating techniques;
c) use a normal conversational tone, and speak clearly and distinctly;
d) maintain an even rate of speech not exceeding 100 words per minute.(!!) When it is known that elements of the message will be written down by the recipient, speak at a slightly slower rate;
e) maintain the speaking volume at a constant level;
f) a slight pause before and after numbers will assist in making them easier to understand;
g) avoid using hesitation sounds such as “er”
h) be familiar with the microphone operating techniques, particularly in relation to the maintenance of a constant distance from the microphone if a modulator with a constant level is not used;
i) suspend speech temporarily if it becomes necessary to turn the head away from the microphone;
j) depress the transmit switch fully before speaking and do not release it until the message is fully completed. This will ensure that the entire message is transmitted;
k) the transmitting of long messages should be interrupted momentarily from time to time to permit the transmitting operator to confirm that the frequency in use is clear and, if necessary to permit the receiving operator to request repetition of parts not received.
Like I mentioned earlier, on the scanner you hear trained professionals that know what to say and at what moment. Therefore they may speak reasonably fast. Logical, because they are used to it. But, at IVAO we are a different community. This is for hobby and pleasure, for all of us regardless background or education. Here we try to amuse ourselves and the others around us. Therefore we have to adapt to the IVAO environment and we should speak slow and clear.
I can only ask all of you, please don't imitate the scanner radio, but try to act in the IVAO way. It will increase your fun and that of the others around you.
You see, if I am not acquainted with your local procedures, or at least not a regular customer at your ATC service, but even then, how can I know what is meant with: "eight zero and pick up the hold at XXX". Many may enter your airspace for the first time and are absolutely not used to your way of acting. Do you want their first time will be immediately the last time as well??
In addition, try to apply the procedures and the radio phraseology in a correct way. There are many of us that have in mind to continue a real life career after they got introduced to this amazing aviation world through IVAO. But, if they would learn bad habits now, it will be very difficult to get rid of them later in their professional life. Thus, do it correctly now.
In fact, what I indicated here is not new, because I mentioned it last time already by writing:
"And please, speak at a normal not too fast speed, please."
I would like to repeat this again for several reasons. First some one reacted on this article by underlining the importance especially for people that have hearing problems or are not fully aware of all the procedures (newbies) or don't listen to scanners, etc. It is not about showing how fast you are or how "experienced" you are in machine gunning. It is about clear communication and proper interaction between pilots and ATC for the safe conduct of air traffic.
FLIGHT PLAN, ATC and the chain
Air Traffic Services, in short ATS, are services to the pilots to guide them from the moment they plan to start their engines until they switch them off again. In between many things happen.
In fact it is not one service, but there are different ones. Each of them has it own specialisation. These services make extensive use of computers which are most of the time connected to each other via networks.
Note: Be advised that all terms and abbreviations used here are explained in full in the IVAO ACADEMY. Don’t hesitate to have a look there. http://academy.ivao.aero
There are three different Air Traffic Services:
- Air Traffic Control (ATC),
- Flight Information Service (FIS) and
- Alerting Service
In various countries in the world there may be other division of tasks and each Service could comprise different sub-services.
Air Traffic Control itself normally consists of Aerodrome Control Service, Approach Control Service and Area Control Service.
Actually there is even another important Service to be mentioned here, which is in fact part of Air Traffic Control in the broader sense: Air Traffic Flow Management, in short Flow Control. This Service takes care of a proper regulation of all the traffic flows by allocating departure slot times to avoid system overloads. Simply said: To avoid traffic jams.
All those services have to work very close together to make a smooth flight for the pilots and an easy transfer from the one service to the next one and from one unit to the next one. To assist them, there are the ATS computer systems.
Flight Plan
A very important tool for ATC to provide smooth flights is the Flight Plan. It contains all information about the planned flight which the Air Traffic Services need to know. Callsign, type of aircraft, departure and destination airfields, requested route and altitude, speed and duration of flight, equipment and number of persons on board. And this list is not even complete.
All that information has to be filled into the flight plan and is sent well before the flight to the ATS units concerned. All of them for the whole flight.
Actually, this flightplan information is dead information. It is only a planning and many things could change, before and during the flight.
Why is this plan dead or not active for the moment? Because some very essential elements are still missing. These are:
- The SSR squawk,
- the actual time of departure (ATD) and
- the cleared flight level.
By inserting those three elements a Flight Plan comes to life and can be used by all the Services involved as an active plan.
The planning
When a flightplan has been sent to all the Air Traffic Services, it will be made available to all the units involved in this flight. Within those units it will go to the positions that will deal with it.
Example: The pilot files a flight plan from A to B. At airfield A there is DEL, GND, TWR, APP. At airfield B there is APP and TWR. Total 6 positions will receive that flightplan.
But there is more. In between A and B there is the Area Control (ACC) with say two different sectors. So, these two sectors receive as well the flightplan.
Now let’s have a closer look at the use and purpose of the flightplan.
Purpose and use
At airfield A the Delivery (DEL) will have the flightplan available when the pilot makes his first call. DEL will see from the flightplan what the planned route and destination is, so he will know what clearance to give. This clearance will include the necessary (Standard Instrument) Departure route (SID). That is the route between the departure runway and the point, where the aircraft will leave the Approach (APP) Terminal Area and will further work with the Area Control (ACC).
In other words, this simple clearance given by DEL has a greater effect further down the stream of the flight. Therefore the DEL controller has to be very accurate when he provides the flight plan clearance. e.g. if the approved departure route would be wrong, the aircraft may end up at the wrong side of the Terminal Area.
Another important point to look at is the planned or requested flight level (RFL). While cruising at a flight level we have to respect the semi-circular rule and in some areas this is not standard E-W but N-S orientated. If aircraft fly into a so-called RVSM area, they have to use the 1000ft separation instead of the standard 2000ft, which for certain levels will change the direction of flight.
If not correctly filed, it could be disturbing for the en-route controller and for the pilot to correct these flight levels while en-route and in the air. But as well to explain the reason for the change, while the pilot is in flight. It would be much better if the DEL/GND (or TWR controller) could do this while giving the flight plan clearance.
So, although the DEL position is quite often seen as the beginning of the ATC career in IVAO, or as the easiest position available, in fact it has already a very important function in the chain.
Plan and Time
It is interesting to realise that one could make a time planning of the sequence of events just from the Flight Plan. Let me explain.
Take it that start-up and push-back takes 5 minutes, taxi from the aircraft’s gate to the holding point takes 4 minutes. 5 + 4 = 9. In 9 minutes after the clearance delivery, the aircraft could be waiting at the holding point for departure. Interesting information if flow control has to be applied and the aircraft need to be have a slot time for departure.
Next phase of the flight is from departure to the moment that the aircraft will be transferred between the APP and ACC. If the total flying time from take-off towards the departure (SID) point (will take 8 minutes, we could calculate now that it takes 9 + 8 = 17 minutes from clearance delivery to that departure point.
Next, if there is a country border, let’s say 60 nm after the SID point, where the aircraft will be transferred to the controller in the next country, we could easily calculate the estimated time for that border point.
Say the speed of the climbing aircraft is 240 kts, that is 240 nm per hour or 240/60 = 4 nm per minute. Than we know these 60 nm will take 60/4 = 15 minutes flying time. Thus 8 + 15 = 23 minutes after departure the aircraft will leave the country and has passed the border.
Actually, in the past, when there was no radar yet, it was done this way. Still now, when there is no radar, it could be used. We call it procedural control. Control based on procedures.
You may realise now as well that filling in the correct speed in the flight plan is very important. The examples here above are all based on the speed known from that flight plan.
Speed is time
The air plane's speed is interesting information. Very much for the software developers, because ATS systems communicate with each other. For part of this communication they need to know what the aircraft will do (=flightplan) and how long it will take (speed = time).
As an IVAO controller you use IvAc with that little window called “In/Out” box. It says in there exactly when you may expect your next aircraft for the selected airfields and what type of aircraft it is.
How do they do this? It is all taken from and calculated based on the live flight plan information. e.g. Airborne time plus estimate elapse time = landing time.
Activation
We have seen now how time calculation and therewith position forecast can be done, if we have a correct flightplan. Earlier we said that a flightplan is dead but could be made alive.
How to bring it alive? By inserting the three missing elements:
- Squawk,
- actual time of departure (ATD) and
- cleared flight level (CFL).
The moment we insert the actual departure time, the clock starts ticking and the system starts making its calculations and …. we could see in our “In/Out” box when that aircraft should arrive.
Actually, there are many more actions triggered as from that moment a flight plan comes alive. Some of them we will see further down here.
Correlation
Looking at the radar one could see the blips that represent the position of the aircraft. In fact these little blips are made by the radar system. They only represent the position information of an aircraft like the radar antenna sees it some where moving through the airspace. Still we don't know which aircraft that is.
Like in real life, in IVAO the known flightplan information is linked with the actual radar position of the aircraft. That linking means in fact that the flight plan information will be connected to the radar positional information. We call it correlation.
In other words, when you look at the radar picture, you see the radar blip with the little dots behind it, you see a label connected to the blip.
That label contains a lot of information, which is partly taken from the flightplan. First of all the callsign, the destination, type of aircraft and you will see the planned or cleared flight level. Especially that requested flight level is very important for ATC, because that is the altitude where he has to bring the aircraft in the first phase of its flight.
Flight plan interpretation
As soon as an aircraft calls on the frequency, a controller has to have a look at the flight plan. It tells him all he needs to know to immediately understand what this aircraft has in mind. Many things are going through the mind of a controller at that time, because he only read some printed information, but in reality he has to translate thatn into control planning information. That sounds very complicated. Well, in reality indeed, it is not always that easy.
Take this example. Look at the position of the aircraft on your radar. Read the information and imagine where he is going and what he is doing.
That label is a general and short presentation of in fact the essential information for that first moment. All the further details are shown in the flight plan, which could be seen in the flight strip.
A controller looks at the blip and label and he will notice: Callsign, climbing from FL287 to FL370, heading for PIMOS, destination GCLP, type B757. Each element has a different meaning in the controller’s interpretation. e.g. climbing from FL287 to FL370 in a SW direction. Is there any traffic within, let's say the next 40 nm at a level within that altitude band?
Interesting statement and done on purpose. I repeat: a level band between FL287 and FL370 and the next 40 nm direction SW. Let me explain.
The aircraft is passing FL287 on the climb to FL370. Flight plan says in the label B757. Average B757 climbs at this altitude plus or minus 1500 per minute. Still 8000ft to go, thus 8000/1500=5 minutes flying time. The speed according the flight plan is 500 knots. A bit fast, but ok. 500 kts is around (500/60) 8 nm per minute. 5 minutes x 8nm=40nm to go until this B757 will be at FL370.
In this way you see how flight plan goes together with the radar blip. You see the sense of correlation. You can see and understand the way of ATC working and thinking, realising what the “picture” is.
From one sector to the next one
While the aircraft moves through the sky, it moves from the one controlled area or zone into the next one. We saw this earlier already with our time calculations for departure flights.
Each next controller would like to know well in time, what he can expect at the border of his sector. In real life so-called “estimates” are passed from the one ATC position to the next. In the past this was done by telephone, nowadays automatically with the help of computerised systems. It is all handled by the computer systems that are connected to each other.
Remember? All units received the dead flight plan, which sits somewhere in the system waiting until it will be called alive. That is where the “estimate” comes in.
In fact such an “estimate” message contains the three missing elements needed to activate the flight plan. The quawk, the estimated time for the border (in this case!) and the cleared or actual flight level. That estimate message will activate the flight plan at the next sector or unit to come alive....
That is the way it goes in real life. In IVAO our beautiful IvAc is not that far yet. But, I can tell you we are coming closer and closer, because the software developers are working hard.
The chain
We saw until now, while the aircraft moves on from the one sector to the next, before entering, its flight plan comes alive to allow the next controller to see what he may expect.
The ATC system is like a chain. Each unit is linked to the previous and next one around it, from link to link. From DEL to GND to TWR to APP to ACC and back again. Aircraft are handed over from the one to following controller. A transfer is made, not only by system input. In fact it means the responsibility for the control of that aircraft is transferred to the next controller.
That is in real life. In IVAO, still the aircraft moves from one sector to another carrying its own flight plan. Our system is slightly different though. But there is additional difference. In IVAO there is not always a chain of controllers to allow a continuous ‘chained’ control service. ATC comes and goes as it pleases them. Still the flight moves on, but …. the ATC service chain is being interrupted.
Such interruption is done at the transfer to what we call UNICOM. “ATC service terminated, frequency change approved” and the pilot will select UNICOM to continue communication in text.
After a while there may be again a controller on-line, who is ready to provide his ATC service again. However, the chain was broken and now needs to be re-connected. Again an activation has to be done to ensure the proper handling of the aircraft and its flightplan, but as well to allow the system to continue the calculations and other things it does.
That is where the “forced act” comes in. The controller will sent a “forced activation” message to the pilot. This is an invitation to tell that ATC is available again and that the pilot should hand-over himself from UNICOM to the frequency of this active controller. But at the same time it is a message to the system to make alive the flight plan again (activation) starting at the moment the controller makes his “assume” control input. He accepts the responsibility to further control this aircraft.
The flightplan is alive again, the links are connected again and the linked systems continue to work.
Looking at all these points from this perspective, you will see that there is much more behind it all.
Air Traffic Control is one of the different services available to the pilots. Air Traffic Controllers work very closely together with their neighbouring colleagues, like in a chain. Pilots moving from the one link of the chain to next one are guided by ATC with the guidelines of their flight plan.
So let it be a correct flight plan, seriously filled in with all the essential information to provide the pilot with the ATC service he expects and that the “chained’ controller will happily provide.
Have fun.
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