Questions tagged [air-traffic-control]
Air Traffic Control (ATC) is a service of ground-based controllers that directs and coordinates aircraft to improve safety and efficiency.
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How Can I Know If An Airport/ Airfield Is Equipped To Operate During A Power Outage
My buddy was asked this by an IP. Is there a way to see in any publication that an airport is equipped to operate during a power outage? Or a way to see if a airfield has backup power?
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Landing without explicit permission
What will happen if civilian ATC suddenly sees unknown plane which request landing due to emergency.
Can ATC just forbid such land? If yes, what they do?
What if it's foreign military plane?
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Are matching/duplicate marker names on a flight plan errors and/or occurrences most systems deal with?
It is reported that Nats, formerly known as National Air Traffic Services in the UK, has explained the recent national delays on matching marker names on a flight plan:
In its initial report ...
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Cleared straight in approach
I was flying IFR (in a simulator with Vatsim ATC) cleared direct to ROXXE on the RNAV 04 at KAVP at 4000 on a course of 275. The controller said "Cross ROXXE at or above 4000, cleared straight in ...
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Can I identify as a student pilot when I'm not? [duplicate]
A few months ago, my original flying instructor took me to a busy airport (Gloucester) as I wasn't comfortable going there by myself for the first time as a low-hours pilot who only really uses grass ...
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Why would a pilot request that ATC dim the runway lights?
In this clip, the pilot requests dimmed runway lights.
Tower, you able to reduce the runway lights, please?
[Tower dims runway lights]
Thank you much
This seems like ...
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What does 3 blinking red lights on a small aircraft indicate?
I live by Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Tx and have lived here 18 years and was also Airborne in the Ay and I just saw a small private aircraft fly above me with 3 flashing lights with 2 on ...
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Mode S Transmission from Boeing 737 Integrated Standby Flight Display (ISFD) data?
During a recent flight, while in communication with London control*, we received a query about our RVSM (Reduced Vertical Separation Minima) compliance. Both the Captain's and First Officer's ...
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What is the EOBT validity period, if any, for non-CDM airports?
The validity period for the EOBT in CDM compliant airports is +/- 15 minutes from the TOBT. My understanding is that EOBT does not exist in non-CDM airports, so is there any validity period? I assume ...
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Examples of non-direct flight tracks (ETOPS, political instability, etc.)
Flights don't always follow the great circle route (the shortest distance between two points on the globe) for a number of reasons:
Political Instability
Airspace Closures
ETOPS Limits
Geography (eg. ...
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Low visibility in progress and low visibility in force [closed]
Are Low visibility in progress and low visibility in force different?
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Bordering towered airspaces
I'm looking for guidance on radio communications when taking off from Delta airspace and flying into Charlie that starts where the Delta ends. My aircraft can only monitor one frequency at a time. Can ...
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ATC Phraseology “fly heading” vs “turn [direction] heading”
This may be a UK/CAA phraseology quirk, but I’ve heard controllers use the phrase “fly heading 090” and “turn right/left, heading 090” seemingly interchangeably.
When would a controller use each ...
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What is a Tromboning arrival procedure?
I only know that Tromboning is a RNAV arrival procedure which has the trombone shape, and it's an application of CDO (Continuous Descent Operation) along with Point Merge Procedure. Can you give me ...
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Can I fly to a class D airport with an NPPL?
I wish to fly into Bristol (EGGD) in a Microlight.
I can see they have a VFR approach procedure here. Can I do this? If so, what are the prerequisites? Assuming filing a flight plan is one of them.
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What frequencies are used to transmit ADS-B messages?
Presently, ADS-B messages are broadcast on
1090 Mhz Mode S Extended Squitter
VHF Data Link Mode-4 (VDL-4)
Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) 978 Mhz
First 2 Frequencies have relevant ICAO standards ...
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Can ATC tell someone to leave the airspace because they called them by the wrong name?
I will preface this question by saying that the story in question is anecdotal, told by an instructor at an airfield I was visiting. I will obfuscate the callsigns and airfield in question.
Apparently,...
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Who are the audience of ADS-B?
If an aircraft has only Mode-A xpdr, then ATC with the help of Primary radar (for Position determination) and secondary radar (for receiving squawk), places a blip(only squawk code/callsign, position-...
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Are there maximum age limits for non-U.S. Air Traffic Controllers?
In the U.S. the maximum age to work as an air traffic controller (ATC), with limited exception, is 56 years old (source). This maximum age limitation does not apply to ATC personnel who are in staff ...
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How can pilots get other pilots' attention without the use of radio
In this video, a pilot makes the embarrassing mistake of announcing the passengers on an active frequency. During the video, other pilots are apparently trying to get his attention by sending some ...
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Changing SID without changing the flight plan
Pilots are demanding conventional SID rather than RNAV SID planned on flight plan due gps problem. In that case is it enough for a tower controller to coordinate the conventional SID with the approach ...
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When provided with a taxi clearance do you need to immediately comply or can you take your time?
I'm a student pilot and I'm just wondering on if I receive a taxi clearance at an airport then read it back can I wait a minute or two before I actually start taxiing or do I start to go immediately? ...
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Are there procedures for pilots to handle loss of ATC at normally-towered airports?
Are there procedures for pilots to safely handle a situation in which ATC loses the ability to communicate (complete loss of power, incapacitation of all controllers, etc.) at a busy towered airport?
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Does U.S. ATC have the authority to clear an aircraft for a low approach along a runway at an altitude of 200 feet AGL?
In the U.S., does an ATC Tower Controller have the authority to effectively waive 14 CFR Part 91.119 (c) by clearing a pilot for a low approach who has requested to fly at 200 feet AGL along the ...
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When is the word "Over" required in radio transmissions?
From the AIM 4-2-3:
The terms initial contact or initial callup means the first radio call you make to a given facility or the first call to a different controller or FSS specialist within a facility....
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Are tower controllers trained on not overloading pilots with complex taxi instructions while landing?
The above question comes from the following observations:
I've noticed over the years of flying (small GA aircraft) that some towers are talking more and more to me while landing. It used to be ...
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Is there an FAA reference for rounding off of traffic pattern altitudes?
The convention by default is to fly the downwind leg at 1000' above ground level, but most pilots cannot really discern or fly within just a few feet of a chosen altitude, and generally prefer to fly ...
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Why does ATC assign a SID and then give different instructions after takeoff?
I have had many occasions at different airports flying a small single engine piston aircraft out of a Charlie or Delta and they will assign the SID, but give different instructions upon getting ...
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What does the letter in these ATC data blocks indicate?
Why do some have an F and others have a D?
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Are right hand patterns allowed at any airport with approval?
I noticed a GA plane fly pretty low over my house today heading towards PDX. I checked on FlightRadar and noticed it made (what seemed like) an unusual maneuver. It flew directly to the airport and ...
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If ADS-B is on majority of aircraft, why don't we start seeing ASR dying out?
Are radars still needed, or will radars start coming down soon?
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Have the terms Mayday and Pan Pan become less used?
I've noticed listening to videos of emergencies that pilots simply say that their declaring an emergency vs saying Mayday. Am I wrong?
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Why would a plane opt out of flying through a class bravo?
High performance planes that depart Chicago Executive are always vectored to the left of departing towards O'Hare airspace. They than loop around the airport until above O'Hare airspace and continue ...
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Can ATC reject a GA aircraft IFR flight plan to a busy Bravo/Charlie airport?
This may be a dumb question, but can ATC reject or amend your flight plan to prevent a GA training aircraft from flying into a busy airport (i.e. Atlanta)?
As an example, flying VFR near Nashville, ...
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PTT mutes mic w/ A20, Delta Zulu, works with older headsets
New airplane to me. Coms work great using an older headset, David Clark or other brand. When using my Delta Zulu or Bose A20 the intercoms works fine until you press the PTT. When pressed the radio ...
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Was there a TCAS alert during the near miss at Austin TX, where a Boeing 737 was mistakenly cleared for takeoff in front of a 767?
On February 4th 2023, there was a near miss at the airport in Austin TX, where a 767 performing an auto land in foggy conditions nearly collided with a 737 that was taking off on the same runway. The ...
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Why are transponders to be turned off when in formation?
Reading through FAR AIM. I came across the ADSB section which stated that transponders should be turned off except for the lead plane. Why is this?
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What is the Surface Management (SMAN) all about?
Like AMAN (Arrival Management) and DMAN (Departure Management), what is the SMAN (Surface Management) all about? Is SMAN a studied concepts, or is it a technical system ?
If the SMAN is rather a ...
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lCAO level occupancy
As a radar controller, can you clear an aircraft to a level previously occupied by another one in a way that you don't have 1000ft vertical separation between target Mode C indications as long as the ...
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Traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) protected volume calculation
I am attempting to determine the TCAS-protected volume by utilizing the tau values listed in the TCAS table
(Reference: Page 23 FAA TCAS-II guilines)
The TCAS table provides distinct tau values for ...
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Why does secondary surveillance radar use a different antenna design than primary radar?
In radar surveillance we use primary and secondary surveillance radar for different purposes.
I'm wondering about the antenna that use in both system:
Secondary Radar uses an array antenna
Primary ...
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Who do you talk to in Class G airspace (UK)?
I'm currently in my early days of learning about aviation, and have just started learning how to use a VFR chart. One thing that I have noticed is that the class D airspaces generally have frequencies ...
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Reporting to ATC when losing visual to traffic?
I'm a PPL student and I recently flew to a class C airport. One of my first flights into class C, actually. Once I contacted the tower and stated my intentions, I was asked to report if I had another ...
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What is Flight and Flow In a Collaborative Environment (FF-ICE)
has anybody came across the Global Air Navigation Plan that focuses on future of aviation in year 2030. It brings in future shape of aviation for all stakeholders such as eASP, eAU and Aerodromes.
One ...
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What odd maneuver is this for a cruising airplane?
Several years ago, I saw a set 4-5 of con-trails converging at nearly the same time and height. They were each executing large turns (90 to 300 degrees) over the same space, starting from various ...
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Why is destination, flight level, and mach number needed in an oceanic clearance?
When getting an oceanic clearance. The aircraft must announce thier destination airport, their intended flight level, and intended mach cruise speed. Why are these necessary?
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How does ATC control traffic without radar?
Clearly, it is necessary and possible for ATC to control air traffic without radar:
not every control tower has a radar feed from a TRACON or their own radar site
over the ocean, aircraft are beyond ...
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Class D under Class C but through another Class D?
New Pilot here, just planning a VFR trip to KGMU but not sure of the transition rules here. I know flight following will take care of the Class C but who do I need to talk to about the other Class D? ...
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How do pilots know when they have to start the descent?
I am trying to understand how pilots do know when to start descending, I have read that mostly it is from the FMS information and ATC clearances (Aviationvector.com). And on some other references, ...
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Ground Handoff to Tower
When a plane is passed from the ground to the tower, do the ground controllers have to give the tower frequency? For example, "N123B Contact Tower on 121.32" rather than "N123B Contact ...
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