ATC tutorial: Difference between revisions

Delivery and ground/departure sections completed
(Departure clearance)
(Delivery and ground/departure sections completed)
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==== Getting the departure clearance ====
==== Getting the departure clearance ====
We start on the airport apron at terminal T1, stand 246.
We start on the airport apron at terminal T1, stand 220.


The first thing we need to do is to check the current air pressure and which runway is being used; as a general rule, planes should be heading into the wind for takeoff and landing. To accomplish this, we need to listen to the ''ATIS'' (Automatic Terminal Information Service), a prerecorded message describing weather information, the runways in use and other important information for pilots and transmitted continuously on a dedicated radio channel. The frequency to use is written in the Airport information chart and can also be found by clicking on ''AI -> ATC Services in Range -> LEBL'': in our case, it's 121.970 MHz.
The first thing we need to do is to check the current air pressure and which runway is being used; as a general rule, planes should be heading into the wind for takeoff and landing. To accomplish this, we need to listen to the ''ATIS'' (Automatic Terminal Information Service), a prerecorded message describing weather information, the runways in use and other important information for pilots and transmitted continuously on a dedicated radio channel. The frequency to use is written in the Airport information chart and can also be found by clicking on ''AI -> ATC Services in Range -> LEBL'': in our case, it's 121.970 MHz.
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# The controller corrects any mistakes we've made and then hands us off to the Ground controller.
# The controller corrects any mistakes we've made and then hands us off to the Ground controller.


* '''BAW1542:''' El Prat Delivery, this is Speedbird one five four two at stand two four six, requesting delivery to Frankfurt, flight level two five zero, we have information Alpha.
* '''BAW1542:''' El Prat Delivery, this is Speedbird one five four, requesting delivery to Frankfurt, flight level two five zero, we have information Alpha.
* '''El Prat Delivery:''' Speedbird one five four two, Alpha is current, cleared to Frankfurt via OKABI3W, initial altitude five hundred feet, squawk four zero zero zero.
* '''El Prat Delivery:''' Speedbird one five four two, Alpha is current, cleared to Frankfurt via OKABI3W, initial altitude five hundred feet, squawk four zero zero zero.
* '''BAW1542:''' Cleared to Frankfurt via OKABI3W, initial altitude five hundred feet, expect flight level 250 after ten minutes, squawk four zero zero zero, Speedbird one five four two.
* '''BAW1542:''' Cleared to Frankfurt via OKABI3W, initial altitude five hundred feet, expect flight level 250 after ten minutes, squawk four zero zero zero, Speedbird one five four two.
* '''El Prat Delivery:''' Speedbird one five four two, readback correct, contact El Prat Ground Center on one two one decimal six five zero.
* '''El Prat Delivery:''' Speedbird one five four two, readback correct, contact El Prat Ground on one two one decimal six five zero.
* '''BAW1542:''' Contact El Prat Ground Center on one two one decimal six five zero, Speedbird one five four two.
* '''BAW1542:''' Contact El Prat Ground on one two one decimal six five zero, Speedbird one five four two.


The controller asked us to follow the OKABI3W SID after departure - get the SID charts, find it and look at the chart or read the text route descriptions. In this case, the SID prescribes pilots to climb to 500 ft, turn left to intercept radial 199 PRA and be at least at 2500 ft at 8 NM from PRA; intercept radial 287 VNV and pass VNV at 5000 ft; turn right to KARDO, pass KARDO at FL120 and proceed direct OKABI. If you've got the Level-D files from [http://www.navigraph.com/ Navigraph], select the SID in the [[Route Manager]] dialog for the route to be automatically entered; otherwise, use the Route Manager to input the VORs and waypoints manually.
The controller asked us to follow the OKABI3W SID after departure - get the SID charts, find it and look at the chart or read the text route descriptions. In this case, the SID prescribes pilots to climb to 500 ft, turn left to intercept radial 199 PRA and be at least at 2500 ft at 8 NM from PRA; intercept radial 287 VNV and pass VNV at 5000 ft; turn right to KARDO, pass KARDO at FL120 and proceed direct OKABI. If you've got the Level-D files from [http://www.navigraph.com/ Navigraph], select the SID in the [[Route Manager]] dialog for the route to be automatically entered; otherwise, use the Route Manager to input the VORs and waypoints manually.
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We also set the transponder code and switch the transponder to Ground mode (if the aircraft we're using supports this functionality).
We also set the transponder code and switch the transponder to Ground mode (if the aircraft we're using supports this functionality).


==== Starting up and pushing back ====
==== Pushing back and starting up ====
==== Taxiing to the runway ====
Before pushing back (being pushed away from the stand with a tug) and starting up, we need to get appropriate clearances from the Ground controller. This ensures we won't block taxiways unnecessarily.
==== Taking off ====
==== Approaching the destination airport ====
==== Landing ====
==== Taxiing to the stand and shutting down ====


=== A sample VFR flight ===
* '''BAW1542:''' El Prat Ground, Speedbird one five four two at stand two two zero, request pushback.
<!-- Refer to http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=19600  -->
* '''El Prat Ground:''' Speedbird one five four two, El Prat Ground, pushback approved, facing east.
* '''BAW1542:''' Pushback approved, facing east, Speedbird one five four two.


----
We then push back, making sure the aircraft is turned towards ("facing") east at the end of the maneuver, and ask for permission to start our engines.


== Lesson 3 ==
[[File:LEBL-stand220-pushback.png|thumb|center|800px|Our aircraft's position after pushback (noon and night view). Note that the taxiway centerlines are not lit in proximity of stands.]]
'''B-ELIO: B-ELIO requests start-up and push-back.'''


Here a push-back and start-up means he wants a vehicle to pull the plane away from the buildings so he can start his engines... this is a real-world call, and is not used in the virtual world, so just approve it. He might skip this entirely and just ask if he can taxi, otherwise say:
* '''BAW1542:''' Speedbird one five four two, request startup.
* '''El Prat Ground:''' Speedbird one five four two, startup approved.
* '''BAW1542:''' Startup approved, Speedbird one five four two.


'''You: Cleared to push-back and start engines. Call when ready to taxi'''
After that, we start our engines and complete our checklists as quickly as possible.


B-ELIO will then call you when he's ready to taxi. Note you don't have to type B-ELIO, just click on his icon on the screen and ProController automatically inserts it for you. You can often just respond with 'roger' or 'rgr' which means you've heard what the other person has said, or 'wilco' which means you have heard and will obey. When he calls to taxi:
==== Taxiing to the runway ====
We ask for clearance to taxi to the departure runway.
* '''BAW1542:''' Speedbird one five four two is ready to taxi.
* '''El Prat Ground:''' Speedbird one five four two, taxi to holding point E2 via L and E, QNH 1018.
* '''BAW1542:''' Taxi to holding point E2 via L and E, QNH 1018, Speedbird one five four two.


'''B-ELIO: rgr (to the push-back and start-up clearance). Ready to taxi to the active runway.'''<br />
Open the ground chart and check your taxi route before starting, as in some cases taxi signs will not be present at all intersections. You will notice that the controller cleared us only to holding point E2, so, once there, we'll need to report our position and await further instructions. The holding point is marked by a "stop bar" (a dotted/continuous yellow line: the dotted one faces the runway while the continuous line faces the taxiway, to remind you that you need a clearance to cross the runway, and it is lit at night by means of pulsing yellow lights).
'''You: B-ELIO, Taxi to runway 9 (or whatever Tower has chosen) and hold short, altimeter 1009.'''<br />
'''B-ELIO: to runway 9 and h/s, alt 1009, B-ELIO (h/s is short for hold short)'''


Hold short asks the plane to get close to the point given (here, the runway) without actually getting on to the point. Each runway has a line painted on the ground (the holding line) at which a plane waiting to take-off will wait until he is cleared onto the runway (tower's duty). If you put the plane on the runway, tower might be landing a plane and this plane might well land on top of it! The altimeter is given now so that you are sure that the plane has the correct altimeter setting, and is just good practice. Even with it in your ATIS, and their take-off checks, it never hurts to be safe. Your aim as ground is just to get a queue ready for takeoff so that tower has aircraft ready to takeoff when there's a gap in arrivals.  
Taxi to E2 as instructed at a maximum speed of 30 knots and ''hold short'' (stop) just before the stop bar. Remember that, while the controller may instruct you to ''hold position'' (stop) and ''give way'' to another plane, it's still your responsibility not to collide with buildings, vehicles or other aircraft; also, should you at any point become unsure of your position, stop at once and ask the ground controller.


If the pilot needs to cross a runway, he'll stop before the runway and ask for clearance. You just direct him to ask the tower for this information. Imagine for a second that there's another plane taxiing to the runway as well... tell the plane to give way:
<gallery widths=400px mode=packed>
File:LEBL-E3.png|Taxiing to intersection E3 - no ground signs are present, so you should use the ground chart as a reference.
File:LEBL-E2.png|Approaching holding point E2.
File:LEBL-E2-stopbar.png|Close up of the E2 stop bar.
</gallery>


'''You: B-ELIO, Taxi to runway 9 and hold short. Give way to the American Airlines 747 taxiing from left to right.'''
We contact the ground controller to tell him/her we're at E2.
* '''BAW1542:''' Speedbird one five four two, we're holding short E2.
* '''El Prat Ground:''' Speedbird one five four two, cleared to cross runway 02, taxi to holding point G1 via E1 and K.
* '''BAW1542:''' Taxi to holding point G1 via E1 and K, Speedbird one five four two.


Now the pilot will have to give way to the 747 moving in front of him from his left to his right. If B-ELIO was also an American Airlines, you can use the word 'Company' to mean 'of the same company' so 'Give way to company 747...' would be legal. As a ground controller, with a detailed map, you might like to give full details of the way you want him to go, but normally the controller can just give a simple statement like the ones above:
We then cross the runway without delay and turn left on K. Near K2 you can notice a ''CAT II/III holding point'' (marked by an empty yellow rectangle with vertical lines, equipped with ''fixed'' lights) - that's where we would stop if visibility was reduced or if another aircraft was landing using ILS; since that's not the case and we were cleared to G1, just proceed.


'''You: B-ELIO, taxi via Inner Taxiway to block 53, then left onto taxi-way B to runway 9, and hold short.'''
<gallery widths=400px mode=packed>
File:LEBL-K2.png|The CAT II/III K2 stop bar.
File:LEBL-G1.png|The G1 stop bar.
</gallery>


Now the plane is ready to get onto the runway and takeoff, you hand him off to TWR, using the method you learnt in Lesson 1 by right-clicking on the plane, selecting 'aircraft >' and then 'request handoff' and select the appropriate controller. This will ask the controller for a hand-off and, when they accept, the circles around the plane will change colour, you can now go through the same menu and choose hand-off which will give B-ELIO the following message. In the real world, you'd actually say it, and in IVAO, you can just type it without using the automated system:
We stop at G1 while the ground controller instructs us to contact the tower:
* '''El Prat Ground:''' Speedbird one five four two, contact Tower on 118.32, goodbye!
* '''BAW1542:''' Contact Tower on 118.32, Speedbird one five four two, bye!


'''You: B-ELIO, contact the tower frequency 119.7 (you'd have to look up the frequency in who is on-line)'''
==== Taking off ====
==== Approaching the destination airport ====
==== Landing ====
==== Taxiing to the stand and shutting down ====


=== A sample VFR flight ===
<!-- Refer to http://forum.flightgear.org/viewtopic.php?f=72&t=19600  -->
----
== Lesson 3 ==
So now, it's Tower's turn to get this plane off into the sky...  
So now, it's Tower's turn to get this plane off into the sky...  


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