Area Control

Area Control


Clearance		Ground		Tower		Approach Radar		Area Control		FIS

Description

Area Control services comprise of air traffic services in airspace which is not under the jurisdiction of an approach or aerodrome control unit. The type of service to be provided depends on the class of airspace within which the aircraft is flying.

In the absence of any aerodrome and approach control, Area Controllers will complete the tasks detailed in the Delivery, Ground, Tower and Approach Radar procedures.

Area of responsibility

Area Control is responsible for the all the airspace within it's FIR which is not delegated to another unit. The lateral dimensions vary from sector to sector, see the Airport Procedures pages.

Area Controllers take responsibility for every ATS unit within it's sector when the unit is not in operation. This means that if you are alone, you are ultimately responsible for every "active" position within your sector. Area Controllers must therefore be familiar with the procedures of many different airports, which can be a rather big challenge.

What you need to know

In addition to the general guidelines an Approach Controller must:

be familiar with the Clearance Delivery procedures,
be familiar with the Ground Movement procedures,
be familiar with the Tower Control procedures,
be familiar with the Approach Radar procedures,
be familiar with the Flight Information procedures,
read all chapters of ICAO doc 9432 - Manual of Radiotelephony,
know the local procedures for the airport(s) being controlled,
understand the different airspace divisions within the FIR,
know the SIDs and STARs, for all the airports within the FIR, and when to use them,
understand the principles of vectoring, and sequencing aircraft,
understand noise abatement procedures when applicable,
know all separation minima's for arriving, departing and en-route traffic.

Procedures

Area Control units vary in size from simple one-person procedural units to large sophisticated centres which may contain departure, arrival and terminal control sections equipped with radar.

An Area Control centre is divided into sectors which work in close liaison.

Co-ordination with other Area Control Centres:

Aircraft must not penetrate the airspace of another Area Control centre or sector unless prior co-ordination has taken place. The responsibility for initiating co-ordination rests with the controller of the sector transferring control.

Co-ordination with Approach control units:

Approach control units are required (when applicable) to keep Area Control promptly advised of:

lowest level at the holding point available for use by Area Control,
average time interval between successive approaches,
revisions to expected approach times when calculations show a variation of 5 minutes or more,
arrival times over the holding point if these vary from the estimate by 3 minutes or more
missed approaches when re-routeing is entailed
all information on overdue aircraft

Speed Adjustment

Controllers may request pilots to increase/decrease speed in order to maintain the appropriate separation. Speed adjustment may also be utilised as a method of streaming aircraft prior to sequencing in the intermediate phase. The pilot should be advised when speed control is no longer required.

Position Reports

In order to reduce RTF communication, a pilot will make a position report only:

on first tranfer of communication from another centre or sector,
on reaching the limit of an ATC clearance,
when instructed by ATC.

Aircraft holding

Area Controllers normaly clear the aircraft for an arrival procedure, this clearence should include information about possible delay.

Pilot: "Shannon, RYR119G, descending FL160"

ATC: "RYR119G, cleared LIPGO 1N, runway 10, descend FL110, no delay expected"

Pilot: "Cleared LIPGO 1N, runway 10, descending FL110, RYR119G"

The aircraft should be passed over to the approach controller as soon as it is obvious that an aircraft should not have to hold, the Area Controller and Approach control need to co-ordinate this.

ATC: "RYR119G, contact Dublin Director 121.1"

Pilot: "121.1, RYR119G"

Aircraft which will be delayed by 20 minutes or more, before commencing an intermediate approach for landing, shall be given an expected approach time together with their clearance to the holding facility. If an aircraft is to be delayed less than 20 minutes, no expected approach time is to be passed.

IvAc settings

We recommend you use range rings set to 10nm, VORs, NDBs (no name), All airspace boundaries, runways. and relevant airways turned on. Toggle airport names, SIDs and STARs as needed.

Select altitude filter limits that include as a minimum:

the altitudes normally under the jurisdiction of your sector; and
the first usable level in any vertically adjoining airspace under the jurisdiction of another controller, plus 500 feet beyond that altitude.
Example: A sector that has jurisdiction of the airspace from FL195 to FL295 would set its altitude filters at 180 and 310.