GCAA ATC Licence flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Chicago Convention Article 1

It establishes that every State has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory, forming the legal foundation for all international air navigation.

ICAO Annex 11

It contains the Standards and Recommended Practices for Air Traffic Services, covering establishment of ATS units, separation, clearances, coordination and alerting service.

State differences to ICAO

Under Article 38 of the Chicago Convention a State must notify ICAO of any differences between its national regulations or practices and the ICAO SARPs.

ATC licence ratings

ICAO Annex 1 ratings are aerodrome, approach procedural, approach surveillance, area procedural and area surveillance; each requires a valid medical certificate and periodic competence assessment.

RVSM airspace

Airspace between FL290 and FL410 where the standard vertical separation is 1000 ft instead of 2000 ft, provided both aircraft hold RVSM approval.

Standard radar separation

Normally 5 NM between identified aircraft; 3 NM may be prescribed in designated terminal areas and 2.5 NM between successive aircraft on final approach to the same runway.

Longitudinal time separation

Procedural separation on the same track and level of 15 minutes without navigation aids, 10 minutes with navigation aids, and 5 minutes where DME or VOR distance is used.

Essential traffic information

Information on traffic that may conflict with an aircraft's clearance, passed so the pilot can decide whether to accept the instruction or request an alternative.

Transfer of control point

The point or time at which responsibility for providing air traffic services to a flight passes from one unit to the next, after the receiving unit has accepted it.

Semicircular level rule

Cruising levels are assigned by magnetic track: 000 to 179 degrees use odd flight levels and 180 to 359 degrees use even flight levels, spaced 1000 ft in RVSM airspace.

Clearance limit

The point to which an aircraft is granted an air traffic control clearance; normally the destination aerodrome unless delay or restriction requires a nearer point.

Control zone (CTR)

Controlled airspace extending upwards from the surface to a specified upper limit, protecting aerodrome traffic and the initial and final approach paths.

Runway incursion

Any unauthorised presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take-off of aircraft.

Declared distances

TORA, TODA, ASDA and LDA are the take-off run, take-off, accelerate-stop and landing distances declared for a runway and published by the aerodrome operator.

Conditional clearance

A clearance such as 'behind the landing B737, line up runway 27' should not be used for a runway, because the pilot at the holding point cannot see the traffic behind.

QNH

The altimeter sub-scale setting that, when set on an altimeter at an aerodrome, makes it indicate aerodrome elevation; it gives altitude above mean sea level.

Crosswind component

Calculated as wind speed multiplied by the sine of the angle between wind direction and runway heading; the cosine of the same angle gives the headwind or tailwind component.

SIGMET

A warning of significant weather such as severe turbulence, icing, thunderstorms, volcanic ash or tropical cyclones, valid up to 4 hours, or 6 hours for ash and cyclones.

Aircraft approach category

Categories A to E based on 1.3 times stall speed in the landing configuration at maximum certified weight: A below 91 kt, B 91-120, C 121-140, D 141-165, E 166-210.

Rate one turn

A turn through 360 degrees in two minutes, or 3 degrees per second; its radius in nautical miles is roughly the true airspeed divided by 200.

DME slant range

Distance measured from the aircraft to the ground beacon, which over-reads ground distance because of aircraft altitude, with the largest error close in and at high altitude.

AIRAC cycle

A 28-day cycle on which major aeronautical information changes take effect; the information must be issued at least 28 days before the effective date.

NOTAM

A notice distributed by telecommunication containing information on the establishment, condition or change of any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard.

Minimum sector altitude

The lowest altitude providing at least 1000 ft obstacle clearance, or 2000 ft in mountainous terrain, within 25 NM of the navigation aid shown on the chart.

Squawk 7600

The SSR code selected to indicate radio communication failure; the controller interprets it together with the aircraft's last clearance and expected approach time.

Mode S transponder

A selective interrogation system that replies only when addressed, providing identity, altitude and a unique 24-bit aircraft address for data link and surveillance tracking.

ADS-B

Automatic dependent surveillance broadcast, in which the aircraft automatically transmits position, velocity and identity derived from its on-board navigation systems.

SHELL model

A human factors framework describing interaction between Software, Hardware, Environment and Liveware (people); mismatches at those interfaces are where errors arise.

Situational awareness

A three-level construct: perception of elements in the environment, comprehension of their meaning, and projection of their status into the near future.

Closed-loop communication

The sender transmits the message, the receiver reads it back, and the sender verifies the read-back; it is the main defence against clearance misunderstandings.

SMS four components

Safety policy and objectives, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion, as defined in ICAO Annex 19.

ASSIST aid

A memory aid for in-flight emergencies standing for Acknowledge, Separate, Silence, Inform, Support and Time, used to structure controller actions.