Operational Procedures and ATC Equipment
Operational Procedures and ATC Equipment
This domain tests the controller’s use of surveillance, flight-data and communications systems, and the procedures that keep the operation safe when equipment degrades. The exam focuses on what changes when a safety net or display fails.
Core rules
- ATC systems include primary and secondary surveillance, flight-data processing, voice communications, strip or electronic flight progress, and safety nets such as STCA, MSAW and APW.
- Safety nets are aids, not authorities. A controller must assess an alert and act on the traffic situation.
- Equipment degradation requires a contingency procedure: reduce capacity, increase separation, use procedural control, or restrict traffic.
- Handover must transfer the traffic picture, outstanding coordination, equipment status and weather.
- Checklists and readback support consistent operation during high workload.
Worked example
The radar display at an approach sector fails. The controller has a flight-data display and voice communications but no surveillance. The correct response is to declare the degradation, apply the unit contingency plan and revert to procedural separation. Capacity must be reduced, and the controller must not continue to issue radar vectors based on remembered positions. The reason is that separation assurance now depends on reported positions, time and agreed levels, not on a live radar picture.
Traps
Do not treat an STCA alert as proof of a conflict; verify. Do not assume a backup display has the same functionality. Do not continue normal sector capacity after a surveillance failure. Do not omit equipment status during handover.