Is it necessary to file an alternate airport?

An airport chosen as an alternate airport must have certain minimum weather conditions.

clearance: authorization for an aircraft to proceed

An IFR flight requires an ATC clearance.

Does an aircraft need an ATC clearance in order to land?

We've been issued clearance to land.

file: to submit a flight plan

File the flight plan one hour before departure.

When did you file your IFR flight plan?

Contact the FSS to file your flight plan.

flight plan: specified information relating to an intended flight

Can I file a flight plan over the telephone?

Fly the heading indicated in the flight plan.

A flight plan can be filed for either IFR or VFR flights.

flight service station (FSS): an ATC facility that provides flight assistance services

Contact the FSS for New York weather information.

Do all airports have an FSS?

You can file the flight plan with the FSS.

Greenwich mean time (Z): the mean solar time of the meridian of Greenwich, England, which is used as a basis for standard time throughout the world

Our intended departure time is 2314 Greenwich mean time.

The aircraft passed over Zurich at 0452 Greenwich mean time.

How is Greenwich mean time calculated?

instrument flight rules (IFR): rules that govern a flight that is being navigated using instruments only

In the United States, IFR must be followed when visibility is less than three miles.

A flight plan must be filed for an IFR flight.

Are you rated to fly IFR?

knot: a nautical mile per hour

The airspeed is 250 knots.

Our total flight had an average speed of 362 knots.

Is a knot larger than a statute mile?

mean sea level (MSL): the average height of the surface of the sea

The elevation of the airport is 390 feet above MSL.

Our altitude will be 4,000 meters above MSL.

Is the elevation of that airport 1,500 feet above MSL?

radio facility chart: a chart used for communication and navigation by radio

An IFR flight is planned using a radio facility chart.

A radio facility chart shows airways connecting radio navigational facilities.

Do you keep more than one radio facility chart on board?

very high frequency (VHF): descriptive of radio waves that range from 30 to 300 megacycles, used for navigation and communication

ATC uses VHF radio transmitters.

How many VHF radios does your airplane have?

VHF radio transmitters provide excellent reception.

visual flight rules (VFR): rules controlling a flight that is being navigated using visual references

It is unnecessary to file a flight plan when flying VFR in the United States.

Must an aircraft remain clear of clouds in order to fly VFR?

An aircraft flying VFR can request radio traffic advisories.

C. Check-Up

Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the list.

alternate airport clearance flight plan Greenwich mean time knots

IFR mean sea level radio facility chart VFR VHF

1. We will need a ___________ to plan our route of flight.

2. Our airspeed was 250 ___________.

3. A ___________ has to be filed before an instrument flight.

4. ___________ are followed when a plane is navigated using instruments only.

5. ___________ radio equipment is used for aircraft communications.

6. The average height of the surface of the sea is known as ___________.

7. ATC issues a ___________ to authorize an aircraft for a particular procedure.

8. If we cannot land at our destination, proceed to the ___________.

9. We don't need a flight plan to fly ___________ in the United States.

10. In aviation, ___________ is used as a standard for time.

LESSON 3

Clearance Delivery

A. Dialogue

Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor:

A release time is included in a clearance. It's the time when a flight can be accepted into the air traffic system. It could be the time the pilot requested in the flight plan, or there might be a delay due to air traffic. Once a flight is cleared and under way, the pilot adheres to the specified conditions of the clearance. Why is a clearance required? A clearance provides traffic separation as well as terrain and obstruction clearance. In addition, the information provided by the flight plan makes it easier to find a plane that is missing or has crashed. How does a pilot receive clearance? By radio? For the most part, yes. At larger airports, there may be a separate radio frequency used only for clearance delivery. What happens when there is no clearance delivery frequency at the airport? An FSS may issue the clearance. If no radio communication is available, ATC will use the telephone to contact the pilot. Does a pilot write down the clearance when it's received? Yes. There are several systems of shorthand that make it easier to write a clearance quickly and accurately. Does ATC always issue a clearance for the entire flight plan? Sometimes ATC may issue a clearance to a fix. This happens when the airways are very congested. An expect further clearance time (EFC) will also be included. What happens if the plane reaches the fix before receiving a clearance to proceed? The pilot flies in a holding pattern until clearance is received. Can a clearance be changed once the plane is airborne? Yes, that procedure is similar to filing a flight plan in the air.

B. Clearance Shorthand

above	↑
after	<
airport	A
alternate instructions	( )
before	>
below	↓
clearance void after	V<
climb and maintain	↑
cross	X
cross airways	≠
cruise	→
descend and maintain	↓
expect approach clearance at (time)	EAC (time)
expect further clearance time	EFC
hold (direction)	H (direction)
join or intercept airway	══
left turn	LT
maintain	M
range	R
remain at or above restriction	altitude ════
remain at or below restriction	______ altitude
report leaving	RL
report passing	RP
report reaching	RR
right turn	RT
takeoff direction	T → (direction)
Air Traffic Control clears	C
until	/
while on airway	=

C. Terminology Practice

clearance delivery: an ATC service that transmits flight clearances

The IFR clearance is transmitted by clearance delivery.

The copilot contacted clearance delivery.

Does this airport have a special frequency assigned to clearance delivery?

expect further clearance time (EFC): the time when an additional clearance will be issued

The aircraft is in a holding pattern with an EFC of 2143 Greenwich mean time.

When do you estimate our EFC?

Our EFC is 1654 Greenwich mean time.

fix: a geographical position determined by visual reference to one or more navigational aids

Notify ATC when we pass the next fix.

How do you calculate our present fix?

We must enter a holding pattern at the next fix.

holding pattern: the oval course flown by an aircraft awaiting clearance to land

How long will we remain in the holding pattern?

We can expect to leave the holding pattern in ten minutes.

The airport is very busy, so we'll have to fly in a holding pattern.

release time: the departure time issued by ATC

How long do we have to wait for the release time?

When the release time arrives, ATC will clear the aircraft for takeoff.

Your release time is 2134Z.

D. Check-Up

Match the terms on the left with the abbreviations on the right.

1. after	a. LT
2. below	b. ≠
3. climb and maintain	c. RR
4. cross airways	d. M
5. expect further clearance time	e. ↓
6. left turn	f. RL
7. maintain	g. <
8. report leaving	h. /
9. report reaching	i. EFC
10. until	j. ↑

LESSON 4

Ground Control

A. Dialogue

Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: ATIS: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor:

We can observe the activity around the airport from the control tower. The airport is busy. Who keeps the traffic organized and moving? Ground control governs the movement of planes and ground vehicles on the controlled portions of the airport, excluding the active runways. With all these planes, I'm surprised the radio frequencies aren't always congested. The Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) helps reduce clutter on the ground-control frequencies at busy airports. What is ATIS? ATIS is a repetitive broadcast of routine information, such as weather conditions and data regarding the airport. It's updated hourly or as needed. The broadcast is identified by a letter of the phonetic alphabet. This letter is changed every time the report is updated. Let's listen to the current ATIS. *** Boston Logan Airport information Zulu. Time 2053Z. Weather: 1,900 scattered, ceiling 2,400 broken, 3,000 overcast, visibility 10 miles. Temperature: 60, dew point 52 degrees. Wind: 290 degrees at 11 miles per hour. Altimeter setting: 29.95. Arriving aircraft expect an approach to Runway 33L. Departures on Runway 27. Notices to airmen (NOTAMs): the inner taxiway is closed between taxiways Mike and Kilo. Advise on initial contact that you have information Zulu. *** What's meant by taxiways Mike and Kilo and Runway 33L? At large airports, taxiways are identified by the phonetic alphabet. Runway 33 refers to the parallel runways at a heading of 330 degrees; the L indicates that it is the left runway. Then the plane taxis to the runway following the directions given by ground control. Right. So, ground control handles aircraft from when they taxi for departure until they reach the active runway. And ground control also assists aircraft leaving a runway after landing until their arrival at a gate. It works so smoothly! It must be more complicated in bad weather, or if a plane isn't equipped with a radio. Normally a plane couldn't fly into a controlled airport without a radio. But, in the case of a radio failure, an emergency, or by special arrangement, there are light guns that can be used. Standard light signals are flashed to an aircraft to indicate instructions.

B. Light Signals

Signal steady green flashing green steady red flashing red flashing white alternating red and green

On the Ground cleared for takeoff cleared to taxi stop taxi clear of landing area (runway) in use return to starting point on airport general warning signal — exercise extreme caution

In Flight cleared to land return for landing (to be followed by steady green at proper time) give way to other aircraft and continue circling airport unsafe — do not land not applicable general warning signal — exercise extreme caution

C. Terminology Practice

active: in use

The runway being used is the active runway.

Is Runway 33L active?

Ground control doesn't govern active runways.

altimeter: an instrument used to measure altitude

In which unit of measurement does an altimeter read altitude?

The altimeter indicates that we're flying at 12,000 feet.

Set the altimeter using the altimeter setting.

altimeter setting: the atmospheric-pressure reading used to adjust an altimeter

The current altimeter setting is 1,010.2 millibars.

Call ATIS for the altimeter setting.

What's the current altimeter setting?

Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS): a continuous recorded broadcast of weather, operational, and noncontrol information

Do you have ATIS information Foxtrot?

The ATIS recording was updated when the weather changed.

The ATIS information indicates that we'll be landing on Runway 33L.

broken: descriptive of clouds that cover more than half the sky

The clouds were broken at 3,000 feet.

The latest weather report at London shows broken clouds at 2,500 feet.

Were the clouds broken or scattered?

ceiling: the height above ground or water where the lowest layer of cloud obscures more than half the sky

The ceiling was 4,000 feet above the airport.

Current weather has 200 scattered, ceiling 800 overcast.

How high is the ceiling over Boston?

control tower: an ATC facility at an airport that controls arrivals and departures

Contact the control tower on frequency 118.3.

Ground control and clearance delivery are located in the control tower.

Do you always contact the control tower before takeoff?

dew point: the temperature at which water vapor condenses

The temperature is 43 degrees and the dew point is 32.

The dew point is two degrees lower than the temperature.

What is the relationship between fog and the dew point?

ground control: an ATC facility, located in the control tower, established to regulate aircraft and other vehicles operating in the airport movement area

Contact ground control for clearance to taxi.

Is ground control responsible for clearance delivery in this airport?

The ground control frequency is 121.9.

notice to airmen (NOTAM): a notice to air personnel concerning changes in conditions, services, procedures, or hazards

The NOTAM says that the inner taxiway is closed today.

Is there a NOTAM regarding this runway?

There's a NOTAM concerning a bump at the intersection of those runways.

overcast: descriptive of clouds or obscuration covering the sky

The sky is overcast with clouds at 1,500 feet.

The cloud layer at 500 feet is broken to overcast.

Will the sky be overcast all day?

runway: a rectangular strip on an airport used by aircraft for takeoff or landing

The plane is ready to taxi to the runway.

What is the length of that airport's main runway?

We couldn't see the runway because the fog was thick.

scattered: descriptive of clouds or obscuration covering less than half the sky

It was a beautiful day with a few scattered clouds.

The Bombay weather shows a layer of scattered clouds at 300 feet.

Are there scattered clouds above 5,000 feet?

taxi: to go at a low speed along the surface of the ground

Are we cleared to taxi?

Our aircraft is ready to taxi.

Taxi behind the large jet.

taxiway: a rectangular strip used for taxiing at an airport

Ground control governs the taxiways.

The inner taxiway is closed.

Which taxiway will we use?

D. Check-Up

Fill in the blanks with the proper terms from the list.

active altimeter control tower ground control NOTAM

overcast runway scattered taxis taxiway

1. ___________ is responsible for taxiing vehicles.

2. A ___________ is used for a takeoff or landing.

3. An ___________ sky is completely covered by clouds.

4. An ___________ runway is in use.

5. Call the ___________ for clearance to land.

6. A ___________ is a notice to air personnel regarding changes in conditions, services, procedures, or hazards.

7. When a plane ___________, it's traveling at a low speed along the surface of the ground.

8. An instrument that measures altitude is an ___________.

9. ___________ clouds cover less than half the sky.

10. A ___________ is the area in an airport designated for taxiing aircraft.

LESSON 5

The Control Tower

A. Dialogue

Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor: Pilot 1: Controller: Pilot 1: Controller: Pilot 2: Controller: Pilot 1: Controller: Pilot 3: Controller: Pilot 2: Controller: Pilot 3: Controller: Pilot 3: Controller: Pilot 1: Controller:

Each aircraft contacts the controller at the control tower for clearance to take off. The aircraft stays on that radio frequency until after takeoff. Then the tower controller directs the aircraft to contact departure control. Is the procedure similar for a landing aircraft? During the landing, an aircraft is directed to contact the tower controller from approach control and stays with that person until the aircraft has cleared the landing runway. After that, the aircraft contacts ground control. That seems simple, but the controller's job must be very difficult. That's right. Many planes can be landing and taking off at the same time. The control tower is responsible for providing safe aircraft separation. I see. Here's another factor the tower controller must consider. A jet weighing more than 300,000 pounds is designated as a heavy aircraft. Smaller planes flying behind a heavy aircraft should maintain a particular distance to avoid encountering dangerous wake turbulence. Oh, I wasn't aware of that. The tower controller also works with departure and approach control and the air route traffic control center (ARTCC). These ATC services control departing and en-route traffic and determine when an aircraft can be accepted into the air traffic system. Let's listen to this transmission between a controller and several aircraft. *** La Guardia Tower, Boeing 295 ready for takeoff. Boeing 295, this is La Guardia Tower. You are number two for departure behind Lockheed 114 heavy. Boeing 295, roger. Lockheed 114 heavy, Runway 13 cleared for takeoff. Lockheed 114 heavy, cleared for takeoff on Runway 13. We're rolling. Boeing 295, caution wake turbulence from departing heavy jet. Taxi into position and hold on Runway 13. There's landing traffic on Runway 22. Position and hold on Runway 13, Boeing 295. Commuter 486 on approach to Runway 22, prepare for a go-around, previous landing traffic still on the runway. Commuter 486, roger. Lockheed 114 heavy, contact departure control, good day. Departure for Lockheed 114 heavy, good day. Commuter 486, traffic has cleared Runway 22. You are cleared to land. Commuter 486, cleared to land on Runway 22. And Commuter 486, no need to acknowledge, wind 250 degrees at Runway 22. Commuter 486, turn right on Taxiway Bravo, contact ground control on frequency 121.6 when you clear the active runway. Commuter 486, roger. Boeing 295, Runway 13 cleared for takeoff. Boeing 295, rolling on Runway 13. Boeing 295, contact departure control, good day.

B. Terminology Practice

acknowledge: to transmit a message indicating that a communication has been received and understood

Did the aircraft acknowledge your transmission?

There's no need to acknowledge this report.

Please acknowledge this transmission by turning on your landing lights.

Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC): an ATC facility that provides en-route traffic separation to IFR aircraft operating in controlled airspace

Have you contacted ARTCC yet?

Contact New York ARTCC on frequency 134.6.

The ARTCC is responsible for large areas of airspace.

approach: the part of a flight just preceding the landing

That flight is on approach to Runway 14.

What time will we begin our approach?

How many go-arounds did you make on your approach?

approach control: an ATC service for aircraft arriving or operating within the vicinity of an airport

Approach control directs a pilot to contact the controller when the plane has landed.

Approach control has cleared us for that procedure.

How does approach control use radar?

clear: in this sense, to free from obstruction

Contact ground control when you've cleared the active runway.

The runway isn't clear for takeoff.

When will the taxiway be clear?

clear: in this sense, to give approval for a particular action

Has the flight been cleared for takeoff?

You're cleared to land on Runway 18.