Travelling by air

Millions of people all over the world have at their disposal various means of transport. It is always interesting to discover new things, different ways of life, to meet different people, to try different food, to listen to different musical rhythms.

Most travellers take a camera with them. They take pictures of everything that interests them - the sights of a city, old churches and castles, views of mountains, lakes, valleys, waterfalls, forests, different kinds of trees, flowers, plants, animals and birds.

People travel by train, by boat, by ship, by car, by plane and so on. All means of travel have their advantages and disadvantages. People choose one according to their plans and destinations.

Some people prefer travelling by air because it is more comfortable, more convenient and, of course, very much quicker than any other means of transport. Whenever you want to go somewhere by plane, you should book a ticket (a seat) on a flight for a certain date. You may book a single, return or open return ticket. When booking a ticket you should mention what class you are going to travel: first, business or economy class.

Before boarding the plane you should check-in (= register) your luggage at a check-in desk. Here you are required to have your luggage weighed and then a uniformed clerk attaches a special label to it and gives you a boarding pass. There is no need to worry about your luggage. If your luggage weights more than allowed (it has overweight), you should pay for the additional weight. Then you must go through the security check where your luggage is checked.

Then you may wait in the departure lounge.

The announcer will announce when and at what gate your flight is boarding or he/she may announce a delay on your flight. Flight delays very often due to weather conditions. In this case you can obtain a voucher for refreshments. When you board a plane the stewardess greets you by radio before the plane takes off and gives the passengers all the information about the flight.

Questions:

1. What do people travel for?

2. Why do people choose different means of travel?

3. What do most travellers take a camera with them for?

4. What are the advantages of travelling by air?

5. What should you do first when you want to go somewhere by plane?

6. Why is it necessary to register your luggage?

7. What do people usually do in the departure lounge?

8. Why do we sometimes have the delays?

9. What is "voucher for refreshment"?

10. Do you like travelling?

1l. How often do you travel?

12. How many countries (cities) have you visited?

13. What kind of travelling do you prefer?

Air traffic services

Today air traffic control flight information and alerting services, which together comprise air traffic services, rank high among the indispensable ground support facilities, which ensure the safety and efficient operation of air traffic throughout the world.

The prime objective of air traffic services is to prevent collision between aircraft, whether taxiing on the manoeuvring area, taking-off, landing, and en-route or in the holding pattern at destination aerodrome. Flight information centres and air traffic control units have to deal with the ways of expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of air traffic and of providing advice and information for the safe and efficient conduct of flights and alerting service for aircraft in distress.

Air Traffic Control consists of clearances issued by air traffic control units to achieve longitudinal, vertical or lateral separation between aircraft in accordance with the ICAO documents. It is necessary to specify the requirements for co-ordination between the civil air traffic control units and military authorities or other agencies responsible for activities that may effect flights of civil aircraft.

Air Traffic Controllers at control centres in more than 60 countries of the world use the advanced technologies and the commitment to safety for those who fly. Over 30 years of advanced technologies, provided by Alenia Difesa to Air Traffic Management Systems. Reading the evolutionary trends of Air Traffic Control requirements, the Radar Division of Alenia Difesa offers Primary Radar's equipped with Planar Array antenna, Mode-s. Monopulse SSR and Fault Tolerant Processors for real time applications Alenta. System has been installed at Borispol airport. From the first days it has proved to be very effective. In the near future Alenia is going to be installed in many cities of Ukraine, such as:

Lvov, Dniepropetrovsk and others.

As aviation training requires a working knowledge of equipment which is in a continuous process of innovation and modification. It is necessary to have a dedicated and skilful staff. The continuing changes in equipment and the rapid computerization of being held in many airports of Ukraine.

Aviation safety and efficiency depend on strict and rigorous professional training.

Questions:

1 .What are the main parts of Air Traffic Services?

2. What are the objectives of Air Traffic Services?

3.What does Air Traffic Control consist of?

4.Why is it necessary to specify the requirements for co-ordination between the civil air traffic control units and military ones?

5.What can you say about the modern, advanced technologies?

6. What do aviation safety and efficiency depend on?