En-Route ATC

A. Dialogue

 

Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor: Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor:   Student: Instructor:     Pilot: Center: Pilot:   Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot:   Student: Instructor:   Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot: Center: Pilot:

Is ATC capable of providing radar coverage over a large area? Yes, it is. That's why there are so many more radar screens and personnel in this ARTCC facility than in the control tower. This facility, like others throughout the world, is connected to remote radar and communication antenna sites. They receive targets from great distances and then transmit them to the ARTCC. These controllers are in contact with aircraft many miles from here. Exactly. This center is divided into several sectors. Each one has its own radio frequency. Then a sector is responsible for radar coverage of a particular area. And traffic is handed off from one screen to the next as the aircraft passes out of the radar range of one sector and into another. What happens if a plane doesn't appear on the radar screen? The pilot would have to make position reports. As a matter of fact, if the controller doesn't inform the crew that the plane is in radar contact, the pilot is required to make position reports. Can you tell me a little about navigation during the flight? The airway system is made up of VHF omnidirectional range stations (VORs), many of which have distance measuring equipment (DME). There's also an increasing use of area navigation (RNAV), since it is independent of the VOR airways. There's an aircraft flying in the northeastern sector that's not on the radar. Let's listen to the position report.   ***   Boston Center, this is Beech 143V, with a position report. Beech 143V, Boston Center, stand by. Beech 143V, Boston Center, go ahead with your report. Beech 143V, position Montpelier at 1725Z, 7,000 feet. Estimate Berlin VOR at 1800Z. Next position Kennebunk. Beech 143V, verify Berlin estimate as 1800Z. Boston Center, Beech 143V, affirmative, Berlin at 1800Z. Boston Center, roger. Beech 143V, out.   ***   Does an ARTCC give amended clearances and holding instructions? Yes, it does. An amended clearance may be issued because of traffic congestion or poor weather conditions. A holding pattern is usually issued when there's no routing available. Let's listen to an amended clearance.   ***   Jet 691, Boston Center, we have an amended clearance. Jet 691, go ahead. Jet 691 is cleared direct to Providence, then flight plan route, maintain flight level (FL) 330. Jet 691, now cleared direct to Providence, flight plan route. Say again the flight level. Jet 691, maintain flight level 330. Flight level 330 for Jet 691.

 

 

B. Terminology Practice

 

affirmative:a term used to indicate assent

Affirmative, Jet 567, you're cleared to land.

Affirmative, your squawk code is 1234.

Is that an affirmative?

area navigation (RNAV):a navigational system in which aircraft fly on a desired course within the limits of navigational signals

When we pass St. Louis, ask ATC for RNAV routing direct to New York.

With a direct RNAV routing, an aircraft can save fuel.

How do we request an RNAV flight plan?

distance measuring equipment (DME):electronic equipment used to measure the distance between an aircraft and a VOR

DME is usually located at VOR stations.

When is distance measuring equipment used?

The DME indicates that we're 120 miles from the Honolulu VOR.

flight level (FL):a level of atmospheric pressure, stated in three digits that represent hundreds of feet

You're cleared to flight level 330.

Are we cleared to descend to flight level 240?

FL 250 represents an altimeter indication of 25,000 feet.

go ahead:to proceed with; or, approval to proceed with

Beech 56XY, go ahead with your message.

Is that a go ahead?

The controller said, "go ahead."

out:a term used to indicate the completion of a radio message

Your message was received, out.

We received the weather report, out.

Did that pilot say "out"?

position report:a pilot's report of the physical location of an aircraft

We'll make a position report when we pass over London.

The copilot already completed the position report.

Our position report should mention that we're five minutes ahead of schedule.

say again:a term used to request that a radio message be repeated

Please say again your messages.

Control, our expected arrival time 1230, say again.

I did not hear your transmission, say again.

stand by:a term used to indicate that a radio message is due in a short time

Stand by for your IFR clearance.

This is Frankfurt Center, please stand by for the amended weather report.

Should we stand by for clearance to take off?

VHF omnidirectional range station (VOR):a navigational aid that provides 360 courses using VHF radio waves

The course to the VOR is 120 degrees.

Is the VOR frequency 114 degrees?

Since VORs use VHF radio waves, they're subject to line-of-sight restrictions.

 

 

C. Check-Up

 

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

affirmative DME FL go ahead out

position report RNAV say again stans by VOR

1. The level of atmospheric pressure expressed in three digits is the ___________.

2. The term ___________ indicates that the message should be repeated.

3. A radio navigational aid that provides 360 courses is a ___________.

4. When a radio message is completed, the person transmitting says “___________”

5. ___________ measures the distance between a plane and a VOR.

6. The term ___________ indicates assent.

7. The term ___________ indicates that the message should be transmitted now.

8. The term ___________ indicates that a message is going to be submitted in a short time.

9. A pilot flies a desired course within the limits of navigational signal using ___________.

10. A ___________ informs ARTCC of the location of an aircraft.