DRAFT Contribute to maintaining the separation of aircraft in the air
URN: PPLAOG36
Business Sectors (Suites): Aviation Operations on the Ground
Developed by: People 1st
Approved on:
2021
Overview
This standard is about contributing to maintaining the separation of aircraft in the air. In air traffic control, separation is the name for the concept of keeping an aircraft outside a minimum distance from another aircraft to reduce the risk of those aircraft colliding, as well as prevent accidents due to secondary factors, such as wake turbulence. This involves contributing to the formulation of air traffic control clearances, the planning and control of aircraft and monitoring the progress of aircraft in the air. This also involves understanding flight plan data and taking action if this data is incorrect.
This standard is for those working in airports/airfields in air traffic control roles.
When you have completed this standard, you will be able to demonstrate your knowledge of and ability to:
• Contribute to maintaining the separation of aircraft in the air
Performance criteria
You must be able to:
1. Evaluate the accuracy of flight plan data and take the required action to respond to incorrect flight plan data in line with organisational procedures
2. Assess requests for air traffic control clearance in relation to other current and predicted air traffic in the area
3. Apply separation standards in line with relevant legal requirements
4. Contribute to the formulation of air traffic control clearances in line with organisational procedures and relevant legal requirements
5. Record clearances issued in line with your organisation's procedures and relevant legal requirements
6. Contribute to the planning and control of aircraft to maintain the separation of aircraft in the air in line with your organisation's procedures and relevant legal requirements
7. Formulate control instructions appropriate to flight plan and other information sources in line with your organisation's procedures and relevant legal requirements
8. Monitor flight profiles, existing and requested, to confirm that safe traffic levels are not exceeded in line with organisational procedure and relevant legal requirements
9. Identify and report potential aircraft traffic conflictions to your supervisor and recommend avoiding action in response in line with your organisation's procedures and relevant legal requirements
10. Calculate onward clearance times to aircraft held en-route in line with organisational procedures
11. Co-ordinate actions with other agencies and provide the required information to them in line with organisational procedures
12. Co-ordinate diverted aircraft traffic in line with organisational procedures
13. Co-ordinate non-standard and special flights in line with organisational procedures
14. Contribute to monitoring the progress of aircraft in the air in line with organisational procedures and relevant legal requirements
15. Monitor and maintain aircraft separation standards using the required methods and equipment in line with organisational procedures and relevant legal requirements
16. Take the required action to rectify any deviations from separation standards in line with organisational procedures and relevant legal requirements
17. Contribute to developing instructions to be given to aircraft in line with organisational procedures
18. Report any failures of procedures or equipment to your supervisor in line with your organisation's procedures
Knowledge and Understanding
You need to know and understand:
1. The required aircraft separation standards, and the legal requirements and organisational systems and procedures for maintaining them
2. Your role and responsibilities for contributing to maintaining the separation of aircraft in the air
3. How to use the required standard terms and phrases when communicating
4. Your organisation’s procedures and relevant legal requirements for contributing to the formulation of air traffic control clearances
5. How and when to issue air traffic control clearances
6. How to calculate current and predicted workload and analyse flight plan data
7. How and when to communicate and co-ordinate with other agencies
8. Your organisation's procedures and relevant legal requirements for recording clearances issued
9. Your organisation’s procedures and relevant legal requirements for contributing to the planning and control of aircraft
10. How to formulate control instructions appropriate to flight plan and other information sources
11. How to monitor flight profiles, existing and requested, to confirm that safe traffic levels are not exceeded in line with organisational procedure and relevant legal requirements
12. How to identify and report potential aircraft traffic conflictions to your supervisor and the types of avoiding action to take in response
13. Your organisation’s procedures for co-ordinating diverted aircraft traffic
14. How to calculate onward clearance times to aircraft held en-route
15. How and when to co-ordinate actions with other agencies and provide the required information
16. Your organisation’s procedures for co-ordinating non-standard and special flights
17. How to contribute to monitoring the progress of aircraft in the air
18. Your organisation’s procedures and relevant legal requirements for monitoring and maintaining aircraft separation standards
19. The actions to take to rectify deviations from separation standards
20. How to contribute to developing instructions to be given to aircraft
21. How to issue vectoring and speed control instructions to maintain separation
22. How to control and co-ordinate aircraft in line with organisational procedures and relevant legal requirements
23. Your organisation’s terrain clearance and vortex wake spacing procedures
24. Your organisation’s procedures for verbal communication
25. The methods and equipment used to monitor the progress of aircraft, including radar and procedural methods
26. How to contribute to monitoring the progress of aircraft in the air
27. The content of release messages
28. The radar advisory, information and control services, how to monitor radar displays, conduct handovers and identification, and the actions to take in the event of radar failure
29. The importance of calculating the estimated time of aircraft arrival
30. How to identify and report any failures of procedures or equipment to your supervisor in line with organisational procedures
31. Your organisation’s recording and reporting procedures
Scope/range
Clearances include:
a) Departing
b) Crossing
c) Joining
d) Changes in light profile
Flight plan data includes:
a) Flight progress slips
b) Electronic flight progress strip (EFPS)
c) Electronic display data (EDD)
d) Data lines
e) Fight plans
Aircraft separation standards include:
a) Vertical
b) Horizontal
c) Standard
d) Increased
e) Reduced
f) Deemed
Other agencies include:
a) ATSUs
b) ATCCs
c) AFIS
d) A/G units
Verbal message include:
a) Radiotelephony
b) Telephone
c) Direct speech
Avoiding action includes:
a) Applying departure restrictions
b) En-route holding
c) Re-routing of traffic
d) Down grading a service
e) Limiting a service
Co-ordination with relevant agencies includes:
a) Collecting information
b) Communication
c) Providing information
d) Responding to requests
e) The conditions agreed
f) Amending flight plan and other records
Aircraft operating characteristics includes:
a) Speed parameters
b) Climb and descent rates
c) Cruising levels
d) Rates of turn
e) Systems and equipment
f) Cockpit workload
Content of release messages in clue:
a) Aircraft type and identity
b) SSR code
c) Point of departure
d) Release point
e) EAT
f) Contact point
g) ETA at holding facility
h) Release level
Terrain clearance procedures include:
a) minimum sector altitude
b) Approved levels
c) IFR
Scope Performance
Scope Knowledge
Values
Behaviours
Skills
Glossary
Organisational standards are those relating to air traffic control unless otherwise specified.
*
Separation standards* are provided in accordance with (iaw) the airspace classification the Air System is operating within and any extra military specific requirements. A reduction in separation may impact on the Risk to Life associated with mid air collision. Prescribed separation criteria is required in order to maintain a safe and expeditious flow of air traffic.
*
Separation standards* are provided in accordance with (iaw) the airspace classification the Air System is operating within and any extra military specific requirements. A reduction in separation may impact on the Risk to Life associated with mid air collision. Prescribed separation criteria is required in order to maintain a safe and expeditious flow of air traffic.
Aviation terms and phrases have been standardised to improve communication and safety across the global aviation industry. The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) set out the common language used for verbal communication including radiotelephony, the phonetic alphabet and phraseology to be used.
ATSUs
Air Traffic Services Units
AFIS
Aerodrome Flight Information Service
A/G units
Air/Ground Communications Unit
ATCC
Air Traffic Control Centre
EAT
Estimated Approach Time System
EFPS
Electronic Flight Progress Strip
ETA
Estimated Time of Arrival
FDD
Flight display data
FDPS
Flight Data Processing Systems
RT
Radiotelephony
SSR
Secondary Surveillance Radar (Squawk Code)
IFR
Instrument Flight Rules
VFR
Visual Flight Rules
LARS
Lower Airspace Radar Service
EATs
Estimated Approach Time
ATC
Air Traffic Control
SVDR
Simplified Voyage Data Recorder or “Black box"
Links To Other NOS
External Links
Version Number
2
Indicative Review Date
2026
Validity
Current
Status
Original
Originating Organisation
GoSkills
Original URN
GSKAOG36
Relevant Occupations
Transport Drivers and Operatives, Transport Operations and Maintenance
SOC Code
8233
Keywords
flight plans, flight plan data, aircraf