CHAPTER 2: GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES

Unit or Service Call-sign Sufx Example

Area Control Centre CONTROL Stansted Control
Radar (in general) RADAR Bremen Radar
Approach Control APPROACH Birmingham Approach
Aerodrome Control TOWER Munich Tower
Surface Movement Control GROUND Brize Norton Ground
Direction Finding Station HOMER Hawarden Homer
Flight Information Service INFORMATION Goodwood Information
Air-Ground Communications RADIO Leicester Radio
Service

The initial call to a station must include

the ground station name. For example, if
you wish to contact aerodrome control at
Stansted airport you would call
STANSTED TOWER.

However, once you have established

satisfactory two-way communications with
Stansted Tower, the sufx may be omitted
in subsequent calls; but only after the
ground station, itself, has initiated the
omission.

AIRCRAFT CALL-SIGNS.
Figure 2.4 Oxford Tower.
There are three types of aircraft call-sign.

Type 1.
The rst type of call-sign is the ICAO registration marking of the aircraft. For
example:

G-TAGS (GOLF-TANGO-ALPHA-GOLF-SIERRA)

Figure 2.5 G-TAGS.

Type 2.
The second type of call-sign is made up of the radiotelephony designator of the
aircraft operating company, followed by the last four characters of the ICAO
registration marking of the aircraft. For example:
OXBOW DCBA
19
 CHAPTER 4: AERODROME CONTROL

aircraft ying in the aerodrome circuit, and taxying on the manoeuvring area, as well
as of those aircraft ying in the immediate vicinity of the aerodrome circuit.
ATCUs
in CTRs Aerodromes with a CTR will also invariably exercise approach control over aircraft
usually, but approaching the CTR from outside its boundaries, or aircraft having just departed
not always, have separate from the CTR. Approach Control is identied by the call-sign APPROACH.
TOWER, APPROACH, and (See Chapter 5.) Sometimes approach control exists alongside zone and radar
RADAR frequencies.
control.

Figure 4.2 Holzdorf Aerodrome (ETSH) in Germany has a Class D CTR and an ATCU
providing a full air traffic control service. Note the aerodrome frequency TOWER (TWR) of
130.5. When operating at an aerodrome with an ATCU, the pilot of an aircraft will conduct
his movements on the ground and in the air under the control of that ATCU. WHISKY and
ECHO are VRPs.
Figure 4.2 depicts the aerodrome of Holzdorf, in Germany, which has a Class D
CTR. The fact that Holzdorf has an ATCU is revealed by the designation of its
aerodrome frequency of 130.5 as TOWER (TWR). WHISKY and ECHO are Visual
Reference Points (VRPs).

Figure 4.3 depicts Bristol aerodrome, in England. Its frequency of 125.650 is not
identied as TOWER, but the fact that Bristol has a Class D CTR conrms that
the aerodrome also has an ATCU, providing full air trafc control. The Bristol
frequency is also identied as providing a Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS),
another indication that the ATSU at Bristol is a full ATCU. Visual Reference Points,
relative to which arriving and departing aircraft report their position, are marked by
the letter VRP.

Fig 4.3 Aerodrome Flight Information Service.

50
 CHAPTER 4: AERODROME CONTROL

Depending on the runway-in-use, the circuit direction, and local procedures, the pilot
should report his position in the circuit, as instructed.

G-CD, Downwind,
Runway 02.

G-CD, Number 2, follow

the Warrior on Base,
Report Base.

Number 2, Trafc in
sight, Wilco, G-CD.

Figure 4.13.

G-CD, Base leg.

G-CD, Report Final.

Wilco, G-CD.

Figure 4.14.

G-CD, Final, Runway 20.

G-CD,
Continue approach,
Wind 200, 7 knots.

Continue, G-CD.

Figure 4.15.

65
 CHAPTER 13: UK DIFFERENCES IN RT PHRASEOLOGY & PROCEDURES
Pilots may
simulate
emergency
situations,
BUT NOT THE STATE
OF DISTRESS, on 121.5
MHz, in order to enable
them to gain experience
of the service provided.
Practice Pan Calls.
Pilots may simulate emergency incidents, but not the state of distress, on 121.5
MHz, in order to enable them to gain experience of the service provided.
Before calling a D&D Cell, pilots should listen out on the emergency frequency, in
order to ensure that no actual or practice incident is already in progress. Practice
calls need not disrupt a planned ight or involve additional expense in fuel or time,
since the pilot can request a diversion to his intended destination or cancel the
exercise when necessary.
Simulated emergency calls must be prexed PRACTICE and should be brief.
Practice Pan, Practice Pan, Practice Pan, London Centre, G-
ABCD.
The Emergency Controller will then indicate whether or not he is prepared to accept
the Practice Pan call. If he did accept, he would reply along the following lines:
G-CD, London Centre, Practice Pan acknowledged, Continue
when ready.
The pilot would then pass details of the emergency he wished to simulate. The
simulated message should contain relevant information that might help the D&D
Cell, but should be as brief as possible.
Practice Pan, Practice Pan, Practice Pan, London Centre,
G-CD, Cessna 152, Position Uncertain, Last known position
Northampton, Time 25, Request x and steer to nearest aireld,
2000 feet, QNH 998, Heading 090, Student Pilot, 1 POB.
G-CD, Roger, Trace indicating your position just West of
Poddington, 8 nautical miles North of Craneld, Nearest
aerodrome is Craneld, Steer 185.
Training Fix.
Pilots who do not wish to carry out a practice emergency, but require only to conrm
their position, may request a Training Fix on 121.5 MHz. The Training Fix is
secondary in importance to actual emergency calls but takes precedence over
practice emergency calls, in the event of simultaneous incidents. This type of call is
initiated by words along the lines of:
London Centre, G-ABCD, Request Training Fix.
186