ATC – Air Traffic Control

By:
G. Lakshmi Manasa
-1371038
 Contents
Defining ATC
Extended Services
History
Operations linked with ATC
Radar Coverage
Problems
Call signs
Indian ATC Services
What is Air Traffic Control..?
• Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground
based Controllers who direct the Aircraft on the ground
and through controlled Air Space and can provide
advisory Services to aircraft in non-controlled Air Space

• To prevent collisions ATC enforces Traffic Separation

Rules, which Ensure each aircraft Maintains a Minimum
amount of Empty space around it all times.
 Extended Services
• In many Countries, ATC provides services to all private ,
military and commercial aircraft operating within it’s Air
space.
• Many Aircrafts also have Collision avoidance systems
, which provide additional safety by warning pilots when
other aircrafts gets close.
• The Pilot in Command is the final Authority for the Safe
operation of Aircraft and in an emergency he may
Deviate from ATC instructions to maintain Safe operation
of Aircraft.
 History
• In 1921, Croydon Airport, London was the first airport in
the world to introduce Air Traffic Control.

• The first ATC tower regulating all activities of aircraft at a

specific airport , opened in Cleveland in 1930

• Approach/departure control facilities were created after

adoption of RADAR in the 1950s to monitor and control
the busy airspace around larger airports.
 Operations Linked with ATC
 Airport Control
—Ground Control
—Local Control / Air Control
—Approach and Terminal Control
 Airport Control
• Air Traffic Controllers are responsible for the separation
and efficient movement of aircraft , and also vehicles
operating on the taxiways and runways of the airport
itself, and aircraft in the air near the airport, generally 5
to10 nautical miles (9 to 18 km) depending on the airport

• Controllers may use a radar system called Secondary

surveillance RADAR for airborne traffic approaching and
departing..
Run Way Taxi Way
 Ground Control

• Ground control (sometimes known as ground movement

control) is responsible for the airport "movement" areas,
as well as areas not released to the airlines or other
users.

• This generally includes all taxiways, inactive runways,

Holding Areas, and some transitional aprons or
intersections where aircraft arrive, having vacated the
runway or departure gate.
Holding Areas
 Local control / Air control..
• If local control detects any unsafe condition, a landing
aircraft may be told to “Go-Around" and be re-sequenced
into the landing pattern by the approach or terminal area
controller.

• Ground control must request and gain approval from

local control to cross any active runway with any aircraft
or vehicle.
 Approach & Terminal Control

• Terminal controllers are responsible for providing all ATC

services within their airspace

• Traffic flow is broadly divided into departures, arrivals,

and Over –flights

• Terminal control is responsible for ensuring thataircraft

are at an appropriate altitude when they arehanded off,
and that aircraft arrive at a suitable rate for landing.
Air Space Regions
 RADAR coverage
• Long Range Radars are used and are Capable Enough
at higher altitudes, to see aircraft within 200 nautical
miles (370 km) of the radar antenna.

• A Radar Archive System (RAS) keeps an electronic

record of all radar information, preserving it for a few
weeks.

• When an aircraft has 'disappeared' from radar screens, a

controller can review the last radar returns from the
aircraft to determine its likely position.
Airport view from ATC
Problems Faced by ATC

Two Major Problems :

»Traffic
»Weather
 Aircraft Traffic & Weather
Traffic at Airport Weather conditions

• Arrivals of Flights • Heavy Rains

• Departures • Low visibility of
• Hopping Aircrafts Runway and aircraft
• Layovers • Thunderstorms
• Availability of Aero • Turbulence
Bridges • Crosswinds at Airport
• Vacant Runways • Heavy Snow Fall
Early Morning Traffic at Chatrapati Shivaji
International Airport , Mumbai
Waiting For Clearance :
Mumbai Airport
 Bad weather Conditions
Landing in Heavy Rain Low Visibility of Light
Heavy Snow Fall
Cross Winds affecting Take off and landing
 Call Signs
• In order to ensure safe Air Traffic separation Call signs
are Used by Air Traffic Controllers
•
• These are permanently allocated by ICAO on request
usually to Scheduled Flights and some air forces for
Military Flights.

• They are written Call signs with 3-letter combination like

KLM, LH, SG followed by the flight number, like AI 952 ,
SG 421 , 6E 879
• These also use NATO Phonetic Alphabet in order to
avoid the Confusion with Letters and Flight Numbers
(i.e., ABC spoken Alpha-Bravo-Charlie ) Ex : for

• C-GABC or the last 3 numbers like 345 spoken as

TREE-FORE-FIFE for N12345
•
• For Example DLH23LG, spoken as Lufthansa -two-
three-lima-golf.
 Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs)
Air Traffic Service Providers ( ATSPs )

• INDIA – Airports Authority of India (AAI) (under

Ministry of Civil Aviation
• Malaysia – Department of Civil Aviation Malaysia (DCA)
• Singapore – Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)
• United Arab Emirates – General Civil Aviation Authority
(GCAA)
• United States– Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
 ATC India Awards
• At the ATC Global Awards 2013, the Airports Authority of
India received 2 awards

• For Excellence in ANSP Management (outside Europe

and North America)

• Strategic Advancement in Air Transport through AAI’s

collaborative environment project.
• AAI’s significant lead resulted in carbon savings to the
tune of 6,885 tons till February 28, 2013 leading to the
much-needed environmental protection has attracted
world-wide acclaim.

• Airports Authority of India Won "3rd Asia's Best CSR

•
• Practice Award", 2013 for Developing S