IFATCA The Controller - 2nd Quarter 1989

Page 1

ISSN 0010-8073

JOURNAL

OF AIR

TRAFFIC

CONTROL

2 / 89

r

In this issue: The ILO Meeting of Experts IATA: The State of the Industry Automatic Conflict Detection Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

System

2nd QUARTER 1989

VOL UM E 28

SFrs 5.-


V. I.P. Chez Swissair, il n'est pas necessaire d'etre celebre pour etre traite comme un e "Very Important Person". Un enfan t peut meme voyager seul. Nos h6tesses ont le chic pour subjuguer Jes bambins et c'est mani feste: ils sont sages comme des images. Consequence: Jes passagers adultes voyagent en toute quietude . Le secret de notre succes - aupres des tout jeunes comme des moins jeunes - est une specialite Swissair cultivee de ]ongue date : nous savons aller au -devant des de sirs de nos passagers.

swissair' ~


IFATCA JOURNAL OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

THE CONTROLLER Geneva, Switzerland, June, 1989

Publisher International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers· Associations. P.O. Box 196. CH-1215 Geneva 15 Airport. Switzerland Officers of IFATCA E.F. Sermijn. President and Chief Executive Officer. U. Windt. Executive Vice-President Administration. T. Gustavsson. Executive Vice-President Finance. W. Rooseman. Executive Vice-President Professional. R.W. Randall. Executive Vice-President Technical. P. O'Doherty. Executive Secretary Editor H. Harri Henschler 1998 Glenmore Avenue. Sherwood Park. Alberta. Canada. T8A OX8 Telephone (403) 467-6826 Management and Advertising Sales Office The Controller. P.O. Box 196. CH-1215 Geneva 15 Airport. Switzerland

Administration/Subscriptions Bernard Laydevant. Tel. (022) 782 79 83

Accounting Michel Henchoz. Tel. (022) 792 56 82

Advertising/ Production Patrick Schelling. Tel. (022) 66 26 84 Printing House 'Der Sund'. Verlag und Druckerei AG Effingerstrasse 1. CH-3001 Bern. Telephone (031) 25 12 11 Subscriptions and Advertising Payments to: Union Bank of Switz~rland. Airport Branch CH-1215 Geneva 15 Airport. Switzerland Account: IFATCA/The Controller No. 602 254.MD L Subscription Rate: SFrs. 20.- per annum (4 issues). plus postage and package : Surfacemail: Europe and Mediterranean countries SFrs. 4.50. other countries SFrs. 5.80. Airmail: Europe and Mediterranean countries SFrs. 6.20. other countries SFrs. 10.60. Special subscription rate for Air Traffic Controllers. Contributors are expressing their personal points of view and opinions. which may not necessarily coincide with those of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers· Associations (IFATCA). IFATCA does not assume responsibility for statements made and opinions expressed. it does only accept responsibility for publishing these contributions. Contributions are welcome as are comments and criticism. No payment can be made for manuscripts s_ubmitted for publication in 'The Controller'. The Editor reserves the right to make any editorial changes in manuscripts. which he believes will improve the material without altering the intended meaning. Written permission by the Editor is necessary for reprinting any part of this Journal.

Advertisers in this issue Swissair. Thomson-CSF. Cossor. Westinghouse. Selenia Photos ILO. Stuart. Ocana. hhh. Boeing Cartoon Randall THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

Volume 28 · No. 2

Editorial

tained by using the Recommendations is the lowest where the need is Erik F. Sermijn the highest. i.e. the developing countries. It is indeed a major worry that beExactly 10 years ago, the Inter- tween the Member Associations national Labour Organization (ILO) which reported success in using the convened a 'Meeting of Experts on Experts' Recommendations only 5 Problems Concerning Air Traffic Con- were from developing countries. This trollers' (Geneva, 8-16 May 1979). clearly indicates that not only as far as The establishment of that meeting equipment and communications syswas the culmination of many years of tems are concerned, but also working very intensive cooperation between environment. the gap between the the ILO and IFATCA. Indeed, as a re- developed countries and the developsult of IFATCA's efforts, one of the ing countries is widening. It is the task recommendations of the 1974 ILO of all involved, i.e. Governments and Preparatory Meeting for Civil Aviation International Organizations such as resulted in the 1979 Meeting of Ex- ICAO, ILO and IFATCA to prevent this perts. gap from becoming unbridgeable. At the end of the 1979 meeting, This Federation will not rest as long the experts adopted 52 Recommen- as the Recommendations have not dations, defining internationally been implemented in all regions and in agreed principles on the terms of em- every country of such regions. ployment and working conditions of To end this editorial on a positive air traffic controllers. No doubt a note we can report that a major step in major step forwards for air traffic con- reaching this goal has been made by trollers around the world ... provided establishing the ILO advisory services the Recommendations were im- program, started in close cooperation plemented. The time has now come with IFATCA. This program is designfor IFATCA to look at the 10 years be- ed to assist countries in adapting the hind us and see how the Experts' principles embodied in the RecRecommendations have been used ommendations to their specific cirand applied. Of course. at Federation cumstances. level, the Recommendations were inIt is incumbent upon all, Member strumental in the formulation of Pro- Associations and Civil Aviation fessional Policies and the Model Con- Authorities, to take full advantage of tract of Employment. But how were the 1979 Recommendations and the the Recommendations used by ILO advisory program so that a workGovernments and Member Associ- ing environment for air traffic controlations? lers can be created ensuring the best Nearly 40% of our Member As- possible service to the travelling pubsociations have reported they suc- lic. ceeded in obtaining better working conditions by using the Recommendations of the report. This actually is not too bad, taking into account that in some countries air traffic controllers already had working conditions that generally corresponded to the Experts' Recommendations and thus did not see the requirement to use them. There is however an extremely worrying element: clearly, the success ob-


he I e t of xper s May 1 9 A Review

The Preparations Avi Gil, !LO Before 1979, the ILO had come out with several publications on the working conditions of air traff ic cont rollers, including a 19 7 2 st udy prepared on the basis of info rma t ion supplied by a score of governments and IFATCA with ICAO 's assistance on t echnica l and operat ional matters . The need for a more conc rete approach to the problems of air traffic cont rollers was raised by IFATCA at th e October 19 7 4 I LO Preparatory M eet ing fo r Civil Av iati on. As a result

of I FATCA' s efforts , one of the Meeting 's recommendation s called on the I LO to hold a meeting of experts to discuss the problems concerning air traffic controllers . IFATCA also att ended the December 197 7 I LO Tripartite Technical Meeting for Civil Aviat ion , where it was instrumental in the adoption of a resolution reiterating the cal l for such a meeting of experts. In February 1978, the ILO Governing Body decided that the meeting of experts would be held on 8- 16 May 1979 , and that it s agenda would co nsist of a single item , entitled: Problem s concerning air traffic controllers - identification and possible

solutions . It also determined that the meeting would consist of 30 experts: 15 to be appointed on the proposal of governments after appropriate consultations, and 15 to be appointed after consultation with the Governing Body Workers' Group. Thus, the first 15 would originate from among ATC managers or civil service personnel managers, while the other 15 would originate from among air traffic controller or trade union circles . The government of any country where ATC services were operated by private bodies was requested to invite those bodies to nominate the expert. In !LO terminology, a meeting of ex perts

The Com m ittee in session

2

THE CONTROLLER / JUNE 1989


consists of experts appointed in their individual capacity to advise the Office and the Governing Body on a well-defined technical subject. The decision to convene the meeting had marked the start of intensified co-operation between the I LO and IFATCA. as IFATCA member associations and controllers worldwide were mobilised in an effort to collect information about the profession of the air traffic controller . The Government of France organised for the ILO specialist a two-month comprehensive study tour in the French ATC system. where managers and controllers provided him with unrestricted information about the workings and problems of civilian air traffic control and the terms of employment and working conditions of the controllers. That tour was followed by shorter visits at the ATC facilities of Austria, Denmark, the Federal Republic of Germany, Israel, Switzerland and the United Kingdom . In the meantime. about 20 governments and 20 IFATCA member associations supplied the I LO with detailed information on their ATC systems . A working document was prepared on the basis of that information, with ICAO 's assistance on technical points . The air traffic control profession faced an overall problem due to the lack of any agreed international principl es governing the controllers' general terms of employment and working conditions. The scope of the discu ssion had therefore to be rather wide . Consequently , the working document covered the entire range of the controllers' working conditions: the administrative organisation of the ATC system itself, manpower and career planning, training and retr aining , hour s of work including rest periods and leave, remuneration, age of retirement and pensions, employment security, industrial relation s, occupational safety, health and welfare , and the legal liabilities of air traffic controllers. A list of suggested points for discussion concluded the document, which was despatched to the experts wel I before May 19 7 9 . The meeting was attended by 29 experts and by observers from IFATCA. I FALPA, and various other international organisations of employers and workers. In all, some 80 participants from ATC systems of 33 countries came to Geneva .

recommendation from that meeting resulted in a 'Meeting of Experts on Problems Concerning Air Traffic Controllers' being held in Geneva from 8-16 May. 1979. The establishment of a Meeting of Experts was the culmination of many years of effort by IFATCA. and in particular those of Past President. Daniel Manin . The workload on the ILO is such that to hold a Meeting of Experts for every category of worker, in every part of the world . would be an impossible task , and therefore it is all the more credit to those whose efforts were instrumental in achieving this result . The recommendations of Meetings of Experts do not have the weight and status of ILO conventions . However. they are the result of the considered view of government, worker and employer experts meeting as a tripartite body . In the case of air traffic controllers the meeting was bipartite since the governments are, in the main, the employers . The recommendations therefore have ·moral · force of being the considered view of the experts which have been reached under the aegis of the International Labour Organisation. For this meeting of Experts there were thirty experts appointed, fifteen of whom were appointed from the proposals of governments after appropriate consultations and fifteen appointed from union nominee s after consultation with the workers ' group of the Governing Body of the ILO . The experts were assisted by some twenty personal advisers. IFATCA was th e only international organisation to be represented amongst the 30 experts, one of the experts was the IFATCA President at the time , Harri Henschler .

It should be noted at the outset that only some worker experts were , or had been . air traffic controllers. This explains why there were so many advisers, many of whom were controllers . Government experts ranged from directors of air traffic control. deputy directors general to government lawyers . Most government experts were accompanied by at least one specialist ATC adviser . Similarly , not all worker experts were controllers either. Most were senior trade union officials. but most were advised by current air traffic controllers. In addition to the experts. some eleven other non-governmental international organisations were in attendance represented by thirty-one observers. These organisations ranged from IFATCA and IFALPA to Public Services International and the World Federation of Trade Unions. The Director Genera l of the International Labour Organ isation was represented by Mr. Jean Reynaud, Chief , Industrial Sectors Branch, and the Executive Secretary was Mr. Av i Gil, now well known to IFATCA , of the same branch. The meeting was opened by Mr. Reynaud, on behalf of the Director General , on the 8th May, 1979. As well as welcoming participants to the ILO , Mr. Reynaud gave a background resume of the ILO and explained how its unique structure, exp ertise and experience of social and labor issues at the internat ional level would make an important contribution t o the work . At a lat er stage he expanded on the protocols of I LO operations , convent ions and recommendations. Indeed throughout the meeting Mr . Reynau d was available to prov ide guidance , sugge st acceptable wordings and,

The Meeting Charles Stuart. Past President CAOOM, Australia In 1974 a Preparatory Meeting for Civil Aviation was held in Geneva. A THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

Left to right.· C Stuart. M. S. Hoda (ITF). H. H. Henschler. J. Reynaud 3


along with Avi Gil. played a very significant part in the success of the meeting. At the opening session, Mr . Peter Dawson, Director of Employee Relations , Transport Canada, and Mr. G. Kandasamy, General Secretary, Amalgamated Union of Public Employees, Singapore, were unanimously elected Chairman and ViceChairman respectively . We were particularly fortunate in the choice as they complemented each others ' style . Peter Dawson, an experienced industrial relations specialist, displayed a style of chairmanship which played a large part in the success of the meeting. In order to assist the experts in their deliberations, the ILO office had prepared and circulated a working document. The International Civil Aviation Organisation had also provided comments on the technical and operational aspects of the working paper , which were also circulated . The ILO working paper had suggested points for discussion and these were adopted by the meeting as the basis for the work programme. It is not my intention to discuss or elaborate on all the var io us issues that were canvassed during the seven sitting days. Detailed notes of discussion on each of the various items are available in the official report. At the conclusion of the report forty-seven recommendations were made and another five separate conclusions reached . These recommendations and conclusions covered Industrial relations , Social and labou r aspects of the ATC system, Hours of work, Remuneration, Age of retirement and pensions, Occupational safety, health and welfare, Legal liabilities , Manpower and career planning, Training and retraining and Employment security. It can be seen from the above that a lot of areas were covered. The volume of work was significant and the pressure intense. Many of you read ing this article will have attended IFATCA conferences or conferences of other international bod ies. You would therefore be aware of t he problems which we can experience in trying to reach agreement or consensus in areas whe re we should all be in general agreement. However , national or regional jealousies or prejudices can often bog us down on what, on the face of it appeared to be a simple problem . Imagine therefore the problem which faces meetings of experts where not only the pet ty jealousies are eviden t but traditional staff/ managemen t atti t udes also prevail . I should , 4

of course, point out, that we did not the daily sessions. Every night the spend the whole fourteen sessions in IFATCA group got together, albeit in of the conflict . There was a commitment by the pleasant surroundings 'Pickwick Inn', to go over the day remost to achieve a satisfactory result. However, many government rep- sults and to plan our tactics for the next day. In fact these sessions were resentatives were constrained in what invaluable for it meant that we were far they could agree to by policies of their better prepared the next day than the Governments, some of which were not compatible to satisfactory resol- government experts. Finally, I could not finish without ution of controllers' aims . Wording of recommendations and mentioning the marvellous assistance conclusions and even the wording of and hospitality of the Swiss Air Traffic Association. On the the report of the sessions had to be Controllers' weekend between sessions they oragonised over so that hidden nuances would not upset national or regional ganised a tour which took us along sensitivities . Everybody had to be sat- Lake Geneva , through the beautiful isfied that there were no hidden agen- countryside to lunch at Gruyere, fadae being slipped in by the other party, mous for the cheese of that name . We to be used at a later date . In other returned via a mountain pass, still with words, apart from the actual work in- snow on it, with of course the ocvolved in trying to achieve the very well casional obligatory stops for refreshments on the way. worthwhile results, it was a marvellous exercise in compromise and consenThe Meeting of Experts on Probsus . lems Concerning Air Traffic Controllers In an attempt to keep the work of was an experience for us all that we the sessions underway without being would not have missed . It was a bogged down in the minutiae of the chance we had to influence the future wording of the report, a bipartite, ad of air traffic control around the world, hoe 'recommendations disputes particularly in the less fortunate councommittee ' was formed to take away tries . It is perhaps a pity that more use the 'offending' paragraph, resolution has not been made of this very definior conclusion, and massage it into an tive (by I LO standards) document. acceptable form . This worked ex- However, we do know that it has been tremely well. I should say at this point used to good effect and I am sure it that we were lucky to have, as an un- will in the future . official observer to the meeting , the Senior Australian representative to the ILO, Mr . Adrian Fogarty, who fre- The Impact quently assisted the worker experts in Avi Gil, !LO coming up with recommendations and conclusions that met with acceptance by government experts , At the end of the meeting, the exmet the niceties of ILO protocol. and perts adopted a report, summarising still meant what the worker experts the discussions held on each agenda wanted . No mean feat. item, and a set of 52 conclusions emFor a smail core of the worker ex- bodying points of agreement, calling perts, work did not end at the finish of for national and international action.

ATC experts and advisors THE CONTROLLER / JUNE 1989


Together, those texts constitute the first internationally agreed principles on the terms of employment and working conditions of air traffic controllers . The conclusions themselves do not constitute international labour standard s or guidelines, but are essentially suggestions for consideration and action by governments and controllers, at the national and international levels. However, in order not to remain mere ink on paper, those conclusions have to be applied and implemented . Thus, the end of the meeting has marked the beginning of a long - and probably never-ending period of activity on the part of IFATCA and the !LO . The report and conclusions were communicated by the I LO to all the governments of its member states, which were requested to transmit those texts to the employers¡ and workers¡ organisations concerned. On its part , IFATCA has transmitted them to all its member assoc1at1ons for further Joint consideration with the ATC authorities.

Avi Gil

To what extent have the experts conclusions been used ad applied in the past 10 years? Information gathered by IFATCA and ILO shows that by January 1987, out of a total membership of 64 associations representing 10,000 air traffic controllers, about 20 associations representing 7,400 controllers have reported success in using the conclusions for negotiating working conditions: 15 from Europe and North America, but only 5 from developing countries. Those figures clearly indicate the direction which further promotional action should take. Reports show that some associations (Argentina , Cyprus , Gree ce, Ghana , Denmark, Norway, Spain and Sweden) have used the conclusions to negotiate general conditions of work . THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 19 89

More specific reports indicate that they have been used as supporting material in negotiations over early retirement and improved pension benefits (Austria); manpower planning and staffing formulae (Australia); consultation between governments and controllers over technical ATC issues such as automation (Australia) or the creation of a permanent joint technical ATC committee (Canada) ; improved professional recognition (El Salvador) or redressing certain grievances (Fij i); remuneration, loss of licence insurance, etc. (Sri Lanka and Sudan) ; the establishment of an instructor rating (United Kingdom). As illustrated by IFATCA's own statistics, developing countries encounter particular difficulty in implementing the meeting's conclusions . Therefore , the ILO has started to provide special advisory services designed to assist those countries to adapt and apply the general principles embodied in the conclusions to their specific circumstances and conditions. These services consist of detailed surveys of the terms of employment of air traffic controllers, the technical and organisational aspects of the national ATC system and their implications for working conditions. Surveys include interviews with government officials and controllers . as well as visits to the main ATC units and facilities . Analyses of the problems observed and solutions proposed are submitted to the government and the controllers' association for their consideration and possible application. So far, such surveys have been carried out in Peru , Costa Rica and Panama , while further requests have reached the I LO for surveys in Guatemala and the Philippines . It is clear that developing countries are in greate st need of assistance, and that this is where further IFATCA and ILO action should be directed .

The Conclusions Some of the most important Conclusions are reproduced below, with their sub-sections and numbers . Industrial Relations 2 . In particular , ATCOsshould have the right to establish and join _organisations of their own choosing without previous authorisation . These organisations should have the right to draw up their own constit ution s and rules, elect their represent atives in full freedom, organise t heir administration and act ivities and formulate their programmes without interference from public authorities. These organisations should not be dissolved or

suspended by admin istrative authority and should have the right to establ ish and join federations and confederations. Any such organisation, federation or confederation should have the right to affiliate with international organisations. 3. ATCOs should enjoy adequate protection against acts of anti-union discrimination in respect of the ir employment. In particular the employment of ATCOs should not be made subject to the condi tion that they shall not join or that they shall relinquish membership of an ATCO trade union or other representative organisation. and they should be protected against acts calculated to cause their dismissal or otherwise prejudice them by reason of membership of such an organisation or because of partic ipation in the normal activities of such an organisat ion. 4. These organisat ions should enjoy complete independence from employers and/ or public authorities, and adequate protection against any interference by an employer and/ or public authority in their establishment , functioning or administration. 5 . ATCOs should participate, thr oug h their trade unions and/or other such representative organisations , in the determination of their conditions of employmen t and service. Furthermore , ATCOs shou ld be consulted in the concep ti on , planning and implementation of technical provisions concerning ATC systems , for example, through the establishmen t of joint committees of ATCO organisations and ATC authori t ies. The extent of this participation and con sult ation should be determined by national law and practice but in all cases they should take place in the early stages of the decision-mak ing process where feasible . 7 . Industrial disput es in ATC are due to a variety of causes. In partic ular there appears to be a correlation betw~en their 09currence and inadequate professiona l recognit ion, quality of ATC equipment , a lack of capacity of ATC systems to cope with peak demand of air traffic as well as concern with wages and working conditions . This correlation appears to be more evident in situat ions where adequat e dispute settlement machinery does not exist. 8. The settlement of disputes shoul d be sought as may be appropria te to nat ional condi t ions, through negotiation between the parties or t hrough independen t and impartial machinery , such as mediation , conciliation and arbitration , established in such a manner as to ensure the confidence of the parties involved. Where ATCOs are employed by the governm ent, the ir civil servant status shou ld not preclude them from having access to the following procedures : in particular , the sett lement of disputes arising in connection wi th the determination of terms and conditio ns of employment should be sought t hrough negotiation between t he parties. or through independent and impartial mach inery. such as mediation , conc iliation and voluntary arbitration, with a view to making it unnecessary for the organisat ions representing ATCOs to have recourse to industrial action . 5


Social and Labour Aspects of the ATC System 14. ATCOs should be provided with ATC equipment commensurate with the operational requirements so as to promote an optimum level of safety. ATCOs, through their trade unions and/ or other such representative organisations, should also be consulted in the early stages on the design of new ATC premises and the type of new ATC equipment. Hours of Work 18. ATCOs are directly involved in the safety of civil aviation and have problems which are unique to their profession. and their concern with safety could broadly be compared with that of pilots. 21. Maximum working hours per day. per week and per month with minimum rest periods should be laid down for ATCOs by the governments of all states in consultation with the trade unions and other representative organisations concerned. These should preferably be enforceable by law. For the reasons indicated in the preceding paragraphs. the maximum hours of attendance at the place of work per week by ATCOs should normally be less than the generally accepted number of hours of attendance per week completed by other workers in civil aviation in the state concerned. 24. Since overtime work is undesirable from the safety as well as from the social points of view. it should be avoided.

proving all aspects of occupational safety. health and welfare.

Legal Liabilities 3 7. ATCOs are knowlegeable about the reliability and efficiency of the ATC systems. procedures and equipment that they operate and many improvements to the system originate in the lessons drawn from its failures. Therefore. in every country. it should be considered whether. in the interest of safety. a reporting system on incidents. observations and suggestions could be established. which does not penalise or sanction the ATCO. except in cases of dereliction of duty. disregard for the law and gross negligence. which would be made known by means other than the ATCO's reports. 38. In every country. where ATCOs are involved in the investigation of incidents and accidents. they should be entitled to representation from their trade unions and/ or other such representative organisations to the extent that is legally possible. Training and Retraining 4 7. In order to sustain the required high degree of aviation safety and the high ATC standards and also to keep the ATCO abreast with aviation progress. it is considered essential that ATCOs receive reg-

Remuneration 2 7. Because of the uniqueness of the air traffic control profession. it does not readily lend itself to comparisons with other professions. However. to ensure that the ATCOs' remuneration is commensurate with their responsibilities. it should be noted that one of the professions in which the responsibilities assumed closely resemble that of the ATCO is that of the professional pilot. In fact. in at least one country. the controller's remuneration has been compared and linked to that of airline captain. In many countries ATCOs are compared to other public servants for remuneration purposes due to their employment status which has led to considerable dissatisfaction among ATCOs. In all cases. the trade unions and/ or the appropriate organisations concerned should be consulted on the proposed remunerations resulting from these comparisons.

ular refresher courses and benefit from regular familiarisation flights. The frequency of such courses and flights may be agreed upon by the ATCO trade unions a~d/ or other such representative organisations and the respective aviation authorities. In the interest of safety. a system of regular proficiency checking should be established for the ATCOs.

Employment Security 50. Throughout his career the ATCO is expo~ed t<;> t~e concrete and constant risk of losing_his !1cence<;ingrounds of medical or technical inc~pac1_ty.thereby ceasing to be _able!o ~xe~c1sehis profession and thus lo~ing his hvel1hoo~. Since the number of sUJt~ble and meani~g~ul posts for re-employing Jh~ AT~O "':!thin the civil service is rather l1m1ted 1~ _view of his specialised background. training and experience, employer-sponsored loss of licence insurance schemes and employer-sponsored second career programmes should be encouraged for ATCOs in al_lcountries. more particularly where ATC 1srun by a private company and where re-empl_oyment possibilities are thus e_venmore difficult to obtain. If the A!CS)1sto be reemployed after he has lost his l1_c~nce.he. should be given thorough retraining for his new post.

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The State of the Industry by Dr. Gunter Eser, Director General, IATA

1988 will be the best year so far thi s decade for the airline industry. with the international scheduled services of IATA carriers expected to show an after-interest result of well over US $ 1 billion. possibly reaching US $ 1.5 billion or more . Traffic growth for 1988 is likely to be higher than originally expected. at aro und 9 % for total international scheduled services. Yields have held ste ady or even improved for most carriers. genera lly runn ing a little bit ahead of costs . Capacity growth has matched the traffic increase fairly well at about 9 %. and the weight load factor is expected to be around 63%. the same as for last year. Why has 1988 been so good? Mainly because all the vital factors affecting the industry have been favourable . Economic activity has generally remain ed strong. inflation and cost increases have been modest . fuel prices have been low and the US Dol lar has held its own . The outlook for 1989 is encouraging : although traffic growth will be slower than the past couple of years. it will still be a healthy 7-8%. Provided that th e oth er vital elements can be handled properly - capac ity growth. yields and unit costs- it too should be a goo d year. Uniform Regulations Needed for Europe as a Whole

The most sign ifica nt regulatory event since t he last AGM was the adoption in December 1987 by the Counc il of the European Communities of a package of liberali zation measures covering market access and other aspects of compet ition. The EC Comm ission followed this in mid-1988 by granting block exemptions from the compet ition pro visions of the Treaty of Rome to certai n airline coope rative activities including passe nger tariff consu ltations . slot allocat ion at airports. computer reservations system act ivit ies and ground hand ling. The Secretariat - cont inues to mon itor events and assist Members in respond ing to European regulatory deve lopments . It has already filed ap8

The major surviving airlines are now turning their attention to the international market. Their European and Asian counterparts are facing even stronger competition. particularly on the North Atlantic and Pacific routes. Inadequate Infrastructure Hampers Aviation's Growth

Dr . G. Eser

plications to the EC Commission for individual exemptions for cargo tariff coordination and for the passenger and cargo agency programmes . In parallel with the European Commission's activities. the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). which includes countries outside the Common Market. has introduced an international agreement on intra-European tariffs and capacity sharing and adopted principles for a code of conduct for Computerized Reservations Systems (CRSs). The European Commission is also submitting a proposal for a Council Regulation on CRS usage. The Association is concerned that regulatory requirements for Europe as a whole - and not just Common Market countries - should be as uniform as possible. This is of capital importance in view of 1992: the airlines will have real problems if there is one set of rules for the European Community and another for the rest of Europe . In the United States . where deregulation recently celebrated its tenth birthday . the dome stic indu stry seems to have largely shaken out with the result th at there has been increa sed concen t ratio n. The eight leading carriers now control more than 90 % of t he dome stic market co mpared with about 80% in 1978 .

Assuming a continuing average annual traffic growth of some 5-6%. the number of passenger journeys can be expected to double to 2 billion by the Iyear : 2 OOO. It is expected that there will be 50% more aircraft in airline service by then - probably more than 11.000- and the volume of aircraft movements will have soared . With numbers such as these . it is a matter of deep concern that the supporting infrastructure has failed to keep pace. If aviation is to continue to underpin the expansion of trade and tourism. create economic opportunities and provide more jobs . its natural growth must not be strangled by inadequate airport and airspace capacity . The major problem areas of crowded skies and airports are in North America. Europe and the Asia/ Pacific region . On busy routes into and across Europe in the peak summer period this year. daily traffic reached levels originally expected for the mid 1990s. leading to heavy and costly delays . An Industry Task Force on Airport and Airspace Congestion . set up by IATA and comprising representatives of the Airport Associations Coordinating Council . ICAO. the airlines and the IATA Secretariat. has been looking into the problem in various parts of the world . Initial priority has been given to Europe where the Task Force has identified seven areas requiring vigor ous remedial government action (see box). All sectors of the industry are in their variou s way s respons ible . but the national governments. individually and collectively . have the key role. We welcome the signs that governments reco gnize the problem. which only they can solve . THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


Congestion, Noise and Satellite Communications Priority Issues Whilst the Technical Committee's main concern is congestion, other issues also need to be highlighted. Despite the inevitable publicity surrounding aircraft accidents, 1987's total loss rate was less than one per million flying hours. There were 15 jet total losses last year and 14 cases of substantial damage. As in 1986, the majority of these occurred during the landing phase, with human factors showing up as the principal cause in a number of cases. Airline managements must concentrate on the human element in selection, training and supervision of cockpit crews to ensure the appropriate basic flying skills. Pressures for economies must not have an adverse impact on the safety activities of airlines. The Technical Committee is playing a leading role in the development of aircraft-ground satellite communications. Support continues for the ICAO Future Air Navigation Systems Committee which has finalized its work on a largely satellite-based concept for the communications, navigation and surveillance infrastructure of civil aviation for the next twenty years. It is important that the civil aviation community support the use of satellites and the need to retain the frequencies now available. Unlawful Interference against Civil Aviation Another area for serious concern is the fact that acts of unlawful interference against civil aviation are continuing. A Korean Airlines Boeing 707 flying from Baghdad to Seoul was sabotaged with the loss of 115 lives. A Kuwait Airways Boeing 7 4 7 operating from Bangkok to Kuwait was seized by terrorists and two passengers were murdered. The tragic shooting down of an Iranian airliner in the Gulf in July with the loss of 290 lives is still under investigation by ICAO. We subsequently made it clear that we deplore the use of force against civil aircraft and strongly urged all governments to take the necessary steps to prevent recurrence of such incidents. The Executive Committee adopted a resolution supporting this position. IATA offered its services to ICAO and cooperated on immediate action designed to avoid repetition. Sabotage against civil aviation was a major discussion point at a recent meeting of the ICAO Panel of Security Experts where IATA provided input on behalf of the world's airlines in the redrafting of the Security Annexe to the THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

Chicago Convention. The need for multilateral action in respect of incidents of aircraft seizure was also pressed by IATA at ICAO and elsewhere under a five-point plan entitled 'Internationalizing the Response'. This plan calls for: • establishment of an international advisory group which would be immediately available to support governments when a hijacking occurs; • setting up of an international team of experts qualified to investigate acts of unlawful interference after the event. They could identify how the incident occurred and recommend methods to prevent rep· etition, either at the airport where the security breach occurred or at any other airport; • formation of an international force working in conjunction with the international advisory group, which could provide a military response to an incident, should such intervention become necessary;

• creation of an international court to try any captured hijackers or other persons alleged to have committed acts of unlawful interference; • establishment of an international detention centre where terrorists may be held while serving their sentence. IATA's intensified aviation security programme has continued with surveys being carried out at 20 airports in the Asia/ Pacific region. Central and South America, Africa and the Middle East. Provision of security training featured in the Association· s Programme for Developing Nations' Airlines during the past year. Finally, added emphasis has been given to fighting the transport of illicit drugs on commercial aircraft and to the need to identify the fraudulent use of travel documents. (The above excerpts from the State of the Industry Report to IATA 's 44th Annual General Meeting are reprinted by permission. Editor)

-Areas Requiring Government Action as Identified by Task Force on Airspace and Airport Congestion 1. Operational and technical coordination of air traffic control between national networks and between civil and military controllers needs to be improved considerably. The ultimate goal in Europe has to be a fully integrated Air Traffic Services (ATS) network operating with an efficient and integrated flow management system. 2. More airspace capacity needs to be made available for use by civil avIatIon. notably at peak periods. a process in which airlines stand ready to cooperate in a spirit of give and take to provide mutually acceptable solutions. 3. Better integration of the detailed Europe-wide ATS planning function in key areas is also required. 4. More runway capacity is needed at most key airports. Examples in Europe are Munich. Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, London and Milan. More terminal facilities are also

required, at Rome and London for example. 5. Until such time as additional airport facilities come onstream, short-term measures need to be en~saged on the basis of most benefit for the greatest number, with as little penalty as possible for anyone put at a disadvantage Examples include increased use of reliever airports by private and general aviation and training flights and easing of night curfew restrictions for aircraft complying with the latest, most stringent noise restrictions. 6. Qualified air traffic controllers need to be provided in sufficient numbers and with sufficient flexibility in their working conditions to ensure optimal functioning of the system. 7. Capacity planning needs to encompass the whole system of airport and airspace structure, not only nationally but at the continental level.

9


Aircraft Noise Complaints Excerpts from an address to the 798 7 Annual Conference of the Australian Mayoral Aviation Council by D. C.B. Stuart, Past President, CAOOM.

Editor's note: Most air traffic controllers, in particular those in smaller units or control towers, have had to handle noise complaints from the public. This is not always an easy or pleasant task and requires an even temper. Many of the facts outlined below might come handy during such situations, but they could also be reiterated to elected officials when decisions are made which may increase public exposure to aircraft or airport noise.

I thank you for the opportunity to address your Annual Conference on the theme' Airports- Friend or Foe?' I deliberated for some time on how I could approach the subject. Air traffic controllers are very much the meat in the sandwich, the reasons for which I will go into in more detail later on. However, fundamentally, we are required to implement the procedures laid down by the Department, whilst at the same time having consideration for noise abatement, operational requirements and provide a service with the least number of restrictions to the operators. We are abused by the community when noise causes complaints, by the pilots when they consider we are being unduly restrictive to their desired freedom of operation, and by the companies for the delays and lost revenue. Perhaps I should te ll you in broad terms what the legal functions of air traffic contro llers are before I continue. The function of air traffic control is first to prevent collisions between aircraft and between aircraft and terrain, and second to maintain an orderly and expeditious flow of air traffic. The latter requirements are not necessari ly compatible with the first.

Some aircraft , like the Concorde , which is a magnificent technological achievement and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful aircraft ever built, were, even when operating at taxiing power , positively painful to observers who were too close . An aesthetically beautiful aircraft , but considered by many an environmental disaster .

Aircraft Noise As we all know, complaints of aircraft noise date from the early 1950s. Some of the aircraft operating in those days were, from a noise point of view , decided ly antisoc ial. In particular, the ear ly jet aircraft were exceptionally noisy and the ir engine efflux extremely dirty . Indeed, whi lst I have seen no reports on the matter, I would be very surprised if in such places as Los Ange les , with its very high movement rate , the smog problems of the Los Angeles basin were not exacerbated by the early turbojet and turboprop aircraft .

Effects of Aircraft Operations Studies and submissions made on this subject indicate some very interesting assertions as to the effect of aircraft noise on people . Whilst I have not had the opportunity to study the various submissions, I suspect that in many circumstances the cases for and against were based on statistics, which, of course, can be used to prove anything. It is unfortunate that on the evidence there seems no definite proof of the physical danger of aircraft noise but there would appear to be sufficient doubt so that consideration should be given to the effect of aircraft noise. Indeed, one of the recommen -

10

D. C. B. Stuart

dations was that 'the Commonwealth Department of health in consultation with state and local governments undertake study to determine the effects of aircraft noise on mortality and physical and mental health' . I am sure that , for example, the fear of an aircraft crash for some who live in close proximity to airports, and have a predisposition or deep-rooted fear in that regard , will be exacerbated by the passage of aircraft over their house. As an air traffic controller, it may be improper of me to become involved in the question of proximity of buildings to airports . However we do have a view which is covered under the subject of land use and planning control. Noise Abatement Procedures This is the area which probably has the most effect on air traffic controllers. I know that there are many who do not believe that preferred flight paths have been devised by the Department of Aviation with aircraft noise in mind, but as somebody who has to get aircraft onto the ground or off the ground with a minimum of delay and a maximum of safety I can assure you that these flight paths are there for that purpose . If we did not have noise abatement procedures, preferred runways and preferred flight paths , there is no doubt that our job would be significantly easier. By this, I am not attempting to suggest that we should not have these procedures, but to reinforce the fact that they are there. I note from evidence that it is commonly believed that the pilots in command of aircraft tend to follow flight paths of their own choosing with little or no consideration of the impact these flight paths may have on the community. At all major airports the pattern of traffic is pre-determined . These patterns are devised for noise abatement and to minimize confliction between arriving and departing aircraft and to allow for the performance characteristics of the various aircraft . In its submissions the Department advises that 'a flight path is in fact a three dimensional route. When an aircraft is required to turn at a set altitude, because of different performance and weather variables it will result in different distances along the ground .' They also indicated that there were tolerances associated with flight paths and that the accuracy of tracking aids cannot guarantee that an aircraft will fly over exactly the same point on the ground every time. Similarly, for traffic congestion reasons, air traffic control radar-vectors aircraft, where possible THE CONTROLLER/JUNE 1989


avoiding noise sens1t1ve areas. but that the accuracy of the radar is such that one would be extremely lucky to judge the aircraft's position within plus or minus half a mile. For example the size of the aircraft 'blip' on the radar screen will vary according to the scale being used, from as much as ten miles wide. to half a mile in close proximity to the radar. Also, noise sensitive areas are not marked on our radar screens. and to a degree their position has to be guessed at by the controller. This is for safety reasons as it is essential that the radar screen be as uncluttered as possible. so that the air traffic controller is not distracted from his primary responsibility of keeping the aircraft apart. Having said that, I wish to stress that air traffic controllers are very conscious of noise abatement. However. our prime responsibility is to maintain separation between aircraft. and in extremely busy situations noise abatement will always take second place to safety. This occasionally means that because of the traffic pattern, weather conditions and many other factors. which have to be assessed in an instant. aircraft sometimes do travel on a less desirable flight path. Also. unfortunately, aircraft cannot stop in midair and air traffic controllers are therefore juggling a multitude of constantly changing situations, which all have to be fitted together. The pattern of operations. the mix of traffic and the weather conditions can never be duplicated and I believe that no air traffic controller will ever in his operational lifetime. see a situation which is identical in every respect to one which he has had before. This therefore means that he always has to use his judgement to solve these everchanging and differing situations. Because of the complexity of operations it is not uncommon to cancel a Standard Instrument Departure clearance for operational reasons. I believe it would be very difficult for the Department of Aviation to devise procedures which. when a Standard Instrument Departure is cancelled. the new track will always have the least effect on the surroundings. In fact the constantly changing environment and mix of traffic. would mitigate against the possibility of meeting that requirement. It would. of course, be possible to devise Standard Instrument Departures and Standard Instrument Arrivals which could be used 99.9% of the time and which would require aircraft to follow the same pattern or flight path. allowing for the normal THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

tolerances of the equipment every time they fly. However, this would be inordinately restrictive to aircraft operations and very significantly increase delays and operational costs, with resulting increase in airfares. Air traffic controllers. in the ultimate, will operate the procedures which we are told to operate. If the communityview(and it isa view which they manage to persuade the lawmakers should be considered) is that the effect of aircraft noise should take precedence over any commercial considerations. then we would have to operate the procedures which were devised for that purpose, provided safety was not jeopardized. We might find that such procedures offend us professionally, in that it would not permit us to do our job in the most expeditious manner. However, many of us have to subjugate our desires of operating in the most technically proficient and satisfying way in the interest of the overall good. For example, it offends me to have to slow a B 7 4 7 with 400 passengers to fit behind a single engine charter aircraft carrying 4 people. However. according to our rules. they may have equal priority, and if the light aircraft was capable of landing first. albeit requiring restrictions on the B 7 4 7 to ensure that minimum separation was maintained, then so be it.

Preferred Runways I note that submissions indicated that many people do not believe the preferred runway system is being properly utilized. I can assure you that air traffic controllers strictly adhere to the preferred runway system even though it frequently makes our job a lot harder. If we do not operate according to the preferred runway system then we are asked to explain why we did not do so. Should a pilot require to operate on a runway which is contrary to these procedures then air traffic controllers ask him whether it is for an operational reason. Only if he agrees that it is for operational reasons do we allow him to operate on a non-preferred runway. In these circumstances he will. at some stage, be called upon to answer why it was operationally required. I would also like to state that I believe pilots are very responsible in this regard and frequently operate in situations and on runways which they professionally would very much prefer not to. What is interesting is that it is not uncommon for air traffic control to have to use a preferred runway that requires aircraft fly over built-up areas. at low level. for far greater distances

than would have occurred had they been allowed to use a less preferred runway for landing. In other words. the aircraft annoy more people for much longer just so they can land on a runway which is defined as preferred. Lately, at Melbourne, we have been permitted to allow aircraft to land on a less preferred runway if this means that considerably shorter track miles over built up areas would result. This, in our opinion. is a far more sensible idea.

Curfews The one area of noise abatement on which our association has taken a stand, and which we refuse to police. is the curfew. We will remind pilots of the existence of the curfew. particularlywhen we are quite certain that on his current flight plan it is obvious that he will land after the curfew. and we will ask what his intentions are. However, should he insist on continuing. we will not refuse a clearance to land. It is our very strong view that this is something between the pilot who transgresses and the authorities. We are not aerial police. It is also our view that there are some very illogical conditions applied to curfews. I would support any reassessment of curfews based on the degree of noise applicable to the various types of aircraft. I believe there can be no doubt that many of the propeller-driven aircraft, particularly powered by piston engines, are significantly noisier than the latest jet aircraft. We are fundamentally opposed to operations which require aircraft to land in one direction and take off in the opposite. This is known in air traffic control parlance as 'runway roulette'. It is potentially hazardous and is contrary to all the basic techniques of good air traffic control. Of course. where there may only be one or two movements an hour. such operations can be quite safe. However. should the traffic rise to any significant degree. then it is a real problem. We also cannot see how operators can schedule aircraft on the basis of always being required to land on one runway and take off in the opposite direction. Australian conditions. unlike some overseas airports. are significantly variable and produce weather conditions which may last for some significant period of time which would preclude the use of runways required by a curfew.

Land Use, Plan1110111g and IContll'oi This is not an area in which we would normally become involved. However. there is no doubt that most 11


air traffic controllers have very strong views with regard to noise abatement procedures or curfews which are introduced for communities that build in close proximity to airports after an airport has been built. Melbourne airport is perhaps a classic example. We are not infrequently subjected to changed procedures as a result of complaints from communities that have built in close proximity to an airport, knowing that an airport was either planned to be built or already in operation when they bought. I will state quite categorically that I believe the councils or governments who permit land to be zoned for residential use after an airport has been built and which are affected by noise from that airport, are grossly irresponsible. What is particularly annoying to air traffic controllers is that many of the complaints originate from those who are employed at the airport, or in areas surrounding the airport by firms providing goods or services to the industry, or by those who crew the aircraft. Indeed, I know of controllers and pilots who, having built or bought in an area, knowing that it would or may be affected by the flight path of aircraft, have actively assisted in ensuring that restrictions on flight paths are placed so that their residences are not affected. It is perhaps significant to note that even overseas, where airports have been built well away from residential areas, that because airports and their associated activities create so much employment, townships grow up which support that airport and then become affected by noise. To conclude this particular subject, I would like to say that the Department particularly with new airports, takes very significant notice of noise abatement in planning its operations. For example, the new Brisbane airport has its runways aligned on the basis of the most noise effective directions. Certainly our organization and the pilots vigorously oppose the alignment amongst other matters, as operationally it has problems. The new Standard Instrument Departures for the Brisbane airport. which are highly restrictive, have certainly taken noise abatament into prime consideration. Finally. I would like to say that air traffic controllers do not deliberately ignore noise abatement or the legitimate considerations of the community. However, as I said at the very start, we are under enormous pressure from many conflicting quarters. We are under pressure from the community to minimize noise, and we are under pressure from pilots to make 12

each one of them number one, with the least complicated and least restrictive procedures possible. We are under pressure from the companies to reduce their costs by minimizing restrictions, and finally, we are obliged to follow the dictates of our employer; and some procedures appear to have no basis in logic. Ours is a very corn-

plicated and complex job at the best of times, and the more restrictions and complex procedures are imposed the harder the job gets. Regardless of all the procedures, in the ultimate it is our job to ensure that no aircraft collide with another or with the ground. This factor must take precedence over all other considerations.

New Zealand: Thomson-CSF Supply an Integrated Air Traffic Control System On 12 October 1988, ThomsonCSF signed a contract with ACNZ (Airways Corporation of New Zealand), the organization responsible for air traffic control in New Zealand, for the turnkey supply of an integrated national air traffic control system. The contract worth 275 million French francs has been awarded to Thomson-CSF following an international invitation to tender, and notably against competition from Japan, the USA and Europe. The air traffic control system implements the most up-to-date technology. It comprises a network of fully transistorized radars: three TRAC 2000 primary approach control radars and six RSM 970 monopulse secondary radars. The TRAC 2000 and RSM 970 are the latest generation radars. They have been ordered by the French Civil Aviation. Thomson-CSF will also provide three air traffic control centers incorporating a simulator to familiarize the controllers with the new equipment. 124 working positions, including 33 radar consoles will be implemented in the new control centers to be set up at Christchurch, Ohakea and Auckland. These centers will be equipped with a high capacity AIRCAT 2000 radar data and flight plan processing system. Its operation will rely on software programmed with the high level ADA language, and a duplicated Ethernet data distribution network. From these 3 centers, a remote maintenance monitoring system will watch over a network of 69 equipment sites (radars, centers, navaids, radio transmitters, etc.). New Voice Switching Systems will be provided at the new center and the national AFTN system wil be replaced as part of the contract. Within the scope of its obligations, Thomson-CSF will provide maintenance support services for a period of 15 years.

Thomson-CSF equipment has an international reputation especially in the field of air traffic control. The Danish Civil Aviation Directorate has recently commissioned its CATCAS center- the first air traffic control system in the world to operate with ADA implemented by Thomson-CSF. A similar system is also being installed in Belgium and another one has been ordered by the Netherlands.

Somalia will use Italian Radar The Civil Aviation Authorities of Somalia have entrusted Selenia (IRI/ STET Group) with the task of enlarging and modernizing the Mogadishu Airport. With this contract the number of countries throughout the world that have adopted air-traffic control systems produced by Selenia increases to thirty-eight. The turnkey contract is worth over 17 billion lira and includes the supply of a primary radar, a secondary radar, a data-display system and radio aid to navigation equipment. The company is also responsible for the civil engineering, which includes the construction of the new control tower and terminal for international flights, as well as the reconstruction of the terminal reserved for domestic flights.

Short: GraphCom AB (Sweden) has won a contract from Civil Aviation Administration in Sweden, for installation of a new remote control system for unmanned radar stations. The new remote control system will be installed at Malmo ACC and Remele MSSR radar station. THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


Experiments with Automatic Conflict Detection S. Ratcliffe. BSc. FRIN. FRAeS

..

Introduction An earlier paper [1] drew attention to possible problems of providing ATC with a totally automatic means of detecting collision threats such as can arise at short notice if an aircraft inadvertently deviates from the flight trajectory assumed by ATC. FAA' s AERA concept. for example, seems to propose that. in a future system, this task will be taken out of the hands of human controllers, the computer being left to detect and resolve such conflicts. Given the exceedingly high level of confidence needed in any ATC system, automation at such a high level involves serious difficulties. Work in progress on the problems of building sufficiently reliable hardware and software should eventually make possible a system with the necessary reliability. The present topic is a difficulty more specific to ATC, the framing of rules, to be implemented as software, which can ensure, with almost total certainty, that the logic will always detect a collision threat in time to devise and implement a means of resolving the conflict. Problems that will arise in a fully-automatic conflict detector are very different from those met with in present-day systems intended to backup human controllers. Controller blunders are rare events, and a ¡ conflict alert' which detects, say. 90% of these blunders could perform a valuable function. Ref. 1 argued that, for a totally automatic system. the required success rate might be as high as 99.9999%. When the system specification has been drawn up by a team having expertise in the various disciplines involved: ATC, software, electronics, etc., we need some validation process to check that all possible problems have been dealt with. It is possible, for example, to set up a duplicate design team to check the original design process. There is surely a danger that the second team will be too impressed by the work of their predecessors, and will share one more of their oversights. It is suggested that a better approach would differ in as many respects as possible from that used by the original designers, thus reducing the risk of THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

repeating any error in the reasoning. It is proposed, therefore, to seek a validation method which regards the warning logic as a target for attack rather than as a structure to be admired, searching for the threat trajectory which minimizes the warning time. There is a well-known 'law' which states that any possible undesirable event will certainly happen sooner or later. probably at the worst possible time. This paper will later describe an experimental conflictwarning logic and a study, on the lines suggested above. of its weaknesses.

Conflict Warning ATC strategy normally assumes that aircraft will conform to their declared plans, modified if necessary by ATC instructions. The plan takes account of the aircraft destination, the economics of aircraft flight and the way ATC plans to use the airspace. Strategic plans are sometimes devised and/ or tested by computer software [2]. Strategic assumptions may be invalidated by failures, man or machine, in ATC, on the flight deck, or in communications between the two. ATC must therefore respond rapidly to a deviation from plan, to create a safe separation between the errant aircraft and its neighbors, leaving till later the problem of restoring the traffic to their desired paths. This paper is concerned with the algorithm for short-term conflict detection rather than with conflict resolution or any subsequent difficulties. Of course, the problem does not end with conflict detection, but it is a necessary, even if not a sufficient, condition for a safe system design. Conflict alert systems used in present-day ATC were constrained by the limited capacity of ATC data-processors and the limitations of 'sliding window¡ SSR bearings. There is also a need to avoid additional keyboard tasks for controllers. and to restrict. as far as possible. premature warnings of conflicts that controllers were already planning to resolve. SSR Mode S. or the ground to satellite to aircraft data links discussed by the ICAO Future Air Navigation Systems Committee. offer to ATC the possibility of more reliable

and accurate position data. together with a controller to pilot data link carrying messages intelligible to the ATC computer. Advances in computer technology also offer cheap rapid computing for conflict searches. For these reasons. a future conflict detection system could be free from the constraints listed above. Aircraft position in plan is normally defined relative to the Earth's surface. In the vertical plane. position is measured by a barometer system on board the aircraft. and there is no accurately known. permanent. relationship between aircraft 'height' or 'flight level' and its distance above the surface used to define plan position. The task of separating aircraft in three dimensions is normally treated as two separate problems. in the horizontal and in the vertical. and this approach will be followed in the conflict logic to be described below. Given good quality surveillance data. it is an easy matter to frame rules for the automatic detection of failures to maintain the separation standards laid down by ICAO. To detect impending failures in time to take effective remedial action is. however. a more complex problem, since it is necessary to take account of limitations in the available data. the traffic pattern. and local ATC practices. ICAO does not attempt to define the techniques by which ATC should achieve or exceed the desired minima. Assuming that a single ATC system is handling both aircraft. the ATC authority should be allowed to design an automatic system to suit local conditions and the ATC tools. In the absence of any prediction of the errors in the determination of relative plan position. this paper will assume initially that almost perfect data is available. The minimum spacing during an encounter must still be greater than the dimensions of an aircraft. and it is assumed. arbitrarily. that horizontal spacing cannot be relied on if the predicted spacing at closest approach falls below about 2nm. It is here assumed that the vertical alarm logic would be triggered if the predicted vertical spacing fell below 1500 ft. ICAO separation standards are normally based on separation in distance. This is relatively easy to measure. but it is not. by itself. a good predictor of the need for ATC intervention. Consider. for example. two aircraft nose-to-tail on the same track at roughly the same airspeed and separated by 4.9 nm .. thus infringing the 5 nm. separation standard. This situation is almost certainly safer than that facing a pair of aircraft. not separated in height. head-on to each 13


other at 5.1 nm. Time to closest approach is almost certainly a better measure of the collision hazard. but cannot always be accurately derived by eye from an ATC radar display. The airborne collision avoidance system, ACAS. which has been the subject of extensive and well documented research in the USA and elsewhere. bases conflict detection on predicted time to closest approach. After some simplification and modification. ACAS [3] yields a plausible conflict warning for automated ATC. For reasons given earlier. the logic breaks down into two sections. dealing with horizontal and vertical separation. An alarm is generated only if the separation between a pair of aircraft simultaneously fails both vertical and horizontal tests.

Horizontal Alarm Horizontal logic is based on two quantities only. the range between the

two aircraft under study (not range from the radar). and the rate at which this range is changing. The rules for declaring an alarm are shown in deceptively simple form in Fig. 1. where the alarm boundary is plotted as a function of range and range-rate. Range-rate is negative when range is decreasing. It is not possible to move from 'no alarm· to 'alarm· when range-rate is positive. There is a threshold value of range (2nm in this example). where the alarm is triggered regardless of range rate. This prevents any alarm from being cancelled until range has increased above 2 nm. and also ensures that the alarm will be triggered no matter how slowly the aircraft drift together. When range is perceptibly decreasing. the diagonal boundary has the property that a threat moving in a straight line on a collision course will trigger the alarm 40 s before range falls to 2 nm.

Alarm 2 nm

No alarm

+

.,

Range--->

., g> .,

a:

No alarm

Alarm

Fig. 1

Collision will take place only if range falls to zero. The terminal value of the range rate depends on the velocity of the two aircraft and on the angle between their tracks at the moment of impact. For present purposes. the effectiveness of the warning logic will be measured by the time that is available for escape maneuver between the onset of the alarm and the impact. The rules in Fig. 1 imply that. when both aircraft are in straight-line flight. this time will be 40 s plus the time needed for the separation to fall a further 2nm. The worst-case is when the two aircraft are head-on. Two aircraft flying at 250 knots will then have about 54 s to escape. and at 500 knots this falls to 4 7 s. 14

Use of a computer to simulate the flight of two aircraft has made possible a study of the behavior of the logic when the threat follows some curved path. For simplicity. effects due to wind or to change in speed during a turn are ignored. The threatened aircraft continues to fly a perfectly straight path, and both aircraft have the same airspeed. The threat aircraft can turn at any time with a bank angle of up to 30 degrees. The threat aircraft. no matter what path it flies. is assumed to be on a course which eventually leads to collision. Calculations can be greatly simplified by running the simulation backwards, from collision outwards. For a curvedpath threat. the worst-case situation

does not involve a head-on encounter. The simulation was carried out over the whole range of angles at impact. and a trial-and-error search. largely automatic. was carried out to find the threat trajectory giving the minimum warning time for each impact angle studied. Fig. 2 illustrates. for two 250 knot aircraft. the worst-case encounter found by the computer search. The target aircraft (a B 74 7 in the illustration) is travelling from right to left at the bottom of the diagrar:n. The aircraft outlines mark the position of each aircraft at 0. 10. 20. 30. and 40 s to collision. The threat aircraft (a B 727 in the illustration) is originally on a path nearly parallel to the B 7 4 7 at a range of slightly more than 2 nm. The alarm boundary is crossed at 38 s before impact. as opposed to 54 s for a straight line threat. The threat then goes into a 30 ° banked turn to port until impact. The aircraft outlines in Fig. 2 are considerably out of scale. the actual position of the aircraft is the point at which the nose is plotted. For two aircraft at 500 knots. the situation at the alarm boundary is roughly similar to that shown in Fig. 2. but the subsequent path. given the same limitation on bank angle. is very different because of the fourfold increase in the radius of the turning circle. The time from alarm to collision. 37.5 s . differs little from the 250 knot result . For a straight line threat. the minimum warning time is 4 7 s.

Vertical Alarm There are separate tests for failure of horizontal and vertical separation. A situation which has been shown to be safe by one of the tests need not be subjected to the other. For experimental purposes. however. both tests have been applied at all times. A conflict warning would be ,passed to the rest of the ATC software only if both tests were failed. The vertical rules tested in the present experiments were based. rather arbitrarily, on those proposed [3] for ACAS II. with appropriate changes in the parameters. Some simplification of the rules was possible by ignoring the problem of maintaining the alarm until the aircraft have safely escaped the threat. ACAS must arrange that a pair of aircraft will adopt complementary maneuvers when attempting to avoid each other. Further simplification is possible when the same ATC authority takes the decisions for both aircraft. In the present experiment. it was assumed that all aircraft are either in level flight or climbing/ descending at a constant rate. THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


2

for escape becomes even more limited. There is a further complication. Altitude rate and range rate are both derived from the history of reported plan position and height. Even if we suppose that aircraft trajectories normally involve a smooth variation in relative range or altitude, there will be delays in assessing range and altitude rate following the incidence of some unplanned manoeuver. The present paper has discussed only the detection of flaws in the conflict detection logic, but any practical study would need also to take account of the worstcase behavior of the mechanisms which derive the range-rate and height-rate estimates.

t

Conflict alarm

Both A/C TAS 250 knots 727 turning with 30° bank angle

Conflict alarm

J, 0

2

0 Nautical miles Fig. 2

In what follows, 'altitude' is deemed to be the difference in height between the threat and the target aircraft. A vertical threat will be declared if either or both of the following criteria are infringed: a) aircraft are converging in range, the current altitude and vertical-miss distance are both small. b) aircraft are converging in range and altitude, and both time to co-altitude and vertical-miss-distance are small. Criterion (a) requires the current altitude and predicted vertical miss distance to be within the range ± 1500 ft. 'Time to coaltitude' is the ratio of altitude separation to the rate at which it is approaching zero. This is 'small' if below 40 s. Range and range-rate data are used to predict the time to close to zero range, as well as that to a range of 2nm. Vertical miss distance is the minimum altitude separation (regardless of sign) predicted to occur between these two times. It is 'small' if less than 1500 ft. Trials of the vertical alarm logic were carried out for a threat flying the range of trajectories used in the horizontal study. For two aircraft in straight-line flight and closing at 1OOO ft/min, or even in level flight. the vertical alarm was triggered whenever vertical separation was less than 1500 ft, due to the operation of rule (a), given above. This rule does not concern itself with range. For two aircraft closing in altitude at 3000 ft/ min. the alarm was triggered at about 40 s to collision, a height difference of 2000 ft. These alarms would not be passed to the rest of the system until the horizontal logic was also triggered. For a threat not in straight-line flight. THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

the estimated time to closest approach will be in error, and predicted vertical-miss distance will be-similarly effected. The biggest error found in the trials was 200 ft, so that the effect, in the system tested. was not large. Earlier in the paper, the difficulty of specifying the error distribution in an undefined surveillance system was circumvented by assuming impeccable data. Whatever improvements become possible in the determination of plan position, height data will probably continue to be derived from airborne pressure sensors and the present pattern of altimetry system errors [4] is unlikely to be markedly improved. For two aircraft closing at 1000 ft/min, even a 500 ft altimetry error is not important in the system studied. since the vertical warning time is still 60 s. For a 3000 ft/min closing rate. the consequences are more serious. A 300 ft error reduces the warning from 40 to 34 s, and a 500 ft error leaves only 30 s warning. Surveillance systems are likely. in the future. to continue to interrogate aircraft of interest on a one-at-a-time basis, and there will continue to be engineering limitations on the minimum interval between successive scans. If the threat arises from an unplanned rnanoeuver beginning shortly after an interrogation, a mechanically scanned Mode S SSR could use 8 s of the warning time in detecting the onset of the hazard and in transmitting an avoidance command on the subsequent scan. If a human controller and the pilots are to be permitted even a cursory glance at the machine solution before it is implemented by the aircraft. the time

3

Conclusion Trials have shown that a plausible conflict warning algorithm can give. for a manoeuvering threat, warning times that are only 70% of the minimum found for the same aircraft in straight-line flight. If the computer logic is to be the sole defense against unplanned maneuvers, it is clear that we need a means of finding any significant loopholes in the warning logic. It cannot be confidently claimed that the present brief trials of a simple logic have necessarily found the worst-case situations. but the results show, at least. that the search was justified. Intensive studies of a warning logic for an automated airborne collision avoidance system, ACAS. have now been running for 20 years or so, and modifications are still being made. If an automatic ATC system is ever brought into operation. it seems likely that modification of the logic. and its repeated testing. may be a continuing activity. The present writer has not looked at collision avoidance in automated ATC. In fact. it is essential to have a means of avoiding as well as detecting conflicts. and much more study is needed. References 1. Ratcliffe. S., 'Can Computers take over Conflict Detection from Controllers?' The Controller Vol. 2 7 No. 2, June 1988. 2. Benoit. A.. Sweirstra. S .. de Wispelaere, R.. 'Next Generation Control Techniques in Advariced TMA · AGARD Conference Proceedings No. 410. Paris. Dec. 1986. 3. ·A Mathematical Version of the Draft SARPS for ACAS II'. ICAO SICASP/WG2 WP2. March 1988. 4. Cannell, W.P.. 'Height-Keeping Reliability of Aircraft at High Altitude'. Quality and Reliability Engineering International. Sept. 1987. 15


Beyond V1 Capt. J. Lamine

A great deal has been written of the dangers of high speed aborted takeoffs near V, at runway limited gross weights. and there is strong evidence that it is generally safer to continue the takeoff. unless a catastrophic failure has occurred. The cause of aborted takeoffs in jet aircraft ranges from relative infrequent engine failures with total power loss. to tire problems. bird strikes. takeoff warnings due to incorrect settings of flaps. spoilers or leading edge devices. door warnings. and flight or engine instrument malfunctions. Fortunately very few engine failures occur precisely at V,. where in theory. the pilot may elect to stop or go with relative safety providing. of course. that all takeoff performance parameters are correct. If an engine failure has occurred. and the decision is made to continue with the takeoff. a different set of problems may arise in the immediate climb phase. Depending on the cause of the engine failure. the aircraft may be capable of good climb performance. particularly if partial power is still available from the faulty engine. On the other hand. if a complete engine failure occurs close to V, at a climb or obstacle limited takeoff weight. then the initial climbout phase becomes very crucial. The purpose of this article is to discuss the latter situation; where the engine failure climb gradient just meets the Flight Manual minimum regulatory requirement. The subject of takeoff climb performance and obstacle clearance is often suprisingly neglected in many company Operations Manuals. and the relevant information is sometimes hard to find without poring through voluminous Flight Manuals. Performance Engineers can convert the data from Flight Manuals into readily understandable charts for flight crew use. Examples of this type of information can be found in computerized Runway Analysis charts. in which Flight Manual performance data has been combined with known runway and airport geographical features. The result is an easy to read chart showing maximum takeoff weights for various combinations of wind and temperature. 16

While most pilots are aware of the handling problems associated with high speed rejected takeoffs. and some have been fortunate to practice these in a simulator. there are very few that have had the actual experience of the critical early climb out phase. particularly where obstacle avoidance is concerned. Most simulators are not programmed to demonstrate visual obstacle clearance. because the ascent is usually on instrument flying. Consequently a pilot flying in a simulator is mainly concerned with attitude. altitude. and airspeed on instruments. and probably would not be aware of a visually low climb gradient. Certainly in the air. no instructor in his right mind would allow the aircraft to fly anywhere near the minimum net regulatory clearance of 35 feet over terrain. In any case. at typical jet body angles of 15-20 degrees. it would be impossible to judge obstacle clearance. simply because of cockpit view cut off angles. It is not surprising. therefore. that climb performance discussions do not provoke as much interest as aborts near V, where spectacular overruns can be demonstrated in the simulator or graphic photographs can be seen in accident reports. It is probable that many pilots are not aware of the relatively poor engine out performance of modern jet transports at climb limit weights. simply because of lack of exposure to the area of flight. A twin engined jet such as the DC9. Airbus. Boeing 737 or equivalent type. is certified to meet a minimum gradient of climb at the instant of gear up of 2 .4 percent at its maximum second segment climb limit weight. That means. under some conditions. a climb angle of just under 1.38 degrees. At that weight the aircraft will not normally climb away at any better than its designed regulatory gradient and. in practice. may be slightly worse. Because of the variables involving turbulence. engines and airframe deterioration. and flying technique. the regulations require that where obstacle clearance is necessary. a factor of 0.8 be subtracted from the gross gradient plotted from Flight Manual figures. and applied to flight path calculations. For a twin jet.

the net gradient becomes 1. 6 percent. and for three and four engined aircraft. the second segment gross gradients are reduced by 0.9 percent and 1.00 percent respectively. The minimum second segment gross gradient at the completion of gear retraction for three engined aircrafts is 2. 7 percent. and 3.0 percent for four engined types. For obstacle clearance. the net gradient must clear all obstructions by a minimum of 35 feet. For the purposes of this article. it is assumed that a straight ahead climb at a gradient of 1.6 percent equates to a climb angle of 0.92 degrees. At a typical V 2 of 150 knots (actually it is ground speed that affects the gradient. but for simplicity V 2 is used). the rate of climb would be close to 240 feet per minute. or 97 feet of altitude gained for each mile. To avoid obstacles which could further limit the takeoff weights below normal climb limits. it may be necessary to look for an escape route. which could involve a curved takeoff flight path. Regulations vary. but normally obstacles encountered in a curved flight path must be cleared by 50 feet above the net gradient because of the wing down attitude. The maximum bank angle allowed by regulations is 15 degrees. and for a typical twin jet. the.reduction in gradient is around 0.6 percent. This equates to 90 feet per minute rate of climb reduction during the duration of the turn. A worst case flight path. in a curved takeoff. could be as low as 1.0 percent. or a climb angle of just over half a degree. Remember this applies to twin jets right up to the wide bodied size. although it would be most unusual for the actual flight path to approach the net gradient. A useful rule of thumb to find the one engine out rate of climb is to multiply the ground speed by the expected gradient. If preflight planning indicates that the aircraft will be climb weight limited in the second segment. then generally the expected gross gradient will be 2.4 percent for a twin jet ( or 1.6 percent net for obstacle clearance). Knowing V 2 • and assuming here that V 2 equals ground speed. multiply V 2( 150 knots) by 2 .4 and hopefully the aircraft will achieve 360 feet per minute on one engine with gear up. takeoff thrust. and flaps at required takeoff setting. This is provided that the aircraft is in mint condition. no turbulence. and the aircraft handling is exemplary. However. if that range of hills a few miles ahead means that a curved flight path is necessary. then reduce the gradient of climb by 0.6 percent to 1.8 percent and note that the rate of climb THE CONTROLLER/JUNE 1989


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reduces to an interesting 270 feet per minute. Using the proportional method (inaccurate beyond 25 degrees) and knowing that 3 degrees is approximately 5. 2 percent gradient then 1.8 percent gradient means an angle of climb of just over one degree. Similarly, a gradient of 2.4 percent means 146 feet climbed for every nautical mile flown. If a particular Standard Instrument Departure (SID) requires a minimum gradient of 300 feet per mile, simply place 2.4 on the inner scale of the computer opposite 146 on the outer scale, and opposite 300 on the outer scale, note 4.95, or 4.95 percent on the inner scale. Thus the aircraft will need slightly less than 5 percent gradient to meet 300 feet per mile. Now, multiply ground speed (say 150 knots) by 4.94, and the result is 740 feet per minute needed to meet the SID requirements. This may prove impossible with one engine out, at second segment climb limited weights. It would, therefore, be wise to have a contingency plan available if an engine failure occurred near lift off. Where an SID states a minimum gradient of climb, to perhaps meet either terrain or ATC requirements, the pilot should be aware of the probable one engine out climb rate, in case the SID limitation proves unacceptable. It should also be borne in mind that the flap retraction or third segment phase is normally flown in level acceleration, and could take several miles. Although the final engine out climb in the clean configuration would probably meet SID minimum gradients, these may be compromised while the aircraft is in level acceleration during flap retraction. The above figures show that despite very impressive all engines climb out gradients of 14 percent (8 degrees), the climb performance under engine out conditions can be alarmingly low, but still quite legal. Try now to visualize a final approach to land at a glide slope of 1.38 degrees, with the glide path needle hard up on the stops, all VASIS lights red, and the GPWS whooping for a pull up. That angle represents the second segment limited flight path of 2.4 percent gross gradient in a reverse direction. If the subject of climb gradients is beginning to interest you, consider the following: A twin jet of the Boeing 73 7, DC9, Airbus type, on experiencing an engine failure at V 1, at a maximum second segment climb limited weight will: a) climb at approximately 240 feet a minute in a worst case straight ahead climb of 1.6 percent gradient 18

lift off. Because of the specialized nature of the task, it is normal, as mentioned earlier, to have performance engineers extract the necessary data for presentation in the form of individual runway analysis. Smaller operators sometimes utilized the services of the aircraft manufacturers, by sending basic information concerning the airport geography and possible flight path obstacles to the manufacturer, who, in turn, will provide a takeoff analysis for the runway concerned, perhaps for a series of flap settings. It should be clear, however, that the accuracy, and hence the eventual safety of the runway analysis provided by the manufacturer, is very much dependent on the integrity of the basic data supplied in the first case by the operator. For example, a runway analysis based upon runway characteristics There are many airports where only, with no obstacles considered (if obstructions in the departure path they actually exist), would clearly be dictate the publication of special invalid. If the data given to the comtakeoff weather minima, and specific puter is extracted from official sources IFR departure proc~dures. S~me_SID such _ICAO type obstruction charts, require that the air~raft maintain a then 1t should be remembered that minimum climb gradient of 250 feet survey distances may stop at less than per mile. This means a gradient of over 10 miles, which is not far away at 150 4 percent, or _an_ angle o! 2.4 degr~~s. knots. A runway analysis based upon This is well within the climb capability such charts would not necessarily of any jet with all engines operating, guarantee safe terrain clearance but may become impossible in the beyond the surveyed distance. engine out case. It may seem logical If the heights and positions of to simplify engine out escape path obstacles shown on the ICAO type planning by using SID or local IL~ charts (or any other chart used for the missed approach procedures. This same p~rpose) are going to require can lead to disaster, because of the ~teep climb gradients, the only feasdiffering obstacle clearance toler- ible way out may be via a curved flight ances. path, or an extended second segment Returning now to one of the points climb to a higher flap retraction altimade earlier in this article, and that is tude. Whatever the choice, it is the design of runway analysis. reasonable to ensure that the basic The complexities of Flight Manual data given to the computer cor~ectly takeoff charts for jets are such that it is refl~cts the loss of gradient expen~~ce impractical to safely and economically during the curved takeoff, in add1t1on plan a gold plated takeoff without the to accountability of possible new use of a runway analysis presentation. obstacles in the turn display. Perhaps Some company Operations Manuals a weight penalty may be necessary: to do provide General Takeoff and ensure that the flap retraction Obstruction Clearance Charts, but sequence during third segment level these are usually conservative by acceleration is within the norma_l 5 design, and are mainly for use when min~te takeoff power limit. ~erta1nly the situation is not covered by a nor- nomination of a relatively high flap mal runway analysis e.g. displaced reJraction altitude should not ~e made threshold, temporary obstructions, or without computer verific~t1on, as anti-skid inoperative. Where signifi- m~st twin jets start running into th e 5 cant obstructions exist in the depar- minute engine limitation at t~keoff ture area, it is necessary to examine thrust at around 800 feet maximum projected flight p~ths, using topogra- th ird segment altitude. phical maps covering an area u~ to 40 It is important to understand that miles from the runway, depending on any runway analysis must also reflect the height and relative position of the accurate data based upon the planned obstructions. These distances may ~light path that the aircraft will follow, seem excessive, but then the engine in th e event of continued flight after an out case is considered, a typical jet engine failure around V . for E:xample:, 1 could still be retracting flaps at 800 an analysis clearly becomes ,~valid _,f feet above runway level, 12 miles after the maximum takeoff weight is

(0.92 degrees), and 360 feet per minute at its certified gradient of 2.4 percent (1.38 degrees); b) be a maximum of 363 feet above runway level by the time it reaches 2 miles straight ahead, and may be as low, legally, as 254 feet; c) if carrying out a curved takeoff from the departure threshold through, say 90 degrees at a ground speed of 150 knots, take one minute to complete the turn, with a maximum rate of climb of 270 feet per minute, which could reduce to as low as 150 feet per minute if the climb performance reaches the legal net limit. In addition, immediately after completing the turn, the aircraft could be only 152 feet above runway level, due to the reduction in climb gradient experienced at 15 degrees bank angle.

¡ JUNE1989 THE CONTROLLER/


predicted on a straight ahead climb out but for some reason the operator requires a company procedure involving a curved takeoff. It may seem a good thing to apply a local procedure requiring a curve toward flat ground or open water. but if this is necessary. then the runway analysis must reflect this path. and not a straight ahead path. merely for convenient mathematical obstacle data extraction. In some cases. it becomes an administrative chore to find accurate topographical survey data. and it may be tempting to plan a runway analysis knowing that the flight path data is incomplete or out of date. To do this is a neglect of operational responsibility and the potential danger is obvious. One purpose of this article was to illustrate to flight crew the very low engine out climb gradients that can be expected from jet transport aircraft. when at maximum climb or obstacle limited weights. Visualizing the flight path in relation to the familiar third degree glide slope is one way of appreciating how flat the climb gradient can be. Despite an apparent illusion of climb angle. caused by a typical jet body angle of 15 degrees. the true angle of climb can be little more than one degree above the horizontal. The high body angle required of some jet aircraft during rotation and early climb out. normally means that visual obstacle clearance may be impossible. particularly at night on an IMC. Under these conditions. the pilot in command is totally dependent on the accuracy and validity of the takeoff data supplied to him by his company. Standard operating procedures which require. for example. certain flight paths to be followed in the event of engine failure at V 1• must ensure full legal and technical protection. In this context, technical protection means accurate runway and flight path analysis up to a safe altitude. Superb airmanship cannot make an aircraft perform any better than its designed performance characteristics. If for any reason. computerized runway analyses are not provided. then sufficient detailed. but workable. runway and obstruction data should be made readily available in company Operations Manuals. Beyond V 1, with one engine out. is an inherently hazardous area of flight. However. the risks are considerably reduced. if accurate preflight planning by operations staff. including performance engineers and pilots. has ensured that the aircraft will meet all legal and safe climb gradient requirements. (From 'Flight Safety Monitor·. courtesy 'Flight Crew·. 'PIA Air Safety') THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

AOPA, AOPA ASF to Support Pilot/ Controller Communications Awareness Initiative The 275.000-member Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of the US has endorsed a program designed to enhance communications between pilots and air traffic controllers. ·we are pleased to participate in the Pilot/Controller Communications Awareness Initiative,' said AOPA President John L. Baker. 'AOPA has had a long-term commitment towards improving communications and understanding between controllers and the users of the airspace system. In 1986. we introduced the very successful Fly-a-Controller program. which afforded controllers the opportunity to go on a familiarization flight with a general aviation pilot. This new program has our full support and cooperation.· Baker said that AOPA and the AOPA Air Safety Foundati~n will participate in the awareness program. which is being implemented in cooperation with the Federal Aviation Administration's Back-to-Basics program. by publishing an article in AOPA Pilot distributing information at trade shows. and publishing pertinent safety and communications brochures. In support of the pilot/ controller awareness initiative, the AOPA Air Safety Foundation has recently published a pamphlet. · I FR Communications Procedures·. The pamphlet is designed to 'foster better communications between pilots and controllers', according to Richard D. Gless, Vice-President for Program Development for the AOPA Air Safety Foundation. 'Enhanced communications can reduce system problems and enhance aviation safety. This new pamphlet complements a previous ASF brochure on basic ATC communications procedures,' said Gless. The Pilot/ Controller Communications Awareness Initiative was developed by a committee of 15 user organizations sponsored by the FAA Administrator, which recommended that the FAA develop initiatives to promote pilot and controller awareness in the area of interactive communications. According to AOPA President Baker, thousands of controllers have already had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with 'what is happening at the other end of the microphone·, said Baker. ·we continue to promote our Fly-a-Controller program as an extremely effective and

informative way to enhance two-way communication between pilots and controllers.·

Ferranti Completes Approach Control System for Birmingham Airport A new Radar Processing Display System has recently been accepted into service by the Civil Aviation Authority at Birmingham Airport. Built by Ferranti Computer Systems in Cwmbran. South Wales, it incorporates the most up-to-date information processing. management and display technology. The system receives inputs from the airport's primary radar and from the wider network of secondary surveillance radar provided by the CAA. to provide ATC personnel with a complete picture of air movements within a 60-mile radius of the airport. The equipment comprises two controller positions in the approach control room and a DFTI (distance from touchdown indicator) sub-set for use in the visual control room. Each controller position is fitted with two 16 inch variable brightness raster scan displays. The displays are housed. one above the other. with single keyboard control and a roller ball electronic cursor shared between the two displays. The DFTI is a single 12-inch TV-style display. The system is based on the Ferranti Argus 700 computer and provides a comprehensive and highly flexible range of facilities to each controller position. Comprehensive status monitoring and reporting is also provided at the engineering control position. Aircraft radar returns are annotated with details of height and identification code. The information overlays a map which can be switched between airways, geographical features. airspace restricted areas and the terminal maneuvering area - the immediate vicinity of the aerodrome. Aircraft returns can be fitted at each control position, either by height or by SSR code, enabling the air traffic controller to tailor the content of his/ her display to specific requirements. 19


First Frankfurt Air Travel Symposium Passes Resolution for Liberalization in Air Travel

Liberalization in European air transportation was the topic of the First Frankfurt Air Travel Symposium. organized and conducted by the Frankfurt Airport Authority (Flughafen Frankfurt/ Main AG). More than 400 representatives from airlines. airports. public agencies. associations in the travel field and the international news media participated in the two-day event. Seventeen experts from the transportation field - including airline and passenger organizations. the West German Government. the European Community. and the Frankfurt Airport Authority - gave presentations and fielded questions about the opportunities and limits of liberalization. The symposium ended with the unanimous passage of the · Frankfurt Resolution· for air transportation. which reads .as follows: 'In order to discuss and promote liberalization in European air traffic. partners in the air transportation field - the airlines. airports. and tour operators - met with politicians on January 24th and 25th at Frankfurt Airport for the First Frankfurt Air Travel Symposium. 'These partners welcome and support liberalization in European air transportation. They expect from this step new traffic connections which better suit travellers· needs. greater variety and availability of ground and air services. and more competitive air fares. They also see a greater emphasis on customer service as a prerequisite for further growth in the business and private travel sectors. The partners anticipate that liberalization will serve the policy of a united Europe. the development of its nations· economies. and the well-being of its citizens. 'The participants in this symposium have observed with concern that the necessary reorganization of European airspace and improvements in quality and efficiency of European air traffic control have not been keep20

ing pace with the growth of air traffic and the EC Commission's intentions. Capacity bottlenecks pose an increasingly serious problem. and lead to both impaired economic efficiency and a decreasing standard of services offered in the air travel sector. This. moreover. is having detrimental consequences for passengers. the airlines· productivity. and the airports' functional capacities. National economies in Europe are losing important impulses for growth. The following market obstacles require immediate remedial action: the overloading of the European air traffic control system because of individual countries· national stipulations; unacceptable delays for passengers due to a lack of coordination between the various national air traffic control systems; the airlines· squandering of time and resources. with negative results for their productivity; and increasing and unnecessary difficulties in making optimal use of air and landside capacity at airports. 'In the interest of travellers. further economic development. and closer ties between world regions. partners in the air travel field encourage: The creation of a uniform European air traffic control system that is equally efficient in all countries. We welcome the efforts of the EC transport ministers to establish a central air traffic control management agency with superordinate control over European air traffic flow as its goal. This urgentlyneeded measure should be implemented as soon as possible. National air traffic control organizations to develop and expand their personnel and technical capacities. and put them into organizational forms that will enable them to adapt services to market demands. The privatization of West Germany's Federal Air Navigation Services (BFS). currently under

discussion. is viewed as an appropriate step in increasing the agency's efficiency. adaptibility. and productivity. Ensuring that the airports' adaption to air traffic developments is viewed as a long-term. public responsibility. supported by political means and with civil courage. Enabling airports to have a say in using their capacities according to market demands. This would allow airports to fully and competitively utilize their opportunities on the market to the benefit of the air traffic industry. The development of a comprehensive concept for European air traffic. with improved cooperation between all modes of transportationroad. railway. and air. Only a more enhanced. continuous coordination between all transportation forms can deal effectively with the expected increase in traffic volume. 'Air transportation is a service provided by airlines. airports and air traffic control all working together. Closer cooperation between these partners must be a top priority. We therefore appeal to all those responsible within the air traffic industry to immediately implement the measures herewith described. to guarantee further growth of European air traffic to everyone's advantage.

Bear bites Navaid Ease of maintaining operational reliability always changes with the weather. but rarely is the cause hibernation. or lack thereof. At Cold Bay. Alaska. the ability of FAA to keep its VOR station (Very high frequency Omnidirectional Range radio) on the air was expected to improve when bear hibernation season started. However. FAA dreads the coming of spring. This bear- a grizzly. it is believedfirst visited the VOR building to rip down huge pieces of siding. FAA reports. Several weeks later he came back for two more walls and a piece of the field detector. a signal monitor. Then he returned for the monitor antennas. which he chewed and used as scratching posts. His most recent visit cost the VOR another piece of siding and some insulation. which the bear ate. Leaving bad puns to the feds we quote FAA: ·several times a short "paws" in operations has been blamed on the bear.' 'Air Transport World' 2189 THE CONTROLLER/JUNE 1989


Seminar on A ir Traffic Control Supervision Hugo Esquivel A., RVP NCA

More than a year and a half ago. the idea of having a seminar on air traffic control supervision in Central America was structured and planned and submitted to I FATCA's Executive Board at its meeting held at Lisse. Holland . The plan was simple . There were four elements needed . First. IFATCA's Executive Board needed to accept and approve it. supporting the Federation 路s direct participation in improving the quality of air traffic control in the Central American Region. Second . a Central American country needed to be interested in giving financial support. from which it would benefit by making training in the field of supervision economically feasible and relatively easy to obtain . Third . it was necessary to find an appropiate instructor with good methodology and relevant experience and with the desire to help . while receiving no remuneration . Fourth. an air traffic controllers 路 association willing to organize the activity was needed . I FATCA approved the project at the beginning of 1988 with the condition that Federation funds would not be used. The Costa Rica Civil Aviation Board was willing to give all financial assistance. after overcoming some obstacles caused by labor conflicts with controllers in this country . Harri Henschler was asked to be the instructor since he fulfilled all the requirement s. He accepted the challenge and devoted himself to prepare th e topi cs of the course . SITECNA. the Costa Rican association . offered help on th e organization tasks . With all four elements in place . the next step was to wor k on the details and prepare tea ching material. The Canadian government. through t h~ Air Traffic Services Director . Mr. Pierre Proulx. gave Harri assistance by providing t ime away from his unit to tea ch t he seminar . and econ omic arrangemen ts w ere made by the Civil Aviation Authori ty in Costa Rica. The semin ar wa s schedu led from 3 1 Octo ber t o 10 November 19 8 8 at THE CONTROLLER/ JU NE 1989

The participants

the Centro de Estudios Democraticos Latinoamerica (CEDAL) . As a complement to the seminar and as a consequence of hurricane 'Joa n路 on the Atlantic Coast in Costa Rica . SITECNA dec ided to celebrate the Ai r Traffic Controller 路 s Day on October 29 . holding activities such as a thanksgiving mass . flights over San Jo se in a Cessna 206 for membe rs of controllers ' families . a General Assembly in which H. H. Henschler. fo r his participation in the intern at ional field . and R. Harbothle . the union ' s lawyer and promoter of t he contr oller's professional advanceme nt in Costa Rica. were appoint ed Honorary Presidents of SITECNA.

The Content of the Seminar It was t he aim of th e co urse to present an overview of t he supervisor's role wit hin the framework of his / her dut ies and act ivit ies. Further. to expand t he supe rvisor's know ledge of t he princ iples and practices of manag ement as t hey app ly to the air traff ic contro l environment.

Subjects covered. among others . we re: The role of the superv isor. Behavio r th eories. Managerial functions. Labor relations. Delegation . Commun icat ion. Prob lem solving . Planning and org anizing. Directing and controlling. M anaging of change. Supervising the prob lem employee . Mo t ivat ion. Leadership . P'erformance review . Effective report wri ti ng. Man aging time. A film relating to the topic unde r discuss ion was shown each day . and th e lectures were interspersed with exercises. role playing . questionnaires and mini games simulating real situ ations . Amp le time was available to discuss and explore poss ible occurrences in air traffic control units . and how to react to them.

An Experiment in Costa Rica Herbert Arburola B., course participant Costa Rica has been the scene of an extremely important event in the air traffic controller's professional field . 21


Short: Swetron AB (Sweden) has signed a contract with the IAL/ British Telecom , Bailbrook College, U.K. , for an installation of its general simulator concept in Bath, in the middle of 1989 . The Bail brook College will use the system for non-radar area control training for all their qualified, international air traffic control courses . The system will consist of 24 positions comprising of 8 trainee positions , 4 instructor positions and 12 pilot positions including 4 combined supervisor positions. The new simulator system consists of the following parts: •

Headtable at graduation ceremonies. (left to right) J. Arrieta A. , Deputy Chief ATC, H.H. Henschler , instructor , C. Vfquez J. Director Civil Aviation Authority , Hugo Esquivel A., RVP NCA, E. L6pez J. . Chief Air Na vigation

For t he first time , a seminar on air traffic control supervision has been offered in our coun t ry. More than a course or a seminar , it was also an experimen t. Its intent to qualify a group of contr ollers in the supervision field was a fi rst for the area . The idea was to gath er tech niques, methodologies and syst em s typi cal of this field in general and use them directly in the air traffic cont rol services. Profess iona ls w it h m uc h experienc e in t he field w ere c hosen . A group of nine contr ollers and supervisors part icipat ed : six from Costa Rica, one each from Panam a, Nicaragua and Guatem ala. This t rial group spent two weeks in t he beautiful building of the Centro de Est udio s Democrati cos de A mer ic a Lat ina (CEDAL ), located on the lowe r slop es of t he nort h hills in Heredia. The first part of this experiment has ended very sat isfactorily . The secon d phase is still t aking place . I consider t his to be the more impo rta nt

Short: Follow ing t he award of a cont ract in February 19 88 , Ferranti Computer Systems has now installed a new AFTN (Ae ronauti ca l Fixed Telec ommunicat ions Network) aut omati c message swi tc hin g syste m fo r t he Presidency of Civil Aviatio n (PCA), Saud i A rabia. The syste m w as op erat iona lly activate d in Octo ber 198 8 . The PCA are respons ible for prov iding all air traff ic control services thro ughout t he Kingdom of Saudi Arab ia . This new system, instal led in Jeddah at the King Abdu laziz Int ernationa l Airport , supports all A FTN 22

of the two because here we will see if the acquired skills, once applied, show the expected results. Only time and our efforts will show whether the experiment has been successful , or whether it is necessary to trace again what was taught in CEDAL. We will see . The presence of Harri Henschler, as our instructor was instrumental for a successful course. More than an instructor , Harri was our counsellor and friend. Thanks to his professional qualifications , effort and patience, the seminar wa s a success. All participants took advantage of his instruction. For those who do not know Harri, he is an air traffic control supervisor at Edmonton area control center, Canada . Harri was asked to conduct the seminar. He liked the idea , and came to Costa Rica very optimistic and determined to work with this first group to make the course the success it was.

services within the Kingdom, including all international connections to neighboring states . The system can be expanded to accommodate the new !CAO-defined Common ICAO Data Inter c hange Network (CIDIN) communications procedure s and can also support meteorological data processing and NOTAM handling packages. The Aeronet system is now install ed with , and on order from , a large numb er of authorities around the world including Finland, Trinidad and Tobago , United Kingdom, and Pakistan and Thailand Civil Aviation Au t hori t ies.

Pilot support system Computerized pilot support system with pilots coupled up on different nodes to a LAN-system , in order to simulate all air traffic on a real-time basis. It has a capacity of 300 flights/ exercise and a possible recycle period of 4 hrs . Each pilot is controlling up to ten aircraft simultaneously. •

Communication system Computerized, integrated communication system for lnterphone, telephone (PABX/ PTI) and radio traffic with a separate instructor communication facility integrated in the system. •

Time setting system Computerized digital time setting, individual time for each planned exercise, regarding start , stop, reset, etc.

The new simulator system will increase the capacity of training air traffic control students and make the Bailbrook College even better equipped with technical aids. The Swetron AB flexible simulator concept could easily and simultaneously be used for all different types of ATC simulation as tower , approach, area and radar . This design was introduced and installed , for the first time, in 1988 .

Learn from the mistakes of others,·you 'II not live long enough to make them all yourself .. . THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) Editor's note: TCASis a subject which has caused prolonged discussion at various IFATCA conferences. leading to the adoption of IFATCA policy on the matter. A TrafficAlert and Collision Avoidance Conference was held in Ottawa. Canada. in September 1988. A number of papers were presented by organizations such as the Canadian Business Aircraft Association. the FAA of the US. the Air Transport Association of Canada. the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association, among others. Reprinted below are three papers. first an outline on TCAS II, provided by Transport Canada, then a paper from the International Air Transport Association, and finally, a paper prepared by the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association.

Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) II

This feature has proven very popular with pilots who have taken advantage . of TCAS. (The cautions appear frequently because aircraft often pass within 45 seconds of each other.) In the rare event that a predicted time to closest approach reaches 20-25 seconds, TCAS will compute and display a warning - with a recommended climb-or-descend maneuver - to resolve the 'conflict'. These warnings can be given only for aircraft whose transponders are reporting altitude. (Airborne collision avoidance systems. such as TCAS. are dependent on altitude-reporting transponders. The absence of such a transponder feature cuts the efficacy of TCAS. denying cockpit crew altitude information with which to search for a threat aircraft in visual conditions. TCAS also cannot compute an appropriate. conflict-resolving course advisory.) The systems. which may cost as much as $100.000 (US). will contribute to a substantial reduction in airliner collision risks. A US mid-air risk reduction study estimates a 95-percent reduction in collision probability is attainable if airline fleets are TCASequipped and all other aircraft are operating altitude-reporting transponders.

TCAS II helps avoid mid-air collisions by tracking nearby aircraft, evaluating their 'collision potential' and displaying advisory information, including recommended vertical. evasive action. to the cockpit crew. It is completely aircraft-contained. independent of ground-based air traffic control. For the system to function. the aircraft posing the potential collision threat must be equipped with a transponder or 'black box·. Thi~ cockpit device responds automatically to ground-radar 'interrogations' with a.n encoded signal to the controllers scope. giving the aircra~·s po~ition and. in some cases. altitude. 1f the plane is fully equipped. TCAS II takes advantages of the widespread use of the 'black box· by actively communicating with transponders of nearby a_ircraft_to determine their range. bearing. altitude and rate of closure. TCAS uses time. not distance. to measure a collision threat between the host aircraft and another by placing the TCAS-equipped plane. in .a time-defined airspace 'bubble . circumscribed by the time needed for an intruder aircraft to reach its closest point of horizontal and vertical ap- International Air proach to the other. Transportation When the closest point of horizontal/vertical approach is 4~5 sec- Assessment onds away. TCAS will co.ntinu~~sly IATA has long supported the condisplay the intruder aircraft _spos1t1on with a caution on the cockpit weather cept of an independent airborne colradar scope. alerting the flight crew to lision avoidance system and welthe potential threat and where to look. comed the introduction into ICAO of THE CONTROLLER/JUNE 1989

the developments in the United States. In supporting TCAS we always have taken the view. and continue to do so. that the prime responsibility for safe separation of aircraft and for the avoidance of collisions in controlled airspace rests with the air traffic control service. TCAS is a back-up to the ATC system to guard against the consequences of the loss of safe separation due to breakdowns. Thus TCAS should not be regarded as a primary ATC tool although it could possibly assist in reducing separation standards. We would not want to inhibit developments in this regard. An airborne collision avoidance system. of course. has application all over the world because the air traffic control system depends on humans and machines. and there is therefore a finite probability of a system breakdown which could lead to a collision. It is therefore for this reason that IATA encouraged international consideration of the US developments which ultimately led to the formation of the ICAO SSA Improvements and Collision Avoidance Systems (SICAS) Panel which has been so ably lead by Trevor Paine. I am certain that the development of the system has profitted from the international discussion and consideration in that forum. I must say that IATA has witnessed with dismay the unfolding of recent events in the USA whereby legislation has been imposed on both US and non-US registered air carriers for the carriage of TCAS without waiting for ICAO standards to be established and international carriage requirements to be agreed. One might argue that. since there is no other independent airborne collision avoidance system under consideration. the above point is academic. We would not agree. T~ere is an important point of principle. derogation of which could lead to chaotic conditions in the international air transport industry. Imagine what it would be like if even only a few countries introduced their own ideas of what avionics systems were required for flight in their airspace and unilaterally adopted mandatory requirements for the carriage and operation of various systems. 23


Apart from this important point of principle there are specific concerns about TCAS which have not yet been answered. The collision avoidance algorithms are still undergoing changes. the validity of which is not being tested in the limited implementation programs or other airline evaluations under way. An adequate solution to the problem of vertical crossing encounters needs to be credibly demonstrated since it has been represented by a number of ATC authorities as a real problem. In addition to very extensive airworthiness certification requirements contained in the FAA Draft Advisory Circular 20-XX. there are (in the same Circular) also very. comprehensive requirements on how to obtain Operational Approval for TCAS. These consist of extensive ground training. flight training including simulator and actual flight training and amendments to Airplane Flight Manual (AFM). These requirements will entail time and costs and most importantly. knowledge. So far only three US airlines. Piedmont. United and Northwest. have had any experience in these regards. We are concerned about the short time available for transfer of this knowledge to non-US operators and their respective regulatory authorities.

The timetable imposed upon air carriers is extremely onerous and many of our Member Airlines have indicated they will be unable to meet it. even if their Certification Authorities accept US guidance on such requ_irements. In States where such acceptance encounters delays or meets with resistance. adherence to ¡the timetable will be-impossible. The ability of airframe , manufacturers to provide design guidance for retrofitting of all current types of aircraft will be an important factor. not to mention the financial burden imposed. A point of major concern in the operation of TCAS is the extent of carriage by potential 'threat' aircraft of a Mode C altitude reporting transponder. TCAS effectiveness has been very clearly demonstrated in the FAA safety study to be dependent on such Mode C information. In fact the studies showed that with the then prevailing proportion in the US of Mode C carriage. TCAS would reduce the risk of an airborne¡collision by only a factor of 2. With 100% Mode C carriage TCAS effectiveness would increase tenfold. i.e. the risk of collision would be reduced by a factor of about 20. IATA therefore supported strongly the announced intentions of FAA to increase the extent of Mode C carriage. We found the final rule pub-

lished on this subject to be a substantial retreat from the previously taken position. This seems not only unfortunate but downright illogical since in legislating TCAS. which depends for its operation on Mode C information. one would imagine that wide carriage of Mode C would be an automatic corollary. We are hopeful that there is still room for a change of view in the US on this aspect of TCAS operation. On the ICAO front consideration is being given. even before TCAS has formal recognition. to mandating a much wider carriage of Mode C transponders. IATA has recommended to ICAO that. at least as a start. Mode C should be compulsory in all airspace covered by SSR interrogators. We are hopeful this will receive wide support by the Contracting States of ICAO. We strongly believe that. following acceptance by ICAO of a mature and operationally proven TCAS. all aircraft in all airspaces should be required to carry and operate Mode A/ C transponders. even in areas of the world outside SSR coverage. This is considered necessary to support effective operation of TCAS worldwide. In concluding. I would like to acknowledge the very significant FAA and US industry efforts in developing TCAS and FAA support in bringing it to

Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System 11( TCAS 11)

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THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


the world through the ICAO SICAS Panel; our particular recognition goes to the three airlines. Piedmont. United and Northwest. for their endeavors in the operational verification of the system. I would finally like to reiterate our very deep concern with the US rulemaking to unilaterally mandate TCAS carriage by non-US operators which is predicated on legislation which we believe to be at variance with US obligations under the Chicago Convention.

ATC Concerns First. on behalf of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association. I would like to thank Transport Canada for the invitation to participate in this conference. Before I proceed further with this presentation. outlining our views on the subject of Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance Systems. I would like to give a brief description of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association. for those not familiar with it. CATCA was founded in 1959 and was certified in 1967 as the exclusive bargaining agent for the. ai_r traffic control group. The assoc1at1on represents all air traffic controllers employed by the Federal Departme~t of Transport. Internationally. CATCA1san active leader and respected member of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers· Associations. a body comprised of 6 7 member associations representing controllers from 65 countries throughout the world. Since its inception. CATCA has been committed to the promotion of aviation safety. and to this end participates with the DepartmenJ ?f Transport on a continuing basis in matters pertaining to the development of procedures and procur~ment of new equipment which benef1~the s~fe and efficient movement of air traffic. The objective of ~he air traffi~ control service is described as the safe. orderly and expeditious moven:,ent of air traffic'. As such. the subJect of traffic awareness and collision avoidance rests close to home - ifs the main reason why air traffic control w_as founded. Although collision avoid~ ance. through the 'see-and-be-se~n principle. is still explained _as a pil~t responsibility. experience in tod~y s traffic environments. where the diversity of flight operations ranges to the extreme. in volumes never before experienced. this concept is fast approaching obsolescence. Although the air traffic control system in North America is second to THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

none in terms of equipment technology and controller standards. mid-air collisions and losses of separation continue to occur. Having said this. there is no one who could rationally argue against any system which would reduce the possibility of a mid-air occurring. The TCAS II and Ill systems. currently being developed and tested in the United States, were designed to meet this objective. These systems, coupled with innovative airspace design and stringent rules for equipment carriage within this airspace, will go a long way towards airborne collision prevention. If one is prevented. it will have been worth the time and resources expended. The overall concept of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System is a sound one. There are. however, a number of areas that warrant further evaluation. It is a stated position. by all the players' involved in the development of these systems. that the primary means of collision avoidance within a controlled environment rests with conventional. ground-based air traffic control. It cannot be overemphasized that this position must be continued. and that the ATC system remain independent of such airborne devices. and that they be excluded from the provision of and further development toward adequate air traffic control. It is imperative that autonomous airborne systems. such as TCAS. not be used singularly or in conjunction with other technology to substitute or replace ground-based air traffic control on either a temporary or permanent basis. and any attempts to do so must be met with opposition by civil aviation authorities and industry alike. Referring more specifically to the TCAS systems currently being discussed. certain factors are of concern to CATCA. The first area that deserves further examination is the impact of the TCAS operation on the ATC system. Operational testing to date. with a few exceptions. has been centered around the technical capabilities of the system itself - its accuracies in azimuth and range and the effectiveness of its alert and avoidance actions. There has been limited testing done in the area of system impact on ground based ATC in situations where large numbers of various type aircraft. equipped with either the TCAS I. 11.or 111 systems. are operating in confined areas. The Piedmont Phase II evaluation of 1986/87. using one aircraft. reported that the operation of TCAS was transparent to ATC but went on to say that · additional data are required before a full assessment can be made

regarding the use of TCAS in the ATC system·. Although the TCAS system contains parameters which can adjust warning time and alert rate and that this sensitivity contra) is selectable from a number of sources. including a mode ground station, it does not appear to CATCA from all available data. that extensive operational testing has been done. using ATC simulators, to determine the impact of multi-system use. in various classes of airspace. with different ratios and types of aircraft. In addition. there does not appear ·to be any available data on the interaction between TCAS alerts or escape maneuvers. and a ground-based collision avoidance system such as the conflict prediction capabilities associated with some ATC display systems. Another area which could be examined is what effect TCAS escape maneuvers will have on the traffic situation if it causes an aircraft to deviate from an altitude or track assigned by ATC. and what procedures should be developed, if any. to provide for such contingencies. Although the possibility of a domino effect (one TCAS aircraft reacting to the actions of another. and so on) has been reported as remote. and deviations in altitude have been 300 ft or less. no data is available to indicate that current ATC procedures and separation standards will ensure that a busy traffic environment will not be adversely affected by TCAS operations. Along these lines, one characteristic of mode equipped aircraft which should be explored further is its ability to communicate to a ground station TCAS advisories which are being received by the flight crew. and to display this information to control personnel. Apart from what I have discussed. one other area of concern remains. The education of the air traffic control group in the technical capabilities and limitations of the TCAS system has to be considered as a prerequisite prior to its introduction into full operational use. After all the previous questions have been addressed. the TCAS system itself. and the effect it will have on a controller's operation must be discussed at length with them. To do otherwise invites confusion and adversity as pilots inevitably question controllers about traffic situations. In summary. the evolution of the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System. from an aviation safety point of view. is welcomed by the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association in general. provided that satisfactory solutions are found to the preceding areas of concern.

·s·

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25


IFATC

Acti

5th Regional Meeting - Africa-North, The Africa-North (AFN) Regional Meeting took place in Tunis on 9 and 10 December 1988. The Executive Board was represented by the Executive Secretary for both days , and by the President for the latter part of the first day and all of the second day. Guests of honor at the opening ceremony included the Director General of Transport. the President of OPAT (the Airports Authority) and the Director of Civil Aviation. Abou El Seoud El Karimy, IFATCA's RVP AFN, opened the meeting and w elcomed a large group of attendees, among them at least one representat ive fr om each member Association in th e Region. The meeting was memorab le also for t he very large attendance fro m t he host association, many of w hom t oo k quite an active part in the pro ceed ings . All bus iness is conducted in Arabi c, and an interpreter is provided to th e Board members present for simu lt aneous interpretation of proceed ings. A great deal of t hought and discuss ion was given t o the appointment of ad visors for the RVP, in the technic al and professional fields. Each memb er present was at liberty to critic ise or praise the outgoing represent ati ves, and thi s was done without any great ranco ur . Each Association reported individua lly on its own sphere of operat ions. Tunisia had no really seriou s problem s - some staff short age. some prob lems w it h flo w c ont rol - don ' t w e all . They have now got a loss of lic ence insura nce sc hem e with w hic h the y are reaso nab ly hap py . Travel faci litie s and fam ili arizat io n progra m s are progress ing . M oroc c o reporte d some AFTN prob lems w ith Tunisia, and some m ore serio us prob lems w it h rada r, and a seve re lack of rada r rated controlle rs. The y inv ited t he Execu t ive Board t o

26

Tunis

Headtable at AFI-N Regional Meeting

make a liaison visit to the association and the PCX visited in March 1989. Egypt seemed to be most satisfied of all the MAs. They have an excellent working relationship with their adm inistration, their pay has doubled in recent times. They have good medical facilities, and good retirement benefits. Overseas study is provided for and at the time of the meeting there were a number of their members in Toulouse and Bordeaux. Sudan had the greatest problemsno documentation to speak of - no ICAO material available on any kind of regular basis, little training at present, though some were trained while in Poland . Navigational aids are poorly maintained and are very old. It was requested that the Executive Board make a liai son visit to see for themselves the situation and the EVP, P will do so in early 1989. The meeting then spent a long period discus sing flow control. This seem s to be the ca use of major problems , in Tunisia in particular. The meeting came up with Recommendations in four arreas - Train-

ing, Flow control, Working conditions and Equipment. As the meeting drew to a close, the MAs discussed the future of the Federation, and their own plans for future meetings . It should be noted here that Tunisia paid for three delegates from each Member Association in the Region. Each association will host the meeting in turn and will do likewise sponsorship of course plays a part. The RVP has also visited many of the associations in the MID Region Saudia Arabia, Jordan (we hope to see a representative from here in Frankfurt), Oatar, and Yemen (also expected in Frankfurt). The social aspects of the meeting were excellently organized , and the hospitality of our Tunisian hosts must not go unrecognized. All in all , a productive and professionally organized meeting - a credit to the host association and to the RVP who conducted affairs in a most pleasant manner.

Patrick O 'Doherty THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


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The Boeing 747-400

Boeing 747-400

While most of its passengers will have a hard time telling it from earlier model B 7 4 7 s, th e new Boei ng 7 4 7400, in service since early February 1989, is basically a new airplane . Inside the familiar hump-backed fu selage , the 400 incorpo rates evolving tec hno logy into what has become 'the most modern and fuel efficient airliner in commercial operation' . Its design embodies technological advances in aerodynamics , structural materials, avionics and interior design. The first 400 was delivered in the first quarter of 1989 to lead-off customer Northwest Airlines, which has ordered ten. By the end of January , twenty-two c ustomers had ordered 172 of t he B 747-400s. Its popularity stems in large part from customers' awareness that although it has the same fuselage size as the 874 7-300 , the 400's increased range allows operators to fly heav ier payloads longer distances with the add it ion al economy of a twoperson flight deck crew. Its range capabi lity of 8,400 statute miles (13,140 km) is an 1150 statute mile (1,850 km) increase over the B 747-300 . The B 74 7-400 's range perm its nonstop service with typica l fu ll passenger, three-class payloads on such routes as LondonTokyo, New York-Seou l, Singapore-¡London and Los Angeles-Sydney. An optional 3,300 US gallon (12,490 I) fuel tank in the horizontal ta il will add another 400 statute m iles (645 km)to t he 400's range. The easiest way to tell a 400 from its predecessors is also the most no28

ticeable aerodynamic improvement; the winglets. Affixed to the end of the six-foot wing extension , the six-foot high winglets are angled upward and slightly outward at 29 degrees. They help dissipate vorte xes that form at cruise speed and provide even greater wingspan without causing airport space problems . The winglets are made of the same graphite-epoxy materials used on the B 737-300 , B 757 and B 767 . Other factors contributing to the 40 0's improved efficiency are the wing-to-body fairing which has been reco ntoured for drag improvement and newly designed nacelles and str uts for the three different advanced engines 400 operators can choose from: the Rolls Royce RB211-524G, Pratt & Whitney PW 4000 or General Electric CF6-80C2 , all rated at 56 ,000 pounds of thrust . Advanced mate rials allow considerab le str uctural weight reductions througho ut this latest B 7 4 7 . Carbon brakes , first offered on Boeing's tw ineng ine 757 and 767 models , are also available on the 74 7-400 . Carbon brakes have excellent heat characteristics and improved wear resistance . On the 7 4 7-400 with its 16 main land ing gear whe els, carbon brakes are 1.8 00 pounds (820 kg) lighter than older style brakes they replace . Higher strength aluminum alloys. also first int rod uced on Boeing 757s and 767 s, have been incorporated in the 7 4 7-4 00 ' s skins and stringer s and lower -spar chords, achieving weight savings of appro ximately 5 ,000 pounds (2,268 kg). While t he w inglets are t he most

visible difference between the 400 model and earlier versions of the familiar jumbo , the men and women who fly it know that it is in the cockpit that the biggest differences come to light. Changes transform a three-crew member, analog cockpit with electromechanical instruments to a full digital, two-crew flight deck with cathode ray tube displays . The plane 's six 8-by-8-inch (200by-200 mm) cathode ray tubes (CRTs) are used to display airplane flight control, navigation and engine and crew alerting functions. The larger CRTs allow more information to be displayed with a reduction in the number of conventional instruments . The number of flight deck lights , gauges and switches has been reduced from 971 to 365 on the 400, 22 fewer than the twin-engine B 757 / 767 and 100 less than the B 737 twinjet. The work load is one-half to one-third that of earlier B 7 4 7s . Automatic or manual display switching is used as backup in the event of an individual CRT failure . The eng ine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) can call up the status or schematics of various systems at any time on one of the CRTs. Crews on the 400 can obtain updates of the aircraft's mechanical condition while cruising . Previously the information was available to maintenance workers only when the airplane was parked . The aisle stand has three identical multi-function control and display units whose primary function is to load data and control the flight manage ment computers . They also perform other functions such as interfacing with the central maintenance com puters which talk to all digital boxes in the airplane . Interiors of the 7 4 7-400 also have a new look, a redesign aimed at im proving passenger convenience and interior appeal. Ceiling and sidewall panels have been recontoured with new. lighter weight materials that leand an open. airy look . Passenger stowage capacity has grown to 15 .9 cubic feet (.45 m 3 ) in each 60 -inch ( 152 cm) outboard stowage bin. To meet its own goals for improved fireworthiness . Boeing replaced epoxy I glass with phenolic glass or carbon construction on partitions . door s. closets , galleys . lavatory walls and other major interior surfaces . A change from polycarbonate to a new thermopla stic blend also reduced smoke and to xicity levels in the event of fire . Upper deck ceilings are made of improved polyester and phenolic sheet moldin g mater ials instead of polyester. THE CONTROLLER / JUNE 1989


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B 747-400

cockpit

Interior flexibility permits airline operators to relocate class dividers and galley and lavatory modules quickly to better serve particular market requirements. Lavatory installations are also simplified by a vacuum waste system and additional locations for galleys and lavatories are available . These 'quick-change features' allow major rearrangement within 48 hours; seats and classes can be changed overnight. An overhead cabin crew rest area utilizing unused space in the rear of the fuselage above the aft lavatory is an option available for the first time on any airliner. It will provide isolation from the passenger cabin for off-duty attendants while preserving full revenue seating . The crew rest area can have up to four bunks and four seats; 10 different combinations are available. A new auxiliary power unit (APU) provides an estimated 3 5 percent reduction in fuel consumption, better air pressurization performance on hot days, higher electrical output and reduced noise levels over the present APU . These units, mounted in the very rear fuselage of 7 4 7s , supply presTHE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

surized air for air conditioning and engine starting while the airplane is on the ground, plus electrical power to operate lights and other requirements during stops . The new APU also can be retrofitted to existing B 7 4 7s . Operators of B 74 7s stand to gain even more flexibility when the B 7 4 7400 Cambi becomes available with the same advanced features. 'Two-

airplanes- in-one , the Combis will carry passengers forward , and cargo aft, on the main deck . Cargo and passenger load ing can be simultaneous . The Cambi adapts to seasonal variations in passenger and cargo traffic and is ready for changing market demands and charter opportun ities. KLM was the first customer to purchase the B 7 4 7-400 Cambi .

B747-400 Performance Summary Passengers 412 (34 first, 76 business , 302 tourist class) Cargo 5 pallets, 14 LD-1 containers Engines PW4256, CF6-80C2 , RB21 1-524G Thrust (lb) 56 ,000 nominal (25,400 kg) Fuel capacity (US gal) 53 ,985 to 57 ,2 85 (204 , 360to 216 , 850 I) Maximum takeoff weight 800 ,000 lb (362,900 kg) (Options) 850,00 lb (385,600 kg) 870 ,00 lb (394,700 kg) Design range 8,400 statute (7 ,100 nautical) Basic Specifications Wing span Overall length Tail height Body w idth

211 231 63 20

f f f f

(64 .3 m) 10.25 in (70 .67 m) 4 in (19.30 m ) 1 in (6 . 12 m) 29


CAA Approves Training Facility in UK

The VISRAD dynamic large screen ATC image system installe d at Dundr ige College .

Dundridge College, the Ferra nti sponsored independent ai r defence and ATC training centre, has recei ve d International Civil Aviation Organisation approval - through the CAA- to run full civi l air traffic control training courses at its dedicated fac ility in Totnes, Devon. Estab lished in 1984 for tra inin g in air defence and air traffic contro l, Ferranti Computer Systems, through it s new ventures department, has invest ed over one and a quarte r million pounds in the college. However t he facility remains an autonomo us operation run by its founde r membe rs. Further investment, in excess of one million pounds, has seen the co llege construct a comp lete ly new wing to house its civ il Air Traffic Control and advanced Int eract ive Computer Based Training (CBT) syste m s. A ma j o r part of this development programme has been the des ign and installation of an advanced, dynamic large screen, compute r generated ATC image system, the on ly faci lity of its type ope rating in t he UK. With this system. titled VISRAD. Dundridge Co llege is able to generate comp lete high fide lity control tower scena rios. for airport operations anywhere in the wor ld. on a 1OX 2 metre scree n prov idin g a 150 ° field of view. Running on 11 networked VAX 2000 (6MB) sta nd-alone workstat ion s VISRAD facilitates accurate simul at ion of ground movement, 30

aerodrome visual approach , approach radar, enroute/ FIR radar and fully integrated take-off and landing procedu res. A unique feature of the system is the provi sion of fully processed ASMI, DFTI , meteorological and RDF information, all presented on high reso lution colour display s. Main radar and map displays are presented on 26" oblong, 1024 line raster scan monitor s. Utilising this por tr ait configuration provides facility for plot and tabular data to be prese nted on the same sc reen as the map or radar . Map generation is graphic, thus removing th e normal restraint of vector w riting time , as w ith traditional displays syste ms. Map s can be drawn quickly and accurately using rollerba ll / mou se and a mixture of freehand and ca rtogr ap hic methods. Prov iding th e most advanced ATC procedu ral trainin g and simulation fac iliti es avai lable in the UK, Dundridge College has introdu ced many innovat ions and techniques to bring air traffic simul at ion ahead of present day ATC ope ratio ns. In add iti o n to its training function, the College foresees a ro le of increasing signif ica nce wi ll be the provision of sim ulation research and development faci lit ies fo r aut horit ies or manufa cture rs such as Ferranti, to analyse and investigate present and future operat iona l requirements and system concepts.

Introducing: New IFATC A Member Associations Grenada The formation of a local air traffic control association had been considered for a very long time . But it was not until November 1985 that the Grenada Air Traffic Controllers Association was finally launched . We have been in existence for the past three years and have been making steady progress . Membership in IFATCA was achieved at the Rio Conference 1988 . The Grenada Air Traffic Controllers Association has thirteen members and this figure represents all the air traffic control officers employed in Grenada, both in technical and professional areas . However, it does not represent the air traffic control officers in the industrial field. Our aims and objectives are twofold . While we are interested in the improvement and development of the ATC profes sion , we are equally concerned about protecting the interests of the members of GATCA. The five man Executive is headed by Earl Charles , with Dane Pysadee as Secretary and Desmond Baptiste as Treasurer. We will promote the Association in the coming years and look forward to a successful relationship with the Federation .

n the next issue: •

IFACTA

989

28th Annual Conference

THE CONTRO LLER / JUNE 1989


lowing the rules of good sleep hygiene.' asserts Dr. Lipsitz. 'Keep regular hours, avoid caffeine and alcohol for several hours before bed and have a buffer relaxation period between activity and sleep.· If you still can't get to James Sleeth sleep. Dr. Lipsitz advises you to leave the bedroom. to enjoy a relaxing activity for a period of time and then to Editor's note: J. Sleeth is an employee fitness consultant with Transport return to bed when you feel sleepy. Many people share their beds with Canada. His article appeared in 'Healthline ·, February 1989. a partner who may have different sleeping patterns. When a bedmate Throughout our lifetimes we spend those who sleep longer. but they sleep tosses and turns. the partoer may be more time sleeping (or trying to sleep!) more 'efficiently' i.e. they spend con- awakened. If one of the couple also than in any other activity. And sooner siderably less time falling asleep and in snores. ear plugs and a different or later, getting to sleep becomes a light NREM sleep. sleeping arrangement may just save Men and women sleep differently. problem for all of us. the relationship! Whether your sleeplessness comes Women are twice as likely to suffer We have an inner clock (or from anxiety, a racing mind, work or from insomnia. Research shows they Circadian Rhythm) that regulates also experience nightmares more personal tension, too much caffeine, or simply the aging process - when often than men. Men begin to sleep our body functions and sleepiness. you can't sleep, your energy !E:vels, lighter and less in their thirties while Every 24 hours. environmental attention span, and your ability to women's sleep patterns change most stimuli such as light and darkness. often after menopause. 2 cope at home and at work is affected. jobs and mealtimes. synchronize our While modern science has discovered As people grow older. they dream inner clocks to the world around us. If many things about the sleep process, less and the sound sleep of childhood this rhythm is upset. for example by we still know little about why we need becomes lighter and more fragmentshift work or travel through time zones. to sleep. This article takes some of the ed. Less time in NREM deep sleep can sleep is likely to be disturbed. mystery out of sleep b}: revealing fo_ur cause seniors to feel drowsy and nap 'It takes the body 3 to 4 weeks to 'sleep secrets· and askmg you to thmk during the day. This is a natural adjust to a significant change in its about them in relation to your own change in sleeping patterns. By acsleep-wake schedule.· explains Dr. sleep patterns. James Sleeth cepting changes in sleep patterns as Lipsitz. So while jet lag may be a tembeing normal. and by practising porary problem that will correct itself healthy sleep habits. seniors can still in a short time. shift work schedules Sleep Secrets expect to get a good night's sleep. that rotate people without giving them At the other end of the continuum. During sleep, we go through 4 or 5 sufficient time to adjust. can provide a distinct cycles involving two ty~es of it is important for parents to accept greater challenge.· sleep: a quiet period of Non-Rapid ~ye that some 10 year olds may only reOur inner clocks determine how Movement (NREM) and an active quire 5 or 6 hours of sleep while some and wtien we sleep by regulating body period of Rapid Eye Movement and teenagers may need 10 or 14 hours. functions such as heart rate. blood To prevent sleep problems from dreams (REM). pressure. hormone levels and body In NREM sleep the body slows becoming persistent. parents need to temperature. In the middle of a night down - heart rate. blood pressure. deal with concerns about sleep in a shift. these functions decrease dramuscular tension and body temper- non-judgmental way and to make matically. ature gradually decline. The sleeper bedtime and waking a pleasant Studies verify that chronic sleep moves through four stages (from experience. loss reduces the ability to accurately The key is to respect individual dif'almost awake' to 'deep sleep'). chaperform simple physical and mental racterized by brain waves that get ferences among family and friends. activities. Our psychomotor activities progressively larger a~d. slower. Du_r- and to find and maintain a personal are most affected in the middle of the ing REM sleep there 1s intense brain sleep pattern that leaves you feeling night when our body temperatures are wave activity. rapid eye movemen~s refreshed when you awaken. especially low. 3 behind closed lids and an increase in Ironically. transportation situations Your Sleep Environment is normal body functions. Vivid dreams which call for constant alertness are Important. are reported by about 80% of people also the very situations that invite While fifty percent of the world's wakened during REM sleep1. sleep. Airline pilots. air traffic controlpopulation sleeps on the ground. most lers. ship's crew. train engineers and While the average person needs Canadians sleep on beds in a personal truck drivers not only face night shifts between 7-8 hours sleep, the environment that can help or hinder and changing time zones. They often Normal Range varies from 5 to 10 sleep patterns. Sleep experts agree must also monitor and control comthat bedrooms should be reserved for hours. plex machinery in dark. small. enclosIn his classic study of health habits sleep and relaxation. They are not the ed. sleep-inducing environments. and longevity. Lester Breslow at place for working, eating or arguing. There is considerable controversy Dr. Lipsitz. principal physician at about the effects of shiftwork on overStanford University concluded that 7 to 8 hours is optimal for living a long the Sleep Disorders centre (Toronto). all health. Recent studies confirm that explains that people with sleep prob- people on long-term rotating shifts and healthy life. In fact. the normal range varies from 5 to 10 hours of lems must break the association be- face increased risk of headaches. ditween the bedroom. anxiety and in- gestive problems. mood swings and sleep and researchers think that somnia. 'This is best accomplished by disturbed social and family relationpeople who sleep less spend as much time in REM and deep NREM sleep as creating a calm environment and fol- ships. But there is no firm evidence

Sleep

THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989

31


that shiftwork shortens lifespans or increases neurological problems. And absenteeism is generally low among shift workers. 4 Shift workers who have a conscious plan for how they will accommodate their changing schedules seem to adapt better than those who just ·muddle through'. A conscious plan might include alternate physical activity schedules. organized ways to stay alert by working with a buddy. adapted eating patterns. support from family and friends. Alcohol and sleeping pills can cause insomnia Most of us have suffered at least some insomnia. precipitated by emotional distress. jet lag. overwork or physical pain. Insomnia can also be caused by irregular hours and the use of caffeine. nicotine and certain medications. Alcohol does not relieve insomnia. Alcohol is sedating at first. but its depressant effects are usually followed by fragmented sleep. frequent wakenings and distressing dreams.

While the short-term use of sleeping pills may be helpful during emotionally troubling times. prolonged use results in worsened insomnia when the drug is stopped. After three weeks. most people develop a tolerance to the drug leading to the need for increasing dosage. Overdosing on sleeping pills or mixing them with alcohol can be fatal. When sleep problems persist despite good sleep practices. they can be a sign of underlying illness. depression. or more serious sleep disorders. Chronic insomnia requires professional treatment. Sleeping well is an important aspect of living well. When you are well rested, your energy levels are high and the whole world looks different. Help yourself to a good night's sleep by:5 • establishing a regular time for waking up and going to bed (including weekends); • avoiding stimulating non-sleep activities. such as reading an exciting book or solving a worry-

ramas. This equipment is the first ATC radar installed at Piarco and will provide greatly increased control and enhance safety in the Piarco flight information region and approach control. Cessor Electronics has received an Trinidad and Tobago represents the order from its sister company. eleventh country to install Cessor· s Raytheon Canada. to supply mono- monopulse secondary surveillance pulse secondary surveillance radar to radar. As well as the 41 systems being Trinidad and Tobago. The equipment installed in Canada. Cessor has will form part of a $15.2 million installed systems throughout the (Canadian) contract for a turnkey air United Kingdom for both the Civil Avitraffic control radar and display sys- ation Authority and the Royal Air tem. based on the systems being sup- Force. Systems have also been sold in plied by Raytheon Canada for the Sweden. Australia. Saudi Arabia. $500.000.000 Radar Modernisation Bahrain. Switzerland. China. Dubai project currently being supplied and and Greece. installed coast-to-coast across Canada. The contract is scheduled to be The Guild completed within 24 months and of Air Traffic Control Officers comprise fully solid state primary radars integrating with the Cessor monopulse secondary surveillance radars. as well as a full area control centre with radar data processing and air traffic control displays. The radars will be installed at Mt. Catherine in the Chaguaramas area of Trinidad. the primary with a range of Uniting Europe's Skies 120 nautical miles and the monopulse A Positive Approach secondary interrogating to 250 nautical miles. The new area control 19-20 October 1989 Centre. with various displays will be installed at Piarco International AirHoliday Inn port. and a further display will be fitted Newcastle upon Tyne at the coastguard station in Chagua-

Cossor to Supply Monopulse SSR to Trinidad and Tobago

~ONVEX89

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some problem right before going to bed; staying away from alcohol and caffeinated drinks like coffee several hours before bed time; engaging in regular moderate exercise during the day; drinking milk or herbal teas (which seem helpful in promoting sleep) before bed; scheduling a block of time before bed in order to relax and 'turn off the day'. This can be especially important if you are very busy or under emotional distress; learning and using relaxation techniques such as progressive muscle relaxation. deep breathing and/ or meditation. Michael Castleman. 'How to Get a Good Night's Sleep'. Medical Self care. Winter. 1981. Health News. University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine. Volume 5. No. 4. August. 1987. Ibid. Health and Welfare Canada and Statistics Canada. 'Canada"s Health Promotion Survey· Technical Report. 1988. Daniel F. Kripke. 'Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep' .. (I Hope I). Executive Health Report. Vol. XXII. No. 5. February 1986. (adapted).

Short: In Turkey six years ago. the stateowned Turk Hava Yollari was the only Turkish airline. Today THY has been joined in an expanding market by five others. This upsurge is the result of a new law passed in '83 that granted the private sector freedom to est abi ish aviation companies. The new airlines are Nesu Air. which began as an air taxi operator before moving into airline operations last March; Turkish European Airways. a joint venture between the Turkish trading group Kavala and the Belgian airline Trans European Airways; BHTBosphorous Air Transport and Torosair. both of which started operations in late '87; and Istanbul Airlines (!stair). which began flying in March · 86. !stair is part of a tour operating group which owns hotels and a ground handling agency in Turkey and travel agencies and a tour operator in West Germany. It flies two Boeing 73 7-400s and three Caravella 1ORs on charters to West Germany. Austria. Holland and Switzerland and operates schedules internally and to Ercan in northern Cyprus. where its maintenance base is situated. The 737-400s are being leased from GPA Group but three 737-300s that will replace the Caravelles by the end of this year are to be bought. 'Air Transport World 2/89'

THE CONTROLLER/ JUNE 1989


Corporate Members of IFATCA AEG Olympia Aktiengesellschaft, Konstanz, FRG Borge Pedersen A/ S, Allerod, Denmark Cardion Electronics, Woodbury, USA CAE Electronics Ltd., Saint-Laurent, Canada Cecsa Systemas Electronicos SA, Madrid, Spain CISET S.p.A., Rome, Italy CON RAC Communications Software GmbH, Rodermark-Waldacker, Cossor Electronics Ltd., Harlow, UK Dictaphone Corporation, Rye, USA Ericsson Radar Electronics AB, Stockholm, Sweden Ferranti Computer Systems Ltd., Cwmbran, UK FFV Airport Technology AB, Frosson, Sweden Hollandse Signaalapparaten B.V., Hengelo, Netherlands EB NETCOM, Nesbru, Norway ISS Videotex A/ S, Charlottenlund, Denmark Jeppesen & Co. GmbH, Frankfurt, FRG Jerry Thompson & Associates Inc., Kensington, USA Marconi Radar Systems Ltd., Chelmsford, UK McDonnell Douglas Electronics, St. Charles, USA Mitre Corporation, Mclean, USA Norcontrol Surveillance SystemsA.S., Shipping Sodbury, UK Plessey Radar Ltd., Chessington, UK Racal Avionics Ltd., London, UK Raytheon Canada Ltd., Waterloo, Canada Schmid Telecommunication, Zurich, Switzerland SCICON Ltd., London, UK Selenia lndustrie Elettroniche, Rome, Italy SEL-Standard Elektrik Lorenz, Stuttgart, FRG Societe d'Etudes et d'Entreprises Electriques, Malakoff, Sofreavia, Paris, France Software Sciences Ltd., Farnborough, UK

FRG

France

TASA-, Telecomunica~oes Aeronauticas S.A., Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Thomson-CSF, Meudon, France Westinghouse Electric Corp., Baltimore, USA

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations would like to invite all corporations. organizations. and institutions interested in and concerned with the maintenance and promotion of safety in air traffic to join their organization as Corporate Members. Corporate Members support the aims of the Federation by supplying the Federation with technical information and by means ot an annual subscription. The Federation· s international journal 'The Controller· is offered as a platform for the discussion of technical and procedural developments in the field of air traffic control.

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SELENIA. A LEADER IN ATC SYSTEMS -

Some forty countries the world over rely on Selenia ATC products. Their confide nce is rewarded. They have acquired equipment of unsurpassed qua lity and reliability from a Company whose innovative approac h provides advanced solution to the ever increasing

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problems of Air Traffic Control. And their constant back-up is Selenia's acknowledged global experience and proven technical and logistic support . Selenia Radar and Systems Division also supplies turn-key airfield electronic

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