THE
CONTROLLER June 2008
Journal of Air Traffic Control
4 IFATCA 2008
TION OF AIR TRAFF ERA IC C FED
LLERS’ ASSNS. TRO ON
4 Tanzania
INTER-
Also in this issue:
NATIO NAL
4 USA NEXTGEN
Advert. Denmark
Contents
THE
June 2008 2nd quarter 2009 Volume 47 ISSN 0010-8073
CONTROLLER Photo: The actual Cirrus SR22 cockpit Photo credit: • Cirrus Design Tanzanian TWR controller • Ph. Domogala Both Photos taken in 2008
PUBLISHER IFATCA, International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations. EXECUTIVE BOARD OF IFATCA Marc Baumgartner President and Chief Executive Officer Alexis Brathwaite Deputy President Alex Figuereo Executive Vice-President Americas Henry Nkondokaya Executive Vice-President Africa/ Middle East John Wagstaff Executive Vice-President Asia/Pacific Patrik Peters Executive Vice-President Europe Dale Wright Executive Vice-President Finance Scott Shallies Executive Vice-President Professional Vacant Executive Vice-President Technical Jack van Delft Secretary/Conference Executive EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Philippe Domogala Editorial address:Westerwaldstrasse 9 D 56337 ARZBACH, Germany Tel: +492603 8682 email: ed@ifatca.org Residence: 24 Rue Hector Berlioz F 17100 LES GONDS, France CORPORATE AFFAIRS Kevin Salter (Germany/UK) WEB SITE AND EDITOR ASSISTANT Philip Marien (EGATS) REGIONAL EDITORS Moetapele D. Matale (Botswana) Al-Kadur Acosta (Dominican Republic) Phil Parker (Hong Kong) Patrik Peters (Europe) COPY EDITORS Paul Robinson, Helena Sjöström, Stephen Broadbent and Brent Cash PRINTING-LAYOUT LITHO ART GmbH & Co. Druckvorlagen KG Friesenheimer Straße 6a D 68169 MANNHEIM, Germany Tel: +49 3 22 59 10 email: info@lithoart-ma.de
In this issue:
Foreword by John Falgstaf ...………………………….…………....... Editorial by Philippe Domogala ………………………….…………..... News from the Courts Part 1 ................………….………… NextGen The Next Generation Air Transportation System NextGen by Norma Lesser ..................………………………….………… Sesar-NextGen: Hints for a Healty Comparison by Bernard Miaillier ...........……………………………………… The US Controllers views on NextGen by Dale Wright ..……. Going Forward with SESAR and NextGen by David C. Behrens ................................................................ Americas News: Working in the USA .................……………... Arusha 2008 IFATCA Annual Conference in Arusha, Tanzania by Helena Sjostrom .........................................................……...………... IFATCA Panel Africa (AFI) Plan ........................................……….........… Conference News New IFATCA Executve Board members .....…..……...……….. News from the Courts Part 2 ......................………….………… African New The New East African 5 States UAC .............................……..……. Tanzania ATC by Philippe Domogala .............................…………. Spotlight Spotlight on Corporate Members by Kevin Salter ............................. Australia Wild West Show by Philippe Domogala ..............………… Australia Tasmania and Multilateration by Philippe Domogala .........………... Americas News What ist really going on in Brazil by Christoph Gilgen .…... Albert Aidoo Taylor Scholarship .......................................... Japan Runway Incursion ...................................................... European News Informal European Regional Meeting in Arusha by Patrik Peters .............................................. Book Review Just Culture & European Air Traffic Management ........ Russia ATC ATC in Russia: How does it work today by Philippe Domogala .................................................. Asia Modern Airliner Flight Simulator Training for Controllers by Phil Parker .............................................… ATC Global ATC Global 2008 by John Levesley ........… Australia The Ericophone ..........................………… Philip Marien Feature Days the Music died by Philip Marien ............ Charlie‘s Column ....................……
4 5 5 6 9 10 12 13 14 16 17 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 25 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this magazine are those of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) only when so indicated. Other views will be those of individual members or contributors concerned and will not necessarily be those of IFATCA, except where indicated. Whilst every effort is made to ensure that the information contained in this publication is correct, IFATCA makes no warranty, express or implied, as to the nature or accuracy of the information. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or used in any form or by any means, without the specific prior written permission of IFATCA.
VISIT THE IFATCA WEB SITES:
www.ifatca.org and www.the-controller.net
Foreword
Foreword from the Executive Board One Step Forward Two Steps Back Just Culture in Japan
^ by John Falgstaf Why the recent court ruling in Japan ( see box below opposite page ) has the potential to reduce safety of the flying public. ‘To err is human’! Nobody is above the law’! These are two English expressions that generate much discussion when used in the context of Just Culture. Everyone makes mistakes – anyone who claims otherwise is either not being truthful or is a fool (often both). Equally everyone should be held accountable for their actions and any premeditated or intentional illegal action must be punished. Air Transport and, in particular, civil aviation is one of the safest transport modes with a level of safety of around 10-6 (meaning 1 breakdown occurring in 10‘000‘000 interactions). This so-called High Reliability Organisation (HRO) has a specific characteristic that is one of complex interaction between a number of systems, which a s individual constituents are as safe as designed (sometimes to the level of 10-9) and together are still extremely safe. The complexity of such „system of systems organisations“ – like Air Traffic Control or aircraft – however, is not fail safe, as the error tolerance is built in by design, but in a very remote way. The human in this system has, as well, to be considered to be a part of the system. Therefore, systemic malfunction, tolerable mistakes of the human operator are strictly analysed and evaluated during the lifecycle of these systems. In cases where all the conditions align and an unwanted result (incident, accident) is produced, it is important for the evolution of the system or for the maintenance of the impressive safety record of such a system that the human is treated like any other part of the
system. In the case of the mishap in Japan all the elements aligned in such a way that established separation norm was not respected. By prosecuting the pilots and the air traffic controllers the Japanese law does not satisfy the need for improving safety by learning and reporting these incidents, but from a systemic point of view picks on only one element of this system of systems. Compared to other transport modes civil aviation, fortunately, cannot learn from accidents, but has to learn from incidents to improve its overall performance in the interest of the travelling public. To achieve this vital learning process a reporting and just culture climate has to be established. Otherwise the fear of being prosecuted will stop the reporting loop by humans and significantly lower the improvement of the safety of the various constituents of the system and in the end lower the safety for the travelling public. When the unfortunate air miss incident occurred on 31 January 2001, it was hoped that the Japanese authorities would follow the internationally accepted practice of Just Culture and place the promotion of flight safety above the calls for criminalising the two Tokyo ACC controllers who made an error. Regrettably, the controllers were subsequently prosecuted, and after a lengthy delay the case was heard in the Tokyo District Court. On 21 March 2006 the judge found both controllers not guilty, stating that they were not directly responsible for the air miss. (This verdict appeared to support the first of the two expressions at the opening of this article.)
to passengers in one of the aircraft and given suspended prison sentences. (Some might say that this decision is in line with the second of the above expressions.) The real issue for debate here should not be about the correctness of the Japanese judicial system, but about the rationale leading to the prosecution and the establishment of tort. The findings of the Japanese courts have to be respected, and although the verdict of the court may give a certain degree of reparation to those injured in the incident, the High Court decision will curtail the co-operation of controllers, pilots and engineers in reporting incidents and occurrences. These reports form the vital foundation on which safety trends and accident prevention is based. To attain the continued improvement in the level of aviation safety as required by ICAO, an effective safety management system and open reporting with a developed Just Culture has be in place. It is sincerely hoped that the aviation authorities in Japan will realise the detrimental consequences this news will have at every level of aviation safety in their country and take the necessary measures to ensure that controllers, pilots and engineers can work effectively and efficiently without fear of criminal prosecution for the simplest of mistakes. ^
However, the prosecution filed an appeal and in the Tokyo High Court on 11 April 2008 both controllers were found guilty of professional negligence resulting in injury
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Photos credit: DP
Editoriall
Editorial When top technology meets hard African reality Philippe Domogala, ^ by Editor
This issue compares the possible future of the FAA next generation (NextGen) ATM systems plans, to the hard reality of African ATC. NextGen, just like SESAR, which we covered in our September 2007 issue, is a concept, a vision of the future. The US controllers, through NATCA, are in this issue commenting on those plans. This is a very interesting read which brings back some form of reality into the perspective. (See page 10) How to integrate NextGen and SESAR is also covered by IATA (page12) as the airlines do not want to end up with two sets of avionics, one for Europe and one for the USA. I would not be that sure however, that this will not be the case in the end‌ Mark my words.
the upper curve of the Niger. Conditions were very difficult in those days, especially for the local people, but their warmth and permanent good spirit transformed the stay into a wonderful experience. The local controllers back then worked under very basic conditions, using very basic tools. What surprised me, is that we are now 50 years later, and the local controllers in the regional airport of Arusha in Tanzania, which I visited 2008, are not much better off than in the regional airport where I was in Mali 1959. (More about this on page19). The African controllers have not advanced professionally or economically in these 50 years, in the way we have in Europe, Australia or in the USA for instance.
The IFATCA Conference, which this year took place in Tanzania, is also extensively covered, and provides another perspective.
IFATCA is approaching 50 as well, and if the federation has made a huge difference for the profession in the economically developed countries, we clearly have failed to do much in the less developed ones. Yet it is the same aircraft and the same airlines that use both sets of airspace, and deserve the same safe and professional service from ATC.
Africa is dear in my heart because as a small boy, I came with my father to Mali in 196061. We lived at a small airport (Gao) on
Maybe it is time to reflect upon ourselves and set our priorities for the next 50 years. Being on top of technological advances, such as NextGen is a must, as the current system reaches its limits, but we should not forget to address the issues of the humans, especially those who are in less fortunate areas. The safety chain is only as strong as its weakest link, one says. How true. On page 25 you will read about a runway incursion which occurred in Japan last January, when a B747 started its take off roll without having received a proper take off clearance. Two issues ago, the Controller did a special on the Tenerife collision 1977, and it is striking that 31 years later, the very same errors are still being made; the lessons of Tenerife are still there for everyone to see and to learn from. Be safe up there,
News from the Courts (Part 1): 2 Controllers sentenced to Jail in Japan A Japan High Court found two air traffic controllers guilty of professional negligence for their involvement in the near mid air collision between two Japan Airlines aircraft above Yaizu, Japan on 31 January 2001. Yasuko Momii, was sentenced to 18 months‘ imprisonment, and Hideki Hachitanito one year imprisonment, both sentences suspended for three years. In March 2006, the Tokyo District Court found both air traffic controllers not
4 Our 2 Japanese colleagues Photos credit: JATCA
guilty, but the prosecution appealed. The Controllers plan their own appeal against this verdict, which is a serious setback to the implementation of just culture. Flight Safety Foundation and IFALPA joined IFATCA in issuing a strong condemnation of this judgment. In the hearing of an appeal the organisations urged the Supreme Court to take into consideration and the Japanese Government to take note of the detrimental effect of continuing to strictly enforce the Japanese law on professional negligence in this way. ^
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The Next Generation Air Transportation System NextGen: A government-industry partnership.
4 JPDO Director Charlie Leader
4 JPDO Director Charlie Leader in Washington
Photos credit: JPDO
Photos credit: JPDO
^ By Norma Lesser/AWA/FAA The United States is at a crossroads in the history of air transportation. The demand to maintain national security and homeland defense via its nation’s airspace and move people and priority cargo from place to place has reached historic heights – and contin-
NextGen, is a unique collaboration between government and private industry. ues to grow. Many experts predict the demands upon the U.S. airspace will increase exponentially over the next decade. From the nearly 700 million domestic passengers in 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) forecasts the number of domestic airline passengers could reach one billion by 2019. When international passengers are added into the equation, the one billion total could be reached as early as 2015. The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), a unique collaboration between
government and private industry, will ensure that the future air transportation system has not only the capacity, but the safety, security, efficiency and flexibility necessary to meet air travel needs well into the twenty-first century. According to leaders in the field of air transportation, true success in preparing for such an increase in air transportations demand cannot be achieved by modifying and modernizing the current air transportation system. Rather, a complete transformation must be implemented. Believing this, the U.S. Congress and the President, by passing and signing into law Vision 100 – Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act in 2003, directed that the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) be formed to lead a coalition of public and private partners entrusted with the daunting task of designing, creating and implementing NextGen, to usher the nation’s air transportation system into it’s bold and exciting future. “NextGen is not the purview of just one agency,“ said Charlie Leader, JPDO director. “When it comes to air transportation, many of the key inputs and issues involved cross departmental lines. That’s why the legislation that chartered the JPDO and set NextGen in motion, created a strong partnership that includes four different departments, two agencies and the White House.” The JPDO partnership includes the Departments of Transportation, Homeland Security, Defense and Commerce; as well as Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the FAA and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The office is staffed by approximately 90 men and women, including U.S. Government employees and contract support staff. At the core of NextGen’s vision is the transformation from ground-based radar technology and voice direction to satellite navigation and control, digital non-voice networking and improved weather forecasting and information sharing among system users. NextGen is an integrated plan that takes into consideration the multiple aviation communities that use the U.S. airspace for defense, commerce, law enforcement and recreation while accommodating the mix of new and different types of aircraft currently in use and planned for the future. To achieve the vision of a transformed air transportation system, NextGen focuses on eight broad strategies that will be researched, developed, implemented and maintained through JPDO Working Groups. These working groups, jointly led by government and industry officials, are providing critical input, expertise and direct involvement into the development and evolution of NextGen. The strategies are centered on: • Developing the airport infrastructure to meet future demand by empowering local communities and regions to create alternative concepts of how airports will be used and managed in the future.
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4 NEXTGEN • Establishing an effective security system without limiting mobility or civil liberties by embedding security measures throughout the air transportation system. • Creating a responsive air traffic system by devising alternative concepts of airspace and airport operations to serve present and future aircraft. • Providing each traveler and operator in the system with the specific situational awareness they need to reach decisions through the creation of a combined information network. • Managing safety through a comprehensive and proactive approach that can integrate major changes, such as new technologies or procedures. • Introducing new policies, operational procedures and technologies to minimize impact of noise and emissions on the environment and eliminate ground contaminants at airports. • Reducing the impact of weather on air travel through a system-wide capability for enhanced weather observations and forecasts, integrating them into tools used by air system operators. • Harmonizing equipage and operations globally by developing and employing uniform standards, procedures, and air and space transportation policies worldwide, enhancing safety and efficiency on a global scale. The path toward NextGen requires an unprecedented amount of planning and collaboration among partner agencies. The JPDO is developing three seminal products to guide the critical decisions necessary to transform air transportation in the U.S. These key planning documents are called the Concept of Operations (ConOps), the NextGen Enterprise Architecture (EA) and the Integrated Work Plan (IWP).
4 Surveillance of Traffic. Photos credit: enav
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4 Cirrus aircraft cockpit ready for Nextgen technology. Photos credit: JPDO
The NextGen ConOps is a description of the future system and how it will work operationally. It paints a common vision of the transformed national air transportation system and focuses on significant changes for key system users. The ConOps has inspired a robust dialogue with the aviation stakeholder community to develop the policy agenda and identify the research required to achieve NextGen’s goals for air transportation. The EA is like a set of blueprints describing the state of NextGen in 2025. As the consolidated picture of the future, it comprehensively defines the key capabilities of NextGen, how they fit together, NextGen’s timetable for implementation, and their impact on the aviation community. The EA is the means for coordination among partner departments and agencies and the private sector, aligning relevant research and development activities, and integrating equipment. The IWP defines the long-term transformation from the current air traffic system. While the ConOps and EA describe what the future
state will be, the IWP details when, how, and by whom future capabilities will be researched, developed, and implemented. It is designed as the bridge to NextGen, providing a comprehensive view of how to achieve the transformation. (To review these documents and other NextGen information, visit the JPDO website at www.jpdo. gov.) While much of the JPDO’s work is centered around collaboration with partner departments and agencies to detail how NextGen will work and how the research and future investments need to be planned, the office is also guiding the development of a host of foundational programs which come together to form the basic infrastructure of NextGen. NextGen founda-
4 Oshkosh busiest control Tower. Photos credit: JPDO
Chief among the foundational programs are Automatic Dependent SurveillanceBroadcast (ADS-B) and System Wide Information Management (SWIM). 7
4 NEXTGEN tional programs now under development include Data Link communications, NetworkEnabled Weather, and NAS Voice Switch, but chief among the foundational programs are
[There is] working groups to highlights differences and similarities between NextGen and SESAR. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and System Wide Information Management (SWIM). ADS-B uses GPS satellites and ground-based transmitters to allow aircraft to broadcast their positions with greater frequency and accuracy than the current land-based radar systems and at a reduced cost. ADS-B gives pilots and controllers the same airspace situational awareness. SWIM is the NextGen component that will provide the infrastructure and services to deliver information access across the National Airspace System. SWIM will provide a high-quality, timely, network approach to simultaneous data exchange among many users and national data sources. It will reduce redundant information and facilitate better multi-agency information-sharing. The JPDO is currently working with its partners to refine models and simulations that will allow an accurate reflection of the benefits that NextGen will offer to the national air transportation system. But there
is already considerable evidence that the overall benefits will be substantial and felt by many partners and stakeholders. Businesses that rely on air shipments will become more efficient due to increased speed and predictability of air transportation. Passengers will spend considerably less time from curb to curb at airports due to greater efficiency in passenger processing. Airlines can increase profits by keeping more planes in the air at any given time due to NextGen’s ability to keep planes separated more safely in the air and on the ground. The environment will experience less impact due to reduced fuel consumption, noise and emissions. And citizens will be safer because of improved tracking and surveillance techniques and enhanced ability to share information among agencies responsible homeland security and defense. As NextGen is designed and implemented to produce the benefits anticipated, safety remains at the forefront. A proactive, data-driven Safety Management System (SMS) is a top priority for the JPDO as it leads the way toward NextGen. The NextGen SMS places its emphasis on analyzing, managing and correcting potential hazards before an incident or accident, an evolution from today’s emphasis on post-accident data analysis. As each NextGen component is conceptualized and designed, officials pay close attention to the impact each component might have on other components of the system. Mapping out potential impacts in the design stage will provide adequate time to modify where necessary to ensure NextGen achieves the enhanced safety and functionality required as it handles the anticipated three-fold increase in demand upon air transportation. NextGen’s risk mitigation strategies are being designed and developed to significantly reduce risk at every stage of air transportation. There are specific SMS elements designed to reduce collisions on the ground at airports and decrease the chances of ac-
4 The Next gen team in capitol Hill Photos credit: JPDO
cidents during takeoffs and landings. There are also elements of the SMS designed to improve safety in the air by mitigating the risks of midair collisions, and encounters with terrain and turbulence. Still more SMS elements address potential problems with aircraft maintenance and mechanical failures. While NextGen’s main focus is on transforming the U.S. air transportation system, a robust and aggressive global harmonization effort is underway, reflecting the JPDO’s position that a successful NextGen will enhance operations internationally. The JPDO Global Harmonization Working Group is collaborating with officials from Europe, Asia and other North American countries, building roadmaps to harmonize NextGen capabilities. Aviation officials from the U.S. and Europe have participated in technical interchange meetings, formed working groups to highlights differences and similarities between NextGen and SESAR, and made personnel exchanges to provide greater depth of understanding of each other’s concepts and processes. With Asian nations, the U.S. has experienced cooperation in a number of key areas such as future technologies and systems, and have established working or steering groups with Japan and the People’s Republic of China. The NextGen Trilateral Strategy Group which includes the U.S., Canada, and Mexico has agreed on a number of areas of harmonization in order to achieve seamless operations across the Western Hemisphere. Areas of cooperation include weather, safety, environmental management, research collaboration and performance-based standards. Future NextGen outreach efforts will focus on Australia and South America as well. “The U.S. air transportation system serves as a critical engine of economic growth and facilitates the safe, secure and efficient movement of people and goods throughout this country and across the globe,” said Leader. “Demand on the system is growing. And at the same time the system, still arguably among the safest in the world, is limited by antiquated technologies and therefore not keeping pace. But with continued work between JPDO partner department and agencies and private industry here in the U.S., as well as with international stakeholders worldwide, NextGen’s capabilities will ensure aircraft and operators will be able to move around the world safely and seamlessly, securing and enhancing an important global economy.” ^
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Sesar-NextGen: Hints for a Healthy Comparison Bernard Miaillier, Head of SESAR & ^ by ATM Strategy, EUROCONTROL Both SESAR and NextGen are the subject of intense activity. There are many references in the industry and in the press. Many try to compare, or even oppose or rank both programmes. This short article wishes to simply bring a preliminary insight on some aspects. Both regions have similarities, such as: the same pressures on safety, security, growth, environment, and costs; the same obligations with respect to ICAO; and the same opportunities to exploit advanced technology. They also present differences in terms of, for example, traffic distribution, weather severity, number and governance of ATM Service Providers, diversity of cultures, and not least ATM systems. Harmonisation is necessary to ensure that the aircraft can fly in all systems, ensure global common standards are available in time and minimise costs by sharing results & efforts. In general, acting together early in life cycle is more efficient than resolving harder issues at a later stage SESAR/NextGen can be a catalyst for wider harmonisation, since regions with similar issues and traffic densities can work together and share experience with others. It should be widely acknowledged that globally, there is a general requirement for efficient ATM services and interoperable avionics & procedures. With the general traffic growth, new areas become “high density”, can reuse the experience of present high density areas and can better anticipate. In the context of their regular cooperation, EUROCONTROL and the FAA made a first comparison of the SESAR and NextGen concepts of operations when they became almost simultaneously available last June. This first comparison generally confirmed a good alignment, and also a good consistence with the ICAO Operational Concept. As usual the devil is in the detail and of course in the still-open issues. A technical meeting identified areas where the SESAR and NextGen concept of operations present common descriptions or differences, and discussed them in terms of performance, actors, and information management. While both ConOps are based on trajectory management, data
sharing and collaboration within the ATM network, it was observed that the respective concept groups had addressed certain topics with a particular emphasis on aspects felt to be more secondary to the other group. The factors of difference mentioned above explain part of this. It was also observed that these different “accents” were not seen as creating fundamental oppositions, but could well be used to complement each other’s descriptions and understanding. A number of basic questions emerged, for example: • Language/definitions around trajectory based operations: ownership; who can modify what, when? • Decision control loops across the ATM roles: are the applications seen the same way (objective, definitions & timeline)? • Assumptions on concepts need be further explicit/shared; detailed scenarios on trajectory based operations are needed for a better comparison. Requirements for and use of 4D navigation and trajectory management remain to be discussed in detail and validated. Some of the issues were: • Who computes what? Exchange of preferences versus exchange of trajectories? Where and when are predictions made, how are they shared? How to cater for aircraft with different equipage levels? Do better equipped aircraft take priority? • What accuracy for what use? How to specify uncertainty in the prediction. Can we accommodate multiple trajectories for a flight and how?
4 SESAR tools Photos credit: eurocontrol
• Influence of weather on trajectories & information requirements. More knowledge is necessary before firm decisions can be made to invest in large developments and to implement innovative functionalities. This will be the subject of the upcoming R&D programmes, in particular in Europe under the SESAR Joint Undertaking. The US and Europe are taking steps to reinforce their cooperation. ICAO has organized later this year (8-10 September) a forum on Integration and Harmonization of NextGen and SESAR into the Global ATM Framework. It will be an opportunity not only to present and compare more detailed aspects of both programmes, but also to see the initiatives of other parts of the world and discuss the opportunities for synchronizing activities.
The US and Europe are taking steps to reinforce their cooperation. It is premature to draw final conclusions; there will be more work on the future operational concept, but the involvement of the controllers in particular in the validation activities of its advanced features will be essential. ^
4 European ATC centre Photos credit: eurocontrol
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The US Controllers views on NextGen ^ By Dale Wright, NATCA The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) supports the modernization of the United States Air Traffic Control System. Most of NATCA’s involvement in the NextGen movement is through industry groups such as RTCA, NGATS Institute and Industry Management Council (IMC). Due to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) change in collaborative work, NATCA has looked to industry to assist us in getting the air traffic controller’s perspective into work being accomplished on NextGen.
No dedicated funding The FAA has stated the United States is at a crossroad in the history of air transportation. NATCA agrees with this statement but remains very cautious with the NextGen initiative. Our concerns begin with funding. There is no dedicated funding for the entire NextGen initiative. The FAA does not have the best track record when it comes to completing projects on budget and on time. Without dedicated funding for the NextGen initiative it is apparent the project does not have the full support of those who are capable of providing the funding. Controllers in the United States are also concerned with a lack of on-
time deployment of air traffic systems. The modernization of an entire air traffic control system has not been attempted and there are severe doubts whether it can be completed on time.
directly discussing air traffic control issues. By increasing our involvement in the JPDO, NATCA will be able to provide our membership will more information on NextGen issues.
The NowGen
Controllers involvement
We are very concerned with what has been labeled as “NowGen”. We are concerned with the strain on the system in the next three to five years when there are no NextGen deliverables scheduled. Equipage of aircraft in the United States is essential to the success of NextGen. ITT has been awarded the contract to provide ADS-B coverage for the FAA. There are no incentives for any commercial or private aircraft to equip early. The FAA has provided an estimate of one billion passengers in 2019. The proposed date of mandated equipage is 2020. NextGen could be too little too late.
The FAA has not sought out input from NATCA on ADS-B Technology since August of 2005 and NATCA has requested to be more involved in future working groups dealing with NextGen. Controller involvement is one of the differences between SESAR and NextGen. SESAR has clearly sought out IFATCA’s involvement in their initiative and even entered into a working agreement with IFATCA. The FAA has not extended any offer of a working agreement with NATCA and used subject matter experts instead of representatives from NATCA. At times these subject matter experts are not air traffic controllers
NATCA and JPDO NATCA’s involvement with the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) has just been reinstated. In 2004 and 2005 a liaison from NATCA was assigned directly to the JPDO which resulted in a very collaborative and successful working relationship. NATCA is not involved in every working group at JPDO but we are active in the group that is
4 Seatle Tower (with aircraft Taking off): legentd: Seattle Tower. Photos credit: NATCA
The FAA does not have the best track record when it comes to completing projects on budget and on time. THE
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4 NEXTGEN but supervisors and staff workers that do not work air traffic as a primary duty.
ADS-B There are several areas of the United States that would greatly benefit from ADS-B deployment. The Gulf of Mexico, the mountain country in Colorado and deployment of the Eastern Coast of the United States would provide an almost immediate benefit for the air traffic control system. The Gulf of Mexico would be able to reduce the separation if non-radar or procedural control can be replaced by some type of surveillance. This would also require some type of ADSB agreement with the countries south of the US airspace to ensure the surveillance does not end at the airspace boundary. As stated above, aircraft equipage is key to this initial NextGen project. One airline advised they would not equip a sub-fleet of aircraft just to fly across the Gulf of Mexico. They would have to see a system-wide benefit so they could equip the entire fleet.
Strategies The NextGen strategies that NATCA has focused on are: 1. Developing the airport infrastructure to meet future demands by empowering local communities and regions to create alternative concepts. This may work at areas that have space to build new airports or expand their current airports. This will not result in a major increase of capacity in the New York area which contributes to 1 out of every 3 delays in the United States. 2. Creating a responsive air traffic system by devising alternative concepts of airspace and airport operations for present and future aircraft. NATCA is very concerned with the training of air traffic controllers on the operations of this new system. Unlike the European air traffic system, the United States has a very large general aviation user group. It is imperative the training of pilots is also thought out and completed prior to the implementation of any NextGen system that requires a change in pilot operations. 3. The management of safety through comprehensive and proactive approaches that can integrate major changes is one area NATCA wishes to be very active. With the addition of new technologies and procedures the controller perspective is very important. It is also imperative controllers are properly trained and advised of any changes in a timely manner. 4. The introduction of new policies, operational procedures and technologies to
minimize the impact of noise and emissions on the environment is also an area where controllers in the United States are not familiar. At the larger airports controllers have knowledge of noise abatement procedures but there has been no push to train controllers on aircraft emissions. NATCA attended the ALPA Environmental Forum in March of 2008 to begin learning about the affect of aircraft emissions on the environment. 5. The desire to reduce the impact of weather on air travel through a systemwide capability for enhanced weather observations and forecasts can reduce the number of aircraft incidents due to weather. Controllers are concerned there will be an increased desire to rely on computer technology which will place the pilot in a situation where the computer says the flight path is clear but the pilot’s desire is to deviate. These types of situations will have to be addressed. 6. The harmonization of equipage and operations globally by developing and employing uniform standards, procedures and air/space transportation policies will be a great challenge. Work groups in the United States have addressed SESAR and Canadian airspace issues in order to make the system seamless.
The doubts The air traffic controllers in the United States have not been given any type of briefing or update by their service provider on NextGen. Controllers have not been advised of how their responsibilities will change or what type of equipment they can expect to be using in 2020. NATCA has attended many briefings on NextGen but there is no clear direction on the responsibilities of air traffic controllers. It has been said that controllers would become airspace managers. There have been no in-depth discussions on what the changes would really be for controllers but pilot self-separation is an area of great concern. Pilot training will be a major part
of this initiative and controllers are concerned with what actions will be required if the pilot advises they are unable to continue with self-separation.
NATCA and IFATCA NATCA’s
involvement
with
“There is no clear direction on the responsibilities of air traffic controllers [with NextGen]” IFATCA and its Member Associations has enabled controllers in the United States to discuss the issues and form a position on the NextGen initiative. There are some very positive initiatives in NextGen but without a dedicated funding stream there are doubts throughout the United States aviation industry on whether NextGen will succeed. NATCA appreciates the assistance from our fellow members of IFATCA. NATCA remains available to provide controller perspective in any NextGen initiative that affects controllers. ^
evpf@ifatca.org and dwright@natcadc.org
4 National Tower Photos credit: dreamstime/Icholakov
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4 NEXTGEN Photos credit: dreamstime/j.sompinm
Airlines want a single avionics package and a single training programme for their pilots.
Going Forward with SESAR and NextGen David C. Behrens ^ by IATA Director/Infrastructure Strategy The long-term programmes of SESAR and NextGen will define the future of aviation for Europe and the United States. The world of air transportation has much to gain – or much to loose – depending upon the success of these complex and technical programmes. The current situation is urgent and critical as the systems are already struggling to manage today’s traffic. ATC systems, as well as much of our concept of operations, are at the end of their designed life span. The lack of adequate system capacity is forcing delays and significant wastage of fuel and emissions. Traffic continues to grow and is expected to double in North America and Europe by 2020. Yet SESAR and NextGen will not be completed until 2025 or later.
The FAA has estimated that the cost of not going to a next-generation system would cost the industry US$40 billion by 2020 and US$100 billion by 2030! Europe has estimated that the current airspace fragmentation and outdated systems is costing the industry 2 billion Euros a year. Additionally the cost of fuel and the impact of CO2 emissions on the environment is a growing concern. Over the last five years, fuel costs went from US$44 billion in 2003 to an estimated US$156 billion for 2008. As for CO2emissions, although aviation only contributes 2% to the manmade CO2 emissions, the industry is facing harsh public mispercep-
tions about its contributions to the environment and mounting political pressure that we are not paying our fair share. Air transportation is still one of the safest means of travel – but in order to cope with growth, air traffic systems must change quickly. Most aircraft today have satellite navigation systems – yet many routes and ATC rules of separation are still defined by ground-based navaids. Flight management systems on board modern aircraft have the capability to precisely navigate 3D and 4D flight profiles – yet much of air traffic control still requires aircraft to fly radar vectors and level off at inefficient interim altitude assignments. Air traffic control still relies on voice communication and in the busy sectors of airspace and airports the controller speech rate can border on the ridiculous – with much of the transmissions being nothing more than routine contact instructions. This, in addition to English as a second language and strong dialects, points to the urgent need to replace voice with data link communications. So what is the future for air traffic? As we look at our air traffic systems today we realise that we cannot continue down the path of “business as usual” – especially for Europe and the United States. Airlines are apprehensive. First, is the uncertainty on the effectiveness of near-term solutions over the next decade. Then there is the uncertainty on when the next generation of technical solutions and operating procedures will be completely developed and implemented.
Photos credit: enav
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Photos credit: ace-clipart
4 NEXTGEN Take ADS-B as an example. ADS-B OUT, which is the data link position broadcasted to ATC, is only an interim solution to replacing radar. ADS-B IN, which provides ATC as well as all airspace users with a cockpit display of all traffic, is the surveillance solution envisaged by all. However, ATM must undergo fundamental changes by international agreement through an ICAO process before ADSB, as envisaged, can become a reality. This includes the new roles and responsibilities of ATC and pilots for aircraft-to-aircraft spacing and separation, the resulting liabilities and of course development of the new procedures. Clearly defining the avionic requirements for ADS-B is another challenge as this will be a major cost. Airlines will not only need clearly defined and globally harmonized requirements, but they will also need lead times as long as 10 years to manage the retrofits. And of course guaranteed predictable benefits.
is a global system. Therefore issues such as the mode/protocol for data link communications, a common platform for System Wide Information Management (SWIM), common operational procedures and approvals for RNAV and RNP and a single new flight plan requirement is critical not only to the success of NextGen and SESAR but to civil aviation as a whole. Airlines are adamant – they do not want another two-flight plan system!
Interoperability is a concern. Interoperability goes far beyond just NextGen and SESAR agreeing on common solutions, as aviation
In summary, the airline requirements are simple. Airlines want a single avionics package and a single training programme for their
Working in the USA Working conditions in the USA have deteriorated. 1650 controllers left the service last year, 850 retired, while another 800 were promoted out of the controller ranks, got terminated or resigned. Currently many controllers are on duty 6 days a week with 10hour shifts. To compensate this, 1150 trainee controllers were hired last year, but one year later 240 of them resigned, and so far only 4 of the rest have qualified. “If it sounds ridiculous, it is because it is!“, said a NATCA representative. The trainees’ salary was cut by 50%, and when fully rated, they get 30% less than what it used to be. As a result of this, many resign during the training when they discover the conditions. As more controllers leave, this leads to increased overtime for the remaining workforce, which causes more people to leave the service earlier than they initially planned. This vicious circle is difficult to break.
The role of ATC will become more and more critical to the success of NextGen and SESAR. In the past, traffic was managed by small sectors of airspace – many times no more than 20 minutes of flying time. However, air traffic control based on separation must evolve to air traffic management that looks at broader air traffic flows. Information management, sharing and collaborative decision-making will be critical to the success of these programmes.
Recently, the FAA created an internal safety regulatory body. The NATCA representative said: “Those safety people would like to talk to the controllers but the FAA will not let controllers talk to them, not even participate in SMS activities” On the future ATM system (NEXTGEN), the NATCA representative was very direct: “NEXTGEN is just a word, a concept, just like Free Flight was. The FAA is using NEXTGEN to sell the idea of “users fees” to replace the current tax system to fund their projects. It does not address many of the current problems. Before 9/11 we were 16.000 controllers, we are now 11.000 with traffic
pilots. They want Performance Based Navigation as defined by ICAO, a single voice and data communication solution and ADS-B – and they only want to file a single flight plan. The good news is that with both the European and US systems reaching the end of their life span we have a real chance to build a new system that is globally harmonized and interoperable. However, it is critical that all civil, military and international stakeholders are involved in the planning process. There will be challenges, but with international teamwork and cooperation we can build a system that will take aviation safely and efficiently into its next generation. ^
behrensd@iata.org
levels back at what they were before 9/11. Our only hope for things to improve is with the presidential elections next November,” he concluded. ^
Many resign during the training when they discover the conditions.
4 Denver ACC Photos credit: NATCA
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4 Arusha
2008 IFATCA Annual Conference in Arusha, Tanzania ^ by Helena Sjostrom The 2008 IFATCA Conference was held in Arusha,Tanzania, near the equator and beneath the two highest mountains in Africa, Mt. Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro. The Arusha International Convention Centre is also the venue of the special UN tribunal for the war crimes in Rwanda, which is currently on going. Simon Kimiti, chairperson of the organizing committee and John Keto Chambo, president of Tanzania ATCA, and their team had organized a very good conference.
4 Committee A with Albert Taylor and Alexis Brathwaite.
The 430 controllers from 76 member associations, who attended the conference, spent the week in the different committees, listening to reports and presentations, learning about new technical and professional methods and discussing proposals for IFATCA recommendations and policy.
Administrative and Financial issues
4 John Chambo and Simon Kimiti, of the Organising committee.
One of the topics addressed by the chairperson, Albert Taylor and the directors of the member associations In Committee A was the economical situation of IFATCA. Since the federation reverted from the Swiss franc to the US dollar in 2001, IFATCA has suffered due to the continuous decline of the dollar. The situation is grave although not yet alarming. The committee discussed possible ways
430 controllers from 76 member associations, attended the conference.
4 Opening plenary
of improving the situation by e.g. voluntary higher payments but decided that for the moment, no measures were necessary. FIC (Financial Committee) was asked to, together with the Executive Board, monitor the developments of the US dollar and if necessary take action. Following the presentations of their applications, the Moroccan Air Traffic Controller’s Association, SYNDICAM of Madagascar and FEBRACTA of Brazil were accepted as new members of IFATCA. The work program of CAC (Constitutional and Administrative Committee) for the next year was also determined and one of the tasks is to review the structure and working instructions of IFATCAs standing committees, with special regard to regional representation.
Technical and Operational matters Many working papers and presentations were on the agenda for committee B, among others ADS-B, 4-D Trajectory Concepts, Performance Based Navigation, Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures, defining the terms Separation, Spacing and Segregation, Datalink, review of policy on ACAS phraseology and on environmental issues in ATM. The space in this article does not allow for presentations of all the topics but only for a few highlights. Chris Sutherland of TOC, presented the working paper on 4-D Trajectory technologies which looked at current applications as well as the short and long-range implementation plans. It explored the gains associated
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4 Arusha with 4-D Trajectory flights and discussed some of the problems associated with implementing these technologies in airspace that is not specifically designed to accommodate it. The paper also reviewed the concept of how future trajectory-based operations will be accomplished and discussed the compatibility problems associated with today’s avionics as well as possible difficulties with an “extreme-implementation”. The committee discussed and exchanged experiences and views on different trials such as the UPS procedures at Louisville, the CDA trials in Atlanta, which were withdrawn within one week and the CDA trials during off peak hours at Arlanda, Sweden, where the procedure in general works quite well. It was recommended as provisional policy that: The flight management system shall accept ATC requirements as compulsory requirements. Airspace must be designed to support 4D trajectory management. Another topic leading to discussions was SLOP (Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures) presented by Kimmo Koivula on behalf of TOC. SLOP mitigates the risk of vertical collision and wake turbulence encounters between aircraft with high precision navigation capabilities. Provisions of SLOP are published by ICAO in PANS/ATM Doc 4444 as special procedures for oceanic and remote continental airspace. Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures are pilot-initiated and more or less transparent to controllers. Following the mid-air collision in Brazil, stakeholders in the air transport industry highlighted the issue that SLOP has not been implemented by ATS authorities as widely as possible. ICAO has started to investigate and develop SLOP to extend its applicability to other than oceanic and remote airspace. IFALPA is promoting the issue heavily. IFATCA is not disagreeing with the advantages of SLOP but further
investigation is required before full endorsement can be given. The committee passed as provisional policy: IFATCA endorses Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures (SLOP) in oceanic- or remote continental airspace where there is no ATS surveillance service provided. Further research is required before IFATCA can endorse any offset procedure in airspace where there is ATS surveillance service provided.
Combined committee B and C On Tuesday morning March 11th the two chairpersons of Committees B and C, Chris Stock and Bert Ruitenberg, opened the combined B and C committee. Among the reports and working papers presented were ASAS (Airborne Separation Assistance System), LAHSO professional issues (Land And Hold Short Operations), the prevention of Runway Incursions and the difference between Intrinsic and Tactical safety. The aim of the last mentioned working paper was to investigate the relation between intrinsic and tactical safety in the ATM domain and the impact on everyday aerodrome operations as well as the ATCOs’ responsibility. Felice De Lucia of PLC who presented the paper, detailed the circumstances of the Linate accident and explained how the accident could have been avoided had intrinsic safety principles been adopted. The outcome of the working paper and the presentation was an IFATCA recommendation: IFATCA recommends that all parties involved in airport and airspace design address intrinsic safety with the highest priority.
Committee C – Professional and legal issues Staff shortages around the globe, was one if the issues discussed in committee C. In the last years, the shortages has continuously grown and most countries are now report-
4 Bert Ruitenberg
4 Conference opening plenary.
One topic leading to discussions was SLOP (Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures).
4 opening plenary
Photos: DP
welcome dances
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4 Arusha 4 Final Plenary voting.
Most countries are now reporting substantial shortages of staff.
ing substantial shortages of staff. A working paper on staff shortages was presented by South Africa on behalf of PLC. The aim of the paper was to provide a snapshot of the current shortages around the globe and the different methods used to cope with this. One of the problems is the inclination of many ANSPs to use overtime as means to cover staff shortages, instead of adjusting the requirement numbers for ATCOs and then attempt to recruit new trainees. After intense discussions, committee C voted to insert the following new paragraphs in the IFATCA Manual on page 4 1 3 3: IFATCA strongly recommends that MAs establish a specific task force to work with the employer to identify and achieve the required staffing targets. These minimum staffing levels should not only cater for normal operations (including proper staff relief) but also for unforeseen circumstances and/or events. Other topics in committee C included review of IFATCA policy regarding Unlawful Interference, In Flight Emergency Response and Interceptions, E-learning, drugs and alcohol
in ATC – a global inventory, ATC cross borders legal issues, ATC and automation and updates on English language proficiency and on CISM.
Tanzania Night The organizing committee had done a marvellous job and all thru the week continued to do their utmost to keep things running in the committees. In addition to this, there was also a superb social program with a welcome party, a “Tanzania Night” with barbecue and a farewell party at a game lodge a few miles outside of Arusha. All three events featured traditional dancers and performances (including snakes), fantastic food and plenty of wine and beer. All was much appreciated by the delegates. To crown the whole experience in the very last hour of the visit, on the bus to the airport, the snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro, painted in gold from the last rays of sun, appeared thru the clouds for a brief few minutes, as to bid us all farewell and say “have a good safari”. Safari is the Swahili word for journey. ^
IFATCA Panel Africa (AFI) Plan 4 Final party dances.
On Thursday March 13, in the IFATCA panel, the delegates listened to presentations about the AFI plan. This Comprehensive Regional Implementation Plan for Aviation Safety in Africa was developed by ICAO in cooperation with African civil aviation authorities and the air transport industry. Entities taking an active part include the African Union, the African Civil Aviation Commission, the European Commission and the World Bank and the African Development Bank. IATA, IFALPA and IFATCA are also among the stakeholders. The African continent covers more than 31 million square km and consists of 52 nations speaking more than 800 languages. The accident rate in Africa is eight times the world average and the fatality rate in aviation is eleven times the world average. ^
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4 Conference News New IFATCA Executive Board members. During Conference there were two new Executive Board members elected. The first was Scott Shallies of Australia to the position of Executive Vice President Professional, replacing Doug Churchill. Scott has been a controller for 27 years, and is currently working in Melbourne Centre. He has been actively involved in both the PLC and Committee C for the past 7 years. The second was Alex Figuereo of the Dominican Republic to position of Executive Vice President Americas, replacing Cedric Murrell. Alex has been a controller for 11 years, and works in Santo Domingo ACC. He has been involved in IFATCA since 2003. ^
hallies
4 Scott S
iguereo
4 Alex F
Christoph Gilgen receives an Award
4 Christoph receiving his award.
After the 2006 mid-air collision in Brazil (reported extensively in this magazine, see issue 1-2007), IFATCA sent a team of three individuals to provide emergency Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) support and technical and operational support for the Brazilian controllers. IFATCA believes that the work done in, and on behalf of, Brazil by this team demonstrated outstanding professionalism on the part of the individuals concerned, and deserves recognition. Dr Isabel Cambria, Mr Virgilio Belo, and Mr Christoph Gilgen have distinguished themselves to a degree that is considered outstanding by IFATCA by rendering services that enhanced and promoted the profession and furthered the objectives of the Federation. They have been conferred with the IFATCA Award of Merit. Christoph, who was present at the Conference, received the award on behalf of the team. (Editors note: the editorial team would like to join in the congratulations offered to all three, and to Christoph in particular as he is a prolific and enthusiastic contributor to this magazine!). ^
Morocco was previously affiliated with IFATCA though the Moroccan Centre Controllers Association (AMCCSNA), but their affiliation was terminated in 2007. A new Association has been formed and has now applied successfully to rejoin IFATCA. Their declared membership is initially 30, and expecting to grow. ^
4 Morocco receiving their affiliation seal from PCX IFATCA during the Final Plenary.
News from the Courts (Part 2): One Controller set free in Argentina
Four Controllers facing life emprisonment India
Meanwhile in Argentina, Cesar Salas, the president of our MA was exonerated by the court. As reported in the last issue of the Controller, Cesar was charged with the criminal offence of public intimidation for raising safety concerns in the Argentina ATS. It is important to note that the submissions of IFATCA and the recognition of the need for a non-punitive reporting system in Argentina were instrumental in Cesar exoneration. This augurs well for our colleagues in Argentina as they seek to support the smooth implementation of a civilian ATS authority.
5 Indian Controllers (1 is now deceased) were charged in 1999 under the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against Safety of Civil Aviation Act) for deliberately delaying flights during an industrial action.. 4 of them were jailed for around 40 days before being released on bail. The trial is yet to start with the courts going through various motions. If convicted, they risk life imprisonment as that is the only punishment under the Act. Nobody can say how long the trial will last but is expected to be on for a long time going by the number of witnesses of the prosecution. ^
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Photos: DP
Morocco rejoins IFATCA
4 African News
The New East African 5 States UAC What is EAC? The East African Community (EAC) is the regional intergovernmental organization of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania with its Headquarters in Arusha. The Treaty for Establishment of the East African Community was signed in 1999 and entered into force in July 2000 following its ratification by the Original 3 Partner States – Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Rwanda and Burundi acceded in June 2007 and became full Members in July 2007.
EAC countries established a Customs Union in 2005 and are working towards the establishment of a Common Market by 2010, subsequently a Monetary Union by 2012 and ultimately a Political Federation of the East African States. In the Aviation sector they plan to establish a unified Upper Flight information Region (UFIR) over the airspace of the 5 countries. I interviewed in Arusha, Tanzania its Principal Officer responsible for Aviation, Mr L. Matindi. ^
Interview Ladislaus Matindi EAC Principal OfďŹ cer responsible for Aviation
^ by Philippe Domogala, Editor. of the study phase. The UFIR is expected to be operational in 2010 over the whole area above FL245. The management of the project is done by EAC in collaboration with the Partner States.
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Ph: how did you come to the idea? LM: The concept is reflected in our Treaty and we have been following closely other initiatives such as the EU and its FAB. The Eurocontrol Maastricht experience is one of our beacons. Mr L. Matindi Photo credit: DP
Ph: How is EAC involved in this project? LM: We initially aimed to establish a unified Upper Flight information Region (UFIR) over the East Africa that existed until 1977 over Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Only now we can include Burundi and Rwanda to make it a 5 States UFIR. This project was politically approved in 2000, the project is currently in its final stages
The decisions regarding this centre will be based on commercial basis.
Ph: Where will this UAC be located? LM: We have not decided yet where the UAC will be located.Whether we will use an existing facility (ACC) or move to a new site is also still under consideration. Ph: have you already selected a ATM manufacturer for this Center? LM: We have not yet finalized which equipment we will use. We have just asked a consultant to define the requirements. One of the possible options is to use initially existing facilities with upgrades where necessary. So it may be a hybrid system, upgraded gradually rather than buy a complete new system. The decisions regarding this centre will be based on commercial basis, so cost effectiveness will be the prime consideration when deciding a location and ATM systems. Ph: Where do the controllers come to man this facility? LM: The controllers will come from the 5 countries of course, may be a quota for each
State will be applied, but selection will be exclusively based on competence through competition. Ph: What is the reaction of the airlines? LM: We are still studying the project but definitely the airlines will support the project if they see this as reducing the costs and the airspace design allows better flight profiles for them. Ph: With current traffic, the current upper airspace surely will attract most revenue from the route charges. How can the lower airspace survive? LM: Indeed the current division at FL245 means that 70-80% of the large jet traffic is above that., so consequently almost the same percentage of our current revenue comes from the upper airspace. To make sure the lower airspace is not left behind we are looking into ways to ensure parity and this is one of the tasks of the study. There are several ways to address this issue, for instance the Upper could pay a rent to the lower for using their equipment ( radars, Nav aids, etc. Whatever the case, we will ensure the economic viability of the lower airspace. Ph: based on the European recent experience (e.g. CEATS) Do you not foresee any political problems to implement such a project? LM: As I said earlier, the political side of the project is already addressed and completed. Article 92 of the EAC mentions the establishment of a Unified Upper Area Control system as one of the areas for cooperation in aviation. The remaining issues are only technical. ^
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4 African News Arusha TWR
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Limis Makolowela working the day shift in Arusha Kilimanjaro TWR Photos: DP
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Tanzania ATC ^ by Philippe Domogala, Editor. Talking to controllers and pilots during the conference provided the following picture of ATC in Tanzania. DAR-ES-SALAAM: There are 75 controllers here for about 200 movements per day. The ACC and APP are combined in one room. Earlier controllers were rated separately, but now most controllers only hold one rating. The main problem they have is the mix of traffic between light GA aircraft and jet commercial traffic using the same runway. Kilimanjaro Tower: Kilimanjaro (JRO) is the second airport in Tanzania. It has a large TMA with an APP service but no radar. The facility is manned by two controllers and one assistant during the day time, and by one controller and one assistant during the night. They have about 50 movements per day, mainly jets, the largest being the regular KLM service from Amsterdam using an MD11. Charter B767s are also frequent visitors from Europe. Mt Kilimanjaro is very close to the airport at 5895mts, so the minimum safe altitude for IFR is 22,000ft! Flights arriving from the north (i.e. Europe) in IFR have to over-fly the field at that altitude before being able to descend. This situation would be much easier if JRO had radar, but for the moment it is all done procedurally. Arusha Airport: Arusha is the fourth airport in Tanzania with about 50 movements per day.
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It is a small regional airport which is old and which needs modernising. A plan to renew the whole infrastructure, including a new terminal and a new parallel taxiway that will eliminate the current need to backtrack the runway, has been completed. The apron is full of light aircraft from Cessna 206 and Caravans up to ATR72s carrying out regular airline services. In the Tower, four controllers work in shifts to ensure the manning every day between 0630 and 1900. A single controller is on duty for up to 6½ hours in a row without a break. One has to eat at the operating position, and if a toiletbreak is needed s/he must co-ordinate with nearby Kilimanjaro APP to make sure there will be no arrival during that time! All operations are visual and the APP work is done by Kilimanjaro located some 45 km away.
A TWR controller in Arusha earns about $US500 per month, and most hope to eventually become a radar controller in Dar-es-Salaam and earn up to $US1000 per month. The equipment used here are basic tools, quite a difference from the “modern world of ATC” displayed and talked about during the Conference. In Arusha, like in most airports in the African continent, the tools described in ATM plans such as NextGen or SESAR are merely science fiction - and like most science fiction novels, it makes interesting reading but not much else. ^
Bush Pilot: I had the chance to ask one of the African bush pilots what his impressions were about Tanzania ATC. I talked to Eivind Lindjorn, a Norwegian national flying Cessna Caravans and 206s for a local NGO company. They perform all kinds of work from medical evacuations, to ferrying employees, and search and rescue operations. He said first that he finds the Tanzanian CAA to be very professional and much better than many other places he flown to. Controllers here are friendly and effective. The main problem he has is with communications - VHF coverage is not good, even within some TMAs, it is difficult to contact ATC. A few more relay stations would be more than welcome, he said.
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Eivind Lindjorn
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SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight on Corporate Members al
r te
Welcome to the first `Spotlight´ feature of 2008. In this issue I will focus on one of the leading companies, and one of our corporate members, involved in the worldwide support of ATM, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems.
Ke vin
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Kevin Salter ^ by Contributing Editor, Corporate Affairs to install and operate, and above all, dependable. The NORMARC 8000 SLS (Satellite Landing System) addresses the need for next generation landing systems. The 8000 SLS exhibits the same level of accuracy, integrity and safety as the world’s most popular ILS – the NORMARC 7000. The newest addition to the navigation range is the NORMARC 6512 Doppler VHF Omnidirectional Rangefinder (DVOR). SURVEILLANCE: NOVA 9000 ATCS integrates data from sensors and databases providing complete control of traffic movements around the airport. NOVA has led the development of A-SMGCS and RIMCAS, with many of the world‘s busiest and most complex
About Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems They are operational in 167 countries – providing integrated Communication, Navigation and Surveillance solutions for the world’s airspace – Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems is uniquely positioned to fulfil complete ATC system needs. COMMUNICATIONS: For the first time the complete air traffic control communication package can be sourced from a single company, benefiting the user by providing enhanced system flexibility and simplified logistics. The advanced GAREX 220 Voice Communication Control System (VCCS) coupled with the PAE T6 multimode digital radio sets new standards in integrated, advanced air-ground communication systems. The PAE M7 satisfies military communication applications with flexible modular production. NAVIGATION: NORMARC landing systems are installed at 700 airports worldwide. The NORMARC 7000 ILS systems are designed to be cost-effective, easy
Dubai World Central Airport Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has been awarded a $15 million contract by the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation to provide a range of integrated air traffic systems for the new Dubai World Central Airport. “Dubai World Central is one of the biggest on-going transport infrastructure projects in the world. After a competitive selection process, our systems were selected on the basis of offering the best solution both in terms of value and technology,” commented Charles Houseago, chairman of Northrop Grumman’s Park Air Systems. “Our systems will help the Department of Civil Aviation ensure the safe and expeditious control of aircraft at this key airport as it develops and grows over the coming years.” “Park Air Systems has an excellent reputation for delivering high quality air traffic control solutions to all regions of the world.
We are confident that Park Air will deliver us a world-class system suitable for this world-class airport,” said Khalifa Al Zaffin, director of engineering and projects for Dubai Department of Civil Aviation. The air traffic control systems will facilitate the landing and tracking of aircraft at the airport while ensuring reliable communications. The Dubai World Central Airport is currently under construction at Jebel Ali and when completed will handle 120 million passengers annually using 6 parallel runways. Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems will deliver its NOVA 9000 advanced surface movement guidance and control system to manage the tracking of aircraft and vehicles on the ground using surveillance systems based on radar and multi-lateration. The system will assist the efficient management of air traffic particularly in periods of high volume and during adverse weather conditions. The air traffic system will also include the NORMARC 7000B instrument landing system (ILS) and two complete Cat III-b ILS systems, one for each end of the first operational runway at the airport. The Normarc 7000B is the world‘s leading ILS system, using state-of-the-art technology to ensure safe and precise landings, even under the most difficult visibility conditions. Ground-to-air voice communications will be provided through an integrated digital end-to-end communication system combining the PAE T6 multimode digital radio and the GAREX 220 voice communication control system enabling control and monitoring of key radio functions directly from the air traffic control operator position. Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems is also creating a Dubai service center, with its UAE partner company Data Processing Systems, to support the numerous systems it has deployed throughout the Middle East region. The service center will have a stock of spare parts for all Park Air Systems
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SPOTLIGHT products and trained personnel to give fast high quality assistance to customers.
Air Traffic Control Communications Systems Upgrade for India Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has been awarded a multi- million dollar contract from Airports Authority of India to provide a range of ground-to-air communication equipment as part of their VHF upgrade programme. “Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has a proven history of providing advanced communication equipment globally and we are looking forward to working with them to provide the upgrade of airport VHF radio systems throughout India with the same high quality service and equipment expected,” said a spokesperson for Airports Authority of India. “We will be replacing and upgrading all Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems VHF equipment currently in use at airports across India, including ground-to-air radios and VDL-2 data link software, ensuring that the latest communication equipment is in place functioning at maximum capability,” said Charles Houseago, chairman of Northrop Grumman’s Park Air Systems. Under the contract, Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems will be providing PAE T6 Multimode Digital Radio (MDR) transmitters and receivers with antennas together with training and spares. The PAE T6 MDR is a versatile range of software programmable radios satisfying the requirement for both analogue and digital communications within the airspace environment.
Launch of NORMARC 6512 DVOR
player in the global market for navigational aids,” said Cato Engebretsen, navigation director Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems. “2008 also marks NORMARC’s 90th year, which is a great achievement and one we are proud to celebrate with the introduction of the NORMARC 6512 DVOR.” Ensuiring the equipment is accurate and user-friendly, the NORMARC 6512 DOVR features a colour touch panel for local control and extensive built-in test equiment technology for fault isolation. The equipment also utlises the latest digital design for increased stability and accuracy of operations and performs to the highest standards under automatic continuous monitor integrity testing. The NORMARC 6512 DVOR can be provided as a standalone product or as a turnkey system encompassing civil works, installation services, commissioning, training programmes and after-sales support.
Air Traffic Control Industry Award for Satellite-Based Landing System Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has received an air space management industry award in the eighth annual Jane’s ATC Global Awards 2008, announced at the ATC Global exhibition and conference in Amsterdam. The Industry category, for the most significant contribution by an equipment supplier, was awarded to Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems in recognition of its achievement in completing the world’s first GPS ground-based augmentation landing system for commercial operations at Brønnøysund Airport in Norway.
“This award recognizes how this important technology development will help improve safety, particularly at the smaller regional airports in Norway,” said Cato Engebretsen, director of navigation systems at Park Air Systems in Norway. “The SCAT1 project replaces demanding step-down approaches with safer instrument landing precision approaches.” Six ATC Global awards are presented each year to highlight contributions made toward safer skies, capacity enhancements and increases in efficiency within the airspace management industry. The winners are selected by a panel of senior representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, Eurocontrol, IATA, CANSO and Jane‘s Information Group. Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems developed and installed the ground-based elements of the global navigation satellite system for precision approach and landing. The inaugural flight using the new landing system was an Avinor charter service from Trondheim to Brønnøysund in a Widerøe Dash 8 aircraft, which took place in October 2007. Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems provided the ground station system under contract awarded by Norwegian air navigation service provider, Avinor. The NORMARC 8005 SCAT-1 ground station receives and validates GPS signals and then transmits the calculated signal corrections and flight path data via a VHF data link. SCAT-1 avionics use the received signal to improve position accuracy and sig-
^ NORMARC 6512 DVOR
Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has launched the NORMARC 6512 Doppler VHF omni-directional rangefinder (DVOR) into its air traffic control ground-to-air navigation product portfolio. Designed with ultimate flight safety at the forefront, the newly developed NORMARC 6512 DVOR ground station has been produced in close cooperation with Toshiba. This collaboration is based on Toshiba’s 50 years experience in DVOR manufacturing and Northrop Grumman Park Air’s corresponding experience as an international provider of navigational aids. “The introduction of the NORMARC 6512 DVOR into our product range will further strengthen our reputation as a leading
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SPOTLIGHT Park Air Systems for fully supporting me by providing the insight into her company’s activities. ^
“It is only a matter of time before a collision occurs there”.
Finally, if any CM would like their company to be featured in `Spotlight´, and likewise to any reader, who would like further information on any topic that was covered, please do not hesitate to contact me using the following address:
nal integrity along a defined flight path. One ground station can serve several approaches for both ends of the runway, creating a cost-effective solution. The ground station at Brønnøysund Airport, located 500 miles north of Oslo on the Helgeland coast, was operationally certified in April 2007. Brønnøysund is the first airport in the world to use satellite-based landing guidance for passenger flights. This concludes `Spotlight´ for our June issue. I would like especially thank Gemma Clements who is a Marketing Executive based in the UK with Northrop Grumman
Australia Wild West Show Philippe ^ by Domogala Hollywood’s “Wild West“ is moving to ATC in Western Australia. Due to the dramatic increase in price for various metals (Iron, Nickel, Uranium and of course Gold), some mines, which were previously abandoned, have now being re-opened. The local infrastructure is gone, but that does not deter the mining companies. Everything, from
^ Cato Engebretsen, director ofnavigation systems Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems in Norway, receives the ATC Global 2008 award for industry from Sean Howe, group publishing director for Jane’s Information Group.
Kevin Salter IFATCA Contributing Editor Corporate Affairs Flugsicherungsakademie Am DFS-Campus 4 D-63225 Langen Tel: + 49 (0)6103 707 5202 Fax: + 49 (0)6103 707 5177 E-Mail: kevin-john.salter@dfs.de
supplies to workers, is being moved to the middle of the desert by aircraft. The problem is that there is no ATC in this area – no en route, no approach, not even towers at the airports or airstrips used. It is so called TIBA country (Traffic Information Broadcast by Aircraft), where aircraft try to separate themselves on a given frequency. This is even more hazardous as the CAA does not regulate the mines’ airstrips. The landing strips are also being changed as mines close at one place and others open somewhere else.
with aircraft types ranging from Piper Navajos to Boeing 717s. Traffic is IFR, but self-separation is the norm, even in IMC conditions! “It is up to the pilots to decide to fly there, there is no surveillance and it is all class G airspace“, says a Perth controller. “We don’t provide any ATC service there, not even SAR (Search and Rescue). What is even more worrying is that a new mine from the Fortescue group plans to use B767 from India to ferry every day cheap labor from India directly to the mines!”
Most of these strips are in the middle of nowhere and all flights depart from Perth to the mines at a given time and come back together. This causes problems to Perth airport, – sequencing a bunch of Navajos between B777s is not an easy task. Traffic is booming and 60 to 70 aircraft are departing every morning between 06:00 and 08:00
“It is only a matter of time before a collision occurs there”, warns a senior controller from Australia. “With the current traffic to Meekatharra and Laverton it becomes obvious that those airstrips are totally unsuitable. There’s no infrastructure.” “It is an accident waiting to happen”, says another controller. ^
4 Gold mine in Australia. Photos credit: dreamstime/ gilespaire
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4 Australia
Tasmania and Multilateration: Info gathered from Bruce Robinson, SENSIS
^ by Philippe Domogala, Editor. What exactly is Mulilateration? Multilateration is a fancy name for an old idea: direction finding, or radio-goniometry or triangulation etc. The system detects the position of an aircraft using a set of fixed ground stations and calculates position by measuring the differences in time for transponder signals to arrive at the stations. The system works well and is already installed in many airports and in TMA airspace around the world. SENSIS, a US company based in Syracuse New York, has developed a wide area Multilateration system for en route ATC and is currently installing this in Tasmania, Australia.
Tasmanian Area The Tasmanian system is unique because when operational, it will be the first (but definitively not the last ) en route wide area multilateration system, replacing totally the need for Surveillance radars. The main advantages of the system over conventional radar are: good coverage at low levels over a large complex shaped area, minimum reflection, no multi radar tracking effects, and the use of existing avionics (basic SSR transponders). It is also very easy to install as its antennas are single fixed reception antennas, 2,5m high that can be placed almost anywhere, using very low energy source. The antennas are all solid state, nothing is moving and maintenance costs of the whole system are very low. Multilateration also allows you to inexpensively extend coverage to areas blinded to conventional radars (e.g. in valleys in mountainous terrain, etc.) And the cost of purchase and maintenance are typically about 20% of that of a MSSR radar
4 Tasmania typical landscape. Photos credit: Tourism Tasmania/ Jerry Galea.
system for TMA sized volumes of coverage or complex areas where radar is blocked by terrain.
The Coverage Coverage accuracies are determined by the geometry of the ground station positions and by the distances unless the ground stations are very widely spaced. Where greater aircraft separation distances are tolerated such as in en-route airspace, a typical accuracy standard is 150m with a 2 to 4 second update rate. In terminal areas, the system can have 50m accuracy with 1-2 second update rate. For PRM applications it is typically 20m accuracy with updates every 1 second or less. In areas where there is no other radar to stimulate the aircraft transponder, the system will include SSR interrogators to induce the necessary aircraft transmissions. For Tasmania, the area to be covered is 150x90 NM from ground at the airports up to FL180 and will include Launceston and Hobart TMAs. To cover this, they have used 14 antennas. Not all of Tasmania airspace needs to be covered, only the parts where commercial traffic is operated. The data will be transmitted to Melbourne Center that will provide full ATC service using 5 NM separations, as the new ICAO provision now allows. (See Note)
Other Areas The system is now being installed and is expected to go in operation during 2008. This will be the first Area control using multilateration in the world, but not the first airspace. In fact Innsbruck, Austria, has
4 A typical Multilateration antenna. Photos credit: Sensis been using a Sensis multilateration system in their TMA for 4 years, and provides 5 NM separation like radar. Additionally, Sensis is installing multilateration for TMA and PRM surveillance for Sydney and Detroit Wayne airports.
The Future This is really a new technology that most probably will replace MSSR radar in the coming years in many parts of the world, as it is a far more cost effective option for surveillance. Time and experience in Tasmania will tell us if there are any serious problems or drawback to the technology, but so far none has been identified. ^
This will be the first Area control using multilateration in the world.
Note: ICAO in its new PANS ATM (replacing the old Doc4444) the word “radar” is replaced by “ATS surveillance system“ in its procedures. An ATS surveillance system can be Radar,(Primary, SSR or MSSR), ADS-B, Multilateration, etc., and can be used for ATS provided the system performance is equal to or better than that of an MSSR. The Sensis Multilateration system meets this requirement.
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4 Americas News
Photos credit: dreamstime
What is really going on in Brazil? ^ An Update by Christoph Gilgen
The IFATCA Annual Conference in Arusha provided an opportunity for an update from our Brazilian colleagues on their situation. Overall, the en-route traffic in the 4 ACCs and the Oceanic Centre) are still controlled by the military. A colourful mix of civilian and military controllers handles traffic around the national airports. Needless to say, their working conditions (i.e. salary) are as diverse. Generally speaking the civilian controllers employed by INFRAERO, the civilian national State agency handling big airports, are having the best conditions. But they are still very far away from Northern American – or European ATCemployment standards.
were transferred to the civilian ATC-system of Brazil, partially to substitute those which were removed from duty. National licensing rules were changed over-night by decree, using “convincing” arguments such as “to control fast moving and nervous military jets is much more difficult than handling slow and well predictable civilian jets. Faced with an avalanche of incident reports, reaction was swift and decisive: only high officials are allowed to fill in incident reports. Problem solved. All in all, 93 Brazilian controllers are facing military court martials. The “negative elements”, including association leaders were removed from their actual ATC-jobs and put to support tasks and administrative jobs. Others, with less than 10 service years have been or soon will be discharged from the Air Force, often only for filing a complaint about something.
Training As they are military, protests in every form is prohibited at the Area Control Centres. Simply suggesting restrictions, e.g. for safety reasons, has led to disciplinary action. An action on March 30, 2007, which brought the whole system to a complete stand-still for one night, is officially labelled as a “mutiny”. Mid 2007, Brazilian President Lula da Silva authorised the Chief the Brazilian Air Force (Cmdr Saito) to “cleanup the Brazilian ATC-mess”.
It´s a kind of magic! By mid 2007, many military trained air defence controllers
Despite officially complying with ICAO Licensing standards Standards (Annex 1 of ICAO), IATA, IFALPA and IFATCA (including all Brazilian Air Traffic Controllers’ associations) all agree that the standard of training given to controllers in Brazil is not up to what is required by ICAO (e.g. English language and phraseology, or the knowledge of ICAO SARPS and internationally applicable rules). This should come as a surprise, since ab-initio training lasts a maximum of two years. More than half of this is spent by military training (parading, shooting or standing guard). In the current system, it is “normal” to qualify as a controller assistant, working without supervision on a control position, after only 80 hours of On-the-Job-Training. In some cases, this even includes single-man-sectors, e.g. when there are 6 aircraft or less in the control
sector. This is exactly the mid-air scenario of September 29, 2006. Moreover, when there are more than 6 aircraft flying in a sector, an assistant, having gone through a whole 80 hours of OJT, is allowed to assist the controller as second man on the sector.
Mid-Air Follow-up The young controller involved in the mid-air collision (see previous issues) is facing two different legal actions: a military court in Brasilia accuses him of breaking laws, ATCregulations and written procedures. The civilian “Justiça Federal” on the other hand filed “intentional manslaughter” charges. The prosecutor believes that the controller “was fully aware” of the fact that the transponder was off and had observed that the Legacy-jet was flying at the wrong altitude. The young sergeant (according to the indictment) simply didn’t do anything to change this and even gave a wrong hand-over. He would face up to 36 years of imprisonment, if convicted! Other colleagues are charged with unintentional manslaughter.
The Association While helping to defend their 4 colleagues in this case, the Brazilian ATC-associations have two more problems: trying to demilitarise the ATC-system and paying the ever increasing legal fees. They are facing a strong military establishment using every means available to them to walk away unscathed from this very unfortunate mid-air collision. Will the official accident report (due to be published by end 2008) and the Brazilian Justice hearings reveal these facts and give them the well-deserved attention? ^
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4 Americas News
Albert Aidoo Taylor Scholarship
Jean Lubbe, the academy executive manager, explained that the scholarship was established in honor of Mr Taylor because of his passion about South Africa and belief that ATNS is one of the few organizations capable of adequately promoting and defending the African aviation Industry on the global arena, The fund and the scholarship will be managed by the academy and is aimed, among other things, toward making African expertise, institutions, products and services more accessible to Africans. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a country or an organization with a specific training need as identified by a panel chaired by ATNS. The first 2008 scholarship was awarded to Nigeria, in the form of a course for instructors aiming at meeting English ICAO level 4. As part of the launch of the scholarship, a
4 Albert
Photos: DP
Albert Taylor, the former IFATCA EVP Africa and Middle East, has left a profound mark in Africa thanks of his kindness, patience and wisdom. For a couple of years he left his native Ghana to work as section head in the South Africa ATNS training academy. During the annual conference in Tanzania, we learned that the executive manager of the South Africa Aviation Training Academy, was coming in person to present a special award to Albert: a scholarship bearing his name.
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4 Albert
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further 3 courses were offered by ATNS and were attributed by means of a raffle during the IFATCA AFM Regional meeting held in parallel to the conference. The recipients were Jordan (an instructor OJT course) and Algeria and Uganda, each with an ATS OPS managers course. ^
Japan Runway Incursion On January 8, 2008 according to media reports, a JAL Boeing747 started its take off roll at the New Chitose airport in Japan, without a take-off clearance. A TWR controller stopped the 747 when he noticed the roll on his surface movement radar (ASDR), as the RVR was 500m in snow at the time.
Photos credit: Boeing corporation
Later investigation showed that after the preceding landing aircraft, the TWR controller gave the instruction to the 747 to: “Line up and
wait” followed by the words “expect immediate take off“ The pilot simply replied “Roger” but unknown to the controller started the take off roll. Investigation is still under way and it is still unclear if someone will be prosecuted and brought to court as a result of this incident. ^
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4 European News
Informal European Regional Meeting in Arusha A region under pressure – time & manpower
^
4 The newsletter “European news“.
by Patrik Peters
European Regional Meeting 2008 Worries about a venue for the European Regional Meeting 2008 could be calmed down by the Portuguese association, who has started preparations for this event in Lisbon, October 24th – 26th. The difficulty of finding a host association for regional meetings was one of the topics discussed at Executive Board level as we see a similar trend also in other regions. It has to be understood that it on us to lower our standards and expectations in order to have such meetings. Rooms that accommodate 150 people must be found; hotels on different budgets and secretarial facilities should be made available. Although coffee and lunch breaks are requirements, free meals are not a necessity.
Volunteers are needed.
Photos credit: PP
Questionnaires To allow for a higher response rate and to minimize duplication of efforts, questionnaires shall be coordinated through EVP EUR and carry a deadline to avoid late replies. Many times the requested information can be found in the Information Handbook (IHB), hence our plea to frequently update the handbook.
Controller day taskforce During the Regional Meeting in Prague a task force had been established, to look into the possibilities of promoting our profession on that specific date – the 20th of October. Taskforce members from Croatia, Austria and Poland presented their work, offering different levels of involvement, ranking from the distribution of leaflets at airports to the production of TV or radio spots. The meeting agreed to make use of the working paper at global IFATCA level.
Organization of the region Many developments, driven by the need to increase capacity and to enhance the ATM system, originate in the European region and progress quickly. SESAR, related projects and bodies require and welcome the input of the Federation and we can foresee that our success could possibly overtake us if we are
Transport to and from the airport should also be provided. Anything above these requirements can possibly be financed through sponsorship and is not compulsory. Keeping this in mind – our Lisbon Meeting will be more “back to the roots”, but certainly as successful as previous meetings. Greece and Slovenia announced their wish to host future Regional meetings.
unprepared for the future. With this in mind, we need to re-organize and adjust our workforce in the region. EVP EUR presented the EB vision of how to manage our work more efficiently and distribute tasks more evenly amongst a bigger group of representatives. One team for example can correspond mainly by email and provide information, exchange ideas and could be asked to occasionally attend workshops for the Federation. Other group members are required for the work with EASA, SESAR and to upgrade the Eurocontrol representation team. Volunteers are needed to assist the Liaison Officer European Union, EVP EUR/Liaison Officer Eurocontrol and President IFATCA. The success of the Federation depends on the input and participation of all Associations.
Problems Member associations informed the meeting about a number of shortcomings in their respective countries. Controllers for example have been indicted in conjunction with runway incursions and Associations report being unable to react to these allegations; service providers seek to merge with airport authorities bearing the problem of loosing financial independency. Other ANSPs show inclinations towards privatization – leaving colleagues in fear of their working conditions/status-quo and aggressive airline operators express inappropriate remarks towards controllers.
European Newsletter
4 Patrik chairing the Regional meeting. Photos credit: Jens Lehmann
Good discussions and interaction showed the will of the region to tackle the challenges of the future. Better communication and more feedback are required to gear up for the next years. A new European newsletter is one of the results of this years informal ERM. It will serve as information platform to regularly update about work done by EVP EUR and to seek more involvement from Associations. ^
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Book Review
“Just Culture”
Photos: Ashgate
^ by Sidney Dekker The latest book by Sidney Dekker, an authority in Human Factors, is out. However this book is different from his previous editions – it starts, reads, and ends like a novel, always coming back to real-life anecdotes to prove his point. Questions such as “when does an error become a crime?”, “who is responsible in the end?“, and “are judicial proceedings bad for safety?“ are all addressed in this book. If many of his examples and anecdotes come from outside aviation, the lessons are all similar. Whether it is Mara, the Swedish nurse who reported her errors and ended up accused of homicide (and was later found guilty by a supreme court), or Christopher, the UK
policeman who ended up prosecuted for murder, the points are the same. As a controller you really understand the situations they were in, and the “mistake” they made. This book is fascinating because it is simply written and makes you understand the world of the judiciary, and why „an honest mistake“ can become a crime. A must-read for every regulator and Ops Manager if we want to retain our present incident reporting systems as a major contributor to safety. “Just Culture” by Sidney Dekker, Ashgate, January 2008, 166 pages, paperback. ISBN: 978-0-7546-7267-8. List price: £20 stg.
“European Air Traffic Management” ^ by Andrew Cook This is a reference book to help both researchers and managers to understand what is being done in Europe in ATM. The book is divided into 8 parts, each written by an expert in his field. IFATCA’s President, Marc Baumgartner, wrote the first part on the Organisation and Operation of the European Airspace. Marc explains the “art” of ATC, while others like Ben Van Houtte from the European Commission explain the visions behind the Single European Sky concept. This book is a single source of reference, explaining the complex relationship between capacity constraints, environmental impacts, airline’s expectations, and their relationship to society and to public expectations. If you want
to understand that complexity and want it all in a single book, this one is written for you. “European Air Traffic Management” by Andrew Cook, Ashgate, December 2007, 278 pages, hardcover. ISBN: 978-0-7546-7295-1. List price: £55 stg.
Both books are available thru the publisher’s web site: www.ashgate.com They offer a 25% discount on “European Air Traffic Management”, and a 20% discount on copies of “Just Culture”. Both discounts will apply on orders from members of IFATCA which are placed before 31 August 2008. You should use the code ‘IFATCA‘ when making an order. For more details contact directly the publisher at: info@ashgatepublishing.com
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4 Russia ATC
ATC In Russia: How does it work today? ^ by Philippe Domogala, Editor History In 2002 Russia set up a State corporation called Federal Unitary Enterprise “State ATM Corporation” aimed at taking over and rationalizing all ATM activities in the country. It was later named a Federal State Unitary Enterprise “State ATM Corporation”. In 2005 the Moscow Air Traffic Flow Management Center, the Moscow Air Traffic Control Center and the Tatarstan Air Navigation joined this State Corporation. The Bashkortostan and Chukotka branches were discon-
Controllers cannot afford to retire, as the pension money is very low, about 250 USD per month.
tinued and became the Central Volga Air Navigation and North East Air Navigation branches, which joined the state corporation. In 2006, the activity of Primor and Arkhangelsk branches were also discontinued to become the Far-East Air Navigation and North West Air Navigation branches that joined the corporation. In 2007 the activity of the Central Region branch was terminated and joined the Moscow Air Traffic Control Center.
Lack of Capacity Talking to the controllers of the Russian Federation present in Arusha, their main problems today are the following: Most of the traffic is concentrated along specific routes and very specific small areas, like around Moscow. Lack of capacity in those areas is the biggest challenge. There is no RVSM application in Russia (with the exception of the small Kaliningrad FIR in the Baltic) and they still use the metric FL system.
The Situation Today
Working Conditions
There are 5700 Controllers today in Russia working in 97 different units. There is only one main ATC centre (Moscow ACC), 89 mostly procedural regional area centers and 7 other units, such as the Flow management centers. There are 9 different automated ATS systems but only two are really up to date. The controlled area covered is 26 million square kilometers and is fed by 435 radars. Russia has about 1 million flights per year.
The large centers do not suffer from staff shortage, but this looks different in the smaller facilities. They still have regulations that do not permit controllers to work any overtime. Schedules are fixed and law rules everything. The average age of the controllers on duty today increased in the last two years from 47 to around 50. The retirement age was brought up from 50 years to 55 in 2002 to avoid loosing to many controllers at the same time. Also economical reasons have an impact. Controllers cannot afford to retire, as the pension money is very low, about 250 USD per month.The situation is unlikely to be resolved, as a raise of pension to an ac-
ceptable level would allow older controllers to leave the service immediately. This would leave the system dangerously understaffed.
Salaries The salaries structure is different between controllers employed in Moscow to those working elsewhere in the country. This is not exceptional only to ATC, some say that there are two States in Russia: Moscow and the rest of Russia. A young controller receives around 500 USD per month. The salary will rise to ca. 1500 per month when fully qualified. Working in Moscow, it would be twice as high. Salary increase is based on seniority only. “Our union is pretty powerful now, but according to the aviation code, strikes are prohibited. This contradicts our Russian Constitution. Controllers are still very united in the country and are looking forward to better times”, a colleague concludes.
English Proficiency Russia, like many other countries, did not meet ICAO requirements of English proficiency level 4, but the situation varies between different units. ^
4 Moscow ATC Photos credit: fatcurus
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4 Asia
Modern Airliner Flight Simulator Training for Controllers ^ by Phil Parker I’ve been in ATC for 40 years and at the moment, I’m the chief instructor for all Tower and Human Factors courses in Hong Kong. I have always felt that for controllers to do their job well, they must have an understanding of aircraft performance and of how pilots do their job. It’s the other side of the same coin. In this regard, through contacts at Cathay Pacific, I have been arranging aircraft simulator time for controller courses, since 1992. It usually consisted of 2 hours in the simulator. In the early days it was the B747 Classic and L1011 Tristar. Later it was in the B747-400 and then 10 years ago, the B777. The B777 was ideal as the Cathay fleet was small and the availability of the B777 simulator was almost guaranteed. In 2005 however, Cathay placed an order for B777-300ERs which would eventually total more than 20. Almost immediately, the writing was on the wall that the B777 simulator would be unavailable for ATC visits. The A330/340 simulators had never been available due to their high usage. I was now left with no way of arranging simulator time for controllers. Through a casual conversation with a pilot friend, Captain John Bent, Manager of the Dragonair Flight Training Centre, I was put on the road to what is probably the most unique controller flight simulator programme in the world. John was formally head of training for Cathay Pacific. He then became manager of GCAT Flight training, which is an independent flight training centre sharing the Cathay flight simulator building. GCAT are equipped with A330, A320 and B737NG simulators. I first I made enquiries about the availability of Dragonair simulation time and John came up with a possibility of using their A320 simulator at an acceptable rate. He then suggested that we make enquiries with GCAT as their B737NG was under utilized. With the positive support from our Management, we arranged a meeting with the Manager of GCAT. In the meantime, we also
arranged a meeting with Cathay Pacific on the availability of generic computer based training (CBT), on aircraft systems and flight management systems (FMS) for the controllers before they attended the actual flight simulator sessions. I didn’t want controllers just to have a good time in the simulator. I wanted them to know what was going on in the aircraft to get the maximum out of their time ‘flying’ the simulator. Cathay again were very supportive. At our initial meeting with GCAT, they came forward with the suggestion that they could provide a complete package involving the use of the A330 simulator. They felt that this better represented a modern aircraft flying into and out of Hong Kong as 70% of aircraft operations in Hong Kong are wide-bodies. GCAT were extremely keen to help and considered it a big plus to better understanding between pilots and controllers, improved safety and better handling by controllers of modern aircraft capabilities and limitations.
first group went through this course late last year and it is now firmly part of ATCO training here in Hong Kong. In addition, all Student ATCOs get 20 hours flying training in Australia before they commence their controller training. The initial courses have been extremely positive, with all those attending up to now, coming back to the job with a much better understanding of what is happening on the flight deck when they give ATC instructions. Another spin-off according to those who have attended the courses, is the close contact with pilots doing their courses at GCAT. Is it expensive? Yes, however it is felt that the benefits gained are well worth it. It is also a carrot at the recruiting stage, where competition for the right sort of people in ATC is up against other more lucrative occupations. Note: (Earlier this year GCAT Flight Academy changed it‘s registered name to Oxford Aviation Academy Ltd.) ^
This has resulted in a programme for all controllers when they finish their respective courses before they commence OJT. The package lasts 3 days and is built around 5 controllers at a time, as this is our usual course size here. It includes all CBT training on aircraft systems, FMS and Emergencies training. The 5 controllers share 10 hours in the A330 simulator. The
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4 ATC Global
ATC Global 2008 The world’s premier ATC equipment and services exhibition
A wider set of subjects were discussed including how to mitigate the impact of aviation on the environment. After a decade or more, in Maastricht (NL), the annual ATC Conference and Exhibition ATC Global was held in the RAI Congress Centre in Amsterdam for the first time this year. It welcomed over 4800 attendees and visitors from 95 different countries. More accessible than Maastricht, it is just about possible for a dedicated visitor get around the trade exhibition in a single day. As it is also somewhat of a social event, several groups of controllers from several European countries were visiting the exhibition on the same day as I was. Consensus was that the best hospitality (read best coffee and chocolate) were probably on the Frequentis and Mosaic stands. As ATM industry is evolving into a competitive and therefore difficult business environment. Some more traditional or mainstream suppliers are sticking with what they know and succeed at. Other companies are tending to specialise in their core areas of expertise and are seeking to produce a less diverse range of products. However a very distinct trend at ATC Global was in companies, including ANSPs, which were diversifying. Examples are like Frequentis, who are moving into new areas including electronic strips and speech recognition and Copperchase, who are keen to emphasis that their range of products had moved far beyond their traditional messaging systems. The UK ANSP NATS showed a new on-line ATM Collaborative Decision Making tool.
Northrop Grumman’s Park Air group, traditionally known for their communications systems, showed both navigation aids and their new ATC displays.
The Conference Theme for the first day was Performance based ATM systems with several presentations and panels devoted to the subject. On the second day a wider set of subjects were discussed including how to mitigate the impact of aviation on the environment, the commonalties and differences between SESAR and NEXTGEN, global surveillance, communications & navigation and how to achieve the optimum use of airspace – maximising airspace capacity. Six ATC Global awards are presented each year to highlight contributions made toward safer skies, capacity enhancements and increases in efficiency within the airspace management industry. The winners are selected by a panel of senior representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, Eurocontrol, IATA, CANSO and Jane’s Information Group.
The free Seminars and Workshops A welcome development at ATC Global is the introduction of free seminars and workshops in addition to the main Conference presentations. The first of the two seminars was entitled “the SES, SESAR & the changing world of STANDARDS“ Organised by Helios in collaboration with EUROCAE and the European Commission. Aimed at engineers & technical managers the seminar was intended to help them understand the new standardisation processes. It focussed on the development of Implementing Rules and Community Specification processes, who‘s doing what, and finally the expectations from SESAR and the implementation of Performance Based ATM. The second seminar was „Towards the netcentric aeronautical information environment achieving AIM“ in association with EUROCONTROL. The aim of this workshop was to provide
a holistic overview of the evolution towards the Concept of Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) and the availability of data in digital, selectable and exchangeable format suitable for use in airborne and ground applications. Much shorter and less formal were the 36 workshops, not all of which were aimed at controllers. Some of those that were included cost effective A-SMGCS for Regional Airports, the ATC Workforce Planning Challenge, The design of an Air Traffic Management System developed in accordance with the SESAR Definition Phase proposals, Prototyping conflict detection for ATC systems: a survival guide and the Implementation of ATC Surveillance Technologies.
CANSO At a crucial Extraordinary General Meeting in Amsterdam prior to ATC Global, the CANSO membership endorsed the plans to give CANSO greater resources to tackle the most vital issues facing ATM today. They also agreed to focus on three main issues, which will consume the bulk of the organisation’s resources. The creation of safety metrics, an increased emphasis on environmental solutions and a focus on the transformation of the ATM business. CANSO also launched a new quarterly journal called “Airspace” at ATC Global. It’ll be used to promote CANSO opinions and policies. ^ IFATCA CORPORATE MEMBERS AT ATC GLOBAL included BAE Systems www.cwmbrancollege.com Barco www.barco.com Frequentis www.frequentis.com IATA www.iata.org Indra www.indra.es Linfair Engineering www.linfair.net Micro Nav www.micronav.co.uk Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems www.parkairsystems.com Quintiq www.quintiq.com Raytheon www.raytheon.co.uk Schmid Telecom www.schmid-telecom.ch Sensis www.sensis.com Skysoft ATM www.skysoft-atm.com
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Photos: John Levesley
^ by John Levesley
4 Australia In Memoriam Patrick O’Doherty 29 October 1942 – 27 March 2008
Pat served on the IFATCA executive board from 1979 to 1990, first as Executive Vice President Administration and then as Executive Secretary from 1983. Pat, previously president of the Irish ATC Association, also spent several conferences chairing Committee C. When Pat stepped down from the board in Acapulco the new structure that came into being was as much his doing as anyone else’s. Pat is credited with modernising and professionalising IFATCA by introducing computers and fax machines; starting IFATCA printing our own stationery and instituting the idea of a standard format for working papers to conference. It was Pat who produced “Why IFATCA” and “How IFATCA Works” to communicate to our members the benefits of IFATCA memberships, publications and ideas that are still in use in one form or the other. The 1991 conference recognised Pat’s contribution with the award of the IFATCA Scroll of Honour. Those who served with Pat, even briefly, remember him as a fantastic organizer and a meticulous operator; high minded, ethical and a very hard worker who was, above all, full of cheer and Irish humour. As we move toward the fiftieth anniversary of this great Federation we become ever more conscious that what IFATCA is and the way IFATCA works today is largely due to visionaries like Pat O’Doherty.
Photos credit: IANS
Patrick O’Doherty, passed away peacefully on 27 March 2008. On behalf of IFATCA we extend sincere condolences to his family and loved ones with our thanks for Pat’s considerable contributions that make our federation the institution it is today.
Executive Board IFATCA
The Ericophone At the large General Aviation airport of Archerfield near Brisbane they still use a tool from the 1960’s: the Ericophone. The telephone, designed by Ericsson in Sweden, as a “top design” model for the wealthy fashion-conscious general public, found its way into ATC as microphone/ telephone. Its particularity is that its base hides
a rotary phone dial with the hook up button at the centre of this dial (the red button in the middle). When you lift the phone from the desk, you open the line and once you put it back on the desk, you disconnect. The design failed for the general public, because if you just want to hold a call or put it down to take note of something,
most of the time you end the call! But for ATC in the TWR it got a second life as it could be used as a standing mike and had the possibility to be used as phone. It is amazing though that the design was never changed. The phone is still successful despite all the new technology, Ericsson now produces. It is funny to see this antiquated piece of equipment amidst high-tech LCD screens displaying digitalized radar picture! ^
4 Rick Dunstan using THE
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the Ericophone at Archerfield . Photos credit: DP
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4 Philip Marien Feature
Days the Music died 4 Ford Trimotor, nicknamed The Tin Goose
^ by Philip Marien Continuing on the rather morbid theme of the last issue, this time we’ll look at famous musicians who’ve died in airplane crashes. Not surprisingly, most of them turn out to be American, apart from the last and the first one…
Tango Carlos Gardel, born in France in 1890, emigrated to Argentina at the age of two. In the 1920s, he began to specialize in tango singing, which made him extraordinary fame in Argentina and far beyond. He was killed on 24 June 1935, when two Ford Tri Motor airplanes collided in midair over Medellin, Columbia. His remains(!) then apparently went on to Colombia, New York and Rio de Janeiro before returning to Buenos Aires, where he is buried. Fans still regularly
He was killed on 24 June 1935, when two Ford Tri Motor airplanes collided in midair over Medellin, Columbia.
place a lit cigarette in the hand of the lifesized statue. Famous WWII big band leader Glenn Millers’ demise was part of an article in the previous issue of The Controller.
The Day the Music Died… … was February 3rd, 1959: a single engine Beechcraft Bonanza B35 (V-tail), registration N3794N crashed just outside Clear Lake, Iowa during a stormy winter night. Onboard were Buddy Holly (22), J.P. Richardson (28), better known as Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens (18). Holly was famous for many hits including “Peggy Sue” The Big Bopper had one big hit, “Chantilly Lace” and Valens was best known for his hits “Oh, Donna” and “La Bamba.”
adverse weather conditions. The plane flew into severe weather and crashed at 6:20 p.m., according to Patsy’s wristwatch, found in a forest just outside of Camden, Tennessee. Cline was famous for her country hit, “Crazy” and had only barely survived a car crash 2 years earlier.
Life’s a Beech II Rock ‘n’ roll singer Otis Redding (26), and four members of his band were killed when their Beechcraft H18 plane crashed in icy Lake Monoma, Wisconsin on December 10th, 1967. Two members of his band survived the crash. Redding had recorded the song “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” just three days previous. When it was released posthumously, it became his biggest hit.
Life’s a Beech III Their pilot was not rated for instrument flying and had not gotten accurate information about the weather on his route. Investigators concluded that the crash was due to a combination of poor weather conditions and pilot error. Don McClean’s song “Miss American Pie” refers to the accident as “The Day the Music Died”. Contrary to popular belief, “Miss American Pie” was not the name of the airplane, but the beauty-queen title of one of McClean’s former girlfriends.
Life‘s Railway to Heaven On March 5, 1963: singer Patsy Cline (30) was killed when a Piper PA-24 Comanche plane crashed near Camden, Tennessee, in
Shortly after taking off from Natchitoches, Louisiana airport on September 20th, 1973, Rock singer Jim Croce (30) died when a chartered Beechcraft E18S failed to gain enough altitude on takeoff and hit a tree. Investigators speculated that the pilot suffered a heart attack causing him to crash into the trees on a clear runway with excellent visibility. He had run a portion of the 3 miles between a hotel and the airport from a motel and had a known heart disease. Croce was famous for his rock hit, “Bad, Bad Leroy Brown”.
ShoddyAir Several band members, including lead singer and song writer Ronnie Van Zant, of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd were killed on October 20, 1977. According to the NTSB report, the
4 V-tail Beechcraft Bonanza B35.
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4 Philip Marien Feature
4 Bell BHT-206B
Earlier, their colleagues of Aerosmith had actually looked at buying this airplane but to them, both the aircraft and the crew “looked shoddy”. I guess they were right.
Beech Buzz March 19, 1982: guitar prodigy Randy Rhoads (25) died when the Beech Bonanza F35 he was aboard crashed. The pilot, apparently high on cocaine, attempted to ‘buzz’ Ozzy Osbourne’s tour bus. Rhoads played lead guitar in Osbourne’s band. On the third attempt, a wing clipped the bus and the aircraft crashed into a tree and then a house. The three people on board were killed.
Scheduled Flight The only artist we’ve been able to find to perish on a scheduled airline flight is the Canadian folk singer Stan Rogers. He was on board an Air Canada DC-9 on June 2 1983, when an in-flight fire forced it to make an emergency landing at the Cincinnati airport. The accident is featured in National Geographic’s’ Air Crash Investigation series (Fire Fight, Air Canada 797). Rumored, though not confirmed, Rogers survived and escaped the crash, only to succumb to the flames after returning to try and save those still trapped inside. His songs are still frequently covered by other musicians, and are perennial favorites at Canadian campfires
Travelin’ Man On December 31st, 1985, Rock & roll singer Ricky Nelson (45), five members of his band, and his fiancée, were killed when a fire broke out on board a DC-3. The pilot had earlier reported he had “a small problem” to ATC, but while attempting to land in a field the aircraft hit wires & a pole then continued into
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trees where it was extensively damaged by impact & fire. There had been a problem with a malfunctioning heater and the smoke forced them to attempt to land in a field. Nelson became famous as the singer of such hits as “Travelin’ Man” and “Garden Party.”
The Sky is Crying August 27, 1990: Blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan (35) was killed in a helicopter crash near East Troy, Wisconsin. Four helicopters were being used to night-transport members of Eric Clapton’s band back the Chicago. The one empty seat was offered to Vaughn, who had played on stage with Clapton moments earlier. The Bell BHT-206-B helicopter took of shortly after midnight in fog. After only about ½ mile, it crashed into a ski slope, about 50 ft below the summit of the hill. Vaughn won several Grammy awards for his blues albums in the 80’ies.
Leaving on a kit plane On October 12th, 1997, Singer John Denver (53) died when his experimental single-engine Rutan Long EZ plane crashed near Monterey, California. Denver could only be identified from his fingerprints. Investigation showed that Denver inadvertently pressed down on the plane’s right rudder pedal while trying to switch fuel tanks. The plane had been modified to place the fuel selector switch behind the pilot rather than between his legs. He was famous for songs such as “Leaving on a Jet Plane” and “Country Roads”.
Cocaine August 25, 2001: Singer, R&B vocalist and actress, Aaliyah (22), was killed in a plane crash when leaving the Bahamas following a video shoot. Her Cessna 402-B crashed during takeoff. Investigations revealed that the pilot had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his body, and, apparently, the airplane was overloaded. All nine people on board died.
Down Under Australian rock legend Graeme “Shirley” Strachan crashed his second solo helicopter flight in Queensland, Australia. He strayed off course and entered a mountain lee in stormy conditions. Powerful air currents at the base of the mountain threw his helicopter onto its back, and it crashed inverted into the forest. Strachan‘s neck was broken and he died instantly. His band the Skyhooks earned their place in Australian rock history, when 6 of the 10 tracks on their 1974 debut album “Living In The 70‘s” were banned from Australian commercial radio in 1974. Needless to say, it sold 4x platinum. ^
The pilot, apparently high on cocaine, attempted to ‘buzz’ Ozzy Osbourne’s tour bus.
Photos: Wikipedia
pilots miscalculated the amount of fuel two days earlier. When they refueled the Convair 240 in Greenville, South Carolina on the day of the accident, they believed they had more fuel than they actually did. When fuel ran out, they tried to make it to and airport near McComb, Mississippi but the plane stalled near Gillsburg, Mississippi and crashed in swampy woods. The band’s most famous song is probably “Sweet Home Alabama”.
4 Rutan Long-EZ, homebuilt aircraft.
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Charlie‘s Column
Charlies‘s Column Seperation Standards From the Nigerian Controllers Association (NATCA) magazine: A controller in Nigeria said that he was able to use his controller training also for his private life. He declared to the journal: “My training allowed me to have 3 girlfriends at the same time.“ He said: “My 3 girlfriends are named Ronke, Amina and Ngozi. I am able to handle the situation safely, without any conflict by applying proper separation standards. Firstly, all 3 live in 3 different neighborhoods. With this I achieve lateral separation standards. Secondly, Ronke is very tall, Amina is of average height, while Ngozi is short. So vertical separation is applied in case of a visual approach. Finally Ronke visits me on Sun-
Overheard on the Frequency:
day after church, Amina visits me on Friday after prayers and Ngozi can only come on Wednesdays, which is her day off from the market. By this method, longitudinal separation based on time is maintained. You can never have an airmiss if you strictly follow ICAO separation standards.
Delta Airlines approaching a large European airfield: Pilot using the deep low “captain“ voice on the R/T: “AAhh tau wer, de-tah too fa-wah, on a gly fau oh nah 09” (meaning TWR, DL214 on the glide for (runway) 09). After a short pause a very fresh thin female voice reply in perfect English: “Ah Roger I guess it is Delta 241 and in case it is, could you speak slower, closer to the microphone and in English?”
Terminal 5 in London Heathrow. You have all heard about the mess in London with the opening of the new Terminal 5. Hundreds of flights were cancelled, lots departed without luggage, thousands of arriving passengers waiting (mostly in vain) for their bags; After a week of this total chaos, British airways decided to take 19.000 bags and suitcases to Milan Airport in Italy (a well know place for efficiency). A few nice stories were reported on the internet: The one I prefer is that of the BWA flight with 5 hours delay due to baggage problems, which finally boarded with all its passengers and the corresponding luggage. Everyone was seated but had to wait another 3 hours inside the plane as the luggage was disembarked again. Apparently the computer software told the baggage people that the flight had
already taken off hours ago, and that this aircraft at the gate must be the return-leg one. ”So we offloaded the luggage again …” Everyone on board the aircraft just watched as all their suitcases were taken back into the terminal.“ We should not laugh too much. With all this new automatisation going on, who can say that our next brand new multi million dollars ATC system will behave without a glitch from day one? And I kept the best remark for last: British Airways, user of Terminal 5, and British Airport Authority (BAA), which runs the airport, blamed in the end most of the problem on staff shortage and inadequate training. Yes, sure, the problems are definitely with the people at the sharp end…
her nipple rings with a pair of supplied pliers. The story became public after she had consulted a lawyer. „I felt surprised, embarrassed, humiliated, scared and angry“, she is reported to have said. The TSA replied that agents were trained to search people with piercings in „sensitive areas“ with dignity and respect.
Nipple rings Los Angeles Airport last March: A woman, when passing through security, set off the alarms of the metal detectors. As she had a number of piercings on her body, she told a TSA officer that her nipple rings were possibly causing the problem. She was ordered by the security personnel to remove
The TSA said incidents of female terrorists hiding explosives in „sensitive areas“ were on the rise and provided a picture of a „bra bomb“ that was used in training the agents. Morality of the story: Do not pierce your sensitive areas if you want to fly.
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CONTROLLER
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