An Air Traffic Control Service provides positive control of all
aircraft on the manoeuvring area and within the Aerodrome Traffic
Zone. All instructions given by a controller with the callsign "Tower" to
aircraft within that area are mandatory regardless of the class
of airspace it falls within. Normally airfields with an instrument
runway will have an ATC service for at least the busy part
of the day. All the larger airports in the UK that are within
Class D airspace have an ATC service 24 hours a day.
ATC Phraseology
The correct radio communication phraseology for airports with full ATC
may be found in the Club's
Air Traffic Control Manual and in the UK
Civil Aviation Authority's Radio Telephony Manual CAP 413. It
is important to use this phraseology for clarity and brevity
(and in the real aviation world - safety).
Air Traffic Control in the Club
Those members who are interested in providing an Air Traffic Service for Club activities and events have three choices.
Provide a service on VATSIM - Members holding VATSIM ATC
qualifications can do this, although they only be authorised
to control at some of the UK airports and aerodromes which
have full ATC in the Real World.
Provide a service on IVAO - Members holding IVAO ATC qualifications
can do this, and can control at more small airfields with lower
level qualifications than are allowed on VATSIM.
Most commonly used for Club events is control provided on
the Club's TeamSpeak server. This is the most flexible arrangement,
because members with limited or no VATSIM/IVAO qualifications
can provide an air traffic service. This is especially useful
for small aerodromes with AFIS or AGRO services in the Real
World, where VATSIM especially would not permit those not VATSIM-qualified
to do so, even though they would almost never be manned by
VATSIM members who primarily like controlling at large busy
airports. The downside is that only Club members will receive
this service and although "outsiders" may well fly into or
out of an airfield "Club-operated" in this way, they
will not receive a control service, nor interact with Club
members in the way that would happen on VATSIM or IVAO (and
Real World of course.)
Radio Telephony Training for Club Pilots
The Club has a number of Radio Telephony training schemes
for pilot members. Details of these schemes can be found
on the website under the ATC menu tab, by clicking the "Radio
Telephony for Pilots" option.
