Hi chaps
Couple of questions on the Stage 1 prep document
1) What actually is NOTA? I tried googling this and there is no real answer, though i think it is essentially an area that all aircraft bound for the Atlantic track system must pass through to enter the track system on the correct path. Is this correct?
2) 'x' million movements a year. I see they have future proofed the document. I assume it is 2 million?
3) re: Mode S, what does the Track Data Block do? Is it a fancy way of saying that this is the config page, that allows them to target individual aircraft? As i understand it theres the vertical stack list and them another window that tells the controller everything about the aircraft. Correct?
4) not within the scope of the document but, why does the trajectory prediction part of IFACTS predict 14 minutes ahead. Why not 15, or 10? My original feeling was that maybe this represented a nice number of seconds but that isnt the case (840). Sure something divisible by 3 or 5 would be sensible, given approach seperations?
5) How are stacks set up around a VOR? Is the VOR positioned at one corner of the rectangular (?) traffic pattern? Is it on one leg of the traffic pattern (so a pilot can fly towards it on one radial and then past it for another 5 miles, then turn left and do a circuit? Or is the VOR in the middle of the rectangle? The latter seems unlikely to me as it means needless maths and checking of numbers to navigate round the stack.
Thats all for now. Ive reduced all the document into note form to make it a bit easier to learn, il attach the document to this forum after for anyone else to use!
If anyones at Swanwick tomorrow afternoon, see you there
Steve