CAP493 MATS Pt1 Section 1 Chapter 5
Chapter 5 ATS Surveillance Systems 1 Services
1.1 Provision of Surveillance Services
1.1.1 Surveillance services comprise:
a) separation of arriving, departing and en route traffic;
b) vectoring;
c) position information to assist in the navigation of aircraft;
d) monitoring traffic to provide information to the procedural controller; e) assistance to aircraft crossing controlled airspace.
1.1.2 Before a controller provides any of the above services he shall either:
a) identify the aircraft, using a method appropriate to the surveillance system in use; or
b) have had the identity of the aircraft transferred from another controller.
The act of identifying an aircraft does not imply that a service is being given.
1.1.3 Surveillance systems may also be used to provide the following, whether or not the aircraft has been identified:
a) Information on the position of aircraft likely to constitute a hazard;
b) Avoiding action;
c) Information about observed weather for pilots and other controllers; and d) Assistance to aircraft in emergency.
1.1.4 Surveillance services shall be provided to the maximum extent practicable to cover the operational requirement subject only to workload, communications or equipment capability.
1.1.5 Regardless of the type of airspace, or the air traffic service being provided, nothing shall prevent a controller from taking action he considers appropriate if he believes a risk of collision exists.
1.2 Type of Surveillance Service
1.2.1 The airspace within which the aircraft is flying determines the type of surveillance
service available, as shown in the table below.
1.2.2 Pilots must be advised if a service commences, terminates or changes when:
a) outside controlled airspace;
b) entering controlled airspace;
c) leaving controlled airspace, unless pilots are provided with advance notice in accordance with paragraph 1.2.3 below.
Type of Airspace
Surveillance Service
Controlled Airspace:
Radar Control Service
Outside Controlled Airspace:
Deconfliction Service or Traffic Service
1.2.3
1.3 1.3.1
1.3.2 1.3.3
1.4 1.4.1
2
2.1
2.2
3
3.1
3.1.1 3.1.1.1
For flights leaving controlled airspace controllers should provide pilots with advance notice of:
a) the lateral or vertical point at which the aircraft will leave controlled airspace. Such notice should be provided between 5-10 nm or 3000-6000 ft prior to the boundary of controlled airspace;
b) the type of ATS that will subsequently be provided, unless the aircraft is coordinated and transferred to another ATS unit before crossing the boundary of controlled airspace.
Radar Control Service
A Radar Control Service may be provided to aircraft operating IFR, Special VFR or VFR. When providing the service controllers issue instructions to which:
a) pilots of aircraft operating IFR are required to comply; and
b) pilots of aircraft operating Special VFR or VFR will comply unless they advise the controller otherwise.
NOTE: The manner in which VFR flights under Radar Control Service may be safely integrated with the IFR traffic flow in the vicinity of aerodromes is described in Section 3.
Before an aircraft enters controlled airspace the controller must establish which flight rules the pilot will be operating under.
Before a Radar Control Service to IFR flights is terminated procedural separation must be applied, except at ACCs when an aircraft will be entering an adjacent sector and:
a) a radar handover has been given; or
b) the conditions of any standing agreement have been met.
A bit wordy. Remember however, we are applying other procedures at the same time that may come across as part of a RCS but in fact are either just a local procedure or the latest must do from the CAA.
If you have any queries have you thought about plugging in at a radar unit? It's a great eye opener for both parties