RIS/FIS

[Cra5h]

Hello Again,

What are the main diferences between FIS/RIS? I know RIS just alerts a pilot of traffic in his area, its speed, height, direction (if able) but what exactly does FIS do?

Thanks a lot,

Me.

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Sorry If this seems a stupid question, I am only learning {VBG}

[Lew Ton]

It's not a stupid question, we all have to learn sometime. Some of us still are!

FIS - Flight Information Service, a non-radar service. Can mean many things but usually taking to be providing advice and information usueful to the safe conduct of the flight, e.g., weather info, but also proximity warnings. When you have info that two aircraft are in the same area you warn them of each other. Obviously this does not apply when you are suppose to separate them!

RIS - Radar Information Service. You identify the traffic and then pass him (or her!) radar derived traffic information on other traffic. It is then up to the pilot to initiate any avoiding action. (I won't get into the latest 'Duty of Care' debate! :) ) You could also provide FIS to acft under a RIS, i.e., you might have information on other traffic that you cannot see on radar.

RAS - Radar Advisory Service. You identify the traffic and then attempt to provide standard radar separation on unknowns that you can see. Not easy in my neck of the woods!

A very brief explanation :)

Good luck!

[Cra5h]

Right got that sorted, but who would offer a service like FIS? It would have to be a tower or something like that because if it was an APP the could give RIS. Or is it really just for people flying over say Mid Wales where it is more fixes than airports.
http://www.pprune.org/ubb/NonCGI/confused.gif
Thanks a lot again
Me :)

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Sorry If this seems a stupid question, I am only learning {VBG}

[Bright-Ling]

The answer is that it is just that - an Info Service. It is there to offer a guiding voice, someone to shout at when the engine fails etc! They might even get you some weather info/pass on (urgent) messages etc if not to busy.

Can be done by an Approach Radar Controller (just because they are using radar, and allocates a squawk, don't be lulled into the belief that you are getting a higher service), a tower controller, or a la London FIR controller who may well be an ATSA at LATCC.

Make sense?????!?!?!?

[This message has been edited by Bright-Ling (edited 13 August 2000).]

[Baby Blue]

The answer is it depends on what the pilot wants. You can have numerous aircraft on freq and a RIS may well be impracticable. Furthermore, a pilot receiving a RIS may well be innundated with a large amount of traffic info. On a gin-clear day he does not want to know about every aircraft within 5 nms.

A reasonable way to consider a FIS as a radar controller is that it is a selective RIS. ie, you only pass information of traffic that is going to get really close.

PS please do not ask for a definition of "really close"!!!!!

[PPRuNe Radar]

Cra5h,

The formal stuff is explained here:

http://www.ais.org.uk/Uk_aip/pdf/aic/4Y287.pdf

Enjoy !!

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PPRuNe Radar
ATC Forum Moderator
[email protected]

[Adamant]

This is a subject I'm very interested in as a PPL (ATPL wannabe) and a Radio Operator at an Air/Ground Station.

As a Radio Operator (way, way down the scale compared to AFISOs and ATCOs), I'm very surprised by the number of pilots who ask me for services that an Air/Ground Station just cannot provide. In fact, an Air/Ground Station is very limited in what it can provide and I do try to 'play by the book' and avoid giving the impression that I'm something I'm not. "Roger" is often the limit of what I can say.

But I'm frequently asked for a Flight Information Service, MATZ Penetration, crossing clearance, start-up, landing and take-off clearance, QDMs and so on. Many, but not all, of these requests come from student pilots used to full ATC and my experiences lead me to believe that more emphasis should be given to these matters during flying training.

Just recently, I had to make non-standard comments to a student pilot to clear him out of the chaos he was inadvertently causing (aircraft holding for him at various points, another going-around, etc.) I know that responsibility lies with the pilots in this type of situation and airspace, and that I could (perhaps should) keep out of it, but this chap had waited for clearance at every stage and would never have taken off if someone hadn't told him to. Confusion like this can be distressing for a student pilot and can compromise safety at an airfield.

On the opposite side of the coin, I'm sure there are many, if not more, instances of small-airfield-trained pilots flying into ATC territory without obtaining the necessary clearances.

I'm still making my own mistakes in the air and in the tower; the original posting by Cra5h just prompted me to comment on the benefits of understanding the nature and limits of the various services available and I'm pleased to see people like Cra5h asking questions.

[Concrete]

Controller workload is one reason. On a gin clear summers day, try providing RISs to all the PPLs that ask for one with all the traffic information that entails AND keep all the ILS traffic and outbounds going. (I know UR No.1 or someone will pipe up and say that I never have to do this ever, but it is a valid point).

Another reason is simply that you have no radar, or you cannot see the a/c on the radar. Now NATS have stopped the Approach Procedural courses, the best we can do is a FIS.