TIBA Have you ever seen it in action?

[Yankee_Doodle_Floppy_Disk]

Just curious to hear from pilots or controllers who have witnessed TIBA (Traffic Information Broadcasts by Aircraft) used for real.

What circumstances and how smooth or scary was the situation?

[Captain Stable]

Can you tell us a little more about it?

[Yankee_Doodle_Floppy_Disk]

Traffic information broadcasts by aircraft are intended to permit reports and relevant
supplementary information of an advisory nature to be transmitted by pilots on a designated VHF
radiotelephone (RTF) frequency for the information of pilots of other aircraft in the vicinity.
TIBAs should be introduced only when necessary and as a temporary measure.
The broadcast procedures should be applied in designated airspace where:
a) there is a need to supplement collision hazard information provided by air traffic
services outside controlled airspace; or
b) there is a temporary disruption of normal air traffic services.

You can download a pdf version at:
http://www.centaf.af.mil/ramcc/Procedures%20Page/Att%202%20Apdx%20B%20CATMP%20TIBA%20Procedures.pdf

It has been in the NZ AIP for a few years now. It is an ICAO procedure which we are told has been used successfully overseas. I'd like to hear from anybody who can tell me how much it has been used and how successfully.

[Kennytheking]

We use TIBA here in South Africa quite a bit.

The whole area under the Johannesburg TMA(excl the JHB CTR) is a TIBA area and has been for many years. It is also commonly refered to as Indian Territory - ie dangerous place to be, the main problem being the volume of traffic. Something like 6 fairly active airports within a 20nm radius and airspace limited from ground upto about 2500ft AGL with limited routing space due to the need to stay out of controlled airpace.

Also if you look up in the Jepp you will find that all airspace north of South Africa all the way up to The Medditeranean has been deemed as Critically Deficient by ICAO and they transmit on a separate dedicated frequency(126.9) - this is also a form of TIBA.

In SOuth Africa most airspace outside of the major cities, below 1500 ft is uncontrolled and is therefore also subject to TIBA broadcasts. This seems to work quite well.

[OzExpat]

This sounds like what all us Ozmates know as Area VHF. Or maybe even CTAF and/or MBZ. Pilot-to-pilot comms also has its own frequency in some parts of the world, but that is mostly used for non-operational stuff, e.g. gossip!

[Yankee_Doodle_Floppy_Disk]

All the examples so far seem to be areas where TIBA is the order of the day.

Has anybody seen TIBA used because a Control Centre went offline unexpectedly?

[OzExpat]

I remember a time in Port Moresby, many years ago, when the CTR, TMA, UTA... everything(!) went off the air. The occasion was the death of a very prominent politician from the Highlands Region, by the name of Sir Iambakey Okuk. The Papua New Guinean ATS staff ran away fearing all sorts of repraisals if they stayed at work - ie didn't show the proper respect for the deceased polly.

And, believe me when I say that "respect" was rigorously enforced on Papua New Guineans by those who were loyal to the deceased polly!

I used the Tower frequency for blind broadcast to find out who else was around. Sorted out our own separation and all flowed very smoothly indeed. But, like I say, that was a very long time ago...

[CONVAIR]

Have seen it used across the Tasman on at least one occasion a couple of years ago when the centre had a comms failure so every one was on their own for a couple of hours. TIBA procedures were published in the NZAIP after that. Also used when ATC went on strike about 1996/7. Although planned and a/c had a slot time to meet, and very reduced services.
Also stayed away from PNG on one occasion when there was a bomb scare in Port Moresby so the whole country ATC system closed down. We decided not to leave CNS until the situation was resolved, but A/C in flight had to revert to TIBA.
IMHO Works ok as long as every one follows the procedures as published.

[relocatable]

IMHO Works ok as long as every one follows the procedures as published.

How well do you reckon it would work if Christchurch Centre was wiped out at about 7:20 on a weekday morning?

:eek: