Situational awareness

[DaRock]

Attention US and EURO controllers,

I'm an Australian ATC investigating more efficient coordination practices.


What type of notice is generally required for an aircraft about to enter your airspace with reference to...

a. radar enroute airspace
b. non radar or oceanic airspace
c. radar terminal area
d. non radar terminal area

......and how is it done, ie voice, system etc...


Thanks.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I am an approach controller and can only speak for the London Terminal Area, and even then with restricted knowledge of the precise way the TMA (area) radar controllers actually work. However.... a lot of UK procedures are based on "standing agreements" where a/c are handed over to an adjacent sector under a standard set of rules, eg climbing to a certain level or on agreed tracks, and without verbal coordination. Nevertheless, the traffic levels are such that those standing agreements cannot always be adhered to so telephone coordination is a frequent occurrence and most TMA sectors have a dedicated co-ordinator position to effect such coordination, pass inbound releases to approach control, etc. All sectors which will be controlling a particular aircraft have flight progress strips issued in advance so all traffic is "expected". A the major airports no prior coordination is effected for the vast majority of departing traffic. The accepting TMA radar controller has the info in advance and a TV system is employed to provide info on the state of departing traffic. An ATC Assistant monitors various Tower frequencies and inputs info into a computer when an aircraft enters the runway, is cleared for take--off and then when airborne. This info is available on displays at the TMA radar positions so that copntrollers know exactly when to expect the next departure.

That's a bit of it..... all of it is in a book about 4 inches thick.