Course 7 - Section 19 - ATS Coding

Question 1

Flight Data Entry (FDE)

Answer 1

An FDE is either paper or digital. It may contain a lot of data, or relatively little data, depending on whether an aircraft is VFR or IFR

Much more information is usually written for IFR aircraft

FDEs are also often referred to as strips

Units of measurement are usually omitted when coded in written form since the units are understood based on where they appear on the FDE

Question 2

An IFR FDE contains:

Answer 2

• Aircraft Identification
• Aircraft Type
• Altitude (flight planned, assigned, or both)
• Speed (flight planned, assigned, or both)
• Point of departure, route, destination

Question 3

Encoding Time

Answer 3

Time is expressed in a four-digit sequence (hours and minutes)

If any possibility of confusion exists, the word ZULU or the letter Z is used to denote UTC

In some cases, time will be given in local time or in a specific time zone. Usually, local time is only used for something specific to each site, such as opening and closing hours. Sunrise and sunset are also given in local time

Question 4

Time Checks

Answer 4

There are times when an aircraft is instructed to do something by a specific time.

To make sure that everyone is working to the same clock, time checks will often be provided when the instruction is given.

WHEN PROVIDING A TIME CHECK, TRANSMIT THE INFORMATION IN HOURS AND MINUTES TO THE NEAREST HALF-MINUTE

Question 5

Encoding Speed

Answer 5

Express speed using separate digits. At lower altitudes, this will normally be in knots, while at higher altitudes it will be a mach number

If you are stating a mach number, it will have a decimal point. Say the word “decimal” instead of point

Question 6

Encoding Distance

Answer 6

Express distance using separate digits in nautical miles

A nautical mile is a unit of measurement used in both air and marine navigation. One degree of latitude along the same line of longitude is equal to a distance of 60 nautical miles

1 nautical mile = 1.15 statute miles

In ATS, with the exception of visibility, which is expressed in statute miles – all other references to “miles” are considered to be nautical miles

Question 7

Encoding Heading

Answer 7

Express headings in degrees as three-digit numbers

Use degrees magnetic except if deemed appropriate to use degrees true

For due north, heading 360

Question 8

Encoding Altitude

Answer 8

When using phraseology, express altitude above sea level in thousands of feet or thousands plus hundreds of feet, as approrpiate

WHEN CODING IN WRITTEN FORM, EXPRESS ALTITUDE IN HUNDREDS OF FEET

In the standard pressure region, express altitude as a flight level which are three-digit numbers

Question 9

Encoding Altimeter

Answer 9

Express altimeter settings as four-digit numbers, indicating the inches of mercury to the nearest hundredth of an inch

Do not indicate the decimal point

Question 10

Encoding Wind Direction and Speed

Answer 10

• Use the values from the wind direction and wind speed indicators
• When writing, separate wind direction from speed by a forward slash (/)
• Express direction as three-digit number indicated degrees magnetic
• Express speed in knots. You may express this value in group form if there is no possibility of misunderstanding

Wind direction and speed values:
- Analog wind instruments
Wind direction to the nearest 10 degrees and wind speed to the nearest 5 knots
- Digital wind instruments
As the readout value for both direction and speed

Question 11

Encoding Visibility

Answer 11

In Canada, visibility is measured in Statute miles

Express visibility – the distance at which prominent unlit objects may be identified during the day and prominent lit objects may be identified by night – in statute miles using separate digits

Question 12

Encoding Radio Frequency

Answer 12

Express VHF or UHF frequencies using separate digits

If assigning frequencies in the 25 kHz spacing groups, use only the first five digits

You may omit the word “decimal” provided the omission is not likely to cause misunderstanding

Question 13

Five Letter Identifiers

Answer 13

Five-letter, pronounceable identifiers serve as a fix name, an assigned identifier and a computer code for airway intersections

Question 14

Four Letter Identifiers

Answer 14

Question 15

Three Letter Identifiers

Answer 15

Three letter identifiers are assigned to

• VORs, VORTACs, TACAN facilities
• certain NDBs
• Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC) facilities
• meteorological stations

In Canada, most three-letter identifiers begin with the letter Y, but there are some that begin with Z and V

Question 16

Two Letter Identifiers

Answer 16

Two-Letter identifiers are assigned to many NDBs and certain DMEs

Question 17

Number-Letter Identifiers

Answer 17

These identifiers are assigned to NDBs or to private air navigation facilities

Question 18

Letter Letter Number Identifiers

Answer 18

These identifiers are assigned to smaller, secondary aerodromes

eg. CNC4 Guelph which is preceded by “C” to indicate that it is a canadian location

Question 19

What Aircraft Details are included on FDEs?

Answer 19

Company Identifier
Weight Category
Aircraft Type
Equipment

Question 20

Weight Category

Answer 20

Aircraft weight category appears on the FDE strip. If omitted, it is medium by default

Question 21

Equipment

Answer 21

Aircraft may have various forms of equipment, from basic to advanced.

On an FDE, the aircraft’s equipment appears after the ICAO type designator preceded by “/”

Eg. A320/W indicates that the airbus 320 is carrying RVSM equipment

Question 22

Flight Strip Example. Take a look where everything goes

Answer 22