3-6-1 Section 6. Airport Surface Detection Procedures

3-6-1 Equipment Usage

 Use ASDE to augment visual observation of aircraft and/or vehicular movements on runways and taxiways, or other areas of the movement area:

 a. When visibility is less than the most distant point in the active movement area, and
 b. When, in your judgment, its use will assist you in the performance of your duties at any time.
 c. ASDE-3 shall be operated continuously between sunset and sunrise regardless of visibility.

3-6-2 Information Usage

 a. Use ASDE derived information to assist with:

  1. Formulating clearances and control instructions to aircraft and vehicles on the movement area.
  2. Determining when the runway is clear of aircraft and vehicles prior to a landing or departure.

REFERENCE -
FAAO 7210.3, Radar Use, paragraph 3-7-2.

  3. Positioning aircraft and vehicles using the movement area.
  4. Determining the exact location of aircraft and vehicles, or spatial relationship to other aircraft/vehicles on the movement area.
  5. Monitoring compliance with control instructions by aircraft and vehicles on taxiways and runways.
  6. Confirming pilot reported positions.
  7. Providing directional taxi information on pilot request.

PHRASEOLOGY -
TURN (left/right) ON THE TAXIWAY/RUNWAY YOU ARE APPROACHING.

 b. Do not provide specific navigational guidance (exact headings to be followed) unless an emergency exists or by mutual agreement with the pilot.

NOTE -
It remains the pilot's responsibility to navigate visually via routes to the clearance limit specified by the controller and to avoid other parked or taxiing aircraft, vehicles, or persons in the movement area.

3-6-3 Identification

 To identify an observed target on the ASDE display, correlate its position with one or more of the following:
 a. Pilot's report.
 b. Controller's visual observation.
 c. An identified target observed on the ASR or BRITE/DBRITE display.