2-1-21 2-1-21 Traffic Advisories

 Unless an aircraft is operating within Class A airspace or omission is requested by the pilot, issue traffic advisories to all aircraft (IFR or VFR) on your frequency when in your judgment their proximity may diminish to less than the applicable separation minima. Where no separation minima applies, such as for VFR aircraft outside of Class B/Class C airspace, or a TRSA, issue traffic advisories to those aircraft on your frequency when in your judgment their proximity warrants it. Provide this service as follows:
 a. To radar identified aircraft:
  1. Azimuth from aircraft in terms of the 12-hour clock, or
  2. When rapidly maneuvering aircraft prevent accurate issuance of traffic as in 1 above, specify the direction from an aircraft's position in terms of the eight cardinal compass points (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, and NW). This method shall be terminated at the pilot's request.
  3. Distance from aircraft in miles.
  4. Direction in which traffic is proceeding and/or relative movement of traffic.
NOTE -
Relative movement includes closing, converging, parallel same direction, opposite direction, diverging, overtaking, crossing left to right, crossing right to left.
  5. If known, type of aircraft and altitude.
REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Description of Aircraft Types, paragraph 2-4-21.
PHRASEOLOGY -
 TRAFFIC, (number) O'CLOCK,
or when appropriate,
 (direction) (number) MILES, (direction)-BOUND and/or (relative movement),
and if known,
 (type of aircraft and altitude).
or when appropriate,
 (type of aircraft and relative position), (number of feet) FEET ABOVE/BELOW YOU.
If altitude is unknown,
 ALTITUDE UNKNOWN.
EXAMPLE -
"Traffic, eleven o'clock, one zero miles, southbound, converging, DC-8, one seven thousand."
"Traffic, twelve o'clock, one five miles, opposite direction, altitude unknown."
"Traffic, ten o'clock, one two miles, southeast bound, one thousand feet below you."
  6. When requested by the pilot, issue radar vectors to assist in avoiding the traffic, provided the aircraft to be vectored is within your area of jurisdiction or coordination has been effected with the sector/facility in whose area the aircraft is operating.
  7. If unable to provide vector service, inform the pilot.
REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Operational Requests, paragraph 2-1-18.
  8. Inform the pilot of the following when traffic you have issued is not reported in sight:
   (a) The traffic is no factor.
   (b) The traffic is no longer depicted on radar.
PHRASEOLOGY -
 TRAFFIC NO FACTOR / NO LONGER OBSERVED,
or
 (number) O'CLOCK TRAFFIC NO FACTOR / NO LONGER OBSERVED,
or
 (direction) TRAFFIC NO FACTOR / NO LONGER OBSERVED.
 b. To aircraft that are not radar identified:
  1. Distance and direction from fix.
  2. Direction in which traffic is proceeding.
  3. If known, type of aircraft and altitude.
  4. ETA over the fix the aircraft is approaching, if appropriate.
PHRASEOLOGY -
 TRAFFIC, (number) MILES/MINUTES (direction) OF (airport or fix), (direction)-BOUND,
and if known,
 (type of aircraft and altitude),
 ESTIMATED (fix) (time),
or
 TRAFFIC, NUMEROUS AIRCRAFT VICINITY (location).
If altitude is unknown,
 ALTITUDE UNKNOWN.
EXAMPLE -
"Traffic, one zero miles east of Forsythe VOR, southbound, M-D Eighty, descending to one six thousand."
"Traffic, reported one zero miles west of Downey VOR, northbound, Apache, altitude unknown, estimated Joliet VOR one three one five."
"Traffic, eight minutes west of Chicago Heights VOR, westbound, Mooney, eight thousand, estimated Joliet VOR two zero three five."
"Traffic, numerous aircraft, vicinity of Delia Airport."
 c. For aircraft displaying Mode C, not radar identified, issue indicated altitude.
EXAMPLE -
"Traffic, one o'clock, six miles, eastbound, altitude indicates six thousand five hundred."
REFERENCE -
FAAO 7110.65, Traffic Information, paragraph 3-1-6.
FAAO 7110.65, Visual Separation, paragraph 7-2-1.
FAAO 7110.65, VFR Departure Information, paragraph 7-6-10.

2-1-22 Bird Activity Information

 a. Issue advisory information on pilot reported, tower observed, or radar observed and pilot verified bird activity. Include position, species or size of birds, if known, course of flight, and altitude. Do this for at least 15 minutes after receipt of such information from pilots or from adjacent facilities unless visual observation or subsequent reports reveal the activity is no longer a factor.
EXAMPLE -
"Flock of geese, one o'clock, seven miles, northbound, last reported at four thousand."
"Flock of small birds, southbound along Mohawk River, last reported at three thousand."
"Numerous flocks of ducks, vicinity Lake Winnebago, altitude unknown."
 b. Relay bird activity information to adjacent facilities and to FSSs whenever it appears it will become a factor in their areas.

2-1-23 Transfer of Position Responsibility

 The transfer of position responsibility shall be accomplished in accordance with the "Standard Operating Practice (SOP) for the Transfer of Position Responsibility," and the appropriate facility directives each time the operational responsibility for a position is transferred from one specialist to another.

2-1-24 Wheels Down Check

USA/USAF/USN
 Remind aircraft to check wheels down on each approach unless the pilot has previously reported wheels down for that approach.
NOTE -
The intent is solely to remind the pilot to lower the wheels, not to place responsibility on the controller.
 a. Tower shall issue the wheels down check at an appropriate place in the pattern.
PHRASEOLOGY -
CHECK WHEELS DOWN.
 b. Approach/arrival control, GCA shall issue the wheels down check as follows:
  1. To aircraft conducting ASR, PAR, or radar monitored approaches, before the aircraft starts descent on final approach.
  2. To aircraft conducting instrument approaches and remaining on the radar facility's frequency, before the aircraft passes the outer marker / final approach fix.
PHRASEOLOGY -
WHEELS SHOULD BE DOWN

2-1-25 Supervisory Notification

 Ensure supervisor/controller in charge (CIC) personnel are aware of conditions which impact sector/position operations including, but not limited to, the following:
 a. Weather.
 b. Equipment status.
 c. Potential sector overload.
 d. Emergency situations.
 e. Special flights/operations.

2-1-26 Pilot Deviation Notification

 When it appears that the actions of a pilot constitute a pilot deviation notify the pilot, workload permitting.
PHRASEOLOGY -
"(Identification) POSSIBLE PILOT DEVIATION ADVISE YOU CONTACT (facility) AT (telephone number)."
REFERENCE -
FAAO 8020.11, Paragraph 82, Pilot Deviations.

2-1-27 TCAS Resolution Advisories

 a. When an aircraft under your control jurisdiction informs you that it is responding to a TCAS Resolution Advisory (RA), do not issue control instructions that are contrary to the RA procedure that a crew member has advised you that they are executing. Provide safety alerts regarding terrain or obstructions and traffic advisories for the aircraft responding to the RA and all other aircraft under your control jurisdiction, as appropriate.
 b. Unless advised by other aircraft that they are also responding to a TCAS RA, do not assume that other aircraft in the proximity of the responding aircraft are involved in the RA maneuver or are aware of the responding aircraft's intended maneuvers. Continue to provide control instructions, safety alerts, and traffic advisories as appropriate to such aircraft.
 c. Once the responding aircraft has begun a maneuver in response to an RA, the controller is not responsible for providing standard separation between the aircraft that is responding to an RA and any other aircraft, airspace, terrain or obstructions. Responsibility for standard separation resumes when one of the following conditions are met:
  1. The responding aircraft has returned to its assigned altitude, or
  2. A crew member informs you that the TCAS maneuver is completed and you observe that standard separation has been reestablished, or
  3. The responding aircraft has executed an alternate clearance and you observe that standard separation has been reestablished.
NOTE -
1 - AC 120-55A suggests pilots use the following phraseology to notify controllers during TCAS events. When a TCAS RA may affect an ATC clearance, inform ATC when beginning the maneuver or as soon as workload permits:
EXAMPLE -
1 - "New York Center, United 321, TCAS climb."
NOTE -
2 - When the RA has been resolved, the flight crew should advise ATC they are retuning to their previously assigned clearance or subsequent amended clearance:
EXAMPLE -
2 - "New York Center, United 321, clear of conflict, returning to assigned altitude."