The primary means you will use to encode and decode information in your role
Flight data entry (FDE)
FDE
Flight data entry
All coding used in ATS is compliant with ICAO guidelines, BUT airlines…
use IATA approved codes, which may differ
ATS personnel record info as it is delivered or being received and there is normally very little time to write messages out in full so
abbreviations and symbols are used for efficiency
Information is said to be encoded or decoded depending on whether it is
abbreviated or written out e.g. CYSB is encoded, Sudbury Airport is decoded
FDEs are often referred to as …
and can be …
“strips”
either paper or digital
May contain a lot (IFR) or relatively little data (VFR)
IFR FDE contains:
- Aircraft identification
- Aircraft type
- Altitude (flight planned, assigned, or both)
- Speed (flight planned, assigned, or both)
- Point of departure, route, destination
Adhering to the coding system helps
ensure clarity and eliminate misunderstanding
Units of measurement are usually omitted when coded in written form since
the units are understood based on where they appear on the FDE
Time
WRITTEN: ####(Z) (Local)
SPOKEN: #-#-#-# (ZULU) (LOCAL)
Time as ## : ## UTC.
11:43 AM in Saskatoon
1743(Z)
ONE-SEVEN-FOUR-THREE (ZULU)
08:20 local time
0820 Local
ZERO-EIGHT-TWO-ZERO LOCAL
Midnight UTC
0000(Z)
ZERO-ZERO-ZERO-ZERO (ZULU)
Local time usually only used if
specific to given site (opening/closing hours, sunrise/set)
Time Checks
TIME CHECK #-#-#-#
Time checks provided (to nearest half-minute) to ensure everyone is working the same clock.
CLEARANCE CANCELLED AT ONE-EIGHT-FOUR-FIVE ZULU, TIME CHECK ONE-EIGHT-TWO-TWO
Speed
WRITTEN: ### or M.##
SPOKEN: SPEED #-#-# (KNOTS) or MACH DECIMAL #-#
Normally in knots at lower altitudes, a Mach number at higher altitudes.
250 knots
250
SPEED TWO-FIVE-ZERO (KNOTS)
Mach 0.82
M.82
MACH DECIMAL EIGHT-TWO
Distance
WRITTEN: #(.)# (SM) (DME)
SPOKEN: # (DECIMAL) # (STATUTE) (MILES) (D-M-E)
Miles assumed to be nautical, except re visibility when statute is implied. Nautical miles used in both air and marine navigation.
25 nautical miles
25
TWO-FIVE MILES
Distance measuring equipment
25 DME
TWO-FIVE D-M-E
5.8 nautical miles
5.8
FIVE DECIMAL EIGHT MILES
3 statue miles
3 SM
THREE STATUTE MILES
One degree of latitude along the same line of longitude = ___ nautical miles
1 nautical mile = ___ statute miles
60
1.15
Heading
WRITTEN: ###
SPOKEN: HEADING #-#-#
Direction aircraft nose is pointed as degrees (true, magnetic, compass, grid) from north. Degrees assumed to be magnetic, unless appropriate to use true (must be stated).
* For due north, use heading 360
005॰ magnetic
005
HEADING ZERO-ZERO-FIVE
360॰ true
360T
HEADING THREE-SIX-ZERO TRUE
Altitude
WRITTEN: (##)# or FL###
SPOKEN:
(#-# THOUSAND) # HUNDRED
or FLIGHT LEVEL #-#-#
Altitude as (##)# 00 ft or FL###. Use FL in the Standard Pressure Region.
2700 ft
27
TWO THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED
16 500 ft
165
ONE-SIX THOUSAND FIFE HUNDRED
Flight level 200
FL200
FLIGHT LEVEL TWO-ZERO-ZERO
Flight level 320
FL320
FLIGHT LEVEL THREE-TWO-ZERO
Altimeter
WRITTEN: ####
SPOKEN: ALTIMETER #-#-#-#
Altimeter as ##.## inches of mercury, to the nearest 100th of an inch. Decimal not indicated.
29.85 inches
2985
ALTIMETER TWO-NINER-EIGHT-FIFE
30.01 inches
3001
ALTIMETER THREE-ZERO-ZERO-ONE
Wind Direction & Speed
WRITTEN: ###/##
SPOKEN: WIND #-#-# AT ## KNOTS
Wind as ### degrees magnetic and ## knots.
If analog instruments, round to nearest 10 deg and 5 KT. If digital instruments, as-is.
If possibility of misunderstanding, pronounce speed using digits (#-# KNOTS).
Analog: 122 degrees at 14 knots
120/15
WIND ONE-TWO-ZERO AT FIFTEEN KNOTS
Digital: 230 degrees at 19 knots
230/19
WIND TWO-THREE-ZERO AT NINETEEN KNOTS
Visibility
WRITTEN: (#)# SM
SPOKEN: VISIBILITY (#-)# MILES
The distance at which prominent unlit objects may be identified by day (lit by night)
15 statute miles
15 SM
VISIBILITY ONE-FIVE MILES
1 nautical mile = _ ft
1 statute mile = _ ft
1 nautical mile = _ statute miles
1 nautical mile = 6280 ft
1 statute mile = 5280 ft
1 nautical mile = 1.15 statute miles
Radio Frequency
WRITTEN: ###.##(#)
SPOKEN: #-#-# (DECIMAL) #-#(-#)
If assigning frequencies in the 25 kHz spacing groups, use only the first 5 digits
You may omit the word “decimal” if no possibility of misunderstanding
124.475 MHz
124.475
ONE-TWO-FOUR DECIMAL FOUR-SEVEN
118.75 MHz
118.75
ONE-ONE-EIGHT-SEVEN-FIVE
Five-Letter Identifiers
Five-letter, pronounceable identifiers serve as a fix name, assigned identifier, and computer code for airway intersections
Location Identifiers
Represent
Indicated on
Complete list in
Different formats depending on
- Represent the name and location of an airport, navigation aid or weather station
- Indicated on FDEs
- Complete list in the Canada Flight Supplement (CFS)
- Different formats depending on the type of facility
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Foundations of Decision-Making in ATS13
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Airport Layout, Traffic Organization, and Lighting40
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ATS Services & Positions34
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Regulations Around VFR Flights47
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Classification of Canadian Airspace39
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Routes, Airways, and Charts90
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Regulations19
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From Ground to Flight56
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Synoptic Features102
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Thunderstorms77
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Turbulence84
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Icing67
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Aviation Weather Reports279
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Aircraft Performance94
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Wake Turbulence54
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Airborne Collision Avoidance Systems63
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ATS Coding277
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ATS Communication81
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Surveillance, Systems and Equipment52
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Practice Your ATS Decision-Making19
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LO Chart Legend104
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VNC Legend96
