Notes

Outline

Airport & Heliport Operations

Types of Airports Controlled Operating ATC Tower Two-way radio communication required Uncontrolled Airport No Tower Radio communications not required, however are recommended

FAR 91.126 & 91.129

Sources for Airport Data Aeronautical Charts Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs)

Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) Provide the most current information available Provide time-critical information on airports and changes that affect the airspace system 3 Types: NOTAM-D or distant  - Attached to hourly weather reports, also in Notices to Airmen publication NOTAM-L or local  - Local matters such as taxiway closures, must be requested from FSS FDC NOTAMs  - issued by the National Flight Data Center, contain regulatory info such as TFRs and amendments to instrument approach procedures, contained in Notices to Airmen publication Always check for any NOTAMs prior to all flights

Airport Signs Mandatory Instruction Signs – have red background with white inscription, denote entrance to runway, critical area, or prohibited area Location Signs – black with yellow inscription and yellow border, do not have arrows, used to identify taxiway or runway location, boundary of runway, or ILS critical area Direction Signs – yellow background with black inscription, identifies designation of intersecting taxiways leading to an intersection Destination Signs – yellow background with black inscription and contain arrows, provide info on locating runways, terminals, cargo areas, and civil aviation areas Information Signs –yellow background with black inscription, provide info on areas that cannot be seen from the control tower, applicable radio freq., and noise abatement procedures Runway Distance Remaining Signs – have a black background with white numbers, indicate distance of remaining runway in thousands of feet

Airport Sign Systems

Airport Lighting Airport Beacon: Usually operated from dusk till dawn and if airport is IFR Colors and Types Flashing white and green - Civilian Land Airport Flashing white and yellow - Water Airport Flashing white, amber, and green – Heliport Two white and one green – Military

Approach Light Systems:  Visual Glideslope Indicators Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) 2 Bar ~3O 3 Bar – provides 2 glide path Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) Lights in a single row Tri-color System Single light unit w/ 3 colors Red – Below GP Green – On GP Amber – Above GP Pulsating Single light, 2 color: red, white

Runway Lighting REIL – Runway End Identifier Lights Runway Edge Lights HIRL – High Intensity Runway Lighting MIRL – Medium Intensity Runway Lighting LIRL – Low Intensity Runway Lighting In-Runway Lighting TDZL – Touchdown Zone Lights RCLS – Runway Centerline Lights Taxi-Way Turnoff Lights

Control of Runway Lighting

Obstruction Lights Red Obstruction Lights Either Flash of Emit Steady Red High Intensity White Obstruction Lights Flashes High Intensity White Lights During Day and Night Dual Lighting Combination of Flashing Red Beacons and Steady Red Lights for Nighttime and High Intensity White Lights for Daytime

Wind Direction Indicators Wind Sock- Shows Wind Speed and Direction Tetrahedron & Wind Tee Show Direction Only

Radio Communications

Light Gun Signals

Radar and Transponder Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System (ATCRBS) 3 Components Interrogator Transponder Radarscope

Radar Phraseology

Wake Turbulence Vortex Generation Generated By All Aircraft Greatest Vortices Occur When Generating Aircraft is Heavy, Clean, and Slow

Airspace

Class A Controlled 18,000 MSL Up to and Including 60,000 MSL All Operations IFR Only

Class B Controlled Surface to 10,000 Feet MSL at Airport Usually Several Layers Resembles Upside Down Wedding Cake

Class B Entry Requirements: ATC Clearance “Cleared into Class Bravo Airspace” 2-Way Radios 4096 Mode C Transponder Private Pilot or Student Pilot With Appropriate Endorsements

Class B Weather Minimums: 3 Statute Miles Visibility Clear of Clouds

Class C Controlled Usually From Surface to 4,000 AGL at Airport 10 Mile Radius Contact Within 20 Miles

Class C Entry Requirements: 2-Way Radio Communications 2-Way Radio 4096 Mode C Transponder Student Pilot

Class C Weather Minimums: Visibility:  3 Statute Miles Distance From Clouds: 500 ft Below 1000 ft Above 2000 ft Horizontal Special VFR

Class D

Class D

Class D

Class E

Class E

Class G

Class G

Special Use Airspace (SUA) Prohibited Areas Restricted Areas Warning Areas Military Operation Areas Alert Areas Controlled Firing Areas

Prohibited & Restricted Areas Prohibited Areas Established for security or other national   welfare reasons Depicted on aeronautical charts May be overflown, with permission, in cases of emergency (EMS) Restricted Areas Denote the existence of unusual, often invisible hazards to aircraft Permission must be obtained from controlling agency prior to entering Depicted on aeronautical charts May be overflown, in rare cases, with ATC permission

Warning Areas & MOAs Warning Areas May contain hazards to nonparticipating aircraft in international airspace. Depicted on aeronautical charts No prohibitions on entry Military Operation Areas Established for separating military training from IFR traffic No restriction but use caution Depicted on aeronautical charts No prohibitions on entry

Alert Areas & CFAs Alert Areas To advise pilots that a high volume of pilot training or of unusual aerial activities Depicted on aeronautical charts No prohibitions on entry Controlled Firing Areas Areas that contain activities, which, if not conducted in a controlled environment, could be hazardous to non-participating aircraft Non-participating aircraft need not notify or change course CFAs are not charted and activities are suspended when non-participating aircraft are spotted.

Other Airspace Areas Airport Advisory Area Military Training Routes (Oil Burner Routes) Temporary Flight Restrictions Parachute Jump Operations Published VFR Routes Terminal Radar Service Area National Security Areas Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ)

Airport Advisory Areas & MTRs Airport Advisory Area An area within 10 statute miles of a non-operationg control towered airport but with a FSS Flight Service Station provides advisory service to arriving and departing aircraft Not mandatory but strongly suggested Military Training Routes (commonly called Oil Burner Routes) Established jointly by FAA and DOD No restriction but use  extreme caution Depicted on aeronautical charts Routes above 1500’ AGL are supposedly IFR (do not trust this to always be true) Routes below 1500’ are supposedly VFR Directions of flight and number designations for altitudes may not be correct

TFRs Temporary Flight Restrictions Established to protect persons or property on the surface, aid in disaster relief efforts, control congestion of sightseeing aircraft above an incident or event, protect public officials, and to protect space launches. Pilots are expected to comply with FAR 91.137, 91.138, 91.141, and 91.143 when operating in and area where a TFR is in effect Notices To Airmen (NOTAM) will contain pertinent information about how to comply with the requirements of the TFR Pilots need to check NOTAMs, during flight planning, for areas along the route of flight

Parachute Jump Ops & VFR Routes Parachute Jump Aircraft Operations Check NOTAMs, during flight planning, for areas along the route of flight for possible jump operations Jump areas are listed in the Airport/Facilities Directory (A/FD) Published VFR Routes Published VFR Routes are used to transition around, under, or through airspace such as Class B Published VFR routes are:  VFR Flyway, VFR Corridor, and Class B Airspace VFR Transition Route In a VFR Flyway, which starts at the surface, an ATC clearance is not required but tower communications are required if entering airport surface areas VFR Corridors do not require communication with ATC and do not require an ATC clearance.  They are surrounded on all sides by Class B and do not extend down to the surface VFR Transition routes are used to expedite entering and transitioning Class B and do require an ATC clearance

TRSAs, NSAs, & ADIZ Terminal Radar Service Area Surround some Class D airspace Have the same physical layout as Class C Radar separation service is not mandatory but is encouraged National Security Areas Established to provide additional security of government facilities and personnel Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) Provides early identification of aircraft entering domestic U.S. airspace Requires a flight plan, communication, and a mode “C” transponder The estimated time of crossing should be reported 15 minutes prior to penetration