ATS.OR.400 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) – general

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall use voice or data link, or both, in air-ground communications for air traffic services purposes.

(b) When direct pilot-controller two-way voice or data link communications are used for the provision of air traffic control service, recording facilities shall be provided by the air traffic services provider on all such air-ground communication channels.

(c) When direct air-ground two-way voice or data link communications are used for the provision of flight information service, including AFIS, recording facilities on all such air-ground communication channels shall be provided by the air traffic services provider, unless otherwise prescribed by the competent authority.

GM1 ATS.OR.400(a) Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) — general

ED Decision 2020/008/R

RELIABILITY AND AVAILABILITY OF RADIO COMMUNICATIONS AND NAVIGATION AIDS

When providing ATS surveillance service, the air traffic services provider should ensure that the levels of reliability and availability of communication systems are such that the possibility of system failures or significant degradations is very remote, and that adequate backup facilities are provided.

Guidance material and information pertaining to system reliability and availability may be found in ICAO Annex 10 Volume I, and in particular in Attachment F ‘Guidance material concerning reliability and availability of radio communications and navigation aids’ thereto.

ATS.OR.405 Use and availability of the VHF emergency frequency

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) As laid down in Article 3d, the VHF emergency frequency (121,500 MHz) shall be used for genuine emergency purposes, including any of the following:

(1) to provide a clear channel between aircraft in distress or emergency and a ground station when the normal channels are being utilised for other aircraft;

(2) to provide a VHF communication channel between aircraft and aerodromes, not normally used by international air services, in case of an emergency condition arising;

(3) to provide a common VHF communication channel between aircraft, either civil or military, and between such aircraft and surface services, involved in common search and rescue operations, prior to changing when necessary to the appropriate frequency;

(4) to provide air-ground communication with aircraft when airborne equipment failure prevents the use of the regular channels;

 (5) to provide a channel for the operation of emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), and for communication between survival craft and aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations;

 (6) to provide a common VHF channel for communication between civil aircraft and intercepting aircraft or intercept control units and between civil or intercepting aircraft and air traffic services units in the event of interception of the civil aircraft.

 (b) An air traffic services provider shall provide the frequency 121.500 MHz at:

 (1) all area control centres and flight information centres;

 (2) aerodrome control towers and approach control units serving international aerodromes and international alternate aerodromes;

 (3) any additional location designated by the competent authority, where the provision of that frequency is considered necessary to ensure immediate reception of distress calls or to serve the purposes specified in point (a).

GM1 ATS.OR.405 Use and availability of the VHF emergency frequency

ED Decision 2020/008/R

LISTENING WATCH OF THE VHF EMERGENCY CHANNEL

Requirements for air traffic services units to maintain continuous guard on the emergency frequency 121.500 MHz are specified in SERA.14080(b) of Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

GM1 ATS.OR.405(a)(3) Use and availability of the VHF emergency frequency

ED Decision 2020/008/R

USE OF VHF EMERGENCY CHANNEL IN CASE OF HANDLING OF DISTRESS TRAFFIC

The use of the frequency 121.500 MHz for the purpose outlined in point (a)(3) of ATS.OR.405 is to be avoided if it interferes in any way with the efficient handling of distress traffic.

GM1 ATS.OR.405(b) Use and availability of the VHF emergency frequency

ED Decision 2020/008/R

VHF EMERGENCY CHANNEL

Where two or more of the air traffic services units listed in point (b) of ATS.OR.405 are co-located, provision of the frequency 121.500 MHz at one would meet the requirement.

ATS.OR.410 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) – flight information service

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall ensure, to the practicable extent and as approved by the competent authority, that air-ground communication facilities enable two-way communications to take place between a flight information centre and appropriately equipped aircraft flying anywhere within the flight information region.

(b) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that air-ground communication facilities enable direct, rapid, continuous and static-free two-way communications to take place between an AFIS unit and appropriately equipped aircraft operating within the airspace referred to in point ATS.TR.110(a)(3).

GM1 ATS.OR.410(a) Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) — flight information service

ED Decision 2020/008/R

Whenever practicable, air-ground communication facilities for flight information service should permit direct, rapid, continuous and static-free two-way communications.

ATS.OR.415 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) – area control service

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

An air traffic services provider shall ensure that air-ground communication facilities enable two-way communications to take place between a unit providing area control service and appropriately equipped aircraft flying anywhere within the control area or areas.

AMC1 ATS.OR.415 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) — area control service

ED Decision 2020/008/R

Whenever practicable, air-ground communication facilities for area control service should permit direct, rapid, continuous and static-free two-way communications.

GM1 ATS.OR.415 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) — area control service

ED Decision 2020/008/R

Where air-ground voice communication channels are used for area control service by air-ground communicators, suitable arrangements should be made to permit direct pilot-controller voice communications, as and when required.

ATS.OR.420 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) – approach control service

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that air-ground communication facilities enable direct, rapid, continuous and static-free two-way communications to take place between the unit providing approach control service and appropriately equipped aircraft under its control.

(b) Where the unit providing approach control service functions as a separate unit, air-ground communications shall be conducted over communication channels provided for its exclusive use.

ATS.OR.425 Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) – aerodrome control service

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that air-ground communication facilities enable direct, rapid, continuous and static-free two-way communications to take place between an aerodrome control tower and appropriately equipped aircraft operating at any distance within 45 km (25 NM) of the aerodrome concerned.

(b) Where conditions warrant, an air traffic services provider shall provide separate communication channels for the control of traffic operating on the manoeuvring area.

GM1 ATS.OR.425(b) Aeronautical mobile service (air-ground communications) — aerodrome control service

ED Decision 2020/008/R

Guidance on the establishment of communication channels for the control of traffic operating on the manoeuvring area may be found in Appendix A to Chapter 8, Section 2 of ICAO Doc 9426 ‘Air Traffic Services Planning Manual’.

ATS.OR.430 Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) – general

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that direct-speech or data link, or both, communications are used in ground-ground communications for air traffic services purposes.

(b) When communication for ATC coordination purposes is supported by automation, an air traffic services provider shall ensure that the failure of such automated coordination is presented clearly to the air traffic controller or controllers responsible for coordinating flights at a transferring unit.

GM1 ATS.OR.430(a) Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) — general

ED Decision 2020/008/R

Indication by time of the speed with which the communication should be established is provided as a guide to communication services, particularly to determine the types of communication channels required, e.g. that ‘instantaneous’ is intended to refer to communications which effectively provide for immediate access between air traffic controllers; ‘15 seconds’ to accept switchboard operation and ‘5 minutes’ to mean methods involving retransmission.

GM1 ATS.OR.430(b) Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) — general

ED Decision 2020/008/R

FAILURE OF AUTOMATED COORDINATION

In case of failure of the automated coordination, the air traffic controller should facilitate the required coordination using prescribed alternative methods, as established by the air traffic services provider in operation manuals.

ATS.OR.435 Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) – communication within a flight information region

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) Communications between air traffic services units

(1) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that a flight information centre has facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within its area of responsibility:

 (i) the area control centre;

 (ii) approach control units;

(iii) aerodrome control towers;

(iv) AFIS units.

(2) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an area control centre, in addition to being connected with the flight information centre as prescribed in point (1), has facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within its area of responsibility:

(i) approach control units;

(ii) aerodrome control towers;

(iii) AFIS units;

(iv) air traffic services reporting offices, when separately established.

(3) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an approach control unit, in addition to being connected with the flight information centre and the area control centre as prescribed in points (1) and (2), has facilities for communications with:

(i) the associated aerodrome control tower or towers;

(ii) with relevant AFIS unit or units;

(iii) the associated air traffic services reporting office or offices, when separately established.

(4) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an aerodrome control tower or an AFIS unit, in addition to being connected with the flight information centre, the area control centre and the approach control unit as prescribed in points (1), (2) and (3), has facilities for communications with the associated air traffic services reporting office, when separately established.

(b) Communications between air traffic services units and other units

(1) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that a flight information centre and an area control centre have facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within their respective area of responsibility:

(i) appropriate military units;

(ii) the meteorological services provider or providers serving the centre;

(iii) the aeronautical telecommunication station serving the centre;

(iv) appropriate aircraft operators’ offices;

(v) the rescue coordination centre or, in the absence of such centre, any other appropriate emergency service;

(vi) the international NOTAM office serving the centre.

(2) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an approach control unit, an aerodrome control tower and an AFIS unit have facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within their respective area of responsibility:

(i) appropriate military units;

(ii) rescue and emergency services (including ambulance, firefighting etc.);

(iii) the meteorological services provider serving the unit concerned;

(iv) the aeronautical telecommunication station serving the unit concerned;

(v) the unit providing apron management service, when separately established.

(3) The communication facilities required under points (b)(1)(i) and (b)(2)(i) shall include provisions for rapid and reliable communications between the air traffic services unit concerned and the military unit or units responsible for control of interception operations within the area of responsibility of the air traffic services unit, in order to fulfil obligations set out in Section 11 of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

(c) Description of communication facilities

(1) The communication facilities required under point (a), point (b)(1)(i) and points (b)(2)(i), (b)(2)(ii) and (b)(2)(iii) shall include provisions for:

(i) communications by direct speech alone, or in combination with data link communications, whereby for the purpose of transfer of control using radar or ADS-B, the communications are established instantaneously, and for other purposes, the communications are normally established within 15 seconds;

(ii) printed communications, when a written record is required; the message transit time for such communications is no longer than 5 minutes.

(2) In all cases not covered by point (c)(1), the communication facilities shall include provisions for:

 (i) communications by direct speech alone, or in combination with data link communications, whereby the communications are normally established within 15 seconds;

 (ii) printed communications, when a written record is required; the message transit time for such communications are no longer than 5 minutes.

 (3) In all cases where automatic transfer of data to or from air traffic services computers, or both ways, is required, suitable facilities for automatic recording shall be provided.

 (4) The communication facilities required under points (b)(2)(i);(ii);(iii) shall include provisions for communications by direct speech arranged for conference communications whereby the communications are normally established within 15 seconds.

 (5) All facilities for direct-speech or data link communications between air traffic services units and between air traffic services units and other units described under points (b)(1) and (b)(2) shall be provided with automatic recording.

GM1 ATS.OR.435(a) Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) — communication within a flight information region

ED Decision 2020/008/R

PROCEDURES FOR DIRECT-SPEECH COMMUNICATIONS

An air traffic services provider should develop appropriate procedures for direct-speech communications to permit immediate connections to be made for very urgent calls concerning the safety of aircraft, and the interruption, if necessary, of less urgent calls in progress at the time.

GM1 ATS.OR.435(a);(b) Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) — communication within a flight information region

ED Decision 2020/008/R

SUPPLEMENTARY FACILITIES TO THOSE PRESCRIBED FOR COMMUNICATION

The communication facilities in points (a) and (b) of ATS.OR.435 could be supplemented, as and where necessary, by facilities for other forms of visual or audio communications; for example, closed-circuit television or separate information processing systems.

GM1 ATS.OR.435(c)(4) Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) — communication within a flight information region

ED Decision 2020/008/R

FACILITY FOR DIRECT SPEECH

The facility for direct speech does not necessarily refer to permanently dedicated point-to-point telephone lines.

ATS.OR.440 Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) – communication between flight information regions

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that flight information centres and area control centres have facilities for communications with all adjacent flight information centres and area control centres. Those communication facilities shall in all cases include provisions for messages in a form suitable for retention as a permanent record, and delivery in accordance with transit times specified by ICAO regional air navigation agreements.

 (b) An air traffic services provider shall ensure that facilities for communications between area control centres serving contiguous control areas, in addition, include provisions for direct-speech and, where applicable, data link communications, with automatic recording, whereby for the purpose of transfer of control using ATS surveillance data, the communications are established instantaneously, and for other purposes, the communications are normally established within 15 seconds.

 (c) When so required by agreement between the States concerned in order to eliminate or reduce the need for interceptions in the event of deviations from assigned track, an air traffic services provider shall ensure that facilities for communications between adjacent flight information centres or area control centres other than those mentioned in point (b):

 (1) include provisions for direct speech alone, or in combination with data link communications;

 (2) permit communications to be established normally within 15 seconds;

 (3) are provided with automatic recording.

 (d) An air traffic services provider concerned shall ensure that adjacent air traffic services units are connected in all cases where special circumstances exist.

 (e) Wherever local conditions are such that it is necessary to clear aircraft into a controlled airspace prior to departure, the air traffic services provider or providers concerned shall ensure that the air traffic services units delivering the clearance to the aircraft are connected with the air traffic control unit serving the adjacent controlled airspace.

 (f) The communication facilities supporting connections to be established in accordance with points (d) and (e) shall include provisions for communications by direct speech alone, or in combination with data link communications, with automatic recording, whereby for the purpose of transfer of control using ATS surveillance, the communications are established instantaneously, and for other purposes, the communications are normally established within 15 seconds.

(g) An air traffic services provider shall provide suitable facilities for automatic recording in all cases where automatic exchange of data between air traffic services computers is required.

GM1 ATS.OR.440(d) Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) — communication between flight information regions

ED Decision 2020/008/R

Special circumstances may be due to traffic density, types of aircraft operations and/or the manner in which the airspace is organised and may exist even if the control areas and/or control zones are not contiguous or have not (yet) been established.

ATS.OR.445 Communications for the control or management of vehicles other than aircraft on manoeuvring areas at aerodromes

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) Except where communication by a system of visual signals is deemed to be adequate, an air traffic services provider shall ensure two-way radiotelephony communication facilities for either of the following services:

(1) aerodrome control service for the control of vehicles on the manoeuvring area;

(2) AFIS for the management of vehicles on the manoeuvring area where such service is provided in accordance with point ATS.TR.305(f).

(b) The need for separate communication channels for the control or for the management of the vehicles on the manoeuvring area shall be determined subject to a safety assessment.

(c) Automatic recording facilities on all channels referred to in point (b) shall be provided.

GM1 ATS.OR.445(a) Communications for the control or management of vehicles other than aircraft on manoeuvring areas at aerodromes

ED Decision 2020/008/R

SYSTEM OF VISUAL SIGNALS FOR COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AERODROME AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES UNITS AND VEHICLES ON THE MANOEUVRING AREA

(a) When communications by a system of visual signals is deemed to be adequate, or in the case of radio communication failure, the signals given hereunder should have the meaning indicated in the table below.

(b) In emergency conditions or if the signals in point (a) are not observed, the signal given hereunder should be used for runways or taxiways equipped with a lighting system and should have the meaning indicated in the table below.

ATS.OR.450 Automatic recording of surveillance data

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

An air traffic services provider shall ensure that surveillance data from primary and secondary radar equipment or other systems (e.g. ADS-B, ADS-C), used as an aid to air traffic services, are automatically recorded for use in accident and incident investigations, search and rescue, air traffic services and surveillance systems evaluation and training.

GM1 ATS.OR.450 Automatic recording of surveillance data

ED Decision 2020/008/R

RECORDING OF VISUAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM DATA

‘Other systems’ include also visual surveillance systems utilised in the remote provision of aerodrome air traffic services.

ATS.OR.455 Retention of recorded information and data

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) An air traffic services provider shall retain for a period of at least 30 days the following:

(1) recordings of communications channels, as specified in points ATS.OR.400(b) and (c);

(2) recordings of data and communications, as specified in points ATS.OR.435(c)(3) and (5);

(3) automatic recordings, as specified in point ATS.OR.440;

(4) recordings of communications, as specified in point ATS.OR.445;

(5) recordings of data, as specified in point ATS.OR.450;

(6) paper flight progress strips, electronic flight progress and coordination data.

(b) When the recordings and logs listed in point (a) are pertinent to accident and incident investigations, they shall be retained for longer periods until it is evident that they will no longer be required.

ATS.OR.460 Background communication and aural environment recording

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) Unless otherwise prescribed by the competent authority, air traffic services units shall be equipped with devices that record background communication and the aural environment at air traffic controller’s, or the flight information service officer’s, or the AFIS officer’s work stations, as applicable, capable of retaining the information recorded during at least the last 24 hours of operation.

(b) Such recordings shall only be used for the investigation of accidents and incidents which are subject to mandatory reporting.