Updated: 2024-08-06 --- # Squawk and Transponders “[[APPENDIX A - ALSSA BREVITY LIST#SQUAWK [mode, code]|Squawk]]” is a brevity term indicating to set a specific transponder code. There are 5 modes used by military aircraft, mode 1,2,3 and C are referred to collectively as “[[APPENDIX A - ALSSA BREVITY LIST#PARROT|Parrot]]” and mode 4 is referred to as “[[APPENDIX A - ALSSA BREVITY LIST#India|India]]”. Mode 1 is a two digit code where the first digit is octal (0-7) and the second digit is half octal (0-3). Mode 2 and 3 are 4 digit octal (0-7) codes. Mode C and 4 are Boolean (0-1) values signifying a cryptographic success or failure. When instructing an aircraft to Squawk a certain code, the assumption is that it is a mode 3 code, if another mode is desired, this must be included. >[!example] Squawk Commands >“`[Callsign]` Squawk (mode `[#]`) `[code]`” >>[!quote] >>- ==ATC==: “Victory-1-1 Squawk 3111” >>- ==ATC==: “Bengal-4-1 Squawk mode 1, 61” The brevity to turn off a piece of equipment is “[[APPENDIX A - ALSSA BREVITY LIST#STRANGLE [system]|Strangle]]” aircraft can be instructed to “Strangle Parrot” for example to turn off mode 1,2,3 and C. # Declaring an Emergency The universal brevity for an emergency situation is “Mayday”. In international procedures “Pan-Pan” is used for non-emergency urgent situations. In the United States, Mayday, Pan-Pan and “Declaring an Emergency” will all be treated as emergency situations. For US military operations, “Mayday” is preferred for critical emergencies such as engine failure, whereas “Declaring an Emergency" is preferred for less critical situations. Once an aircraft declares any kind of emergency, ATC’s role shifts from control to support, ATC is responsible for clearing a path for the emergency aircraft to safely land at the best available site. Aircraft that are declaring an emergency should [[APPENDIX A - ALSSA BREVITY LIST#SQUAWK [mode, code]|Squawk]] 7700. # NORDO Aircraft that are NORDO or “no radio” are expected to remain predictable. What that entails is they are expected to go to their planned destination and shoot a visual or published instrument approach to that airfield. NORDO aircraft should overfly the tower and rock their wings prior to landing NORDO aircraft should Squawk 7600 # Minimum and Emergency Fuel Emergency fuel is defined as expecting to land at or less than required reserve fuel. The vCSG-3 reserve fuel standard is 20 minutes of fuel at max endurance at 10k, this works out to about 1500-2000 lbs of fuel for Hornets and Tomcats and 1000-1500 lbs for Harriers. Minimum fuel is defined as expecting to land with less than required reserve plus enough to shoot an approach. It takes around 1200 lbs to shoot any approach in the hornet or tomcat, so minimum fuel is about 2700-3200 lbs. For the harrier it takes 800 lbs so minimum fuel is 1800-2300 lbs. Remember that minimum or emergency fuel is the fuel you are on the deck with, so the aircraft should declare minimum or emergency as soon as it's clear that they will be at less than that fuel on the deck. # Holding patterns The standard holding pattern is a racetrack pattern oriented around a fix. In order to specify a holding pattern you need to provide the following information: - Fix location, usually a radial/DME cut, but could be a WP - Holding direction - Turn direction and timing - Leg Length The standard assumptions for vCSG-3 are - For a Radial DME fix, Holding direction is inbound along the radial - Turns are left hand half standard rate (2 min) - At 250 kts approx. 5 NM diameter - Legs are 1 minute - At 250 kts approx. 4 NM ![[Fix Diagram.png]] >[!note] > In general aviation, "Standard Holding" is right hand holding. > In vCSG-3, Left hand holding ("Nonstandard Holding") is used in order to minimizes differences between field and carrier holding patterns. # Formation Flights Aircraft Flying in formation should be addressed by the callsign of the lead aircraft, all instructions are assumed to be for the entire flight unless specified by ATC. When aircraft in a flight check in for the first time, they should specify they are in a flight and the number of aircraft by checking in with that information. >[!example] Flight checking in > “`[ATC C/S]` `[Lead Callsign]`, Flight of `[number]`, `[check in]`” >>[!quote] >>`A/C`: “Nellis approach, Bengal 405, flight of two….” Alternatively, with military controllers, aircraft might check in with “holding hands” and the side numbers of the aircraft in formation with them. E.g. “Winder 306 holding hands with 301, 302” In either case, the controllers first response should indicated that they understand that there are more than one aircraft, by referring initially to the flight with the callsign and “flight” E.g. “Winder 306 flight right 060” Remember that flights cannot change speed/direction/altitude as quickly as single aircraft and give more space and time to maneuver. # Requests and Approval When aircraft want to do something they call up ATC with a “Request”, request can either be used by itself or attached to the end of another transmission like a check in. The controller should respond by saying “go ahead with your request” or something to that effect in their next transmission. The aircraft will then send their request. If the request can immediately be approved, then the controller should reply with “approved as requested”. If the request needs to be modified slightly, the controller should reply with details as to what is approved e.g. “approved for the right break”. This approval is a clearance for the requested action. If the request cannot be approved in the way requested, the controller should come back with an alternative by asking “Can you accept….”. If the request can be approved but not immediately, the aircraft should be told to “expect your request” which does not imply any clearance in the way that approved does, but lets the aircraft know that they should expect an identical clearance in the future. # Standby “Standby” is a brevity word that indicated that the receiving station is not ready to listen to an incoming transmission. Critically, you should never reply to a “standby” call, even with a simple acknowledgement, do not attempt to contact the aircraft or controller that said standby, unless it is a safety critical situation, allow the party that said “standby” to call you back # Traffic Advisories Traffic Advisories are a service that ATC provides workload permitting, that is to say, that ATC is required to provide these if they can, but they are lower priority than all other ATC functions, so they may not be provided, all aircraft are always responsible for their own see-and-avoid doctrine. Provide traffic advisories for any aircraft that will pass within 5 NM and 5k feet of each other. Traffic Advisories Format: >[!example] Traffic Advisories > “`[A/C C/S]`, traffic `[#]` o’clock, `[#]` miles, altitude `[#]` feet, `[type]`” > >[!quote] > >- ==ATC==: “Camelot 204, traffic 12 o’clock, 3 miles, 10 thousand feet, hornet” > >- ==ATC==: “Winder 305, traffic 3 o’clock, 5 miles, 2 thousand feet, type unknown” # Time Off Frequency If an aircraft is currently under control but needs to switch off the radio they are talking to the controller on for some reason, (usually to get atis or in DCS to talk to the AI), they can request “time off frequency” in order to leave the frequency for a specified period of time. >[!example] Time Off Frquency >“`[ATC C/S]`, `[A/C C/S]`, request `[#]` minutes off frequency for `[reason]`” >>[!quote] >>`A/C`: “Nellis approach, Winder 305 request 2 minutes off frequency to talk to tower AI” The controller should make sure the aircraft is on a deconflicted heading and will be for several minutes, then approve the request. >[!example] Clearing off Frequency > “`[A/C C/S]`, cleared off frequency, report back up” > >[!quote] > >==ATC==: “Winder 305, cleared off frequency, report back up” # Correction Everyone makes mistakes on the radio, while it is important avoid mistakes as much as possible, it is more important to correct mistakes properly to avoid confusion. To correct a mistake, use the proword “correction” followed by the correct information. However, it is important to make corrections without adding additional confusion, if the correction can be made immediately after the mistake, correct it immediately. If however other information has been passed since the error, the correction either has to restate all the information since the error, or the initial call should be completed then a new correction call made. >[!example] Correction examples > Correct information: “Winder 304, left 090, descend and maintain 4000” > Proper correction: “Winder 304, left 060, correction left 090, descend and maintain 4000” > Proper correction: > - ATC: “Winder 304, left 060, descend and maintain 4000”, > - Winder 304: “Winder 304, correction, left 090” > > ==Improper correction== “Winder 304, left 060, descend and maintain 4000, correction left 090” # Break “Break” is used in two situations, the first is when a controller or aircraft wants to talk to two or more different entities in the same radio transmission, “Break” is said between each message. Each recipient should respond in the order they were mentioned. The second is when multiple distinct topics are being discussed in a single transmission. >[!example] Multiple Recipient example > ==ATC==: “Winder 304 left 060, break, 305, right 050 descend and maintain 2000” > `A/C 1`: “Winder 304 left 060” > `A/C 2`: “Winder 305 right 050, down to 2000” >[!example] Multiple topic example >“Camelot-2-1, copy that first convoy destroyed, break, New Tasking Alpha Alpha 03, target rock 050/45 call ready details”