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General => The Classroom (Controller Tips) => Topic started by: Shane VanHoven on July 10, 2018, 12:04:39 AM

Title: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Shane VanHoven on July 10, 2018, 12:04:39 AM
I was browsing Reddit this evening and came across a great write up on radar techniques from a real world radar controller. Maybe some of these will find their way into your next session on the network! Enjoy!

Quote
Double the speed at double the flying miles is a tie (i.e. overtake situations).

10% of the GS in knots (i.e. first two digits of 3 digit GS) is about how far an aircraft will slide laterally in a no wind 90 degree turn. For terminal anyway.

Don't discontinue one form of separation until you've established another.

Slower is faster. Rushing transmissions often comes back to bite you and waste more time in hear back readback errors.

Minimize your language, stick to official phraseology and don't let weasel words in.

Heavily consider not combining an altitude change with a frequency change in the same transmission. Pilot may read back wrong altitude and leave frequency before you can correct them (some flight crews are absolutely ridiculously fast about switching).

Probably a billion others.

Edit(s) as I think of them (remembering from training days):

A consistent downwind (that is, consistent lateral spacing from the localizer) makes it easier to plug gaps and otherwise call your downwind to base turn.

Don't make the base to final turn at anything more than 210 knots assigned, too sloppy otherwise.

Don't chop to the final approach speed until you know you're there... It sucks to speed a plane up after they've been slowed to 170.

Critical transmissions in order...

Base to Final

Downwind to Base

3/4/5/6. Most Other Stuff including actual approach clearance is down here.

RTF still probably teaches full PTAC, but it's arguable that precise positioning and speed control to join localizer is more critical than the approach clearance itself, particularly when you have multiple aircraft on final.

/u/[Reddit_user] gets full credit for "you can't beat a straight in."

Work your sequence airport out. Keep your scan up airport out.

Just because someone is cleared for the approach doesnt mean you can forget about them. Need to monitor for compression inside the marker... Or the quality pilots that chop to final approach speed early.

Turboprops can do a fantastic job of keeping their speed up until short final. Better than jets. This is a two-edged sword as a TP tight on a jet might actually compress too much inside the marker.

Don't be afraid to break someone off the final if it isn't working.

4 mile hits on final on a normal day should get you 2.5 at touch. 6 mile hits gets you 4 at touch (good baseline for small behind large wake situations).

Generally the closer in/farther up in the sequence someone is, the lower they should be. As in, don't dump the #3 guy to minimum altitude when #2 still needs to get down.

Sounds painfully obvious, but don't run opposing base legs at the same altitude, or as with above, don't be basing someone underneath another one descending on approach.

P.S. Here's the thread if you want more! https://www.reddit.com/r/ATC/comments/8xj2oq/radar_tipstricks/

And if anyone has anything to add feel free!
Title: Re: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Josh Glottmann on July 10, 2018, 07:24:56 AM
The one I’m confused about is the 10% slide. If a plane’s going 180 over the ground, 18 nm seems excessively far.
Title: Re: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Dhruv Kalra on July 10, 2018, 07:32:50 AM
The one I’m confused about is the 10% slide. If a plane’s going 180 over the ground, 18 nm seems excessively far.
10% of the first two digits. 1.8nm, not 18.
Title: Re: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Robert Shearman Jr on July 10, 2018, 02:04:16 PM
The one I’m confused about is the 10% slide. If a plane’s going 180 over the ground, 18 nm seems excessively far.
10% of the first two digits. 1.8nm, not 18.
AKA 1% of the groundspeed in knots.
Title: Re: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Shane VanHoven on July 10, 2018, 08:24:03 PM
The one I’m confused about is the 10% slide. If a plane’s going 180 over the ground, 18 nm seems excessively far.
10% of the first two digits. 1.8nm, not 18.
AKA 1% of the groundspeed in knots.

Remember it was written by a controller.... they aren’t usually recognized as very ‘smart’ people 😂
Title: Re: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Toby Rice on July 10, 2018, 10:21:29 PM
Truer words were never spoken! Lol ;D
Title: Re: Radar Tips/Tricks from a real world controller
Post by: Dhruv Kalra on July 12, 2018, 09:25:49 AM
Finally got a chance to go look at the original comment on reddit. The poster is actually a VATSIM member ;D