Pilot and ATC Agreement
Pilot and ATC Agreement
A clearance issued by ATC and accepted by a pilot constitutes an agreement between ATC and the Commander regarding planned execution of the flight. This agreement is the current flight plan, whether or not it is the same as the originally filed flight plan.
If at any point after take-off the Commander wishes to change the flight plan, he must request the change and obtain the concurrence of ATC in the form of an amended clearance. Likewise, ATC may initiate an amended clearance for traffic requirement and if concurrence between the Commander and an ATC controller is not possible, the flight is continued under the emergency authority of the Commander.
Any request for an amended clearance should be made considering traffic and the planning and co-ordination requirements of the ATC. A pilot shall not accept a clearance with which he cannot safely comply with or which exceeds the capabilities of the aeroplane. The Commander has the final authority as to the operation of the aeroplane.
An ATC clearance is not an authorisation for a pilot to deviate from any regulation or to conduct an unsafe operation. If, due to severe weather, an immediate deviation is required, the pilot’s emergency authority will be exercised. A pilot should question any clearance or any part of a clearance that he does not understand. Each pilot-in-command who is given priority by ATC in an emergency shall submit a detailed report of that emergency through an ASR.
Direct routing clearances do not relieve Commander from ensuring safe terrain clearance.
Clearance Limits
An ATC clearance issued before take-off normally includes the destination airport as the clearance limit. A flight may be cleared to a point short of the destination if ATC has no assurance that co-ordination with a subsequent area control centre will be accomplished before that flight enters its FIR.
A flight must not continue beyond its clearance limit without further clearance. It is the controller’s responsibility to furnish further clearance before a flight reaches the clearance limit. This clearance may change the clearance limit to a point beyond or it may include holding instruction at the clearance limit. In that case the controller should provide the pilot with an expected further clearance time.
Departure Procedure
The departure procedure includes the routing and any altitude restrictions during after take-off to the en-route phase. At most airports, Standard Instrument Departures (SID) have been established which identify each departure procedure with a name and a designator. SIDs are charted and used routinely to simplify and shorten clearance delivery.
A pilot is to accept a SID as part of the ATC clearance only if the SID number in the clearance corresponds with his charted information.
Route of Flight
If the route of flight is different from that filed, or if the flight is an oceanic flight, or if a clearance is issued en-route, the clearance must include a description of the route using airway designations and waypoints.
When ATC includes the mach number as part of the clearance or a route has mach number technique that mach number must be maintained as closely as possible (e.g. in MNPS airspace), any change in mach number must be approved by ATC. Additionally, ETA amendments of more than 3 minutes must also be reported to ATC.
Altitude
A cleared altitude means an assigned altitude or flight level including any climb or descent restrictions (e.g. altitude constraints). A new clearance is required to leave that altitude or flight level.
In some part of the world, altitude clearances are based on separation from known air traffic and may not provide separation from terrain and obstructions. The Commander is responsible for ensuring that any clearance issued by ATC provides terrain and obstruction separation.
Upon receiving a clearance containing altitude information, the Commander must verify that the clearance does not violate any altitude restriction for the route to be flown.
Holding Instructions
If a flight is cleared to hold, ATC holding instructions must be complied with. These instructions may be issued by the controller or they may be available on the charts.
Arrival Route
Clearance for an arrival route is not issued until a flight is approaching the terminal area.
This is a detailed clearance that fully describes the routing to a point from which the flight will be manoeuvred for the approach to the airport.
At most airports, Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) have been established. They identify each airport arrival route with a name and a designator. STARs are charted and used routinely to simplify and shorten clearance delivery. A pilot is to accept a STAR as part of the ATC clearance only if the STAR number in the clearance corresponds with his charted information.
Communications
The frequency of departure control or the next en-route facility may be included with the clearance.
Approach Clearance
An approach clearance is authorisation to conduct an approach and missed approach. If the type of approach is not specified, the pilot may execute any type of instrument approach approved for the runway to be used. In this case, the pilot must announce his intended choice of approach procedure.
Important: An approach clearance does not include clearance to land.
Complying with a Clearance
When ATC issues a clearance, a pilot is expected to comply promptly after acceptance. ATC may use the term ‘immediate’ to communicate urgency and the requirement for expeditious compliance.
Clearance Recording / Read Back
The PNF shall make a visible record of each ATC route clearance or revision hereto on the OFP. All ATC clearances shall be read back using standard phraseology.
Termination of an IFR Flight Plan
After a landing on a non-controlled airport the Commander must ensure that the flight plan is terminated.
Calculated Take-Off Time (CTOT)
For flights into areas or aerodromes with limited acceptance rate, a departure calculated take-off time (CTOT/or time SLOT) may be assigned, i.e. a specified time or time period at/during which the flight may take-off. The CTOT begins 5 Minutes before and ends 10 minutes after the predetermined take-off time. The tolerance is primarily intended for use by ATC to allow for aerodrome congestion problems. Therefore, flight crew must plan for an off-block time consistent with the CTOT. If possible, the arrangement for departure shall ensure that the flight will be ready for departure at the runway at the assigned CTOT minus 5 Minutes.
Pilots will usually be informed of their assigned CTOT by station personnel/OCC/ handling agent or ATC.
Assigned CTOT’s are frequently improved (see Ready Message below) at short notice. For that reason Commanders should not delay the boarding based solely on current CTOT information – to avoid unnecessary rush or even delay in case of sudden CTOT improvement.
When the CTOT is clearly behind schedule and the flight is able to depart well before CTOT, the Commander shall inform Company station personnel/OCC and/or ATC unit to dispatch a “ready” message and to request a revised CTOT from flow control coordination centres. A ready message may lead to an improvement.
If a CTOT cannot be operationally met, it is important to instruct the Company station personnel/OCC to request a revised CTOT.
A clearance issued by ATC and accepted by a pilot constitutes an agreement between ATC and the Commander regarding planned execution of the flight. This agreement is the current flight plan, whether or not it is the same as the originally filed flight plan.
If at any point after take-off the Commander wishes to change the flight plan, he must request the change and obtain the concurrence of ATC in the form of an amended clearance. Likewise, ATC may initiate an amended clearance for traffic requirement and if concurrence between the Commander and an ATC controller is not possible, the flight is continued under the emergency authority of the Commander.
Any request for an amended clearance should be made considering traffic and the planning and co-ordination requirements of the ATC. A pilot shall not accept a clearance with which he cannot safely comply with or which exceeds the capabilities of the aeroplane. The Commander has the final authority as to the operation of the aeroplane.
An ATC clearance is not an authorisation for a pilot to deviate from any regulation or to conduct an unsafe operation. If, due to severe weather, an immediate deviation is required, the pilot’s emergency authority will be exercised. A pilot should question any clearance or any part of a clearance that he does not understand. Each pilot-in-command who is given priority by ATC in an emergency shall submit a detailed report of that emergency through an ASR.
Direct routing clearances do not relieve Commander from ensuring safe terrain clearance.
Clearance Limits
An ATC clearance issued before take-off normally includes the destination airport as the clearance limit. A flight may be cleared to a point short of the destination if ATC has no assurance that co-ordination with a subsequent area control centre will be accomplished before that flight enters its FIR.
A flight must not continue beyond its clearance limit without further clearance. It is the controller’s responsibility to furnish further clearance before a flight reaches the clearance limit. This clearance may change the clearance limit to a point beyond or it may include holding instruction at the clearance limit. In that case the controller should provide the pilot with an expected further clearance time.
Departure Procedure
The departure procedure includes the routing and any altitude restrictions during after take-off to the en-route phase. At most airports, Standard Instrument Departures (SID) have been established which identify each departure procedure with a name and a designator. SIDs are charted and used routinely to simplify and shorten clearance delivery.
A pilot is to accept a SID as part of the ATC clearance only if the SID number in the clearance corresponds with his charted information.
Route of Flight
If the route of flight is different from that filed, or if the flight is an oceanic flight, or if a clearance is issued en-route, the clearance must include a description of the route using airway designations and waypoints.
When ATC includes the mach number as part of the clearance or a route has mach number technique that mach number must be maintained as closely as possible (e.g. in MNPS airspace), any change in mach number must be approved by ATC. Additionally, ETA amendments of more than 3 minutes must also be reported to ATC.
Altitude
A cleared altitude means an assigned altitude or flight level including any climb or descent restrictions (e.g. altitude constraints). A new clearance is required to leave that altitude or flight level.
In some part of the world, altitude clearances are based on separation from known air traffic and may not provide separation from terrain and obstructions. The Commander is responsible for ensuring that any clearance issued by ATC provides terrain and obstruction separation.
Upon receiving a clearance containing altitude information, the Commander must verify that the clearance does not violate any altitude restriction for the route to be flown.
Holding Instructions
If a flight is cleared to hold, ATC holding instructions must be complied with. These instructions may be issued by the controller or they may be available on the charts.
Arrival Route
Clearance for an arrival route is not issued until a flight is approaching the terminal area.
This is a detailed clearance that fully describes the routing to a point from which the flight will be manoeuvred for the approach to the airport.
At most airports, Standard Terminal Arrival Routes (STARs) have been established. They identify each airport arrival route with a name and a designator. STARs are charted and used routinely to simplify and shorten clearance delivery. A pilot is to accept a STAR as part of the ATC clearance only if the STAR number in the clearance corresponds with his charted information.
Communications
The frequency of departure control or the next en-route facility may be included with the clearance.
Approach Clearance
An approach clearance is authorisation to conduct an approach and missed approach. If the type of approach is not specified, the pilot may execute any type of instrument approach approved for the runway to be used. In this case, the pilot must announce his intended choice of approach procedure.
Important: An approach clearance does not include clearance to land.
Complying with a Clearance
When ATC issues a clearance, a pilot is expected to comply promptly after acceptance. ATC may use the term ‘immediate’ to communicate urgency and the requirement for expeditious compliance.
Clearance Recording / Read Back
The PNF shall make a visible record of each ATC route clearance or revision hereto on the OFP. All ATC clearances shall be read back using standard phraseology.
Termination of an IFR Flight Plan
After a landing on a non-controlled airport the Commander must ensure that the flight plan is terminated.
Calculated Take-Off Time (CTOT)
For flights into areas or aerodromes with limited acceptance rate, a departure calculated take-off time (CTOT/or time SLOT) may be assigned, i.e. a specified time or time period at/during which the flight may take-off. The CTOT begins 5 Minutes before and ends 10 minutes after the predetermined take-off time. The tolerance is primarily intended for use by ATC to allow for aerodrome congestion problems. Therefore, flight crew must plan for an off-block time consistent with the CTOT. If possible, the arrangement for departure shall ensure that the flight will be ready for departure at the runway at the assigned CTOT minus 5 Minutes.
Pilots will usually be informed of their assigned CTOT by station personnel/OCC/ handling agent or ATC.
Assigned CTOT’s are frequently improved (see Ready Message below) at short notice. For that reason Commanders should not delay the boarding based solely on current CTOT information – to avoid unnecessary rush or even delay in case of sudden CTOT improvement.
When the CTOT is clearly behind schedule and the flight is able to depart well before CTOT, the Commander shall inform Company station personnel/OCC and/or ATC unit to dispatch a “ready” message and to request a revised CTOT from flow control coordination centres. A ready message may lead to an improvement.
If a CTOT cannot be operationally met, it is important to instruct the Company station personnel/OCC to request a revised CTOT.
Pilot and ATC Agreement
Reviewed by Aviation Lesson
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Reviewed by Aviation Lesson
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2:00 PM
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