Air Traffic Control and Operations of Airports - Essay Example

Introduction Air traffic control consists of the airborne communication and navigation especially using to collect information regarding aircrafts which took off from the airports and which are going to land in a short time. This system is also available to provide useful guidelines and information needed by the flying aircraft. As per the latest analysis, about 50,000 airplanes have been operating through sky routs every day. We may wonder how these much air traffic keep away from colliding with each other. The air traffic controlling system is the key operational unit, which functions behind this success. Nowadays these systems have been modernizing by means of latest electronic and information technologies available. Thus, the air traffic control and airport operations can provide ever better service to humanities of the world. Features of air traffic control system The modernized air traffic controlling system is equipped with sophisticated instruments like radar, radio and wireless communication and computer facilities to locate the flying aircraft. Many trained personnel have been working together at the ground offices to provide better service to flying aircrafts and airports. They monitor all airborne signals and give proper instructions and guidelines as required. They can trace out the locations and speed of the aircraft on voyage. Sometimes they need to inform concerned superiors to provide expert instructions for overcoming complicated situations. Their main task is developing an environment that is very much safe for the free flying of the aircrafts. Thus, the number of aircraft carrying out the flights can be increased considerably. They are also authorized to warn aircrafts if they come closer each other. The pilots and crew of the aircrafts work closely with air traffic controllers for the proper management of the air traffic system. They are also capable to predict the weather conditions prevailing around airports. So according to predictions they can arrange for the safer take off and landing of airplanes. This weather information is beneficial not only to flight passengers but also to industries which mainly depends on air cargo carriers to transport their products, materials and officials. Thus, these trained personnel have become the integral part of air traffic and airport operations. Elements of air traffic control The air traffic control consists of three main phases. The first phase is the rules and regulations to be followed by the pilots during flight. Second is the navigation system and instruments which work on the basis of electronics. This system and instruments are meant for pilots during the course of their flight. The third element is the air traffic controllers and their instruments. One of the key instruments they depend mainly is the computer recording system which they use to trace out the flying planes and also during their take off and landing. The coordinated performance of these three phases enables them to keep airplanes separated safely and thus they manage to avoid collisions remarkably. Flight rules to be obeyed by pilots The prominent thing than obeying the rules and regulations in air traffic is the ability of pilots to observe other planes and avoid mutual collision. This system is termed as visual flight rules (VFR). This is a process of navigation by pilots using charts which points out the existence of airports, terrain features and land marks. The pilots also employ ground based instruments and radio signal systems for observing their path during flying. To avoid other planes the pilots make their plane fly at specified altitudes allotted for their concerned flight. Pilots will be always vigilant for tracing other planes in the midst of their flight. Visual flight rules work properly where there is good visibility, aircraft’s speed is considerably low and air traffic is occasional. The event will be successful if the atmosphere is clear in all respects and can be viewed up to a distance of 5km. If the environmental conditions are so unfavorable for VFR and if the flight has been carrying on through a busy area then the pilots will be forced to adopt Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR). This is a complex system of rules. The plane which flies with respect to IFR rules must have an instrument called Pilot certificate. To fly according to IFR rules the pilot must concentrate on control tower at the airport of their desired direction. When the control tower gives clearance signal the pilot can take off the plane. The pilot must maintain radio contact with the control tower room at the airport through out the course of their flight. Instrumental flight rules can be employed if the visibility is below 5km., when the flight route being disturbed by clouds and when pilots have to fly through congested area. The instruments using during IFR flights are designed to operate under any adverse climatic conditions irrespective of day or night. They assist pilot in deciding the direction and speed of the air craft. Altimeter is the instrument which indicates the altitude of flight and air speed indicator provides knowledge regarding the fastness of the air craft. The altitude indicator shows how the air craft is tilted during its flight. In addition there are an instrument which indicates direction of the flight. Larger aircrafts and airlines always prefer to operate under IFR rules. The flight crew of an airplane consists of pilot and other members who navigate the aircraft while it flies under IFR rules. The flight crew also uses radio and wireless sets to maintain a continuous touch with the air traffic controllers. The flight crew’s main responsibility is to file flight plans with controller tower by means of wireless sets and seek clearance during taking off and landing at the airport. Another communication instrument commonly employed in the aircraft is an automatic device called transponder. The transponder sends electronic identification signals to air traffic control room. They analyze the signals and identify the aircraft and trace out their positions by computer. Navigation system and its features For making flight from one airport to another the pilots usually follow navigation system. This system helps both pilots and air traffic controllers to locate the position of the airplane with respect to ground and other aircrafts. Navigation system is very helpful at high altitudes and during adverse weather conditions. This is the most reliable system during flight taking off and landing. This can be employed successfully especially when there is cloud and humidity in the atmosphere. Now the navigation system is very much advanced comparing to olden days when un reliable radio transmissions had used in the process of aircraft controlling. Now the Navigation system has been working under electronic based space system. The incorporation of radio beacons in navigation system started since 1924. The radio beacons enable the pilot to head towards the beacon. The currently using navigation system is the omni directional range (VOR) system. The (VOR) system employed in the navigation is the application of a group of radio stations which can provide information directly to aircraft. All (VOR) stations are capable of measuring distances also. Each aircraft is equipped with a display indicator which can judge the signals and inform pilots during flight. The system is also capable to measure the distance between plane and ground stations from where it has taken off and to where it is going to land. The VOR-DME signal systems which are commonly using in aircraft navigation has a signal range limit of 260km and can be employed for to and fro communication purpose. Space based satellite navigation has better output than the ground based radio signal navigation system. Recently developed navigation system called global positioning system (GPS) is capable to provide highly accurate information to the users if they can use a powerful receiver for collecting the information. The GPS system is introduced by the research and analysis wing of US defense department in 1980. Since the GPS is the highly accurate method of satellite information transmission the international aviation navigation has suggested the same as the standard information transmission system. The in flight navigation can be performed by means of satellite navigation so successfully. Safe landing of airplanes The instruments using for landing of aircrafts are entirely different from those using during flight. The navigation using during flight is the guiding process of airplanes within two km circumference of the airport runway. But the landing of aircraft is really an adventurous deed. At the time of bad weather the risk factor of the effort reaches its maximum. Hence the instruments using for the landing of air planes are highly sensitive in performance. To assure a safer landing to aircrafts the runway of the airports would have provided with these sensitive Instrument Landing System (ILS). According to instrument landing system there must be two transmitters to receive and inform guidelines required by the aircraft. This service can be maintained within 800 m(0.5mi) circumference of the airport. Among the two transmitters one is meant for informing altitudes while the airplanes approaching the airports. The latter transmitter is meant for alerting pilots if the concerned planes drift either to right or left of the runway path. The researches conducted about instrument landing system enabled more advancement in the information transmission process. The most advanced version ILS is capable to govern aircrafts within 400 meters (0.25mi) circumference of the airport. Currently there are automatic landing systems of airplanes in almost all international airports. Hence, the airplanes need not bother about the adverse weather conditions and atmospheric humidity prevailing over the airport locality. The process of air traffic controlling Before taking off the pilots who follow instrument flight rules file a flight plan towards the control tower of the airport demanding clearance for flight. Clearance are the details regarding flight altitude, the route direction, level of frequency for using radio and transponder use and other guidelines needed for the taking off the plane. Pilots who follow instrument flight rules (IFR) and visual flight rules (VFR) communicate with the air traffic control tower at the air port to collect taxi instructions. This is information regarding the runway to be used by the pilot for the concerned airplane and if it is for a departure the taxi instruction provide the time at which he has to take off. When time comes for the departure the pilots contact the local tower personnel. It the responsibility of the local controller to confirm whether the runways are usable and all important matters related to the take off of planes are perfectly alright. Pilots who follow instrumental flight rules (IFR) communicates with the departure controller to receive suitable guidelines with respect to air routs where as the pilots who follows visual flight rules (VFR) apply visual navigation for reaching their destination airport. This figure shows clearly the process taking place in between the taking off and landing of airplanes. Airways technology and its usefulness Airways technology and support (A&T) is a team of staff who work instantaneously for the uplift of airways traffic by developing and maintaining all instruments on which pilots and controllers have been keeping too much belief. Technicians, who are committed to provide technical support, perform their work throughout the country. The radar centers and instrument stations in a country are connected by means of a nerve controlling center. The computer systems at these centers enable the staff to make aware any problems arising at any airports or planes in flight. Due to the advancement in technology almost all problems can be sorted out by means of remote controlling facility. The default which needs technical assistance can be supported by sending the required agency or service technicians to the respective locations. Other staff of this department undertakes the project dealing together with planning and procurement of advanced technologies which the company needs most. These include software research and support and developmental process in telecommunications and computer facilities to improve air traffic controlling system in order to ensure an extensive air traffic management. The A&T staffs are also highly trained personnel in the airways department. The software engineers are dealing highly advanced technologies to incorporate them in airways technologies. The T&S service system recruit highly qualified engineers and technicians and provide them eighteen months rigorous in house training and after that they are send for on the job training at the airways institute. This vast training and experience enable them to deal Airway’s equipments and instruments so speedily. All members in the Airways technology and support work together with high taste and devotion. They have given too much contribution to runway incursions taking place in every airport. Each year about three hundred runway incursions are reported from all over the world. The runway safety system is fully depending on runway light system. Now the dedicated engineers and technicians work for the advancement of the runway and renovated it by means of automatic and sensor driven system. The communication system has improved too much to provide information to pilots so fast from the source itself. Introduction of solar lighting system Lights are used in taxiways and runways to improve the runway identification system. Now the solar aviation lighting system is on the brink of its development. This is the most sophisticated lighting system found effective in the airfields. Solar lead lighting system is the remote solar powered light specially manufactured for lighting airfields. The solar power absorption unit is designed to connect with one or two lead light units. The illuminating power of the light will be 120 degree. This lighting system also consists of a doomed UV stabilized Lexan poly carbonated lens and base. Mounting of the same is so convenient that it ensures flexibility and convenience in installation. The power box in the lighting system consists of twenty watt multicrystalline solar module and a SLA battery with charge regulator. This is made of seven stage powder coated aluminum making the unit so powerful. The solar lead lighting system is designed specially to overcome the environmental disturbances prevailing at that locality. If this system is installed once the service needed for maintenance is negligible. Collision avoidance system Nowadays the aircrafts have air traffic collision avoidance system called (TCAS). To avoid collision each aircraft is provided with a Mode S Transponder for making TCAS more effective. This system enables planes to talk each other and thus they can avoid collision remarkably. Monitoring airplanes to positioning them to avoid collision is really a appreciable job. This ensures safety in air traffic in a considerable way. Incorporation of radar system in airports and in airplane itself can help to avoid the air traffic collision to a great deal. Radar’s ability to control air traffic has recognized world wide. Radar is useful to see the airplanes at higher altitudes and also traveling over oceanic region. Each airplane should have equipped with powerful GPS receiver which can collect transmitting data instantly. The pilot can study the data and do the needful to avoid head on midair collision between air planes. Moreover if there are two screens in planes to collect Radar implications the pilot can identify all air traffic around the concerned plane. The pilot can also understand the position, altitude and speed of all the other planes around them. Conclusion Even though the aviation industry has advanced too much there are certain fields in the aviation section yet to be improved. These fields are with respect to the safety of the passengers on board. Nowadays passenger planes have been hijacking by the antisocial to get their demands fulfilled. Moreover terrorist’s main target is passenger planes. The outcome all these evil things are the tremendous sufferings by the passenger people. This must be avoided at any cost because passengers are totally innocent. Mostly they travel by plane only during unavoidable circumstances. Continuous harassment of passengers by these antisocial elements will loose the faithfulness regarding the safety of the air traveling. Hence sophisticated technologies and advanced systems should be applied suitably to avoid such unfortunate incidents. If suitable and advanced measures are not adapted to counter check these malicious deeds on international societies terrorists will convert these innocent people as scrape goats to achieve their goals. Hence suitable measures should be implemented so urgently. 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