{"id":65,"date":"2011-08-10T08:36:44","date_gmt":"2011-08-10T07:36:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fortyfivehours.co.uk\/?p=65"},"modified":"2011-08-10T08:43:06","modified_gmt":"2011-08-10T07:43:06","slug":"air-traffic-service-units-call-signs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.fortyfivehours.co.uk\/?p=65","title":{"rendered":"Air Traffic Service Units: Call Signs"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think of air traffic services units and most people will think exclusively of “Air Traffic Control<\/span>“.\u00a0 However, not all airspace is “controlled”, but you can still have radio communications with an air traffic service and in many cases the communication will sound not dissimilar to what a typical person would assume to be ‘Air Traffic Control’ (e.g. Class F airspace)……..Call signs<\/strong> are what differentiates the type of service you’re talking to.<\/p>\n

Air Traffic Control Unit (ATCU): <\/strong> “Control”, “Radar”, “Approach”, “Director”, “Tower”, “Ground”<\/p>\n

Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS): <\/strong>“Information”<\/p>\n

Aerodrome Air\/Ground Communication Service (AGCS):<\/strong> “Radio”<\/p>\n

Without going into detail a Control Unit has the highest qualified employees and you’ll be dealing with professional controllers who’ve passed a set of CAA exams, an ATCU is the only service which can provide a Clearance<\/span> (A Permission or Instruction to act).\u00a0\u00a0 ‘Information’ will have you talking to someone who’s passed a few less exams and likely have less equipment, as such they can only provide ‘information’.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Finally AGCS means you’re talking to someone who has a ‘certificate of competence’, AGCS can only give information with regard to the aerodrome itself and any traffic they know about.<\/p>\n

If ATCU’s are the only people who can tell you to do something:<\/p>\n