IFATCA The Controller - 1st Quarter 1980

D 21003. F

JOURNAL OF AIR

OF THE INTERNATIONAL TRAFFIC

CONTROLLERS

FEDERATION ASSOCIATIONS

~

1/80.

In this Issue: BBC on Flow Control Air Traffic Services in Tun_tsla Training Aids and Training Systems

FRANKFURT

AM

MAIN

1st

QUARTER

1980

VOLUME

19

D M 4,-

IFATCA

JOURNAL

OF

AIR

TRAFFIC

CONTROL

THECONTROLLER Volume 19 • No. 1

Frankfurt am Main, March 1980

Publisher: International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations, P. 0. B. 196, CH-1215 Geneva 15 Airport, Switzerland.

Ottlcers of IFATCA: H. H. Henschler, President, Daniel Oudin, Vice-President (Technical), A. Avgoustis, Vice-President (Professional) and "Interim Editor", Pat O'Doherty, Vice-President (Administration), H. Wenger, Treasurer, E. Bradshaw, Executive Secretary.

Secretariat: 6 Long lands Park, Ayr KA? 4RJ Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom Tel.: 029242114

Interim Editor: A. Avgoustis 5 Athens Str., Ayios Dhometios Nicosia. Cyprus Managing Editor: Horst Guddat POB 600 209 D-6000FrankfurUMain-60 Telefon (06 11) 21 08 86 22 Contributing Editors: E. McCluskey (Legal Matters) V. D. Hopkin (Human Factors) Sqdn Ldr (ret) B. Watkins Publishing Company, Production, Subscription Service and Advertising Sales Office: Verlag W. Kramer & Co., Bornheimer Landwehr 57 a, 6000 FrankfurUMain 60, Phone 434325 and 492169, BHF-Bank No. 3-03333-9.

Postscheckkonto Frankfurt 1105-601,Rate Card Nr. 7.

Printed by: W. Kramer & Co., Bornheimer Landwehr 57 a, 6000 FrankfurUMaln 60 (Federal Republic of Germany).

The Tunis Air Traffic Control Centre (CNA). An article on civil aviation in Tunesia you will find on page 12.

Subscription Rate: DM 6.- per annum for members of IFATCA; DM 16,- per annum for non-members (Postage will be charged extra).

CONTENTS

Contributors are expressing their personal points of view and opinions, which may not necessarily coincide with those of the International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers' Associations (IFATCA).

IFATCA does not assume responsibility for statements made and opinions expressed, it does only accept responsibi I ity for publishing these contributions.

Contributions are welcome as are comments and criticism. No payment can be made for manuscripts submitted for publication In "The Controller". The Editor reserves the right to make any editorial changes in manuscripts, which he believes will improve the material without altering the intended meaning.

Written permission by the Editor is necessary for reprinting any part of this Journal.

BBC on Flow Control .

3

Boredom

6

The Compass 9000 .

10

Air Traffic Services in Tunisia .

12

From the ILO Desk .

17

Training

Aids

18

Airlines

View of the Middle East Airspace Problems .

20

Aviation

Law

23

The Evolution of Training Systems

26

24th Annual ATCA Conference

28

Air Traffic Controllers

30

In Italy .

New Corporate Members: ANSA and MBLE

31

This could also happen to me .

34

Cartoons: Helmut Elsner.

News from Corporate Members

36

Photos: Air Pacific, ANSA, Archive, FAA, FAG Frankfurt, H. Guddat, MBLE, McDonnell Douglas, OPAT, Philips, Rohde & Schwarz, Selenia, Service de l'lnformatique Tunisie, Siemens, Tunis Air, UFM.

Golden Jubilee of the F.1.1.G.

38

First Solar Powered Manned Flight

39

Universal

News

40

Advertisers In this Issue: Datasaab (inside cover).

Ferranti Computer Systems (page 9), Air Pacific (page 44), Aer Lingus (page 46). Selenia (inside back cover), Thomson·CSF Aircat (back cover).

News from the Federation

43

Tall Piece - Air Safety

47

Publications

Review

.

48

ere a ight at the end of the tunnel?"

When one looks at previous editorials which outlined our longstanding, continuing struggle worldwide for recognition of our Profession, including acceptable social conditions, adequate equipment to handle today's air traffic, and, through understanding of our unique role, responsibilities, impact, a liberation of our group from bureaucratic, uninformed, arbitrary, decisions, then one might consider even the question posed above as being overly optimistic.

The reason for asking whether there might be a light at the end of the tunnel arises from recent developments which have seen our Profession and all its problems in the spotlight at various gremiums, finally brought before and to the attention of a number of people whose opinions may have a positive impact on future developments.

I refer here to the 'Public Hearing on the Promotion of Efficient Air Traffic Management and Control' of the European Parliament, held under the Chairmanship of Lord Bruce of Donnington, in March 1979 in Paris, where the Director General of IATA, Mr. Hammarskjold, stated:" ... It would be wrong for the airlines to comment on ... particulars just as we would not welcome government comments on the details of our own industrial disputes. Nevertheless, a few broad observations are in order. Personnel associated with the air trafic system, and in particular the Air Traffic Controllers themselves, have heavy professional responsibilities. Consequently they deserve adequate recognition in terms of salary and conditions of service, and they need adequate technical equipment to perform their tasks. It is a management task of governments to recognize these needs and, where necessary, to make appropriate ·corrections ... " At this Hearing the Federation had the welcome opportunity to outline, in detail, to the European parliamentary representatives our deep concerns on all aspects of air traffic control, to stress that the safest and most efficient air traffic control system requires both adequate working conditions and equipment.

I further refer to the 'Meeting of Experts on Air Traffic Control' convened by the International Labour Organization in May 1979 in Geneva where, in front of this forum of international experts both from the government and controllers' ranks, the Federation again stressed our concerns. The 'Conclusions· which resulted from this gathering outlined avenues which, if implemented, would lead towards solving many of our longstanding problems. These Conclusions are now in the hands of Member-Associations and non-Member Associations, available to be used in the national context to impress on the Employer representatives, governments, and others, that ways to solve impasses have been outlined.

Thirdly, I refer to a documentary radio programme produced and aired by the British Broadcasting Corporation. It collected facts, opinions, and statements, from a great variety of people, controllers, pilots, politicians, medical experts, administrators. In 2

this programme, named 'Just Plane Chaos', we find both good news and bad news, understanding and ignorance. To quote some good news Lord Bruce of Donning ton: "As a result of the enquiries we made in Europe I am staisfied that the industrial action that has taken place is not so much a question of increased wages - it is a symptom of the discontent amongst the air traffic controllers with the kind of equipment they have to use, the conditions within which they have to use it, and a general sense of frustration, which arises when people are not given the tools to do the job properly."

Now some bad news when questioned about an alleged shortage of controllers in his country, based on a report of the ILO, the civil aviation director of a South-Eastern European country denied the figure given and claimed "that ... air space must be safe if airlines continue to fly there."

This statement is a nightmare come true - airlines operate based on the responsible government's assurance that safe air traffic control is being provided, now the government is positive that air traffic control is safe because airlines operate in the airspace. Who is caught right in the middle of this classic horror story of elusive responsibilities - the air traffic controller, again.

We have said it all before, we will keep repeating it. We are not out to create panic, we are pointing to real, existing, problems.

Air traffic controllers know of the inadequate equipment in many parts of the world, of staff shortages, of the need for more, better, or more diversified, training, they suffer deplorable working and social conditions, they are faced with bureaucratic narrowmindedness and ignorance of operational air traffic control requirements: tunnelvision.

All these factors have combined to draw the attention of those interested in safe and efficient air traffic control to its present problems. International bodies such as IATA and the ILO are becoming involved in pointing out possible solutions, elected members of parliaments take an interest in how faults in the system can be overcome, and the travelling public, those who suffer from the system's inadequacies, demand, we hope from their elected representatives, that action be taken. The involvement of all these groups, and it is only a small start so far, has initiated an educational process which will eventually result at the blame for the shortcomings of the present day system of air traffic control to be laid squarely on those responsible for them and they will not be the air traffic controllers.

Let us be cautiously optimistic. Considering all factors I venture to say that although the light at the end is not yet visible I believe that, at least, we are not inside a 'Black Hole' in space from which no light can escape - we are, after all, inside a tunnel.

HHH

Flow Control - Plane Chaos? ~._,.,.....,,,.,,,.....,_..,c.,,....__~._ICAOll/llNI'

"Operational difficulties"; "air traffic control delays". These are two of the most dreaded phrases to holidaymakers and travellers by air; two phrases that spell some message of despair and frustration; either phrase may mean long delays or sleep overnight at an airport. Until five years ago these were not even thought of; nowadays they have become part of aviation life.

Though summer traffic has long passed away, yet delays are still experienced in some countries, more regularly in Italy and Greece. Such delays do not necessarily originate from industrial disputes; these could either be due to bad scheduling of flights, security checks, mechanical faults or as in the case of Italy and Greece mainly due to technological deficiencies.

In an effort to enlighten British listeners, the BBC in a recent programme on "Radio 4" examined the reasons of these delays through interviews carried out in France, Spain, Italy and Greece - Europe's four most unpopular names in air traffic flow - concentrating mainly on air traffic controllers who are usually being blamed for the travellers' despair. Aviation personalities such as Knut Hammarskjold, IATA's Director-General, Lord Bruce, Chairman of the European Parliament, the President of IFATCA Harri H Henschler, Captain Harry Hopkins of IFALPA; other personalities such as MP John Osborne and Dr. Victor

Maxwell were interviewed; as always the public's voice was there also.

In all countries visited, air traffic controllers laid stress on staff shortages and insufficient and unreliable equipment. Greek controller Sakis Petropoulos claimed that their administration do not know how the whole system works and that the administration are hap.py "as long as flights are coming and bringing tourists without accidents and too many delays". Controller Jacques Fournier of France said that in Aix-en-Provence, the main air traffic control center in the south of France, due to shortage of staff only 12 out of the 19 sectors are put daily in operation and that during the month of May, 1979 "we registered in the log about 350 different failures of radio, radar and telephone facilities. It is impossible," Jacques says, "to control under these conditions."

Controllers in these countries complain of stress, a problem which seems to bother more and more the con3

troller of busier units. To quote. Dr. Maxwell, of Manchester, U.K.: "Air traffic control is very definitely a stressful occupation. I know the controllers talk about stress but it's gone beyond that point; it is definitely accepted. There is a whole list of illnesses which are thought to be associated with stress and controllers have a higher incidence of these illnesses; they include things like high blood pressure, heart disease, psychiatric disorders, nervous breakdowns.

These in fact are the commonest reasons for controllers losing their licence on medical grounds."

Though Europe does in fact have a remarkably good safety record, yet MP John Osborne has been fighting both in Westminster and the European Parliament for better air traffic control in Europe as well as in other parts of the world. Mr. Osborne, interviewed said: "when you get difficulties of one type or another then your air trafffc controllers, your ground staff, your pilots, are under duress and I would regard the Zagreb air disaster, let alone the one at Tenerife, as classic examples of either ground controllers or pilots being under stress."

Now what do the public say? The following brief statements are being made to BBC's interviewers by air passengers picked up at random. To them delays may have meant a day less at their holiday places.

"In future, if I go to Spain again, I'll go by car, never go by flying," a man is heard exasperately claim when he hears on the loudspeaker for his delayed departure.

Two ladies are being overheard as saying: "It must be something to do with air control, mustn't it? Definitely. They do it when everbody's ... you get the majority on holiday, don't they? ... every year is the same."

"It's got to be money ... " "It's got to be ... " ". . . everyone is out for money today and that's it ... so, this is why they do it."

This opinion of course is not shared by the air traffic controllers and those people who know the situation better. French controller Jacques Fournier says: "I think the public is very badly informed about what is our job and it's part of our fight that those passengers will understand more of what is our responsibility; because if they are flying they have to fly safely and the passengers cannot imagine that in such a big sky there are so many aircraft."

David Perrin the presenter of the programme gives the following opening remarks: "If it was a matter of industrial action by controllers in countries like Spain and France, as so much reporting suggests, things would be more hopeful, but what does lie behind the delays? We have been investigating air traffic control in Western Europe,

Air safety assembly line -

4

air traffic controllers

and we found a system in crisis - short of staff, equipment and co-operation - making delays inevitable and posing a serious threat to air safety. Last summer (1978) action

by French controllers did put the system into chaos, but this year, with regular delays of up to 9 hours for British flights to Europe it's causing more than enough trouble all on its own."

Lord Bruce of Donnington, under whose chairmanship the European Parliament held a hearing in March, 1979 to examine what was wrong with air traffic control in Europe said that as a result of the enquiries made before the hearing "I am satisfied that the industrial action that has taken place is not so much a question of increased wages - it is a symptom of discontent amongst air traffic controllers with the kind of equipment they have to use, the conditions within which they have to use it ... and a general sense of frustration, which arises when people are not given the tools to do the job properly."

Harri Henschler's remarks on southern Europe: "if we haven't reached the limit, we are very close to reaching it and if traffic does continue to increase the only answer to it would be to come up with better equipment and employ more controllers to handle the increase ... if that is not done then I think the limits would be reached very shortly and also that after the limit has been passed the aviation safety that you know today may not exist.

IATA's Director-General, Knut Hammerskji:ild very frankly states that the European air traffic control system does not work today effectively because "the system," he says, "is inadequate to deal with traffic demands during the summer, consequently during most of the year airlines operating within and to Europe are suffering serious expensive delays and disruptions which threaten the economic health, not only of the airline industry but also of tourism and trade and hence the economy of Europe itself."

Peter Wyre one of the operation's chiefs at the London Center, responsible for flowing traffic into the continent, blames the number of aircraft and passengers that want to go to the holiday resorts, which is far greater than the capacity of the airfields and the countries can accept, for the long delays. "Our whole function," he says, "is to make them flow, so it goes against the grain of all air traffic control officers to stop or restrict aircraft."

Captain Dave Hopkins, talking to BBC's David Perrin in the cockpit of a Britannia Airways 737 on their way to Corfu island, one of the most popular tourists resorts in Greece, describes flow control like traffic lights on a main road. You are solving your traffic problems by merely stopping it or slowing it down and that's not what we want and I don't think the control services want it either."

Captain Hopkins further blames for the congestion of

of the London Area Control Centre at work.

traffic to the requirements of military authorities, in addition to the civil and general aviation requirements. "It's a situation of trying to put a quart into a pint pot."

Mr. Perrin's question, following French APCA's Jacques Fournier comments that controllers "need also recognition of their responsibility in the civil aviation" and more modern equipment, was fully answered by IFATCA's President Harri Henschler when he said: "It's all down to politics there are no votes in air traffic control. Certainly to buy an instrument landing system for an airport or ground based navigational aid is not as popular with the voters as it would be to pave a few miles of highway. It certainly isn't visible; but on the other hand the user of the airspace, the travelling public, should require and demand the safest possible air traffic control system."

Though high quality equipment may have been purchased by some countries, this is considered of no good use where the controllers have not been consulted. Entriquez Moreno of the Spanish ATCA is heard saying: "In some places, such as Madrid, we have modern equipment, but not very adequate. The administration, when a few years ago they bought this new equipment did not consult the users who were us, the controllers, and so they put in new and very nice equipment but which was not the proper one tor our needs." How right he is! What good is it when in one area you may have proper equipment as in the case of Madrid but the neighbouring units, in the very same country, as for example Seville Centre they have only primitive equipment? It is this latter centre, controlling some 13,000 movements per day during the tourist season, that really holds things up in Spain. Blame is also put on shortage of staff.

Sakis Petropoulos, Secretary of the Greek ATC. who participated in the Flow Control interview of the BBC.

Entriquez Moreno, commenting on behalf of controllers in Spain, where a great number of British tourists travel to, on traffic increase said: ". . . If we accept all the traffic they can send us which we could probably accept, we're going to find our airports and the ground physically saturated with aeroplanes which we cannot put back into the stream, back to Europe. Last year, one airport at least, well two, Tenerife in the Canary Islands and Malaga here, had to close because we did not know where to put the aeroplanes. There was no room to park them," he continued.

To a greater extent, the above is true of Greece also.

It has repeatedly been stressed that the most alarming situation is met in Greece, where each of the seven air traffic control sectors is manned by a single controller working procedurally, i.e. the very basic system of air traffic control, without route radar. In consequence, the system can only handle a very small number of aeroplanes at a time, allowing ten minutes interval for each flight at one particular level. Greek controllers have claimed shortage of staff, a fact that is denied by the Greek Civil Aviation Authority insisting that the Greek airspace must be deemed safe if "airlines continue to fly there".

Airliners

queuing up near the active runway, awaiting take-off elearance.

Harri Henschler scornfully commenting on such attitude said: "It would be foolish to wait for a crash or a near miss or near misses to prove that a system is unsafe. We suggest that one must listen to the experts and when they say the system is not as safe as possible, then something should be done. To wait for evidence after the fact in our business is disaster normally. This, I think, is a fault of many governments which say, 'well, nothing has happened so it must be safe'. We are in the business to make flying as safe as it is and to continue to make it as safe as possible and we are not willing to wait for a crash in order to make our point."

Presenter, David Perrin commented on Harris' remarks: "If losing your job is worrying, then being jailed for a mistake at work is a nightmare. But, that was the fate of the controller on duty during a collision between two aircraft over Zagreb in 1976 - and controllers found responsible for accidents face criminal prosecution in several other countries, too."

The above comments-- give a grim and distressing picture of what goes on in Europe and its air traffic control services. The experts agree with the controllers' view that flow control restrictions are not imposed upon flights as a replacement of a strike or as another form of industrial action. It is indeed hard to believe that the skies that look so empty are so alarmingly congested. It is however the general belief that a very serious problem exists and must

Crowded passenger terminals, a normal picture, during traffic peaks.

5

be solved. It must be solved immediately if such expensive traffic delays and disruptions are to be avoided for the coming summers. Let us, however, look briefly into the suggestions, for such a solution, made by the experts.

Harri Henschler suggests that there should be recognition of the profession and government spending on modern and reliable equipment should be increased.

Captain Dave Hopkins' suggests that "the best way that is going to ease the problem is obviously to introduce more sophisticated systems into the air traffic control network."

Lord Bruce suggests: "Unless France and some other countries too, actually do follow out in practice the European ideals to which they pay lip service. They are all keen communitaires until it comes to the point of action, and until one can change that attitude amongst all govern-

ments, I instance specifically the French because in my view they are the worst in this respect, then you're not going to get any further progress." Of Britain, Lord Bruce said: "We too, are over-protective about sovereignty in the air," and he said that the present Eurocontrol Centres, where staff control airspace that does not belong to their own country show that a Europ0an solution can satisfy the defence fears of the military." Tebbit of Britain said: "I intend to make sure that we in Britain are doing everything which is within our control to make life easier for the traveller and more successful for the airlines."

Of course until such time that a safe system is achieved, controllers will agree to act as preferred by French controller Chabarty: "We prefer to handle less traffic with more safety than to handle all the traffic without safety."

AA II

BOREDOM

by V. David Hopkin

Introduction For many air traffic controllers, boredom is already a problem.

Some of the future changes which can be foreseen seem likely to make it worse. The quest for more efficient systems often has the incidental effect of aggravating boredom. This paper discusses the causes of boredom, and its effects on efficiency and safety.

Much of the paper is speculative since facts about boredom are scarce, but as a problem it has been neglected and can no longer be ignored.

Neglect of Boredom Perhaps one reason for the comparative neglect of boredom has been the preoccupation with stress. Although stress is a problem in air traffic control, it has been the subject of much discussion and experimentation and extensive knowledge has now been gathered about its origins and consequences, both for air traffic control (Crumb, 1979) and more generally (Cooper & Payne, 1978). The relationship between boredom and stress or boredom and arousal is a matter of debate, but major physiological or biochemical changes are not normally associated with boredom except those which commonly occur during the continuous performance of any routine task, whether it is boring or not (Thackray et al, 1975).

A further reason why boredom has been neglected as a research topic becomes apparent at once to onyone who tries to conduct experiments on boredom. It is probably impossible to investigate boredom validly in laboratory settings because boredom is associated with the continuous long-term perfomance of tasks under real life conditions. These conditions cannot usually be replicated in the laboratory. However, if this difficulty in replicating the conditions which lead to boredom can be overcome successfully in the laboratory so that boredom is indeed engendered, the willing collaboration of the subjects participating in the laboratory experiments tends thereby to be lost.

6

V. David Hopkin

Nature of Boredom Boredom describes a subjective state which is disliked. Boredom is specific to an individual person. It does not follow if one man finds a task boring that others will also be bored by it. There is probably no task which everyone would always find boring.

Equally, there is probably no task which has never been boring to anyone.

Because boredom is disliked, it leads to complaints if it occurs regularly or frequently. Many people, not only air traffic controllers, are becoming less willing to tolerate and accept protracted boredom while they are at work. They expect their work to be interesting, satisfying and worthwhile, but it cannot be if it bores them all the time, no matter how efficiently they do it.

Traditionally, boredom is associated with simple tasks or with having too little to do. It is often presumed to lead to poor task performance. These commonsense assumptions cannot be sub-

stantiated by sound scientific evidence. The experienced controller knows that aspects of his work which once excited him may gradually become routine and eventually become boring with constant repetition and familiarity. It does not follow however that he is less efficient as a controller because he has become bored. On the contrary, it can be argued that it is because his tasks are always well within his capabilities and are all performed efficiently and safely without placing excessive demands on him that he eventually becomes bored. If this is so, then boredom could be associated with good performance rather than bad.

Boredom and Alertness A common aim in air traffic control is to keep the controller alert at all times. If the controller does his tasks manually and is kept busy, remaining alert is not a real problem: he has little difficulty, as long as he is not overloaded, in maintaining attention and in keeping his picture of the traffic reasonably up-to-date.

Manual systems were designed to function on the assumption that the man remained continuously aware of the traffic he was controlling, and it was contended, rightly, that he needed continuous up-to-date knowledge of his traffic to do his job properly. While he was doing the job manually, the actions involved in active control, the procedures required for communications, and the implementation of his own decisions ensured that he kept his information about the traffic comprehensive and current. His active participation in the system and control over it demanded his alertness and involvement. More recent plans envisage the controller as a manager, supervisor and monitor of the system where much of the routine work is done for him and his function is to attend to what the system is doing and to intervene when necessary. The more aids and facilities he has, the less his intervention becomes necessary except in the passive role of accepting proposals put to him.

The systems of the future are being designed on the same assumption as the systems of the past, namely that the controller will remain continuously alert and attentive. Sometimes a stated objective in the system design is that the man must remain continuously alert. His rare intervention, for example in responding at once to an emergency and resolving it correctly, can be effective only if he remains alert and keeps his knowledge up-Iodate. The more passive his tasks become, the more difficult it is for him to remain highly attentive to them all the time. A stage must eventually be reached where the man's role has become so passive that it is no longer sensible to go on designing systems on the assumption that he can remain continuously alert. Alternatively, the designs for even the most automated systems must require the man's continuous active involvement so that the need for him to be alert is retained.

The relationship between boredom and attention is complex.

They are not opposites: it may be possible to be both attentive and bored. If so, measures to ensure that the man remains continuously attentive, even if they are successful, might not prevent boredom. However, the progressive dissociation of the man from active involvement in the system, whereby for example he speaks less to the pilot and looks more at displays or he accepts or rejects computed decisions and no longer works out solutions for himself, seems relevant to the problem of boredom. The extent of active involvement, and the extent to which the man can control the amount of his involvement, clearly influence boredom in some way.

If the need for manual intervention becomes rare, eventually the need for continuous attention which is seldom required seems pointless to the man and gradually he becomes less punctilious about trying to maintain attention. This is not a criticism, but a fact which system designs should take account of. Also, as systems become more automated, occasions when the controller can innovate, use his skills or meet challenges from his own resources become fewer. Such conditions, too, seem to be associated with boredom.

Boredom and Task Demands People who in their own jobs are able to determine how hard they will work often choose to be busy and to keep them·selves fully occupied, to the extent of overloading themselves. Boredom seems more likely to occur in tasks ·such as air traffic control because the controller can influence his own workload to only a limited extent, no matter what facilities he is given. If there is very little traffic, then there cannot be much sustained work for him to do. If there is a great deal of traffic he may tend to become fully loaded whatever aids he is given. Thus the traffic, and other factors such as his own experience, mainly determine how busy he must be. The opportunities for giving him control over his workload are therefore limited but aids which are most efficient when most needed would enable the workload to be more effectively spread. Even the most automated systems might benefit from a facility for working them wholly manually in very light traffic conditions. Busy people, particularly those who are busy by their own choice, are not usually bored. Boredom is often associated with not h.aving enough to do.

elsnER. Boredom cannot be removed simply by giving the man more work. The work must be of the right kind. Routine meaningless tasks with no intrinsic interest generate rather than alleviate boredom (Guest et al, 1978). Activities which seem purposeless become boring: this remains true whether they really are purposeless or whether they merely seem purposeless because their functions have never been adequately explained or understood.

Tasks may seem meaningless if instead of being an essential part of the man's work they are ancilliary actions which he must perform so that the machine can function.

Very simple tasks can rapidly become boring, particularly if they require little action apart from monitoring or if the actions they require are highly stereotyped and repetitive. There is therefore an association between boredom and task complexity. Nevertheless, it would be wrong to assume that complex tasks can never be boring or that, if they are, performance must be poorer.

The difference between a simple and a complex task is likely to be that it takes longer for the complex task to become boring: it will not become so as long as there are more aspects to learn, more skills to develop, more problems to be solved and more challenges to meet. However, ultimately and after a long time, even a highly complex task may become boring. It should be emphasised that, when highly complex tasks become boring, the boredom can often be associated with very highly skilled performance, since it is only when very skilled performance has been attained that boredom sets in. An important result of this is that it may not be possible to tell by measuring highly skilled performance - whether of the air traffic controller, the concert piani'st, the golfer, or the long distance lorry driver - whether the man doing the tasks is bored or not. Performance measures may reveal nothing whatsoever about the level of boredom.

7

Boredom and Fatigue Boredom and fatigue are not the same. A busy air traffic controller may be fatigued at the end of his shift but not bored. An under-employed controller may be bored but not fatigued. Just as there has been a recent emphasis on stress to the neglect of boredom, so at one time there was a great emphasis on fatigue, again to the neglect of boredom. The kinds of error associated with fatigue and boredom may not be the same (Wyatt & Langdon, 1937). Fatigue may bring more measurable continuous lapses in performance whereas boredom, if it affects performance at all, may be associated with occasional gross lapses rather than continuous decrements.

In relation to boredom one factor of considerable importance is the knowledge of how long the task will last. This remains t,ue both in the short term (e.g. half an hour to go before the end of the watch) and in the long term (e.g. at least two years before there is any prospect of promotion or a new posting). The effects of this knowledge on boredom are complex but it is clearly relevant.

Measurements Numerous ways of measuring boredom can be hypothesised.

These include performance measures, physiological and biochemical indices, measures of personality, and social measures.

However, because boredom is fundamentally a subjective state, therefore subjective measure·s are the most directly relevant to it.

Although other kinds of measure can be useful, some proof is required that they do in fact refer to the subjective state of boredom and are not measuring something else.

The effects of boredom may not show in task performance.

Whether boredom affects efficiency or safety will probably depend on details of the task design, for example on whether it has been assumed that the man can remain continuously alert. Other less direct measures may provide a better pointer to boredom: these include absenteeism, high labour turnover, difficulties in training, sickness rates, difficulties in recruitment, and apparent lack of collaboration with management, with watches, or with colleagues.

The causes of boredom may lie in the nature of the work itself but the effects may not show in the work. If boredom is the cause of a problem, steps intended to alleviate the boredom without changing the nature of the work may n.ot succeed.

Individual Characteristics One relevant factor concerns the extent to which the tasks and its demands are appropriate for the abilities and aptitudes of the man. This can be construed as the person/environment fit, which is the extent to which the man's skills and abilities are compatible with the demands and requirements of his job and the extent to which the job succeeds in meeting all his needs at work.

Numerous factors such as job design, workspace, and selection and training influence the person/environment fit. At one time it was believed that the aim should be a perfect fit between the person and his environment. Now this belief is being questioned, since a perfect fit might not present adequate challenges to the man or require sufficient effort from him (Harrison, 1978).

Individual Attitudes The loading which the task places on the man is not simply a matter of task demand but also depends on attributes of the man himself, such as his abilities, his experience and his familiarity with the air traffic control problems which arise in the traffic he is responsible for. It is therefore not possible, simply by examining the attributes of the traffic, to determine how busy the individual controller will be, but necessary to study the individual too. Perhaps boredom occurs in air traffic controllers even if they are quite busy when they have become very familiar indeed with a particular sector, area or task. If they have done the same task 8

for many years they will have seen all the problems that there are to see which commonly arise, and will have solved them. They will acquire a true mastery of the task and normally will perform it very well indeed. There is satisfaction in using skills and abilities to the full and knowing that a job has been well done.

However, when there are no further challenges to look forward to, no further skills to be developed, no new aspects of the task to learn, no opportunities to innovate which have not arisen before, then the savour of the job begins to go. The job may pall, and even if the man is busy and the task is apparently demanding he may become bored by it because it has no longer anything new to offer him. Perhaps to prevent boredom the man's role must always somewhat adaptive, so that there is still the prospect of something new to learn, some new challenge to be met, some new skill to be acquired, and some further effort to be made.

Without this, boredom may result.

Boredom can also arise in air traffic control because the job seems, and is, neverending. The solution to this kind of problem may lie in a change in the controller's attitudes to his job, rather in the work itself. Viewed in relation to a flow of traffic that never ceases, the controller's job never seems to end or even make progress, but viewed in relation to the efficient and safe expediting ot each aircraft the job is a series of successfully completed tasks.

One trend in designing future systems is clearly highly pertinent. As the man's role become more passive it also tends to become more isolated, so that he relates more to the computer and to his displays and controls rather than to other people, whether his professional colleague·s or pilots. When a man is bored, it is a great help to him if he can talk to someone else.

This need not impair task efficiency provided the workspace has been designed to allow desultory conversation. If he can talk to no-one without physically leaving his work, shouting or being otherwise disruptive, the problem of boredom may be aggravated because he can neither consult with others as part of his job nor talk to others as a means of passing the time when the job places low demands on him.

Controllers often ar:e" motivated by enjoyment of their work and because they find air traffic control satisfying in its own right.

When someone acts because he is motivated by enjoyment in this way it serves to increase his confidence and his feelings of solidarity with others who share the same work. This is particularly true in air traffic control where the work is inter-related and where much of the motivation for the work is also generated by controllers themselves for reasons of professional pride, standards and status. Such reasons depend greatly on close collaboration and team work, and they become difficult to sustain if each man must work in isolation. When the man is largely driven by the machine in that most of his actions are at the behest of the machine, this may also reduce his solidarity with others and lead to a sense of alienation. Air traffic control is an enjoyable activity, not simply because of the work itself but also because of the interpretation which controllers put on it. It is not only a source of work but a source of solidarity, professionalism and pride. This in turn contributes to its enjoyment and to dispelling boredom (Csikszentmihalyi, 1975). The gradual removal of the need for skill in response to challenges in the work may have the incidental effect of increasing boredom because the work no longer provides its own rewards, and rewards therefore are sought elsewhere. Yet the rewards elsewhere can never be as satisfying and of the same quality as the rewards which come from the work itself when it is done manually and relies upon skill and effort.

Resume Among the current and future trends which seem to aggravate the problem of boredom are the greater passivity and isolation of tasks, the fewer opportunities to innovate and be flexible, the reduced needs for skills, the reduced complexity of skills required, the reduced opportunities for exercising skills, and the

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change in the balance of tasks from decision making and problem solving towards routine data entry and retrieval. Greater social isolation at work is a contributing factor, an incidental consequence of treating the man as a system component. The simplification of air traffic control tasks makes them easier to learn but also it curtails the potential for acquiring skills and means that the tasks cannot continue to challenge for as long as they once did, and hence may become boring. The changing nature of the tasks means that it may become more difficult to take pride in them and to develop professional standards and norms for them.

The need to maintain attention is counteracted by the fact that most of the time paying attention serves no purpose. Resistance to innovations is encountered if those who must use them can predict that the envisaged changes will make an existing problem of boredom worse. Anyone who experiences boredom as a normal part of his job is ultimately prepared to go to great lengths to avoid it.

Plans for future air traffic control tasks do not deliberately set out to create boring jobs: boredom, if it occurs, is currently an unforeseen consequence of changes introduced for other reasons, but boredom certainly affects acceptability, and may affect efficiency in unexpected ways, and often boredom could be predicted. Future tasks in air traffic control must therefore pay more

attention to the problem of boredom and its causes and consequences, perhaps ultimately by making the man's role more adaptive and by using computer assistance to aid this continuous adaptation, both to optimise efficiency and safety and to alleviate boredom.

■

References Cooper, C. L. & Payne, R. (Eds). (1978). "Stress at Work". Chinchester: Wiley.

Crump, J. H. (1979). "Review of Stress in Air Traffic Control: Its Measurement and Effects". Aviat. Space Environ. Med., 50, 3, 243-248.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1975). ,.Beyond Boredom and Anxiety". London: JosseyBass.

Guest, D., Williams, R & Dewe, P. (1978). ,.Job Design and the Psychology of Boredom". Paper at 19th International Congress of Applied Psychology: Munich. August 1978.

Harrison, R. V. (1978)_ "Person-Environment Fit and Job Stress". In Copper.

C. L. & Payne, R. op. cit., 175-202.

Thackray, R. I., Bailey. J. P. & Touchstone, R. M. (1975). "Physiological, Subjective. and Performance Correlates of Reported Boredom and Monotony While Performing a Simulaled Radar Control Task". FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute, Oklahoma City. Report No. FAA-AM-75-8.

Wyatt, S. & Langdon, J. N. (1937). "Fatigue and Boredom in Repetitive Work".

London: H. M. Stationery Office; Industrial Health Research Board Report No. 77.

THE COMPASS 9000

by Nigel Ross Cossor Electronics Ltd. Corporate Member of IFATCA

Radar Processing & Display System Cossor Electronics Limited are supplying computer based Air Traffic Control Radar Processing and Display Systems for five airports in the United Kingdom. Known as Compass 9000, the system has been designed to meet the requirements for terminal area and approach control and is to be installed at Gatwick Airport, the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, East Midlands Airport, Sumburgh Airport and Newcastle Airport during 1980. The system is also suited for use at small and medium sized Air Traffic Control centres.

The key components of the system are the Cessor-designed CMP 9000 micro-computer and the CRD 2016 high speed Display.

The Display is a 16 inch version of the Cessor 2000 series, offering a raw analogue radar capability, together with a graphics mode for the display of digitized Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) and Primary Radar. An essential feature of the system design is that the Displays can be installed without the computer equipment to operate with raw analogue Primary and Secondary Radar, and can be later enhanced by the addition of character and vector generators to each Display, which together with the necessary radar and Display processors, can either overlay digitized SSR information on the raw radar display or provide a synthetic picture of combined digitized SSR and Primary Radar and computer generated map. Further options such as code/call sign processing can be added when desired.

10

The airports which are due to receive the COMPASS 9000 system have existing primary radar facilities for terminal area and approach control. Although a valuable aid for controlling aircraft, Primary Radar cannot differentiate between aircraft at different heights. Controllers identify which radar return represents a particular aircraft by correlating the position of a radar return on the Display with an "in-flight" report of the aircraft's position in respect of a navigational aid or geographic feature. Identification is generally confirmed by the observance of a procedural turn.

Even after initial identification the controller, has to maintain identity of an aircraft by manually updating the track on the Display and can only rely on in-flight reports in respect of an aircraft maintaining or changing its height.

SSR provides positive aircraft identification together with an aircraft's height, derived from its altimeter. Ideally all primary radar facilities at airports would benefit from the co-location of an SSR, but because of the necessity to reduce mutual interference between SSR interrogators, restrictions have been impo'sed on the numbers that can operate in a given area. In the UK maximum use is made of SSR plot data, remoted from airways surveillance radar stations. The radar data from the en-route radar sites is generally provided as combined primary and secondary radar. The primary plot data can be stripped and the SSR overlaid on the terminal radar after a correction for geographic shift has been applied. The primary plot data can also be used to supplement radar coverage or used as a stand-by in case of failure of the local airport radar.

Display Unit The CRD 2016 autonomous Display Unit is of solid state design (except for the CRT) which requires no central or back-up equipment and offers high unit availability. A Display control panel, usually mounted to the side of the Display, allows the selection of up to four raw Primary Radar heads, together with control of brightness levels of video inputs, range rings, maps, display range and display offset. A wide range of antenna turning inputs from DC to digital 4096 can be accommodated. The Display Unit deflection system incorporates a circuit to switch from raw radar PPI presentation, to the graphics mode, for writing synthetic characters and symbols. Deflection signals are provided by a character/vector/dot generator and controller module (CVDG) which can be simply fitted within the Display Unit. The character generator module also controls the brightness intensity and the flashing of any synthetic information. Characters are written cursively in an average of 3 microseconds each.

The Compass 9000 system accepts up to three channels of digital radar, which can be either digital Primary Radar, Secondary Radar or a combination of both. The digital radar processing aspects are based on a distributed computer philosophy. Unlike systems which rely on a single large computer to both process the incoming radar data and refresh the Display, the Cessor approach has been to split these functions. A separate radar data processor forms the valid plot data from 9,600 baud serial data at a modem interface and, after tracking, formats this for transmis•sion to Refresh and Controller Units (RCU) for each Display position. The Refresh and Controller Unit forms a display file and file access is controlled by the CVDG module which in turn produces deflection waveforms to cause the display of synthetic information on the radar display. Filtering of displayed data is controlled by the RCU on request from a function select keyboard.

The Radar Data Processor and RCU use the CMP 9000 microcomputer which is based on a 16 bit microprocessor. The RDP and RCU are identical with the exceptions of the communications interface cards. The usual RDP configuration incorporates 40 K of random access memory, whereas each Refresh and Controller Unit uses a 32 K word store. The distributive processing philosophy ensures a high system availability. If a Refresh and Controller Unit should fail, then the raw radar mode is totally unaffected. In the event of the Radar Data Processor becoming unserviceable or should incoming radar data fail each Refresh and Controller Unit can indefinitely hold the last data passed from the RDP. The controller thus has a record of the radar situation at the time of failure of the RDP. Full Display manipulation functions can still be executed. A controller's attention is drawn to a failure of incoming plot data by the flashing of displayed synthetic information, for a period of 12 seconds from the time at which fresh plot data ceases to be available.

Additional system availability can be provided by a dual channel Radar Data Processor. With a dual configuration, both processors simultaneously process the incoming data and pass this to the Refresh and Controller Units. Each RCU samples both sets of data from the RDP and will normally operate from a preferred processor, designated by the system Alarm/Control panel.

In the event of the preferred RDP channel failing, the Refresh and Controller Unit will automatically select the alternative data channel. The alarm/control panel indicates a change in system status and provides control of the operational state of the Dual RDP system, If required, an RDP can be switched "off-line" to operate with any display, for program changes, without affecting the operational status of the other RDP and displays.

Flexibility All software programs for the system are written in Coral 66 and held on floppy discs at the RDP. The program for the Refresh and Controller Units is automatically loaded from the Radar Data Processor. The use of Refresh and Controller Units provides flexibility in picture choice and display functions which, except

for the handover facility and QNH insertion, do not interact with or affect the picture at any other Display station in the system. Using a separate refresh store also allows a high synthetic data refresh rate to be maintained, it is possible to display fifty full SSR labels at a refresh rate of 50 Hz when the display operates in a mixed synthetic/raw radar mode. The ability to maintain a high refresh rate allows a phosphor to be chosen to suit the particular operational application in respect of brightness and persistence.

The synthetic data on the Display comprising position symbols, SSR labels, map information and tabular data, is controlled by a function select keyboard which is compact and easily understood. A total of thirty-two functions are provided on sixteen keys through the use of a shift mode, allowing each key to have two functions. If required, an additional keyboard can be added to accommodate further system functions. For designating points on the Display, a symbol controlled by a Rolling Ball is provided.

Through the use of the keyboard, an air traffic controller is able to

Cossor displays al Gatwick Airport, U. K.

vary the size of the synthetic characters and position SSR labels relative to the radar position symbol. The controller is able to filter out aircraft labels that are not of interest, through height filtering and SSR code filtering. The filters are set up on the Display as part of the tabular data through a data entry mode using the function select keyboard. The filters can be overridden at any time by the operation of a "quick look" function key.

An Electronic Range and Bearing Marker (ERBM) i"s provided which is positioned using the Rolling Ball. In use, the ERBM is presented as a vector and can provide accurate and constant range and bearing information between 2 points on the display as a direct read-out against the vector line. The tabular data block also displays time (GMT) and weather data. As SSR Transponders give a height read-out which is related to the standard pressure setting of 1013.2 millibars, aircraft below a transition altitude have the displayed height corrected, relative to the prevailing QNH. This is achieved by entering the current QNH at any Display station. Because of the need to ensure that this data is secure and correct, a security key switch is provided and a double entry and feedback system employed to minimize errors. The aircraft position symbols on the Display can denote whether the plot is an "SSR only" plot or a combined plot and whether it has been subjected to height or code filtering.

A teletype is permanently connected to the RDP, for entering system parameters and for soliciting system status. Requests for a print-out of radar targets within the system coverage are made through the teletype. System status can also be obtained from the 11

technical Monitor Display. Maintenance facilities include faultfinding diagnostic software.

A system enhancement is the provision of code/call sign processing in which flight plan data giving assigned SSR codes to flight numbers can be solicited from either a remote Air Traffic Control Centre data base or entered locally through a Visual Display Unit. When this data is available, the controller is able to select flight numbers for display in place of the identity code in SSR labels. Airways routing can also be shown in the label.

A unique feature of the Compass 9000 system is the provision of a computer generated map which can be composed directly on the Radar Display using a special floppy disc program. Map composition can be undertaken by maintenance personnel with little specialized software training. The map is created through the function select keyboard which, in the map drawing mode, enters symbols, characters and vectors. The position of these is designated by the Rolling Ball with a read-out of the co-ordinates of the defined position on the Display. Visual verification of each

compilation step is assured and, importantly, changes to the map can be quickly and accurately incorporated at the display site.

A refinement in display viewing, is provided by a non-reflective faceplate and cursor assembly. The screen is made from a composition of glass, with a magnesium fluoride coating, bonded to both a polarising filter and a colour filter which is optimised to the CRT phosphor colour. The combination of a reduction in distracting reflections with contrast-ratio enhancement means that the display can be viewed under a much higher ambient lighting level than is considered normal, consequently reducing controller fatigue.

The COMPASS 9000 modular design can be configured to meet most operational requirements, from raw radar Approach systems to fully synthetic Area Control systems. Standard software programs offer a variety of features which can easily be modified to suit individual specifications. The COMPASS 9000 system is a modern flexible and cost elective solution for Air Traffic Control Radar display system requirements.

■

TUNISIA An Aviation Oasis in Africa Tunisia may be the one country in Africa with a distinctive mixture of old and new; the country with an air of hurried modernity; the country of the mosque and the church, of sandy, mile-long beaches, lush green countryside, of roads lined on either side with palm-trees; finally the country with a history influenced by the Phoenician, Greek and Roman civilizations - in short a country-garden by the Mediterranean.

Thousands of colourful tourist brochures show glossy, colourful pictures of the country's tourist attractions, briefly touching on the people's inherent hospitality. Naturally, hospitality of the people cannot possibly be illustrated; it is a feeling sensed by the visitor on arrival, overwhelmed by the time he departs. Indeed, "L'hospitalite est dans la nature des Tunisiens," to quote President Bourguiba of Tunisia.

Though hospitality cannot be reflected into any kind of tourist literature, even if attempts are repeatedly made, little if nothing is said of the aviation establishments or facilities available for the safe conduct of flights in and out of Tunisia. Such facilities available to air transport are by far more advanced than most if not all of the African neighbouring countries. Realizing the importance of aviation in the economic development of the country, the authorities have invested proportionately large amounts of money to build new airports and new terminal buildings to cater for the ever increasing air traffic carrying into the country the millions of holidaymakers.

The visitor's discontent regarding the strict security checks, passport and customs formalities and the long slow moving queue built up at the small duty-free shop at Tunis airport, does not alter in any way the general feelings of air safety he will sense when he becomes knowledgeable of the purposes of the huge pillar-type control tower standing in the center of the airfield and of the very peculiar shaped building of the "Centre de la Navigation Aerienne" (CNA) facing the main exit of the airport terminal building.

To the disinterested visitor, modern buildings will imply modern equipment. This indeed is very true in the case of Tunisia. The Civil Aviation Authority went far ahead during its very short life, to create an independent self-sufficient system paying particular importance to the training of per12

sonnel and established the country's own college, the "Ecole Regionale De L'Aviation civile et de La Meteorologie".

Visiting Tunisia for the first time last October, on the occasion of the IFATCA Executive Board meeting, in Tunis, I could not but pay a visit to the civil aviation establishments and find out the organization of the system as a whole. My visits took me to the Director-General of the Office des Ports Aeriens de Tunisie (OPAT), Mr. Mohamed Hedi Merchaoui, the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Moncef Ayadi, the Aviation School and its Director Mr. Jilani Munchari (school-mate and old friend of mine)' the Control Tower and the Centre de la Navigation Aerienne, and had talks with the officers of the Tunisian Air Traffic Controllers' Association (TATCA).

Tunisia lies on the north coast of the African continent, constituting an effective political frontier of its two larger neighbours, Algeria to the west and Libya to the east more like a wedge forced in between the two countries.

Its geographical position creates a natural passage for air traffic originating from the north in France and Britain routing to the central African countries such as Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, etc. - a constant, though not voluminous flow of air traffic is maintained. Algeria's and Morocco's air traffic to the rest of the Arab world would normally take them over Tunisia, being the largest portion of the overflying traffic. Because of the great tourist rush into the country, air traffic using airports in Tunisia constitute about 90 0/o of the whole traffic movement in the Tunisian airspace. The opening, in 1979 of the fifth international airport, Tozeur, to the southwest of the country (the other four airports are, Tunis/Carthage, Monastir, Jerba and Sfax el Maou) indicates a booming tourist trade and a large number of aircraft movements in and out of the

The Centre de la Navigation building.

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CNA viewed from the OPAT's

country. During the past five years there was an observed an:iual increase of 14 % in aircraft movements. The great increase in civil aviation traffic pushes the safety factor into a different priority in the country's efforts to encourage operators use its facilities. Conscious of this fact, the Tunisian Administration had invested large sums of money in purchasing from the world's aviation market modern and efficient equipment in addition to the passengers facilitation. In fact, it becomes more obvious to the visitor as he goes around the different establishments that money invested in facilities for the protection·ot-.the air travellers is far greater than money spent for his comfort and convenience.

Tunisia, soon after its independence (1956) realised that the country's aviation potentials ought to be exploited by the Tunisians themselves and started on what they called "Tunisianization" of Civil Aviation, taking over from the French Administration. 1957 sees the establishment of the Aviation School and the taking over of the controlling shares (51 %) of Tunis Air; finally in 1958 the Government assumes control of all aviation services in Tunisia with Tunisian personnel. Admittedly, the French Administration were all too happy to hand over the services to the local administration, after independence.

Air Traffic Control Services Air Traffic Control in the Tunisian Flight Information Region (FIR) is carried out by the Tunis Air Traffic Control Center using two sectors, north and south, controlling traffic flying along the four main airways, A 26, A 31, G 6 and G 13. The north sector comparatively covering a smaller area controls traffic originating from or bound to European Centers such as Marseilles, Roma and Algiers to the west. Tunis/Carthage airport comes within the North sector's area of jurisdiction. The south sector, though responsible for the greater part of the routes along airways A 26, G 6 and G 13 running north to south and the whole of airway A 31 running east/west joining VOR Constantine in Algiers and VOR Tripoli in Lybia, has proportionately less traffic than the north. The sector covers the smaller airports of Jerba, Tozeur and the country's second largest airport, Monastir. Though little traffic flows from the Tunisian airspace into the Malta FIR, controllers in Tunisia are concerned with Maltese failure to establish proper communication contacts with them for the advance transfer of movement messages to and from the areas. Fortunately, ICAO has established a contingency plan by which flights take up certain flight levels and so far the system has proved satisfactory. Naturally if traffic increases in the area something more drastic has to be maintained.

Tunis Airport Cotrol Tower.

The two sector-controllers sit on either side of the terminal controller in a semi-dark room using Thomson CSF radar system in the second floor of the ultra-modern flying-saucer type of building known as the CNA establishment. The Terminal Controller is responsible for as great an airspace as that of the north sector, though much shallower, serving the two main international airports of the country, namely, Tunis/Carthage and Monastir. The Terminal Controller will normally control about 80 % of the traffic movement of Tunisia. Though French is considered as the official language of Tunisia, in the Government services, English is more often used in air traffic control.

Air Traffic Controllers trained at the national aviation school spent a considerable amount of time out of their syllabus time to English language learning. - indeed English is considered as absolutely essential.

The 31-metre high control tower standing at a distance away from the terminal buildings of the Tunis/Carthage airport situated at a safe distance close to the intersection of the main runways gives an unobstructed all-round view to the controller of all runways and aircraft approaches.

The usually good weather with its associated good visibility makes tower control a pleasant job. Though traffic frequency does not make approach radar an absolute necessity, control tower chief Moncef Ben Yahia (IFATCA's Regional Councillor for the Middle East and the Mediterranean Region) anticipates that early this year the fourth radar tube available at the CNA building will be used for approach control purposes. "It will be better and safer to start using it now and prepare ourselves when traffic increases to a point making radar a safety requirement," Moncef suggested.

One may suggest that present day traffic is satisfactorily served by the equipment available, yet it may equally be maintained that traffic increase calls for the immediate installation of more up-to-date equipment that will facilitate a safer and more expeditious flow of traffic in and out of Tunisia. To my enquiries, both the Director of OPAT, Mr. Merchaoui and the chief of the Tunis Center Mr. Aissa replied that Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) will be made available within the next two years. The School will soon be equipped with the proper simulator system for the training of the controllers. The country's experts forecast that traffic into Tunisia will more than double in five years time making the introduction of more sophisticated equipment an absolute necessity to the air traffic controller to ensure the safety of air traffic.

On the same floor, yet in a different room the FIR Controller is to be found busily talking to VFR traffic and Instrument traffic flying outside controlled airspace. He seems very content with the fact that he works in a very 13

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much different environment than his colleagues in the radar room. He does not work in the dark therefore, he does not rely on artificial lighting, at least during daylight hours.

In the same building but on different floors other services such as the Notam Office and the Automatic Telecommunications Center are to be found with other ancillary services. The entire establishment known as the "Centre de la Navigation Aerien" (CNA) was built in 1970 at a cost of nearly 3,000,000 Dinars ($9 million). Its inauguration in 1970 sees also the birth of new aviation administration, the "Office des Ports Aeriens de Tunisie" (OPAT) headed by a very shrewed aviation minded Director General, Mr. Mohamed Hedi Merchaoui a pleasant talker and always willing to answer questions even on personnel salaries. In reply to a question as to the comparatively lower salaries paid to controllers in Tunisia, Mr. Menchaoui very dip!omatically admitted that "one does not always get what is logical".

The country's next five-year development plan so far as aviation is concerned is directed mainly to the improvement of the existing airports, the establishment of new international airports to serve the tourist demands and the continuation, until the final completion, in 1990, of all phases of the Tunis/Carthage Airport. Air Traffic Control Services will get the new SSR with Tunis Approach ceasing to be a procedural control service.

Presently, there are in the country, five international airports used by 25 international operators on scheduled services and more than thirty charter operators carrying passengers mainly during the summer months. There are also six secondary airports, four of which serve oil-drilling stations in the desert, namely, El Borma, Skhira, Station de Pompage No. 3 (SP 3) and SP 4. Gafsa airport used for tourist purposes will normally take aircraft of the executive type and Bordj El Amri, where the aviation school is situated, is used for flying training and pleasure flights. The experts estimate that the 1978 figure of 3 million passengers will be more than doubled by the end of 1985 - a very moderate estimate if one studies the figures achieved during the past two or three years.

Tunis/Carthage airport, is the country's main international airport which hosts most scheduled flights with twenty international operators and nine charter operators.

Monastir the second largest airport, situated close to the most popular seaside resorts on the east coast, takes the greatest number of charter flights with only four scheduled operators. The extension of Tunis/Carthage airport's terminal buildings and related facilities is a grandiose project of the OPAT. Its three expansion phases will be completed as passenger traffic increases planned for completion in 1985 when the number of passengers estimated to use Tunis/Carthage will reach the fantastic figure of 3,000,000.

1978 show a figure close.to 1,800,000 passengers.

15

Mr. Merchaoui, Director General OPAT

Civil Aviation Administration The spectacular development of the Tunisian Civil Aviation, witnessed during the past decade, may be attributed to the fact that policy making is left to be administered by the Government and the remaining tasks entrusted to a commercial public organization. As stated earlier the Office des Ports Aeriens de Tunisie (OPAT) was established in 1970 as a public corporation to manage, exploit and develop Tunisian International Airports and their associated facilities like air traffic control and air navigation facilities. Personnel such as air traffic controllers and technicians also come under the authority of OPAT. Licensing standards etc. come under the Directorate of Civil Aviation. In short, OPA T's business is to run the airports on a commercial basis financing for the safety of air navigation. The Office's sources of income are from landing charges, overflying charges, rents, etc.

The policy making part of civil aviation is left entirely to the Government Civil Aviation department of the Ministry of Transport. Head of the Department is Mr. Moncef Ayadi, who is generally responsible to aviation legislation, bilateral agreements, International Organizations, Licencing and Documentation in general. Though it is possible that the Civil Aviation Department may exercise control over OPAT the two administrations should however be considered as independent from each other. Their role is rather complementary.

airport destined to expand steadily, with the assistance of the International Organizations of Meteorology and Civil Aviation, into a very modern and fully equipped college covering all faculties of aviation. The school has gained worldwide fame for its very comprehensive courses and attracts annually hundreds of students from African, mainly French speaking countries. The Director of the School Mr. Munchari quoted a figure of 2,500 students so far out of which 700 came from African countries including some from Spain, France, Jordan and Vietnam. The Director being a former air traffic controller speaks of air traffic control with much respect and says that the school's most important faculty is air traffic control.

The school functions under both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Communications and accepts students from abroad sent on scholarship by Governments or International Organizations.

The school is divided into two 'Centres' - implied also by its name - one at Bordj El Amri Airport and the other

by Tunis/Carthage airport. The main Centre, situated at Bordj El Amri airport about 25 kms to the west of Tunis, offers the student accommodation and other facilities in a very modern compound of fine architectural buildings in an ideal aviation environment. It offers courses for pilots to the very professional stage (Instrument, Commercial, airline pilot ratings). Tunis Air pilots no longer seek their training abroad until they reach type rating. The air traffic controller's course, includes in its syllabus flying training to the stage of a private pilot's licence, extends over a period of two years theoretical and simulation training before trainee controllers do a further two years on the job training prior to licensing. The Bordj El Amri Centre covers training also on Telecommunications, Aeronautical Operations, Aviation Economics and Radar Control.

The Tunis/Carthage Centre may be said to be basically the School for Meteorologists and technicians.

Tunisian Air Services

Mention was repeatedly being made earlier to the Aviation School (College). Its full title is the "Ecole de !'Aviation Civile et de la Meteorologie de Tunis" and was established as early as 1957 to train the first Tunisian air traffic controllers to take over from the French. It was then a very small school situated at the Tunis/Carthage

It is a very natural thing to do when one writes of a country's aviation to say a few words of its carrier, otherwise the picture already given will be incomplete. In the case of Tunisia the national carrier is Tunis Air created by Air France in 1948 starting with a fleet of one DC 3 and one DC 4. Until 1961, after the company came into the control of the Government in 1957, it operated services mainly to Paris, Marseilles, Lyon and Rome. With the addition then of the first Caravelle to its fleet the company linked Tunisia with most European capitals and some of the Arab world. Today's Tunis Air fleet numbers 10 Boeing 727s and 2 737s used on cargo services.

The Executive (centre}.

The main building de Tunis".

The Tunisian School of Aviation

16

Board with the Director

of the School M. J. Munchari

of the "Ecole de !'Aviation Civile et de Meteorologie

A second, subsidiary of Tunis Air, airline, "Tunis-Avia" was established in 1975 to operate domestic charter flights.

In 1976 the airline started operating scheduled passenger service linking Tunis with Malta in association with Air Malta.

Tunisia, Internationally Not long after its independence, Tunisia became a member of ICAO and ratified most of the important international conventions. These are: the 1944 Chicago Convention (December, 1957), the 1952 Rome Convention (December, 1963), the 1955 Warsaw/Hague Convention

From the I LO Desk: For "switchmen of the sky" Equivocal status, irregular working hours which are sometimes too long, salaries which are too often insufficient and above all, the crushing responsibilities of their essential role in air safety these are the main factors which lie behind an almost universal call by air traffic controllers for improvement in their conditions of work and career prospects.

The November session of the ILO Governing Body had before it a report of a meeting of experts held earlier this year which contains a number of proposals to help cure the main ills in air traffic control through nationally and internationally negotiated measures. Among the recommendations to improve the lot of the switch men of the sky are the following:

(February, 1964), the 1961 Quadalajara Convention (August, 1970), the 1963 Tokyo Convention (May, 1975) and others.

Though not on the ICAO Council, Tunisian representatives at ICAO meetings had contributed immensely to the development of international civil aviation and their strict adherence to Conventions proscribing air crimes discouraged criminals from seeking refuge in the country.

As a concluding remark that I would like to make is the fact that though Tunisia may not be classed as a top aviation country, yet confidently I can maintain that there are many countries in the world that would envy the achievements of Tunisia and learn from the country's experiences.

AA ■ Industrial relations: Air traffic controllers should have the right to establish and join organisations of their own choosing without previous authorisation and they should be able to settle disputes through impartial machinery such as voluntary arbitration, making it unnecessary to have recourse to industrial action.

Hours of work: Long hours of work and insufficient rest periods for controllers constitute potential threats to air safety.

Shift lengths which include periods of heavy air traffic should not normally exceed eight hours; the experts noted that in several countries a 30-minute break is provided every two hours.

Legal liabilities: In every country where controllers are involved in the investigation of incidents and accidents, they should be entitled to representation from their trade union or representative organisation.

Independent civil liabilities of controllers should be abolished and they should be provided with adequate legal protection and counsel.

Other proposals for action concern questions of remuneration, pensions, career prospects, occupational safety and health, training and job security.

■

17

TRAINING AIDS An Important Factor in Standardisation and Development of Air Traffic Control Procedures Presented to the 2nd MECACON Meeting

by Herbert E. Scott, M.B.E. Marketing Consultant of DATASAAB AB (a Corporate Member of IFATCA)

Many learned papers have been presented on the capabilities of digital simulator systems for use in ATC training and evaluation of procedures. That they are effective and technically advanced can be seen at a number of locations in Europe and North America. It is not my intention in this paper to take you yet again through a commercial presentation of one such system. In the presence of a representative cross section of the air transport industry, at a Conference dedicated to Safety, it is my pleasure to present to you some of the real problems which are exercising authorities in all parts of the world against a background of proposed technical and operational innovation. It will become clear as I proceed that the existence and availability of high quality digital simulation guarantees the fullest testing of all the proposals which may be made as a result of consideration of new techniques and procedures: I wish to quickly define the environment and identify the factors affecting the environment, and then to follow on very briefly with an overview of the good things going for the Air Transport Service which have evolved as a result of deep study and experience within aviation circles in close collaboration with industry. Although we are dealing here primarily with civil aviation, let us never forget the spin-off from development and research funds in the military sector.

The Environment The airspace in which both civil and military aircraft operate has worldwide boundaries and its three dimensional frontier is only limited by the height capability of individual aircraft. It can be a hostile environment in many ways, because of the meteorological impact and natural hazards in the radio and radar spectrum, as well as stress on materials from which aircraft are constructed.

Air Transport Planners and their scientific supporters in governmental and industrial establishments have been steadily pushing back the boundaries of these adverse effects on the aircraft and its supporting navigation and control equipments until today in 1979 we have available highly reliable, accurate facilities which properly used and correctly managed will ensure the highest level of safety in the most economical way for airline operators, at realistic fares for passengers and attractive rates for industrial freight.

Factors Affecting the Environment The combination of the best available air and ground interpreted aids, supported by the best available communications system, should form the basis on which a safe air transport system is operated. This is true for any defined area of responsibility.

In existing systems, there is a maximum safe air movement capability which is governed by such factors as:

18

Herbert E. Scott

Airport layout and runway availability Navigational and Approach Aids Communications facilities - Ground/Air, Ground/Ground Air Traffic Procedures and Restricted Airspace Passenger and Freight Handling Facilities.

Where the assessed safe air movement capacity does not meet the desired traffic density, or where the forecast density will exceed it, then the only answer must be a change to procedures, up-grading or replacement of equipment, extension of, or addition to, runways and buildings. Never should it be at the expense of safety. Changes to procedures and electronic equipment are usually more readily achieved than major civil works, but they must be based not only on improvement to ground control facilities, but must be acceptable to the flight crew in terms of cockpit load, ease of interpretation and within the safe operating envelope of the aircraft.

It follows that maximum support for the captain in charge of an aircraft must command a top priority. A very good discipline for regional planning officers is to ride the cockpit on a sector where the number of reporting points, and frequency changes, are high due to factors other than those concerned with safe and expeditious movement. A Pan Arab System should not be looked on as a pipe dream. It should be examined against the background of the information flow available, and the even more informative systems I will touch on later. Such a system, within ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, can only be another significant step forward in the economic and cultural adhesion of the Arab countries. The availability of a digital simulator at the proposed new Arab Air Academy will allow the most searching evaluation of proposals for a carefully rationalised regional system which should considerably diminish any fears of infringement of National Sovereignty.

Airspace Management 1979-1989 The most significant changes in the last decade have been the introduction of SSR (Secondary Surveillance Radar) transponders in almost one hundred per cent of civil aircraft with the associated height encoding equipment, and the introduction of digital data processing to convert the information from the airborne equipment into plain language labels for display on high grade digital displays: and also the significant advances in navigational capability in aircraft due to new airborne equipment, satellite facilities and better air interpreted ground aids, such as DVOR. Because of these advances, we have seen the introduction of an ever growing number of Semi-Automatic ATC Systems, in a variety of configurations, but all taking advantage of the new facilities. The Arab countries have recently joined the club and some systems are in operation, some are being installed and others are in the planning stage.

I have taken a typical geographic environment and will explain the advantages, limitations and development capability inherent in the system.

First let us understand quite clearly that SSR is not only a radar facility which operates between a ground station and a transponder equipped aircraft, but it is also a communication channel of high capability.

The Next Generation of ATC and Collision Avoidance The few disadvar.tages of SSR have been dealt with in two significant parallel technical developments. In the USA, Lincoln Laboratories, on behalf of the FAA, have designed and built the DISCRETE ADDRESS BEACONS SYSTEM (DABS), and in the United Kingdom, Cossor Electronics, on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority, have designed and built the SELECTIVE ADDRESS SYSTEM (ADSEL), with the Royal Radar Establishment as technical advisor. Both these systems have been the subject of the closest collaboration between the two countries in order to ensure an acceptable degree of compatibility and ICAO approval.

Navigational Accuracy of New Airborne Equipment lm;:,rovements in the accuracy of new airborne navigation systems have been on a par with, or somewhat better than, the improvements in ground derived systems. We have therefore arrived at the following interesting situation: Airline capability to achieve a high degree of accuracy in track keeping, time scheduling, height operation.

The progressive introduction of airborne digital computer systems and visual displays.

They will have the opportunity to consider acceptance of ADSEL - DABS and the Data Link capability.

On t~e ground there will be digital data processing systems which can also evolve to ADSEL - DABS including Data Link.

The real problem is how to weld these capabilities together to ensure not only a carefully planned management of the airspace, but also an overlaid Collision Avoidance System to give the final safety factor where something has gone amiss for whatever reason.

On the last point, may I draw your attention to the !CAO BULLETIN for March of 1979 and the series of articles on Collision Avoidance. I do not wish to comment on individual articles, although after detailed study I could. The point I wish to make is that two significant Authorities, FAA and CAA, who have all the intimate details of the tools to be used, are carrying out detailed experiments and simulation over a lengthy period of time to ensure that in the vitally important subject of a Collision Avoidance System and next generation Airspace Management era, all factors are carefully weighed, tested, yet again and again tested under all conditions, until the recommended system is as effective as the human being can make it.

There i~ an understandable urgency to the need to solve the problem of air collisions. Let us all decide not to opt for a less than best solution, which could well prove to be a recipe for disaster.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC SYSTEM BASED ON SSR AND DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING

Height corrected to QNH setting when below transition level.

Indication of level flight/climbing/descending.

Indication of predicted track ahead.

Display of aircraft in a pre-determined height band or control sector.

Above information also available on military aircraft having ICAO mode A for identification and mode C altimeter coupled height capability.

Limitations Risk of garbled replies when aircraft are flying in close proximity to each other in the beam width. A good figure is less than 3.7 NM. Beam widths are of the order of 2° to 2 11, 0 in order to ensure sufficient replies when interlacing modes.

In dense traffic areas with a relatively large number of ground stations, there is a risk of over-interrogation.

In this case, a regional PRF plan is advisable.

Improvements The significant improvements are defined in simple terms below, but the technical results have been painstakingly achieved: The introduction of true monopulse has improved azimuth accuracy to a few minutes of arc, whilst still allowing a beam width suitable for the transmission and reception of coded messages.

Selective calling of individual aircraft resulting in garble elimination.

Improved information flow using data link capability of ADSEL/ DABS. Computer organisation of selective calling of aircraft in system leading to improved management of required data rate.

Significant reduction in interrogation rates with a major lessening of risk of over-interrogation.

The system is evolutionary and compatible with current ICAO SSR ground and airborne equipments.

■

People who read THE CONTROLLER regularly, subscribe not only to a professional Magazine but also to an idea. ~

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Advantages Improved radar coverage, particularly at short range.

Extended radar range on high flying aircraft.

Positive identification and callsign.

Height at standard barometric pressure when the aircraft is transmitting from encoded altimeter and above transition level.

Each Quarter of the year in THE CONTROLLER you will find a range of departments to such diverse subjects as Technical, Scientific, Law, Conference Table News, Medical, etc., allJocusing on Air Traffic Control.

19

"The Airliners View of Middle East Airspace Problems"

by Colonel Leslie H. Armen*

Colonel Leslie H. Armen (USAF-Ret.)

I have been asked to provide you an appreciation of "Middle East Airspace Problems" as seen from the airlines viewpoint. I pondered on the topic but I could not get to grips with it. I looked at it both as "Air Space" - two words, and as "Airspace" one word and, unless it is Newspeak - it doesn't say anything.

Its inanimate, it doesn't act. Air space does not present problems either in the Middle East or anywhere else in the world, for that matter. The airspace doesn't set up or present problems - it is merely an environment, the latest environment in which Man finds outlet for an inimitable capacity of creating chaos. Therefore, with your indulgence, I will direct the tenor of my remarks toward an expose of current civil aviation operational problems in Middle East airspace, as seen and experienced by the airlines.

I have h3d some considerable experience in rushing about the Middle East like a fireman - as well as firing off broadsides in a heavy use of my London Office telex machine - trying to protect airline technical/operations interests in the Region. These interests are not - repeat - not commercial. They relate to safe, efficient, expeditous and economic airline operations. Strange to say - these objectives are everywher.e_under attack in the Middle East. Strange too - that and as a director of IATA, - that organisation which is politically assailed by governments when convenient as a villainous commercial cartel in an otherwise Snow White industry (Some Cartel!!) - strange that I should be locked in continuous battles with Regional authorities to maintain safe, efficient, expeditous, and economic flight conditions in the Middle East. Well - my friends - the situation has got to the point in the Region such that if we don't do it - if we don't act - who else? And, if anything proved the veracity of that statement, I would remind you of IATA's recent role in holding together airline services in Iranian airspace in the face of an almost complete loss of civil authority and control. Also - of our very specific warning to all concerned - about proper dissemination of NOTAMS - exactly one month before that recent, serious take off accident in the Region.

that while my speech and manner are wholly American they rest upon a Middle Eastern core.

In order to set the thrust of my remarks, permit me an allegorical reference to a statement reputed to have been made by an otherwise obscure Spanish monarch of the late Middle Ages - Alphonso II. In reply to petitions for the speedy and full correction of abuses, Alphonso replied, somewhat obtusely, as follows: "If I had been present at the Creation, I might have been able to provide a few very helpful hints on the better ordering of the Universe." Historians tend to assign Alphonso to the category of the somewhat demented, divine right monarchs and his comment is assessed accordingly. Stripped of any divine right stigma, however, it is a masterful reply. Its message quite clearly demands action at the practical level - a redirection of attention toward the practical anapossible.

This might be said to be at the heart of Middle East airspace and civil aviation problems today. There is a developing loss of reality - a turning of the back on pragmatism - a bedazzlement with new foreign programmes and new foreign technologies that promise - in some indeterminate future - to be able to usher in a civil aviation millenium solving all of the Region's manifold technical, procedural and even personnel problems. Gentlemen, this is not real or even realistic - it is no answer - indeed, it is the stuff of dreams. Dream in Arabic is "Helm". To coin an American-Arabic expression of it - what is going on in the Region today is the stuff of pure "pipe helm".

For example, FAA programmes and procedures are born of experience in the world's oldest and most sophisticated civil aviation environment - where it is backed by an infrastructure to match. This does not mean that - ergo - what is good and what works in Tulsa also works and is good in Tail. Dallas-Forth Worth is not Tehran - although attempts have been made (and I will talk more about this later). Radio Swiss is not Jeddah Control. Fully automated ATC, stored flight plans, instant static-free communications, INS flight paths, fluent English capability, regional ATC la U.S., or even Euro-Control (which incidentally, is costly and stillborn) - all of these and much much more, have been directly translated into quote programmes unquote for the Middle East.

a

Remarks I will now try to outline for you some of the major and very seriou~ problems that beset airlines in their Middle East operations. I will not pull any punches - and I don't think I have to.

Over the years, authorities in the Middle East have known and accepted that I speak directly, apolitically, with concern - as well as understanding. That understanding is rooted in the fact

• Col. L. H. Armen Is the IATA Technical Director tor the Middle East.

20

Mania Incidentally, if there's anything the Middle East needs less of at \he moment it is a further influx of consultants. There seems to be a mania, especially in oil rich states, that the mere hiring of so-called "top quality" consultants at fantastic salaries is all that is necessary. I have found that firstly, top consultants no

longer easily lend their names or prestige to Middle East projects because of the indecisiveness of management. Secondly, I have found that the consultants clot about the Middle East patronizing the locals and not doing much except to collect their salaries and to further confuse the objectives. Everybody has a new idea, a new study and program - and that's what everybody is busy doing. Its "pipe helm" again. But this diversion of effort and attention to new programmes is stifling the hard, the slogging, but the absolutely vital job of doing with what is and improving on what is available - a day-by-day improvement of the current, and I repeat, the current aviation environment in the Middle East.

But what is this environment? Let me give you the facts and maybe even add a little cold chill. These facts are more perfectly expressed than I might otherwise do in a letter to me which asked for my help in overcoming problems experienced by a pilot of an IATA African airline. The letter runs as follows: "The flight from Rome to over Sidi Barrani was uneventful. It was night and as we came out of some high cirrus a sudden cold chill went through my body. I saw a red rotating beacon directly ahead, directly at my altitude. I took emergency evasive action with a hard turn to the right to avoid certain collision with the other aircraft. I •ried to contact the Centre again, but was unsuccessful.

I remembered that over Sidi Barrani another aircraft was also trying to call Control, but was not giving his point of departure, destination, altitude or position - only his call sign. We called him and learned that indeed he had passed over Sidi Barrani at our flight level and at the very same time we had. I finally was able to get through to Control and asked if he knew about the other aircraft. The answer was negative and we were instructed to descend while they worked out the situation. Finally, the other flight was cleared to FL 410 and we went back to our original FL 370. Incidentally, we had also been transmitting in the blind on 126.9 for traffic information. But those few seconds of visual sighting averted what would otherwise have certainly ended up in a mid-air disaster. Would you please investigate the incident and take action and let us know of your findings".

Sealed Lips And what were these findings? Absolute and total silence on the part of the authorities concerned. Sealed lips. It reminds one of one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse - "And I beheld a pale winged horse and he that sat astride was called Death". We seem to almost invite the horseman astride airliners by our own inaction. Over one-hundred and fifty people lost their lives in that mid-air aviation disaster over San Diego last year.

And there can be no comparison between traffic density over San Diego and that over Sidi Barrani. There is as yet no comparison between the overall aviation traffic density of the United States and Western Europe with that of the Middle East. But, if anything was highlighted in the San Diego tragedy, it was the urgent need to control the airspace - all of it - and to integrate the activity of all the users of the airspace in that control system.

But what is happening in the Middle East? Are aviation lessons being learned - are the problems of the West being avoided in \his new and fast growing aviation environment? Regrettably they are not. Regrettably, all the ills of the West, and more, are being repeated with a vengeance. Large blocks of airspace are being sequestered to exclusive military use. And why? Because, as I have been told, the authorities fear that military training activities will pose hazards to commercial aviation. Thus, commercial aviation is doglegged around an increasingly restricted c:irspace at great cost and waste in fuel expenditure. Airspace over these burgeoning military establishments in the Region is prohibited in 50NM radii, unlimited/unlimited - I am also told that this is done to prevent intelligence surveillance! And this is in a time when satellites are photographing in exquisite detail whatever is of particular interest below! Integrated control of all

traffic and/or separation of the airspace, military-civil co-ordination, establishment of joint use procedures - there is precious Iittle, if any of it.

Odd Picture Middle East civil aviation and its infrastructure is developing unco-ordinated - on a state by state basis. What is good for Saudi Arabia, for example, will just have to be good enough for international traffic as well. That is the attitude - take it or leave it. Airways exist that actually terminate at an FIR boundary, like some dead-end roadway. Aviation control centres cannot talk to one another. Commercial flights enter national airspaces unknown, unheralded and completely out of contact/control. There is a chaos of chatter on the airwaves as air crews are routinely used by ground stations to relay information air-to-air-to-ground.

Air crews are broadcasting in the blind in some large areas of the airspace in an attempt to ensure safe separation. Over the Northern Gulf from Baghdad to Bahrain, in a segment of very brief transit, crews are required to make position reports in response to four different transfers of control. And soon a fifth Oman - plans to enter into the act. Much of this communication is done solely as a backup to air defence surveillance - what it really says is that there is no effective air defence warning system. States draw a line - an FIR - around their boundaries, like a Maginot Line - and feel more secure, even though in actuality, they are still no more able to control traffic in the airspace than before. (Incidentally, we heartily applaud the proposed Syria/ Iraq/ Jordan UIR.) Navaids are inaccurate or non-existent and most of which are no longer required for international aviation.

Air/ ground communications are unreliable, ATC cannot control, new international airports are developed without reference to international aviation requirements. It is not a pretty picture. Indeed. it is a lousy picture for 1979 - and, to add insult to injury, the airlines are required to pay for all of this in charges that are increased to keep pace with the West. This has become a sort of new status symbol!

The airlines are opposed to further propagation of new aviation "visions" in the Middle East as continue to crop up with every new expert who enters in on the scene. With all due respect, no new visionary coTlcepts of Middle East airspace organisation are necessary or desirable, not now. It is nearly 11 years since the States of the Middle East sat down together to hammer out an ICAO Air Navigation Plan which, if implemented, would impose order on an otherwise chaotic and unsafe aviation environment. But - regrettably - Air Navigation Conference promises by Middle East States are also a sort of status symbol, and the Conference - a sort of political forum. The politicians, who have but only the most vague understanding of civil aviation operations, go to Air Navigation Conferences sporting their politicians' hats. Politics are paramount in the Region - that's the unfortunate reality and Civil Aviation requirements are sub-ordinated to it. The loser is that old milk cow - commercial aviation - milk her hard at one end and starve her at the other. A perfectly viable ICAO Plan for the Region does exist. It is for you to correct it, to update it and make it work. But there must be some "in-sha-al-insan" in this effort. Some work and some action. I challenge you to get down to the nitty-gritty. I challenge you aviation managers to do some management. And I'd like to provide you a five-item airline shopping list: Item Number One: with all deliberate speed and priority, reliable centre-to-centre direct speech links must be established H24 and 7 days a week between: Tehran and Kuwait Tehran and Karachi Tehran and Kabul Ankara and Baghdad Ankara and Damascus

Cairo and Amman Cairo and Jeddah Cairo and Khartoum Khartoum and Addis Ababa Khartoum and Jeddah 21

Aden and Bahrain Aden and Bombay Aden and Jeddah Aden and Hargeisa Aden and Mogadishu Aden and Sana'a Jeddah and Bahrain

Jeddah and Asmara Jeddah and Sana'a Amman and Jeddah Nicosia and Ankara Addis Ababa and Jeddah Baghdad and Jeddah Baghdad and Tehran

That's a start. Did you realize that 24 important centre pairs in the Middle East cannot even talk to each other although they agreed 11 years ago to have speech links implemented not later than 1970? These speech links are not required by airlines in order to operate. They are required so that ATC can function and function effectively. However, airline operations are directly affected by the continued non-implementation of these links. I urge you to get on with it. If these vital links could be forged with some priority, perhaps even starting here, you will have wrought incalculable improvements for safe, expeditious civil traffic in the Region - not to mention improved regional aviation unity - real unity.

Of course, nowadays, satellite links are the latest and the best and that's the current ideal. But, any other effective link should not be sneered at. There's nothing wrong with SSB or ISB until the ideal can be attained. But to do nothing or to sit back and wait for the ideal solution - and without advancing an interim solution, is patently wrong - even criminally negligent.

And if your neighbour can't pay, I say help him. This is small 2dinar stuff, but it means safety - safety for you, for your neighbour and for all those who come imo your airspace and who place themselves under your control responsibility.

Item Number Two on the airline shopping list is VHF air/ ground communications which is vital - especially considering that the AFTN is completely ineffective in the Middle East. There are vast areas in the Region where such communications are ineffective or do not exist and where VHF contact with the control centre is impossible. How can a controller control under such conditions? For example, Eastern Turkey, Southern Egypt, Northern Saudi Arabia - more often than not, these are communications blackout areas - aircraft grope through the air broadcasting in the blind. It's literally "Here I am, don't hit me!" Ambitious and costly communications programmes are being laid on to cure the whole communications network in 1980 - ·something, - but meanwhile authorities are unwilling to consider sticking plaster to cover the current wound. The priorities are wrong! The communications black areas can be put on the air without disturbing long-range programmes if and when priorities are properly assigned. Improve on what you've got and make it work - all the while going for the final solution.

Item Number Three on the airline shopping list is ATS routings.

This crazy quilt of Middle East airways routings does not have to be, it can and must be improved and rationalised, and it can be with little, if any, added requirement for navigational aids. We have developed an ideal airline ATS Route Plan for the Middle East. It does not treat the Middle East as some special sort of sensitive, hands-off area - but in·stead it integrates it completely with adjacent regions. It ignores politics, it ignores special interests, it demands military/civil co-ordination and control and in an ideal world would be the ideal way to get from A to B. We don't suggest that it can all be implemented at one blow and in the way we would like - but there are certainly very significant portions of it that could be effected, as is, or in modified form now while always heading for the final ideal and the final perfection.

All it needs is discussion, decision, courage, co-ordination and action. I will submit this Plan for the attention of those authorities most concerned should they wish. Certeinly, in quite a few instances, the right people are present here to effect these improvements. In any case, the Plan is being submitted to that as a proposed amendment to the ANP. 22

The Fourth Item on the airline shopping list is Air Traffic Control. To provide controllers with the technical means - the environment - the training - and the professionalism to do their job. This latter - professionalism - also means pride. How does a controller develop this if he, more often than not, has to have to supplement his income through a second job? Indeed, how can he do his very demanding primary job under such circumstances? This situation is not uncommon in the Middle East. You should closely examine the following questions: Are your controllers equal to the best in the profession? If not, why not? And - after why not - must come how? How can they be made equal to the best? If need be, we say rent the best for the interim, while going for the ideal of having a fully qualified, national team. No authority is lost in doing this.

The Fifth and Final Item on the airline shopping list is a plea for openness, for candour and co-ordination. For example, an ICAO means exists to analyse airmiss incidents and to recommend corrective measures and to exchange safety information and no new system is required (more paperwork). IATA does not wish or intend to recriminate - what it wants to do is what must be done, i.e. to locate the system error. How often authorities seem to feel that if someone is punished it's all OK! For example, that standard reply - "disciplinary action was taken against the controller." OK, but what was wrong in the system that caused the controller to make the error? If reports are not made or replies not provided - if the information is treated like an in-house secret to be swept under the carpet - then nothing gets done. Nothing begets nothing! There must be informative exchange. Also, there must be a new and a rational co-operative approach to the commercial aviation industry on the part of national aviation authorities.

Consideration of Airline Requirements An international airport is certainly the airline's business - it is the business of all the airlines that serve it, an airport must function as an airport, first and foremost. The continuing perversion of airports as national gateways, architectural monuments, glorified restaurants and shopping centres must be arrested, and especially so in the Middle East. The airline operational requirement must again be the sole, overriding consideration to be applied in the expansion of existing commercial, international airports or in the planning and development of new airports.

Airline machinery exists for co-ordinative consultative effort - it is free, unfettered and without obligation. Where it has been fully applied, as for example at Baghdad and Tehran, it has been remarkably successful. Where airline interests are kept at bay - as at Jeddah - where a variety of self-serving interests having absolutely nothing to do with aviation become paramount - surely countless malfunctioning airport monuments and airport "souks" around the world pay costly tribute to such folly. Incidentally, and oddly enough - the very fact that IATA airport consultative expertise is provided on a no-fee basis has brought it suspicion.

Perhaps if we charged a healthy consultancy fee we would be listened to more readily. But, it is a matter of record that those "no-fee" airline consultants are directly responsible, for example, in reducing the cost of the planned new airport at Tehran from its original 1.2 billion dollars to 750 million and at the same time improving its functional effectiveness.

Earlier on I referenced Alphonso the Second and his musings on being present at the Creation. Did it not say that to create demands action not more plans? I challenge you to create from what exists, and I have provided the priority airline ::;hopping list: 1. direct speech links 2. VHF communications 3. direct routes 4. improved ATC 5. consultation I co-ordination

■

AVIATION LAW:

Legal Liability of the Controller

by E. McCluskey

Part1 Note: Due to space avallabllity this article is divided into 3 parts

Introduction The series until now has covered the full gambit of International Law as it can affect the controller. We have seen how the principles of International Law should be applied, we have looked at some of the international organisations set up to aid in the application of the law, we have seen the main development in the law of the air and in the last two articles the day to day application of the law by the controller. It would have been excellent if the series could have concluded by showing the law on the Legal limitation of liability of the controller at international level but as yet no such law exists.

The controller comes under the aegis of national law while carrying out international law. The way the law is applied depends entirely on the system of law under which he works and the disparity of legal systems and conditions of employment means that there is no equality of liability under the law for people carrying out the same job at the level of application of international law. We have seen how other branches concerned with aviation have been protected often because there were powerful interests able to push the States into agreement. The controller does not have a powerful lobby in his favour but he nevertheless has surely the right to equality of treatment with his colleagues throughout the world whatever that equality might be. We have seen that States did not hesitate to abandon centuries of municipal law in order to arrive at standard rules in various aviation fields.

The precedent has been set on several occasions so that the controller is not asking to be the first. Happily there are some enlightened States where the controller has already a large measure of limitation of his legal liability but as this is often the last measure on a long list of sources of stress on the controller it is hardly likely to be solved nationally especially in the many States where the person who most affects air safety, the controller, is not paid enough to live and is forced to take on other employment simply to provide for himself and his family.

So the answer must come in one fell swoop implanted in all municipal legal systems from the outside that is to say by an international agreement. Such an international agreement which can do nothing except improve the level of air safety by removing an important source of stress must cut across all legal systems existing at present since it must solve many problems. We must therefore look at the question of criminal negligence as seen by the Roman Law systems and the Socialist systems as compared with the completely different definition in the Anglo-Saxon systems.

We must look at the question of civil and military controllers carrying out the same task that of purely civil control.

We must look at civil liability as opposed to criminal

Edward McCluskey

liability especially in those parts of the Anglo-Saxon system where such liability is unlimited. We must take a close look at the controller as a unique person in aviation in that he may work under several legal systems without ever leaving his place of work and we must look also at Comparative Law or as it is sometimes known Private International Law to see how decisions of a foreign court might be applied against a controller even in his own country. At present the States have limitation of their own Legal Liability high on the Agenda of the ICAO Legal Commission. The controllers' liability must be treated at the same time.

IFATCA Policy The Directors accepted at IFATCA 77 in Nicosia the following policy for inclusion in the Manual.

"IFATCA can never support any controller who is guilty of a deliberate act which impairs air safety nor can IFATCA support any controller who is guilty of criminal negligence but the Federation must reserve the right to use any legal means available to it to protect any member who is accused of such crimes.

IFATCA defines that it should be necessary to prove mens rea (a guilty mind) beyond all reasonable doubt before a crime can exist.

All other cases where mens rea cannot be proved must fall under Civil Law as opposed to Criminal Law, must be heard by a competent Civil Court and must be subject to the following conditions: No controller to be imprisoned pending a Civil Court Hearing nor after a Civil Court Hearing even if the controller has been proved to have committed a tort.

Controllers in States having a Roman Law system to be covered by the requirement that the State must prove tort beyond all reasonable doubt before a controller can be liable in Civil Law. Controllers in all States especially those having AngloSaxon Legal systems to have a fixed maximum civil liability.

No controller subjected to disciplinary action under Administrative Law to have the Administrative case heard prior to the Civil Court Action. If there is a likelihood of a Civil Action, it would be fairer to tranfer the controller to non-active duties on full pay in all cases thereby avoiding prejudging the Civil Court's ruling.

Employing agencies to be responsible for the torts of their employees.

Employing agencies to be responsible under Statutory Law as the airlines to pay..a maximum fixed sum to victims 23

or their next of kin as an ex gratia payment pending the resolution of insurance claims and the balancing of such payments among the insurers, the airlines and the employers to be carried out under Government supervision thus avoiding unnecessary hardship and prolonged Court proceedings for the general public involved in accidents.

an ordinary citizen or an ordinary civil servant or an ordinary member of military personnel. Here is the first change required.

The International Nature of the Profession

We have just seen that we cannot compare the controller to anyone else in a given State. Is the controller therefore comparable to those who cross international frontiers such as train drivers, motorists again or pilots? The answer is again "No". If an accident occurs the groups just mentioned are at the place of the accident and once it is When good legal limitation of liability exists in a State, proved under which State jurisdiction the accident falls this should remain unless the eventual law is an improvethe case follows the rules of the law of the place of the ment. accident. Again the groups mentioned are covered by insurance. The controller, on the other hand, is static in IFATCA is not renouncing legal liability but seeking that his place of work does not change and yet he may be only to keep it within reasonable bounds so that the coninvolved in an accident which would have to be judged troller may suffer less stress in carrying out his day duties." under one of several possible legal systems. The method Much of the above policy statement is by nature only a of judging also varies from legal system to legal system.

So if an accident were to happen and blame were apbasic restatement of basic human rights. The fact that portioned between the pilot and the controller the blame such basic rights do not exist for the general public in would be apportioned under a single legal system just many States has been taken up by other more competent as it would be for two pilots but if the accident happened Organisations. IFATCA's role is to support basic human on or near an international boundary and blame were rights for controllers in the general context of the rights apportioned equally between two controllers from two difof all. ferent States, the result could be imprisonment and/or a fine for one plus civil damages to pay whereas for the other, it could be limited to civil damages or might even The Controller as a Citizen be the complete responsibility of the employer. So in the same case of accident two controllers could be treated The legal system in any country is normally applicable entirely differently. This is surely unique in law. Nothing to all citizens and at first glance it would seem normal less than an international agreement could resolve this that the controller should be just as much bound by the law aspect. But it may well be asked "Is this possibility not as anyone else. When an accident occurs in a motorcar rare?". IFATCA's SCVII produces a permanent updated some States automatically apply the rigours of the criminal study of this very question. In the paper presented to the or penal law in addition to allowing claims for damages 18th Annual Confereoce in Brussels the study looked at under the civil law. Other States apply the penal code less where there was a dissimilar legal system, and here we rigourously and some not at all. Yet when it comes to mean the basic legal system eg. Roman Law as against someone like the motorist in a civil case he may be found Anglo-Saxon Law etc., across the boundary, delegated to have committed a tort but because of compulsory airspace where the controller may be applying a different insurance the damages awarded against him are paid by legal system, control over the High Seas where only Interhis insurers. If he is driving for hfs employer it is the emnational Law applies and numerous anomalies where ployer's insurance company who pays. If he is military States claim international waters as national, boundary personnel on duty very often the injured party is denied disputes, non-compliance with ICAO procedures by some compensation on the grounds of "military necessity". In States etc. Taking IFATCA's Member Associations plus any case when insurance exists it is rare for the insurance independent States plus International Organisations giving company to claim damages against the driver who caused executive ATC, the total was 170.324 FIRs were examined the accident. It may however be more expensive and more less 80 territories or States making no returns to ICAO. difficult for the driver to renew his insurance. The motorist Out of 52 Member Associations not one could guarantee to does not normally come under the jurisdiction of adbe controlling under its own Municipal Law. 50 were inministrative law so that once the court cases have resulted volved with dissimilar systems, 47 were involved with conin imprisonment, a fine, an award of damages paid by an trol over the High Seas and 23 were faced with political insurer there is not another case to answer. anomalies. Looking at the rest of the world again no conTwo points immediately spring to notice which put the troller was guaranteed never to work outside his own controller apart form the person involved in an accident system of Municipal Law, of the 115 States examined 94 on the road; the controller cannot be insured against an control over the high seas, 86 have dissimilar systems with accident and even if he were to wish to try to have neighbouring States and 60 had known political anomalies. insurance similar to airline insurance his salary could not The story is equally bleak in the 42 overseas territories cover anything like the premium required; the controller is examined. It may well be that an approach controller may subject to administrative law or to military law. It might not be so involved but nevertheless if near a frontier or be argued that other civil servants are subject to adnear the sea they may well be. For centre controllers these ministrative law and other military personnel are subject figures speak for themselves. No other profession is to military law but none has the same responsibility. Talk100 per cent involved in working under several legal ing of stress Professor Schaefer of the University of Aucksystems while never leaving the place of work. Here again land put it very clearly when he said "very directly more the controller is unique. An international convention could human lives at any given time than any other human enterstandardise this problem into one single legal system for prise requires normally, excepting perhaps, the conduct liability. The Treaty of Paris 1919 excepted airlines from the of war in some of its aspects" come under the jurisdiction law established centuries ago in many countries. The exof the controller. In this he is unique. So it is logical that ception took place virtually overnight. The Guatemala he should be unique under the law and not considered as Protocol to the Warsaw Convention reduced liability for the Military authorities and controllers to be subject to the same legislation when either they are controlling General Air Traffic or an accident occurs involving General Air Traffic and Operational Air Traffic, the latter being under military control or flying without control.

24

airlines permitting States to add a further indemnity but prohibiting further liability. The precedents are there. Why not a similar treatment of the controller?

Criminal Law or the Penal Code IFATCA as we have seen condemns any deliberate act which could result in an accident. Controllers recognise that such deliberate acts should be punished and punished severely. Such acts may vary from premeditated murder to criminal assault. What the controller cannot understand is why an action or lack of action without premeditation can result in punishment for a crime. Punishment can surely not be merited if a wrong decision is made when the time available to make the decision is measured in seconds and there is absolutely no possibility of changing the decision. Nevertheless negligence in most countries can come under the criminal law or the penal code. If the controller in a case where there appears to be no premeditation finds himself involved under the criminal law it is only right that IFATCA should do everything in its power to help with his defence and to try to ensure that he has a quick and fair trial. That is the present situation but there should be international protection of the controller against such a situation which as we saw varies from legal system to legal system and from State to State within the same type of legal system.

The Socialist States In the Socialist States the controller has a legal duty to be familiar with and to apply the relevant provisions of the aviation code which may go as far as to include rules relating to the construction of aircraft, transport of passengers, baggage and merchandise on national airlines as well as other standards laid down by the competent Ministry aimed at ensuring safety in flight. Whereas the aim of such rules may be ensuring safety of flight, the extra burden placed upon the controller must from a stress point of view have the opposite effect. Air transport workers are held responsible criminally when violation of these rules leads to an accident involving persons or property or has other serious consequences. Even if no actual damage results, criminal liability is invoked if a controller wittingly violates the rules and so causes a risk of such damage.

This in effect is tantamount to saying that there can be a crime simply because one is a controller. Controllers in the Socialist States are those most in need of a complete revision of the penal code and as there are variations from State to State this can only come about by a properly constituted international convention which would forbid what amounts to Statutory crime for the controller.

Law States. It can be seen that the article is all embracing and without very much proof a controller involved in an accident could well come under at least part of such an article which could well mean imprisonment or a fine. In the Roman Law system guilt is established when there is reasonable certainty. This compares with the Anglo-Saxon system where there can be no criminal liability if there is reasonable doubt. In some Roman Law states there is also the vexed question of whether or not to obey illegal orders.

The person issuing the illegal order is also criminally liable. In this case there is no Statutory crime as in the Socialist States but there is also less protection on the of burden of proof than in the Anglo-Saxon systems.

The Anglo-Saxon Law States Contrary to what controllers in these States might like to believe, negligence in the States having an Anglo-Saxon system may also be criminal negligence. The main difference between the crime and the tort of negligence is recklessness. In other words an act is carried out or is not carried out when it should have be~n with complete and utter disregard for the consequences. If an accident or injury results the negligence can be criminal. Nevertheless the burden of proof is very much more on the State in Anglo-Saxon systems and guilt must be proved beyond all reasonable doubt. In order to prove guilt the State must prove "mens rea" or guilty mind. In negligence cases it is extemely difficult to prove such a state of guilty mind and this is the greatest safeguard for the accused person. It is therefore highly unlikely that a controller would ever face a criminal charge in an Anglo-Saxon State except in the unlikely event of deliberately arranging an accident.

Because the system in Anglo-Saxon States is the most favourable for the accused person the international agreement should include the "mens rea" rule and the burden of proof rule for all States while at the same time eliminating any Statutory crime.

On the question of crime IFATCA is still facing up to its responsibilities but is seeking the best protection, and EQUAL protection, for the controller wherever he may be employed.

In part two of this Article we will look at Civil Liability. to be continued

STOP PRESS The Roman Law States Negligence in the Roman Law States may also come under the Penal Code. Again there is a broad difference in interpretation from State to State. In some States grave fault would have to be proved before a controller could fall foul of the penal code. In others there can be an almost automatic criminal case. Penal liability may involve a breach of duty but the controller could also be caught up in the part of the Penal Code concerning injury or manslaughter by an imprudent act. The French Penal Code has an Article "Whosoever, by incompetence, imprudence, inattention, neglig~nce or disregard of the rules has involuntarily committed manslaughter or has involuntarily been the cause of same will be punished by imprisonment" A similar article exists in the Penal Code of all Roman

Notice to Subscribers The Executive Board of IFATCA regrets to inform subscribers that due to increase in printing and paper costs annual subscription rates will be increased as from issue No 2/80 to: 8.- SFr for members 20.- SFr for non-members

Note: Existing subscriptions affected

for 1980 are not

25

The Evolution of Training Systems to Meet Air Traffic Control Operational Needs

by Sten Olofsson*)

Aviation technical development has during recent years brought about great changes in air traffic. Airspace is now used by civil and military aircraft with a performance vastly different from earlier types, and this is true also from an air traffic control point of view. The general increase of traffic, higher speeds and complexity of route structures, has increased demands for ATC simulators for the training of ATC personnel and for the testing of new ATC systems.

Personnel training

Simulator requirements

Training of ATC personnel may be done in a working position on the job at an operational unit. This method of practical training, however, is both inefficient and limited. The traffic situation is either too light or too heavy to allow proper training, or to allow any training at all.

To be able to fulfil! the requirements for both the training of personnel and the testing of new systems, the simulator should have the following features: every aspect of flying, radar and radio signals, operational facilities, and manoeuvring units can be simulated; required traffic situations can be created, including stress and emergency situations; today's as well as tomorrow's ATC systems may be reproduced.

For flight safety reasons, no severe stress or emergency situations can be practised on the job. In order to avoid interfering with the operational air traffic control system or impairing aircraft safety as a result of conducting practical training, access to an advanced ATC simulator is needed.

Testing of new ATC systems The increased complexity of the ATC system means that it is difficult to implement changes planned and prepared mainly with the help of desk analyses and theoretical calculations, without incurring various unforeseen problems.

To evaluate the human factor and the man/machine relationship in a complex ATC system, and to allow for the irrational decisions which are often taken, a practical test is needed which can show up possible deficiences and oversights in proposals for system changes.

The best way of testing the whole or parts of a complicated ATC system is to make a real-time simulation in an authentic ATC setting in order to assess how the prepared proposal works before it is put into operation. In order to avoid interference with the operational air traffic control system or the compromising of flight safety as a result of a practical trial, access to advanced simulator equipment is needed.

Sten Olofsson

0

Swedish Board of Civil Aviation, Head of the Operational Unit at the ATS Academy responsible for the simulation equipment and practical evaluation simulation. Previously, he served as Project Administrator to establish the Swedish ATS Academy. )

26

IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SIMULATOR REQUIREMENTS STATED ABOVE, A SYSTEM SIMULATOR FOR AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE - SATS - HAS BEEN DELIVERED BY DATASAAB TO THE NEW SWEDISH AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES ACADEMY AT STURUP. SATS utilises a flexible concept which provides for evaluation of future system requirements, together with present day training, without interfering with the operational air traffic control system or compromising flight safety.

The system is modular and may be reconfigured readily to create virtually an traffic situation in a realistic environment.

Present and future demands for both civil and military air traffic control systems may be reproduced, thus enabling new operational procedures to be investigated and tested in a practical situation.

Complete facilities are available for basic or specialist training. Previously qualified controllers may return for refresher courses or be given more advanced training in new techniques.

Stress and emergency situations may be introduced realistically without risk to flight safety; controllers are thus better prepared for the responsible tasks encountered in operational work.

Dimensions of individual equipment, for example synthetic dynamic display (SOD), electronic data display (EDD), and communications panels, are standardised, thus permitting easy rearrangements for investigating and resolving ergonomic problems.

The system allows for the evaluation and optimisation of a single control position or a complete Area Control Centre.

SATS provides a realistic operational environment for the air traffic controller during training. A series of operational positions is provided for planning, radar controllers and their assistants.

Alphanumeric keyboards and rolling-ball controls are used for data input to the central computer system. A flexible communications system comprising simulated radiotelephone (RT), intercommunications and telephone network is available for use at each position.

EDDs are used to display time, weather information, flight plan information and status of the various types of navigational aids used in the air traffic service.

The simulated radar-derived air traffic situation is displayed clearly on SDDs. A required airway or area may be selected individually at each position. Map information, including airways, reporting points, terminal areas, airfields, coastlines and so on, is stored in the central computer and can therefore be readily

modified for any particular training exercise or for the evaluation of new procedures.

The rolling-ball may be used for continuous variation of the displayed range, with the actual range indicated alphanumerically on the SOD. It may also be used for positioning relative range and bearing vectors between any two positions. Display selection facilities enable targets to be fully labelled with continuously updated identity, altitude and velocity information. Conflict prediction vectors derived from the aircraft's course and speed may be displayed.

Aircraft handover between adjacent sectors may be achieved manually, semi-automatically or wholly automatically, according to pre-programmed variable criteria. Inter-console Symbol marking is also provided for aircraft designation between the various control positions.

All simulated aircraft movements are derived from flight plans stored in advance in the central computer. The system ensures that each aircraft lies in accordance with the stored plan, unless the "pilot" overrides the plan and manually inserts an amendment. All aircraft are flown in accordance with pre-set criteria for particular aircraft type.

The pilot is provided with an EDD, alphanumeric keyboard, radio, intercom and telephone communications.

Additionally, some pilots have access to radar information presented on an SOD. Flight status of the aircraft under control is presented in tabular form, consisting of identity, altitude, speed, course, route, reporting points, airports of departure and destination, etc.

Aircraft progress is indicated by means of messages on the EDD, written when the aircraft passes the appropriate en-route reporting points, or when clearing other predetermined criteria, such as ·specific flight levels.

Communication between pilot and trainee controller is by means of simulated RT, complete with interference, fading, and so forth. The controller gives clearances or instructions as demanded by the developing situation, requesting the pilot to climb or descend, change ·speed, hold, etc. in accordance with normal operational procedures. The pilot inputs these instructions to his "aircraft" by means of the keyboard.

The exercise supervisor has overall executive responsibility for controller training. His console is comprehensively equipped with SOD, rolling-ball, two EDDs, two keyboards and facilities for monitoring all RT, intercom and telephone communications.

Additionally, direct contact with individual instructors may be made be means of separate intercom.

The instructcr may select the radar picture and associated data displayed at any training position. Using the other EDD and keyboard, he can "borrow" an aircraft from a pilot and insert alterations in order to create an unexpected conflict situation for the trainee controller.

As simulation exercises progress, all voice communication is recorded simultaneously with radar and flight data. The supervisor can "freeze" an exercise at any time, thus stopping all aircraft and the simulated time of the exercise.

He may also decide to stop an exercise and go back in time for any period up to ten minutes and investigate that part of the exercise. If required, corrections may be introduced by the instructor or trainee controller when restarting the exercise.

Several different exercises may be run simultaneously, each of which may be frozen and restarted independently.

The computer control desk is also used for detailed system analysis. A number of on-line test programs are included which automatically initiate printout reports on a typewriter in the event of fault detection.

The simulation operator is also responsible for preparing training exercises and defining any system configuration which is to be simulated. The following data is stored in the system and may be compiled into complete exercises: Parameters SIMPLN -

EXEPLN -

METPLN -

specifying the performance of the various types of aircraft and characteristics of the radar stations; the SATS equivalent of an operational flight plan (PLN) consisting of call sign, route, cleared flight level, etc. Extra information required for the simulator is also included; specifying an exercise and determining system configuration frequencies, allocation, sectorisation. handover points, which SIMPLNs are to used and the time of activation; meteorological data describing weather conditions at the exercise airfields.

The simulation operator decides which data shall be used for any particular exercises. Specific parameters or plans may be modified or exchanged readily, and additional flight plans and exercise plans may also be entered directly into the system using the keyboard and EDD. It is possible to assemble exercises from stored plans and to conduct actual training simultaneously.

Preparation time may be reduced considerably by using fasttime simulation at speeds up to five times actual speed. For detailed examination simulation speed may be reduced to twothirds actual speed. Upon completion of the preparation phase, a high-speed line printer provides a printout of the complete exercise.

■

Show 'em that you belong to the I FATCA family TIES PINS

12SFR. 3SFR.

Simulation operation The simulation operator is responsible for exercise preparation and technical supervision.

Technical performance of the simulator system is monitored from the simulation operator's position (SIMOP), which is colocated with the computer input/output peripheral equipment. It comprises a radar controller position with SOD, rolling-ball, EDD and keyboard, together with a pilot position equipped with EDD and keyboard.

Where to get IFATCA pins and ties?

The IFATCA Secretariat, 6 Longlands Park, AYR KA? 4RJ Ayrshire, Scotland, United Kingdom 27

The 24th Annual Conference of the Air Traffic Control Association

by V. D. Hopkin RAF Institute of Aviation Medicine, Farnborough, Hanis, UK

Introduction The United States Air Traffic Control Association held its 24th Annual Convention and Exhibition in Atlantic City from October 15th to 19th, 1979. The general conference theme, "The Impact of New Technology on the People in the ATC System", was considered in four sessions, dealing respectively with "Major System Problems", "Developing Technology", "People - Opportunity or Constraint", and "Introduction of New Technology into the System". The published proceedings contained the text of most of the papers presented, plus twelve related papers of interest.

Thirty exhibitors presented equipment or demonstrations in the associated exhibition. Almost all the presented papers were from the United States, although delegates from several other countries attended the conference.

After the formal opening of the conference, a preliminary session, not included in the printed proceedings, was devoted to four presentations. The first was a paper on NAVSTAR emphasising the true accuracy of the data which the NAVSTAR system would be able to gather. The second paper described some of the problems of integrating air traffic control procedures with tactical training requirements in a United States military training area. It emphasised in particular the problems of the positive control of military aircraft especially near their home base where the majority of accidents and incidents occurred. The third paper outlined the organisation and conduct of the current air traffic control system in Nigeria. The fourth presentation recounted some of the most familiar human factors problems in air traffic control.

First Session - Major Systems Problems The session began with a paper on behalf of US military pilots and discussed some air traffic constraints on the realism of operational flying training with sophisticated navigation aids.

Twenty per cent of all United States air traffic was military and a plea was made for greater understanding by air traffic controllers of the military flyers' problems.

A two year study on every mid-air collision in the United States was then described. Collisions have been analysed according to a very elaborate classification of factors. Two thirds of collisions are in terminal air space. With regard to collisions between en route traffic, 90 % were below 10,000 ft and 47 % below 3,000 ft. Seventy four per cent of en route collisions involved at least one aircraft not known to air traffic control or not in contact with it. Aircraft arriving or departing were often involved with other aircraft unknown to the ATC system and a recurring theme of the paper was the very large extent to which aircraft unknown to ATC or not communicating with ATC were involved in collisions.

With regard to air carriers, a perspective was provided by showing that air carrier fatalities were less than three tenths of one per cent of all fatalities in transportation. The safety of US air carrier aircraft was exemplified by the fact for 125 million operations over 12 years there had been only 6 mid-air collisions, only one within the last 6 years. However, the paper dwelt on the very large projected increase in expected traffic, especially in general aviation.

28

Two papers were then presented indicating the views of general aviation users about air traffic control. One dealt primarily with the current modernisation of flight service stations in the United States and emphasised that it must be easy to learn how to use the new automated aids which would be provided in future flight service stations. There was also still a requirement to accommodate VFR operations safely in the ATC system. The other presentation emphasised also that information must be made available to every user and that the aviation lobby, which included pilots and controllers among others should try and have a more powerful and united voice to set beside the powerful influence of those outside aviation on decisions directly affecting the conduct of aviation.

The final paper in this session stated recent and projected increases in fuel costs and gave a long list of practical actions which air traffic control and airlines could take to conserve fuel.

Second Session - Developing Technology The first paper described the work of a committee on which all sectiorls of the aviation community had been represented and which had reached agreement on desirable future engineering development programmes for air traffic control in the United States in relation to expected rates of growth in the next decade of 60 % for general aviation traffic and 70 % for helicopter traffic.

The next two papers reverted to earlier themes. The first described the improvements in both the time required for briefing and the qualitiy of briefing achieved which had been associated with the programme of automation applied so far to flight service stations. The next paper described the expected benefits of NAVSTAR in terms of efficiency in the use of air space and of airports, enhanced safety and greater productivity from air traffic controllers.

There followed two technical papers, one dealing with the system architecture of the Discrete Address Beacon System and the other with the management information system controlling the use in air traffic control of the various voice communication subsystems. Problems arose in proving that the management of this concept was possible and in integrating it successfully with the remainder of the system.

The final paper in this session, dealing with envisaged increases in automation in air traffic control in the future, was mainly concerned with current attempts to define future requirements but emphasised that the aim was to have new and much more automated systems installed and operating in the highest activity centers in the United States before 1990.

Third Session - People - Opportunity or Constraint The impact of new technology on the future work-force roles of controllers was examined in the first paper, in which the question was posed of how far work-force role·s should be determined by technological advances and how far the desirable workforce roles should be defined first and technology used to try and achieve them.

The next paper emphasised the controllers' wishes to have more say in the design and procurement of equipment which they

have to work with and to have more effective channels for making their views known when planning and policy decisions about future air traffic control systems are made. It was emphasised that some procedures, including standard instrument departure routes or standard terminal arrivals routes, are more suitable for large than for small air traffic control facilities and more suited for commercial scheduled traffic than for general aviation. Progress might also be made by more care in the selection and training of on-the-job air traffic control instructors.

A further paper considered ways in which software modifications to a system, intended to be essentially simple and done on site, could enable air traffic control to evolve to meet the unique needs of each facility. Research on this theme, particularly in relation to the development of computer programmes was described.

The next paper dealt with the misleading influence of the media, and particularly of newspapers, on the views of the general public on air traffic control. The particular example quoted was the impossibility of inducing the media to handle reports of near mid-air collisions in an objective and responsible fashion. Examples of irresponsible, biased and wrong reporting were given.

A consequence was the totally false impression about the safety of air travel among the travelling public and a great deal of needless anxiety because of misleading reports. The author of this paper admitted that the problem had proved insoluble for him and pleaded for ideas on how to induce the media to give a fairer presentation of the facts.

The final paper in the session considered interactions between the design of the air traffic control system and the quality of working life. The effects of the machine on the man had to be considered when the system was designed. People have a special contribution to make to the successful operation of automated systems, and these systems must be designed so that those in control of them are neither unable nor unwilling to make their special contribution. It was also emphasised that work, if properly desgined, can be satisfying in its own right.

Fourth Session - Introduction of New Technology into the System This session began with a paper on the use of automated decision making aids in air traffic control, emphasising that many of the problems associated with such a development can be identified now although ready-made solutions to them may not yet be available. Rational solutions should however be possible given good will and effective contributions from all concerned.

This was followed by a paper pleading for an improvement in selection and training. It was contended that it is essential to recruit, train and retain people of the highest calibre for air traffic control but that many of those who fail their training should never have been selected at all. Perhaps those who would make the best controllers are no longer being attracted to apply to join the profession. Two tests have recently been developed in the United States which are highly predictive of success or failure in training, one being an air traffic control occupational knowledge test and the other a paper and pencil test based on actual air traffic control situations.

The reactions of pilots to communicating with a talking computer which provides them with weather and flight data were described in the next paper. The pilot's requests are entered through a keyboard but the replies are by voice. The impersonality of this kind of communication has both advantages and limitations. More confidence is placed in another human being but there is greater willingness in an automated system to repeat requests if information has not been fully understood.

A paper on behalf of PATCO stressed that technology was generally viewed favourably by both management and controllers but disagreements occurred when technological concepts were translated into operational reality. To the controller, new technology could mean change, uncertainty, uneasiness and, in extreme cases, threat to job security. There had been insufficient involve-

Tirey Vickers, Editor of the ATCA Journal 12nd from the right). welcomes the observers from Germany: !from left to right) . H. Stang (German ATCA), H. Eckhardt (Head AT$ Oiv, MOT), W. Philipp (Vice-President, Federal Administration of Air Navigation Services).

ment of controllers in the design and development of automation produced hitherto and this had led to mistrust of certain existing aids. Controllers wanted to foster greater automation by becoming involved in decisions affecting work practices.

An attempt to bring all relevant specialties into planning teams was described in relation to the ETABS (Electronic Tabular Display Sub-system), which is intended to replace flight strip printers and to update equipment at en route sector positions.

People were seconded from their ordinary operational jobs as temporary members of the planning team and each was expected to represent his specialisation to ensure that every point of view was taken into account. This was a means of ensuring that those working in the field were involved in the technology. Much discussion and constructive argument between controllers and technicians had occurred, during which each claimed to have a much better appreciation of the others' point of view. Although difficulties had been encountered it seems likely that this method will be tried again.

The final paper made some general remarks about the expectations which people now have about their jobs and roles and derived the suggestion from recent literature on the quality of working life that a means was needed to manage systems in order to help those in them to fulfil their roles effectively and with personal satisfaction.

Conclusions The themes of the papers were very far ranging but nevertheless some common points of concern emerged. Current planning of air traffic control in the United States assumes a major expansion of automation in air traffic control within the next decade and beyond. It is acknowledged that this will have consequences for the controllers and for everyone else working in association with air traffic control and there is concern to establish what these consequences are and to evaluate whether they would be acceptable. This is reflected in a concern by management for the controllers' job satisfaction and similar problems and a concern by controllers to have more influence on the choice and form of the aids with which they are provided and on any innovations which require them to change their responsibilities or procedures. Statements were made on all sides on the need for more co-operation and the willingness for this co-operation was universally expressed. Means for attaining successful collaboration are still being tried and it is not yet clear what the best means will prove to be. Many of the recent advances in technology were demonstrated in the exhibition associated with the convention where 30 exhibitors provided a collective impression of the major technological advances which are already feasible and which undoubtedly will influence the future of air traffic control.

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ATCO's in Italy* Towards a Professional Identity Friday, October 19th 1979 a complete "black-out" of the Italian FIRs was the consequence of the decision taken by 1,100 military ATCOs (out of about 1,200 active controllers) to "resign" from their "civilian duties". Whoever knows the problems this "phantom category" has been facing for many years may well understand why such a decision was taken.

A previous article (see "The Controller" 2/78) explained the troubles of ATS in Italy; the main problem was and is still that of the personnel - the above mentioned 1,200 military controllers (Officers and N.C. Officers of the Air Force) plus 1,500 air traffic military assistants; les·s than 3,000 operators, who are, anyway, the "top of an iceberg" as the ATS are manned by 10/12,000 people, employed by the Air Force.

ANACNA (the Italian A.T.C. Association) has started long ago an effort to increase the solidarity among controllers and to improve the knowledge of their problems, together with the safety in the air traffic and the professional growth of the ATCOs. ANACNA has been a member of IFATCA since 1964, but in the last three years it has increased its activities involving the great majority of the Italian ATCOs and receiving a stronger support from IFATCA, also thanks to a continuous presence at the International Conferences and to better exchange of views.

The ANACNA delegation at Brussels '79 read an information paper (A.7.) title - "The Situation in Italy updated in April 1979"; the Resolution A. 23/79 came out as a result. That paper expressed, together with the concern about the deterioration of ATS in Italy, the role that ANACNA was playing: to try a "friendly dissuasion" while the "resignation letters" were collected.

ANACNA very soon realised the impossibility to go beyond that role, as many hundreds of military ATCOs decided, one by one, to "resign" - that is to say, to request to be employed - by the Air Force - only for military duties, according to their actual "status" rank and category.

With their action ATCOs were requesting, once again, two main solutions: - (a) a "civilianisation" Bill for the personnel, (b) a deep re-organisation of ATS in Italy, under the Authority of the Minister of Transport. ANACNA has been requesting the same solutions for many years, and has got a political assurance in November (1978) (at the National Meeting, held at the Rome Town Hall) as well as in November 1977 (previous National Meeting).

Whilst the Association has a professional statute and aims, the hundreds of controllers "going to resign" were requesting immediate solutions; the deadline for the "resignation day" (that's to say the full paralysis of the Air Traffic) had been postponed twice before the end of the summer, due to the promises of the Government, such as the creation of Study Committees and so on.

The constraints put by the Government and the slow work of the Study Committees caused a "snowball effect" in the collecting of the "resignation letters", which were more than 1,000 at the beginning of September 1979.

On September 27th an Extraordinary Meeting of Controllers stated that the "letters of resignation" would finally be sent if positive action was not seen very soon. The controllers, fully supported by the Transport Workers' Union, tried in the following three weeks to have a clear statement of the Government's intentions. ATCOs were requesting an immediate start for a complete civilianisation, the Government promised for the end of October a "preparatory" Bill dealing with a very slow and very incomplete reorganisation of the ATS - a means of complicating the already intricate situation. That is why on October 19th 1,100 military controllers (the G.A.T. Controllers) confirmed in person

") This article was originally written by Andrea Luise, ANACNNIFATCA Liaison, and updated on December 15th by Andrea Artoni.

30

one by one, their letter of resignation requesting from their Chiefs to be employed elsewhere in the Air Force, according to their rank and specialisation. This "final act" took place all over Italy between 07.00 and 12.00 GMT, while the morning shift was, of course, working regularly. At 12.00 GMT the ATCOs of the morning shift resigned, while the afternoon shift of that Friday limited its work only for the militiry air traffic, the State Service flight's and the emergencies.

All controllers were, anyway, manning their posts. So the full "black-out" started, an Incredible and dramatic event that involved, beside many pilots, thousands of passengers and others, 1,100 military controllers who were individually risking - first of all in their own conscience - a "black-out" in their private life, and career and psychological health. All that for a decision deeply suffered, consequence of .a sincere need for a professional (and perhaps personal) identity.

It is quite impossible to describe what happened that Friday afternoon inside and outside the centres and towers all over Italy.

While the radio, the TV and all the media were trying to "monitor" the situation, assemblies were taking place at each unit and meetings between controllers (supported by the Trade Unions) and ministers, politcal parties and even the Prime Minister were requested in many places. In mid-afternoon, suddenly, good news! the Italian Republic President Hon. Pertini decided to intervene personally in the dispute and called a representative of the controllers as well as the Prime Minister together with the Ministers of the Departments concerned and the Chief of Air Staff.

President Pertini promised to urge the Government, assuring his continuous keeping watch on the Government's action so that the problems of the ATCOs could reach a quick solution. In the late afternoon this extraordinary news was made known to everyone by the television. The importance of the presidential action was duly appreciated and all the controllers resumed full service.

That happened at about midnight; during the night the air traffic was back to normal.

Besides all the political discussions about the role played by the President and the consequences of his action, all the media dealt very extensively with the controllers' actions on the following days.

Military Controllers at work in Italy. Shown here is some of the latest equipment manufactured by Selenia, a Corporate Member of IFATCA.

On Tuesday, October 23rd, the Government approved an Act (that is to say a "decree" which becomes a State law after 60 days if the Parliament approves}, creating a provisional Office (Commissariat) under the authority of the Ministry of Transport, to prepare the "civilianisation" of the great majority of the ATCOs in 18 months (as a dead-line).

The same day also a "civilianisation" Bill was issued. This Bill was discussed by the Parliament Commission for Transport and many amendments were made.

Difficulties in determining the administrative frame within the present State Administration (or outside) and reluctance of the Government to accept the expertise of the controlle(s are the main causes of this "impasse".

The aim of the Government is to bring the Bill to the Parliament as soon as possible.

The aim of controllers - with the support of the Union - is to convince the Government that any solution cannot be accepted.

The solution proposed is a State Authority (or Agency) entrusted of all the ATS for General Air Traffic in very close co-ordination with the military counterpart for operational air traffic.

Confidence in the possibility of achieving this is great and all efforts are being made, while the atmosphere in the relationship between controllers and the other interested parties has been greatly improved.

Fully satisfied with the help given by the President of the Republic, guile satisfied by the beginning of the Government

legislative action, more than 900 controllers (and assistants) met on October 24th near Rome in another Extraordinary Conference.

It was decided to withdraw the "resignation letters"; thanks were expressed to everyone who had helped to solve the difficulties experienced, first of all to President Pertini, then the Trade Unions, IFATCA, Member Associations and so on. The general confidence in a fast and complete civilianisation of the ATS was finally expressed.

Further developments: Shadows came in mid-November when letters suing for having offended the Military Law were delivered to a number of controllers involved in the 19th October action.

Articles of reprimand appeared in leading newspapers. The Military Authorities - they said - know very well the leaders of the "mutiny" and will not permit this contravention of discipline to affect other branches of the Armed Forces.

The answer of controllers wa·s very quick - work to rule. One week of slow-down strictly applying the standards made more than the nine hours traffic stop. The action of the Military Tribunals anyway, appears not to be against controllers but in defence of a principle of discipline in the military environment. The perspectives of this action will be better known when all the controllers involved will have been "civilianised".

•

New Corporate Members ANSAAdvisory Group Air Navigation Services Frank W. Fischer, ANSA Director

ANSA, the Advisory Group - Air Navigation Services, Inc., which joined IFATCA as a new corporate member in 1979, is an independent professional non-profit organization and as such recognized by the German authorities.

ANSA is the only group of its kind in Germany involved in advice and consultance on air navigation services that is being recognized by the technical assistance bureau of ICAO. The group was founded in 1967 as a technical and operational advisory group of air traffic controllers. Its members are air traffic services experts, planners, air traffic controllers, engineers and pilots, specialized in radar, voice and data communication, computers, displays, ATS Systems, airspace organization and planning, training of personnel, system analysis and evaluation as well as the specification for the modernization and upgrading of air traffic services systems with emphasis on the use of automation.

Other subjects, like legal matters and software are covered by an aviation lawyer, a programmer and a data systems specialist.

These experts are nationals of six different countries and are being supported by an advisory council of experts on law, commerce and engineering. Mr. Fischer, who is the founder and present director of ANSA is an air traffic controller, system evaluator and planner, known to IFATCA since 1964, and looks back to 23 years of professional experience.

Recent activities of ANSA include the set-up of an air navigation services system concept with AEG-Telefunken for Libya, a general proposal on the required considerations for an air navi-

gation services system extension of the Peoples Republic of China, air traffic services seminars on modern tools in ATC to the planning staff of the commander USAFE and industry firms and proposals on the implementation of aeronautical information data subsystems in ATC and related activities.

Advice and suggestions on a variety of subjects have previously been made also to the German national authorities, such as on reduced holding pattern airspace areas, strategic control point areas, replacement of flight progress strips and shortcomings of the German air traffic control system for the upper and lower airspaces.

ANSA maintains two working groups, "Air Navigation Services" and "Exchange of Experience". Its contacts range over a great part of the world and include knowledge of the ATS Systems in the USA, Canada, Japan, Europe and part of Africa. It is one of the foremost objectives to maintain a close look on the latest development of these systems, their equipment and functions. In this context the determination of operational and technical shortcomings and requirement's is one of the major objectives and activities. Besides this activity ANSA has trained about 200 private pilots on VFR and IFR radio licences over the last ten years.

ANSA pursuits the technical development in air navigation in cooperation with the aviation industry for the modernization of air navigation services systems and for the improvement of the air traffic services to airspace users. Modern tools in automation for air traffic control and related systems are its main interest.

31

Technical views have been exchanged in the past with the FAA and the ATCA of the USA, with the technical university of Berlin, the technical high school of Darmstadt, IFALPA and IATA, German pilot organizations (Organization Cockpit, AOPA and DAeC), the RTCA of the USA, with BOLi and DFVLR in the Federal Republic of Germany and lately with the German PTT on the possible use of aeronautical information data in VIEWDATA systems.

The work programme relates mainly to shortcomings and problems of present air traffic services systems, as well as operational requirements and prevailing or planned projects on the upgrading and extension of systems. Special emphasis is being put on support in planning, design, specification and review of such projects. This support is given for hardware and software projects.

ANSA promotes the exchange of expertise between air traffic controllers and aerospace industrial manufacturers, as well as air navigation services authorities to help improve air safety.

It therefore maintains an exchange programme for air traffic services experts, which proved to be a good tool for the exchange of information, ideas and experience. Anyone in this profession, especially in the African, Middle East and Asian regions is invited to contact ANSA for such visits and meetings. Unfortunately contacts to the South American colleagues were not pos"sible in the past due to distance and travel problems. The group looks forward to a change in this respect.

As to the services being offered their program contains following subjects:

the

SEMINARS, BRIEFINGS and LECTURES on : Air Navigation Services, Air Traffic Services, Air Traffic Control : Tasks, Duties and Functions of the Air Traffic Services : Airspace Structures and Organizations : Air Traffic Services Systems and Subsystems : Airspace User Requirements

: ATS Shortcomings and Operational Requirements Relation of ATS Systems and their Functions versus Operational Tasks Modern Tools in Air Traffic Control CONSULTATION and ASSISTANCE in Site-Surveys In-depth Studies of Present Systems to determine Shortcomings and identify Areas of Improvement (Operational Requirements) Conceptual Design, Planning and Specification of Systems Validation of Existing and Planned Systems Documentation Reviews Assistance in ATC Working Position and Unit Layout Evaluation of ATS Technical Reports by Operations Personnel : Set-Up, Review and/or Revision of ATS Training Concepts For the preparation of service on the above mentioned subjects, the group uses its own ATS Survey Questionaire, which covers all aspects of airspace organization, air navigation services systems and subsystem environments.

Mr. Fischer has given a presentation on Aeronautical Information Data Subsystems (AIDS) during the 1979 Annual Conference in Brussels (see The Controller 3/1979) and has offered another presentation for the next conference on OLD OPERATIONAL TASKS AND NEW TOOLS IN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL following the suggested technical conference theme of "Modern Tools in ATC to the Air Traffic Controller, the Technical Environment and the Organization".

Aviation industrial companies, professional organizations, state and/or governmental authorities in need of consultation on these subjects are invited to contact ANSA for support and assistance.

The group offers its services especially to the member associations and to the corporate members of IFATCA in fulfilling its aims and objectives.

M. B. L. E. - A Belgian Electronics Company In Short:

From Electronics to Aeronautics

capital and reserves: 1.5 thousand million francs eleven operating units in Belgium staff: 4.500 activity: electronic components, civil and military telecommunications, aeronautics, scientific and industrial equipment, spectography.

For several years now, M.B.L.E. has been successfully involved in the manufacture of high class electronic components in the aerospace sector.

As Belgian contractor for the production of the Nasarr F 15 A radar equipment (F 104 G fighters) M.B.L.E. has been successful in manufacturing three vital parts in this system and has tested the radar units destined to be used by Belgium as well as part of the batch intended for the Federal Republic of Germany. It has also manufactured the F 15 A radar ground-testing equipment intended for the four countries in the programme.

In addition, the company has supplied the Belgian Air Force with AN/APN-153 navigation radar equipment for the Mirage 5-B, manufactured under licence to the American firm General Precision Inc.

Research and Development: Key to Success The history of M.B.L.E. covers half a century of electronics.

Founded in 1911, Manufacture Beige de Lampes et de Materiel Electronique has successfully established itself in most of the advanced technology areas, such as electronic components (e.g. capacitors, non linear resistors, printed circuits, integrated circuits), civil and military telecommunications, electronic instruments, nuclear physics, emission spectrometry, aeronautics, remote control systems, telemetry, radiocommunications, satellite guidance systems, etc.

M.B.L.E.'s constant ability to adapt to progress and, in certain areas, even to point the way is due largely to the intense research effort which it pursued since its inception. Indeed, it is this intense research effort which has been fundamentally instrumental in ensuring the company's successful expansion to its present size, employing as it does some 4.500 staff, nearly 500 of whom are engineers and research workers. M.B.L.E.'s investment in basic research and development in 1978 has again been more than 10 % of turnover, a clear sign of the company's intention to multiply its efforts in the sphere of high technology products.

32

More recently, M.B.L.E. was asked by Westinghouse to manufacture 800 radar computers for the new F 16 combat aircraft.

This computer enables the radar to function in all its modes of operation, processes data, runs a constant check on the performance of the system and locates any defects.

The first units thus produced were delivered some weeks ago and passed all the (very stringent) quality tests with flying colours.

The Epervier-Asmodee Programme M.B.L.E. is not simply a producer of sub-assemblies. It is a complete company structure and this means that its activity encompasses the three traditional stages of technological integration, i.e. component's, equipments and systems. The Epervier-

Dacos operator position and magnetic tape units.

Asmodee programme is a perfect illustration of the company's ability to design, develop and manufacture systems using the most sophisticated technique. The Epervier, which was developed in collaboration with the Belgian Ministry of Defence, is the brain child of M.B.L.E. and is an integrated battlefield surveillance system, incorporating as its mobile element, a pilotless jet aircraft capable of speeds in excess of 500 km/h measuring 2.38 m in length and with a wing span of 1.72 m.

The aircraft has a range of approximately 170 km and brings back photographs containing all the desired information on the zones which have been surveyed.

Input panel at command position.

Space Research M.B.L.E. has been very active in the field of space research.

It has been involved in the ESRO-Heos and ELDO programmes.

For the latter, M.B.L.E. was responsible for the engineering and completion of the guiding station.

Telecommunications M.B.L.E. develops and manufactures carrier current line telephony, voice frequency telegraphy and the latest sophisticated transmission systems, which include tac-simile equipments.

Other Defence Projects From the beginning, M.B.L.E. has been and still is, engaged in the Hawk ground to air missile programme to which it has brought important contributions.

The company currently develops, manufactures and markets military transceivers of advanced design which are known and purchased on a world-wide scale.

Measurement and Control M.B.L.E. has a leading position in emission spectrometry equipments for industrial use and is known for its achievements in road traffic control systems and automation in general.

Components Computers and allied Fields M.B.L.E. has developed large computer systems. In 1973, more than 200 researchers developed and designed the 7720 computer system for Unidata (grouping CII of France, Siemens of West Germany and Philips of the Netherlands).

The company has since retained some of the fundamental stages of computer creation such as applied mathematics research, study of programming languages, data handling and data transmission, computerized telecommunications.

IFATCA 80 IT HAS TO BE TORONTO

The M.B.L.E. Roulers factory is one of the largest manufactures of capacitors of the polyester family and of potentiometers in Europe.

The Evere factory occupies similar rank for non-linear resistors (NTC, PTC, LDR's etc.).

Hybrid integrated circuits, printed circuit boards (namely multilayers) and even small motors are currently developed and manufactured on a very large scale.

The Company also has a precision mechanical parts plant in Evere.

■

CATCA meanwhile has formed an ad hoe organizing committee which will work out and circulate conference and travel arrangements as soon as possible.

The original 1980 Conference Registration Forms may be adapted for use on this occasion and send to the CATCA Secretariat, Suite 604, 1 Nicholas Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 7B7.

Because of circumstances beyond our influence the venue for the 19th Annual IFATCA Conference had to be changed on very short notice to Toronto, Canada.

The Canadian Association readily volunteered to organize the 1980 Conference, which will now be held from 8-11th May, 1980, in the Downtown Holiday Inn Hotel, 89 Chestnut Str., Toronto, Ontario, Canada MSG.1R1.

According to the latest information at press time a registration of 85.- Can. Dollars will be levied from each conference participant.

fee

Room rates in the Holiday Inn are about 50.- Can. Dollars for a double, 40.- for a single.

It is understood that "going to an alternate" requires a good deal of improvisation on the side of both, the organizers and prospective conference participants. Concerted effort is the motto on this unique occasion. We have to face a situation the Federation has never experienced before.

So what - Toronto, here we come!

33

This Could also Happen to Me Incident reporting is recognised as one of the most effective methods in the battle of national and international aviation safety boards for the elimination of aircraft accidents. THE CONTROLLER dedicated to aviation safety reveals in this series of articles instances where the air traffic controller was involved, either directly or indirectly, with the hope of avoiding repetition.

THE O'HARE INCIDENT On February 15, 1979, a near collision occurred on the ground at O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, involving Delta Air Lines Flight 349, a scheduled passenger flight, and Flying Tiger Flight 74, a scheduled cargo flight. When cleared by various taxiways to runway 4R for departure, Delta Flight 349 was instructed initially by the air traffic outbound ground controller to stop before crossing runway 9R, an active landing runway. Clearance to cross this runway was issued subsequently by the ground controller as Flight 349 approached runway 9R. About this time, Flying Tiger Flight 74 was completing an instrument landing system approach to runway 9R and had been cleared to land by the air traffic local controller. Shortly after touchdown, the captain of Flying Tiger Flight 74 saw the Delta aircraft entering the runway directly in front of him, and to avoid collision, he veered his aircraft off the runway. The cargo plane, a Boeing 747, was damaged ·substantially. The Boeing 727 was not damaged, and there were no injuries to the occupants of either aircraft.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the O'Hare outbound ground controller's issuance of a taxi clearance across runway 9R, which permitted Delta Flight 349 to move into a collision path with Flying Tiger Flight 74 and, further, the failure of the pilots of Delta Flight 349 to maintain a continuous vigil for landing traffic

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before entering an active runway. The improper clearance was the result of the ground controller's failure to see the displayed radar target of the landing aircraft.

Contributing to the accident were the approach controller's failure to effect required spacing criteria between Flying Tiger Flight 74 and the preceding arrival aircraft and the local controller's failure to issue a missed aproach clearance when he noted the less-than-required separation.

Dissent This decision of the National Transportation Safety Board was a 3 to 1 vote with Francis McAdams dissenting. In a written statement to the Board he says that he will contest the rightness of the Board's decision. For the benefit of THE CONTROLLER readers the full statement of McAdams to the Safety Board is given below: I disagree with the majority of the Board wherein they conclude inter alia that the probable cause of the accident was ", .. the failure of the pilots of Delta Flight 349 to maintain a continuous vigil for landing traffic before entering an active runway."

The facts are as follows: Delta was cleared to cross the runway at 0910:00 by the outbound ground controller and told to "keep it moving." At this time Delta was approximately 472 feet from the runway .. Shortly after receiving clearance to cross, both Delta crewmembers looked toward the approach and of the runway and observed no traffic. The approach to the runway, as well as approximately 950 feet of the approach end of runway 9R, was obscured by a fog bank; consequently, it was not possible for the Delta crew to observe any approaching traffic until it was at least 950 feet from the runway threshold. The Delta aircraft continued to taxi onto the runway, and when the nose had intruded to about 75 feet onto the runway the Flying Tiger aircraft was observed by the Delta first officer at about 0910:29. The near-miss occurred at 0910:31. Even according to the majority, the first time that the Delta first officer could have seen Flying Tiger from his normal cockpit position was at 0910:27, or 4 seconds before the nearcollision. Delta was almost to the midpoint of the runway at this time.

The local controller stated that due to the existing visibility conditions he first observed landing aircraft as they touched down at the glide slope intersection point, 1,200 feet from the threshold. Flying Tiger passed this point at 0910:20, and the nose of the Delta aircraft had already intruded onto the runway. In this connection, it is significant that the Flying Tiger crew did not see Delta until 0910:27, or 4 seconds before the accident-about the same time that Delta observed Flying Tiger.

Based on these facts, a majority of the Board has concluded that, despite an A TC clearance to cross the active runway in severely limited visibility conditions, the Delta crew could have avoided the accident if a continuous vigil for landing traffic had been maintained.

The Board has completely missed the point of this accident, since even if Delta had visually checked the runway at 0910:18 when Flyir.g Tiger was 900 feet down the runway, Delta could not have seen Flying Tiger because of the restricted visibility and Delta would have entered on the runway as previously cleared. In

34

other words, ATC vectored two aircraft on a collision course on the runway, and the attempt to blame Delta for being on the runway is highly unreasonable under the circumstances. The Board states: From the normal eye reference position, the first officer could not have seen FT 74 until about 4 seconds before the near collision. Although the response time was minimal, it probably was sufficient to have stopped the aircraft and permitted FY 74 to pass safely onto the runway.

At this time Delta was almost to the midpoint of the runway, and a potentially dangerous situation now existed. Even if Delta had stopped, an accident or near-collision would have already occurred; Flying Tiger would have had to swerve to the right to avoid a collision in any event. Under these circumstances I find, contrary to the majority, that stopping the aircraft would not have avoided an accident or incident.

Reasoning A pilot receiving positive clearance to cross an active runway should visually clear the runway for landing traffic if he can physically see it. On the other hand, in this case the ground controller should have been aware of the restricted meteorological conditions and not have issued the clearance.

According to the majority's reasoning, Delta should not have crossed the runway until it was possible to visually clear the runway and approach. Unfortunately, it was not possible to visually clear the runway until there was a substantial improvement in the visibility conditions. Under these circumstances, Delta had the right to rely upon and accept the radar-vectored instrument taxi clearance to cross the runway, just as Flying Tiger had the right to rely upon its landing clearance.

However, of far more significance than the foregoing is the fact that once Delta had turned to a heading of 118 degrees to cross runway 9R it would have been physically impossible for Delta to have seen Flying Tiger, even if there had been no restrictions to visibility. Flying Tiger was not within the visual envelope of Delta until 0910:25, at 0910:25 the Delta aircraft had intruded onto runway 9. At all times prior to 0910:25, Flying Tiger was behind the right shoulder of the Delta first officer at about the 4:30 o'clock position.

The facts appear to be clear. At 0910:19,, Delta .was on a magnetic heading of 118 degrees, and the nose of the aircraft was near the north edge of runway 9. At this time Flying Tiger was 55 feet in the air and about 2,800 feet from Delta. It would have been physically impossible for the Delta first officer to have seen Flying Tiger until 0910:25 - even if he had been leaning forward in his seat. According to the diagram, Appendix D, Near Collision Tracks, and using an arc of 137 degrees (the maximum number of degrees that the first officer could see from the normal cockpit position), he had a view of no more than 575 feet down the centerline of runway 9. Using an absolute reasonable maximum visibility arc of 145 degrees, his view along the centerline was approximately 1,960 feet. At this time, Flying Tiger was still 2,800 feet from Delta. With Delta on a heading of 118 degrees, and Flying Tiger on a heading of 90 degrees, the Flying Tiger aircraft would be beyond the 145 degree arc, which is more than 60 degrees behind the Delta first officer's shoulder. This acute angle would have made a sighting of Flying Tiger beyond the extreme physical limits of visibility from the Delta cockpit.

Further, the Board does not discuss the poor judgment of the ground controller in clearing Delta to cross the runway at 0910:00 when Delta was approximately 800 feet from clearing the south edge of runway 9R. The controller stated he had observed a radar target 3.5 miles from the runway threshold at this time.

According to the flight data recorder, Flying Tiger had an average approach air speed of 190 mph (180 mph ground speed), or 3 miles per minute. Flying Tiger would have been over the runway in 70 seconds. It would have taken Delta at least 60 seconds to taxi the 800 feet to completely clear runway 9. In my opinion, 10 seconds is not a sufficiently safe margin.

As a result of this accident and several other runway incursion accidents and incidents, the Board should have recommended to the FAA that either positive coordination be required between ground and local control with no exemptions before an aircraft is cleared to cross an active runway, or that only the local controller should have the authority to issue a taxi clearance to cross an active runway.

In conclusion, I would not have included Delta as a primary cause to this accident, because it was physically impossible for the Delta crew to have seen Flying Tiger until it was too late due to restricted meteorological conditions and physical visual limitations form the Delta cockpit.

SIMILAR ACCIDENTS Two other similar, to the O'Hare, accidents which have occurred recently at US airports, one at La Guardia, New York and one at Memphis International caused the authorities concerned to adopt the following National Transportation safety recommendation: On June 21, 1978, North Central Airlines Flight 57, a DC-9-30, and N51MW, a Cessna Citation, almost collided on runway 13 at LaGuardia Airport, Flushing, New York. North Central 57 was cleared by the tower ground controller to taxi on the runway and N51MW was cleared by the tower local controller for takeoff on the same runway.

On February 24, 1979, a Federal Express Falcon Fan Jet and a Great Western Beechcraft Model 18 collided on runway 9 at Memphis International Airport, Memphis, Tenn. The Beechcraft had landed on runway 35R and the flight was cleared by the ground controller to taxi across runway 9. The Falcon Jet had been cleared to land on runway 9. The planes collided as the Beechcraft taxied across the runway. Both aircraft were damaged, but no one was injured.

Although the circumstances surrounding these accidents were different, all have one element in common with respect to air traffic control (ATC) operational control. In each case one airplane was controlled by the ground controller and the other airplane was controlled by the local controller. In two of these cases, the ground controller and local controller failed to effect the required coordination. In the third case no oral coordination was required; a local facility directive allowed the ground controller to clear aircraft across an active runway when the airport surface detection equipment and Brite radar displays were operating and radar observations by the ground controller revealed that no traffic conflict existed.

In all three of these mishaps, ATC had authorized the pilot to taxi on or across an active runway. In two of them, the reported visibility at the airport was more than adequate to enable the ground controller to maintain visual surveillance of his traffic, although hours of darkness prevailed. In the other occurrence, reported visibility was ½ to 1 mile in daylight conditions.

Under the circumstances, each ground controller had the ability to maintain surveillance of those aircraft involved. However, inadequate visual surveillance of ground traffic movement appears to be a factor in two of the three mishaps.

Pilots Vigil Other findings of these investigations revealed that the pilots' visual surveillance while taxiing on the airport surfaces may have been lax. Like the controller, the pilot has a responsibility to maintain visual surveillance outside the cockpit. Existing visibility did not preclude the maintenance of visual surveillance by the flightcrews. In the first of these mishaps, a collision on the runway was avoided because the flightcrew of a departing aircraft sighted the taxiing aircraft on the runway. In the second occurrence, a collision on the runway was avoided because the flightcrew of a landing aircraft sighted an aircraft taxiing onto the run35

way. And the third occurrence, the flightcrew of a landing aircraft was unable to avoid a collision when an aircraft taxied onto the runway.

In the first of the three mishaps, the taxiing aircraft saw the other airplane and stopped on the runway. But in the second and third cases, the flightcrews of the taxiing airplane did not see the other. Their failure to do so eliminated one redundant safeguard against system error, upon which our cooperative ATC system has been dependent for many years.

The findings and conclusions contained in "Human Factors Associated with Runway Incursions," in NASA's Eighth Quarterly Report, dated October 1978, reinforce our belief that a significant safety problem exists and that special action is needed. The Safety Board finds conclusion No. 3 in the NASA report of particular interest: "Taxiing aircraft, a major contributor to these occurrences, represent the most effective single point of attack on the problem, if ASRS data are representative."

Although the Board is not able to identify specific changes in ATC procedures or equipment to resolve the problems evident in the Chicago and Memphis accidents, it believes that the seriousness and complexity of the problem warrant initiation of a directed safety study to examine all aspects of the runway incursion problem and to identify the corrective action needed.

All Alerted In the interim, all pilots and terminal area controller personnel should be alerted to the problem and to their

importance in helping to resolve it. The information disseminated should appeal to controllers and pilots to aid each other in the resolution of the incursion problem by individual effort to maintain visual surveillance during taxi operations that involve runway crossings. Visual confirmation that a safe crossing can be made is needed to verify a clearance. When visibility conditions are restricted to less than 1h mile, pilots should be encouraged to reaffirm a clearance to cross an active runway if they believe it necessary. Under such visibility conditions ground controllers should be encouraged to verify, with local control, taxi clearances to cross active runways, to the extent possible.

While the suggested interim course of action is not a solution to the problem, we believe it has potential safety benefits which are needed immediately.

Accordingly, the National Transportation Safety commends that the Federal Aviation Administration:

Board

re-

Conduct a directed safety study, on a priority basis, to examine the runway Incursion problem and to formulate recommended remedial action to reduce the likelihood of such hazardous conflicts. (Class II, Priority Action) Alert all controller/pilot personnel that runway Incursion mishaps represent a serious safety problem which requires their immediate attention. Special emphasis should be placed on the need for both groups to maintain greater visual surveillance In those taxi operations involving any runway crossing. (Class II, Priority Action) ■

News from Corporate Members Jeppesen

Philips

1.5 Mill. Navigation Charts in a single Week's Revision

Philips on the 5th International Airport Construction and Equipment Exhibition October 1979 in Nice

1980 begins with a record setting revision volume for Jeppesen in Frankfurt/Main.

In handling the ICAO Recommendation, according to Annex 11, Appendix 2, of assigning a uniform five-letter code to all IFR reporting points the producer of world-wide navigational documentation, Jeppesen & Co., GmbH in Frankfurt/Main, reports a recordsetting revision. Not less than 1 564 600 charts will be updated, printed and distributed to all holders of respective Airway Manuals. This tremendous number of documentations, with the revision date of 11. Jan. 1980, represents the largest single revision since the company began operation in the year 1957.

As the redesignation of the·se significant reporting points in the EUM region become effective at 0001 GMT on the 25th January 1980, the Jeppesen documentations must be available in advance to update respective flight plans, flight logs, etc. to all the holders of Airway Manuals. The total handling including updating, printing, collating and the complete shipment of all the Airway Manual material has been finalized on the date of 11. Jan. 1980.

The subsequent weekly revision dated 18. Jan., a similar record week, will bring more charts to the customer with the revised reporting point information. All the distribution actions will have been completed on that same date also. With distribution one and two weeks ahead of the effective date, the documents will reach the hands of the users in time.

36

Voice logging A completely new 4th generation version of the successful Philips voice logger was shown on the "Philips in Aviation" stand at the International Airport Construction and Equipment Exhibition, Nice.

Current models of these voice loggers are at present in service at over 120 major airports around the world. Advanced technology used in the new 4th generation recorders has allowed MTBF and long-term reliability to be significantly increased, while maintenance requirements have been further reduced. Well established features such as 24-hour uninterrupted recording, and complete security of recorded information through failsafe alarm and back-up facilities, are retained.

X-ray baggage screening Also on display was the company's latest system for film-safe or low dose X-ray baggage screening: the Dynafluor XV. This compact, transportable unit is available in a variety of configurations that enable it to be adapted to suit the layout of virtually any control station.

The X-ray image may be observed on a direct viewing screen or TV monitor while a bi-directional package conveyor gives the flexibility to check both in-coming and outgoing items. System

controls are extremely simple, ensuring that operators' undivided attention can be concentrated on the screen.

A notable feature of the Dynafluor XV is its continous viewing system, whereby items can be seen in motion as they pass through the wide-angle X-ray beam. This produces a 'stereoprojected image' effect that greatly assists the recognition of screened objects. Thus, for example, a gun barrel that might appear as inconspicuous concentric circles in a head-on position, is readily revealed as it traverses the screen and is presented in partial side view.

Lighting

A completely new Philips runway edge light, intended for all categories of runways was shown. The special features of this fitting include its low height and an optical system of which the outer lens is smooth on the outside so that pollution is negligible and cleaning is made as easy as possible.

To permit simple lamp replacement the outer lens can be removed by loosening a clamping ring with trunk latch. The light is designed for use with a 200 W 6.6 A quartz halogen lamp.

Also on display was the latest version of the Philips T-VASI, type PS 43/02. The main difference as compared with the former Philips units is the improved light distribution of the night circuit (limited to a max. intensity of about 2000 cd at 6.6 A) and the mounting frame.

Philips outdoor lighting department also showed other airport lighting fittings in their range. The inset type fittings can now be supplied in a new version (indicated by /04) which includes a gasket in the base so that there is no longer any need for fillingup with insulating compound during installation.

The SNF 011 floodlighting luminaire shown is particularly suitable for airport apron lighting. It is an excellent example of a low glare flood-lighting luminaire whose light is distributed entirely below the horizontal plane. More than 300 SNF 011 fittings will be used to light the aprons of the Changi Airport, the new international airport of Singapore.

The 4th generation of Philips Voice Logger with its modular set-up and advanced technology for comprehensive monitoring and alarm functions.

Turnkey projects

Philips have gained experience over many years of supplying custom built system for airports in many parts of the world. Their experience in world wide installations have led to an understanding of the widely varying environmental and operational conditions. Inter-Engineering B.V. Eindhoven, subsidiary of Philips, has produced architectural designs and has undertaken the civil works for many projects.

This depth of common experience has been invaluable in the design of the package project, as there are many advantages to the customer in one supplier for everything. Interface problems between subcontractors can spell disaster for a capital project however suitable the airport equipment or well prepared the building design.

Inter-Engineering B.V. aims to offer a complete service required for the realization of building projects and, therefore, contains departments for: -

programmers for requirements and functional indicated projects types - architects - structural engineers - electrical and mechanical engineers - cost control department - planning department - project managers - site supervisors and site inspectors.

analysis for the

From the total available personnel are: 330 in the main office in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, 180 in its ofice in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 49 in its office in Paris, France and seven in its branch office in Jakarta, Indonesia. Out of these 40 have a university degree in engineering, (Master of Science in Engineering) and 160 have a degree in engineering comparable to the U.S.A.'s

bachelors degree in engineering. Furthermore, as it is related to the Philips Company, Inter-Engineering B.V. can rely upon the available know-how in this company.

Inter-Engineering B. V. has carried out projects in many parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, Europe and South America, and claims to posse·ss the know-how necessary to operate in many countries. It also has the experience in managing turnkey projects in close co-operation with all the companies in the Philips group.

Improvement of Civil Aviation Facilities in Tanzania continued After a reorganisation stage, in which Philips Telecommunications engineers have restored the original equipment condition and put new equipment that had been stored into operation, the Tanzaniar, Civil Aviation Authorities have granted a new contract worth 9 mill Dutch guilders (4.5 mill US dollars) the Philips to continue the current activities.

Under the new contract special emphasis will be laid on maintenance and training of Tanzanian staff. Five Dutch engineers. for example, will assist in setting up the maintenance and spare part administration and in getting it going. Two groups of 10 Tanzanians will follow a 6-month course at the Philips International Telecommunications Training Centre in Hilversum, the Netherlands. The new contract covers a period of 3 years and includes also the supply of new equipment worth 3.5 mill Dutch guilders (approx. 1.75 mill US dollars). The term of the contract just completed was 6 months and had a value of 2.4 mill Dutch guilders (approx. 1.2 mill US dollars).

37

Golden Jubilee

of the F.1.1.G.

by E. McCluskey & H. U. Heim

The celebrations took place in the International Labour Office at Geneva in surroundings extremely apt for the auspicious occasion. !11:-•I The first part of the celebrations started with an exhibition at the ILO. Many of the member organisations had the possibility to show their work and objectives on stands These names in themselves give some idea of the in the exhibition hall. IFATCA provided a stand which was possible diversity in arriving at agreement on how to use prepared by Claude Bouzier, Chairman of SCII and H_a~s languages and which languages to choose. The IFATCA Heim. They were assisted by our Swiss colleagues and It Is paper was written by Hans Heim of SCVII and presented pertinent to thank also Radio Suisse Ltd. for the help which

by Claude Bouzier. It became clear that at present our they proferred toward this project. The exhibition which Federation has been lucky in not having to face many of lasts through the months of September and October the problems facing other organisations. Most of the others attracted visitors from the public, from schools and from seem to work in at least three languages with others added national, cantonal and communal authorities. A large according to circumstances. One organisation permits the amount of interest was shown in the IFATCA stand and a use of the language of the country hosting the Conference number of publications were available among which "THE during its annual conference. The host country pays the CONTROLLER" attracted a lot of attention. cost of translation and interpretation. Some organisations For those members who are not familiar with the FIIG can count on financial support of the host governments. it should be said that the Federation was mooted as early Some have large financial resources and some have small as 1926 and the first statutes saw the light of day in 1929, amounts available. It would appear that there is also a under the Presidency of Mr. Edward Phelan of the Club great difference in the standards of translation from one International. The FIIG faced difficult years ahead firstly country to another which can entail travelling for known because of the worldwide depression and then the outhighly qualified staff. For IFATCA the problem area which break of the Second World War but since 1945 it has grown we may have to face in the future would seem to be Latin in strength. The FIIG includes many non-Government OrgaAmerica .and the Arab Countries since, if the Federation nisations (NGO with vastly different aims and objectives. comes up against the necessity to translate into Spanish It may be said that the fiftieth anniversary celebrations or Arabic, we would not be able to call on the host asproved to the IFATCA observers that whatever the aims sociations to bear the total expense. As yet IFATCA has and objectives, all seem imbued with the same spirit of not had to face the problem of a multilingual secretariat. internationalism and co-operation which we find in our Mrs. King introduced an interesting paper on translation own Federation. The FIIG maintains with the Swiss by computer as is being development by the Commission Federal Authorities and with the Canton and City of Geof the European Communities. It was pointed out that the neva for consultation on problems facing the NGOs which EEC has already eight official languages and with the are members, especially on questions of taxes, employadherence of Greece, Spain and Portugal the permutation ment etc. The FIIG carries out research in the social, of pairs will become impractical. Most of the speakers had economic and legal fields for its members. In its activities run into problems of acceptance of languages simply for the FIIG avoids any taking up of political position. It prestige. We should avoid this one at all costs. remains strictly neutral in religious, racial and cultural It became clear that dictionaries were expensive and fields and adheres unreservedly to the principles of the not always completely useful. Terminology was continuUniversal Declaration of Human Rights. Close contact is ously changing and it was the opinion of the delegates that maintained with similar organisations based in Brussels the FIIG could organise an active exchange of terminology and Paris. amongst its members. IFATCA which follows ICAO and the WMO for technical terminology could only benefit from such exchanges.

Second Part Mr. Cyril Ritchie President of the FIIG took these conThe second part of the celebration consisted of two clusions back for study. seminars which IFATCA participated with observer status.

The second Seminar was on the subject of the ProThe first Seminar "The Use of Languages in Organisations blems of a Legal Status for International Associations. This and Meetings" was presided over by Mme Alice Paquier was presided over by M. Robert Fenaux of the Union des of the Federation internationale des femmes diplomees des Associations lnternationales, Brussels, with M. Speeckaert universites and member of the Council of the FIIG, with of the same organisation as Rapporteur. Attempts have Mr Paul Tunbridge as Rapporteur. been made since 1910 to find some form of diplomatic Papers were presented by the International Savings immunity for NGOs. All attempts have so far failed. The Banks Institute, The International Federation of University question which was at the basis of all the discussions was Women, the International Electrotechnical Commission, the whether there should be approaches made via the CounEcole de Trudaction et d'lnterpretation of Geneva Unicil of Europe with some hope of success rather than conversity, and others. tinuing to seek world wide recognition.

■ 38

First Solar-Powered Manned Flight

In conjunction with the article "FLYING - From Power to Manual" in THE CONTROLLER No 4/79 the following report makes interesting reading (Ed.)

The concept of solar-powered flight has been considered so far in the future, that most people have not given it much attention.

Not so with Larry Mauro, president of Ultralight Flying Machines, a 7 year old company that produces ultra-light kits for gliders.

For Larry, unusual ideas are a way of life.

The company was founded in Larry's garage in 1972 while he was an engineer at Hewlett-Packard company, based in Palo Alto, Ca. "I knew this was what I should be doing the moment I started it," says Larry. "The bi-plane glider was a curiosity, a novelty for others, but not for me. I saw a clear vision of the future and of the significance of this form of flight, so I set out in earnest to accomplish it."

During the first few years of Ultralight Flying Machines existence, there was no support for his projects. "No one could see my vision. I had to realize very early on that innovative ideas can only come from an individual. I knew that I had to make a go at it alone."

The first success was the development of the Easy Riser hang glider, which won the World Open Hang Glider Championships in May 1976 in El Toro, Ca. This occured just a few weeks after the glider was invented. "We never really had a chance to learn how to fly it well before we entered. But it outperformed everything in sight," Mauro said.

Ultralight Flying Machines soon became a leader in the field of ultralight aircraft design and development. Small gasoline engines, landing gears, skiis, pontoons, and other assorted paraphenalia were added to the basic Easy Riser aircraft to handle various individual needs and tastes.

The next step seemed to be moving into the area of solar powered flight. "My goal has always been to develop new forms of aviation and power. I felt that I had the most to learn, and also the most potential reward in this area of solar power," says Mauro.

In September 1978, Larry Mauro went underground to develop the first manned solar powered aircraft. He kept this project a secret because the field of experimental aircraft design is highly competitive. Larry felt that if others found out about his project, that his ideas and research would be pirated. "People have capitalized on my ideas in the pa·st and never credited me for them, so I wanted to guarantee that this solar design would totally be mine," explained Mauro.

What started out as a project soon became an all-engrossing way of life for Larry, for the next 7 months. He says "What really helped me through those tough months, were the few people who really understood what this whole thing meant to me, what my goal was in doing it." Among those he mentions are Eli Primrose, in helping to pull him through the emotional slumps, his brother Kerry Mauro, Stephanie Matthews, and Dave Moody.

According to Larry, the sustaining factor in all the frustrations and loneliness of working alone, was the philosophy and writings of L. Ron Hubbard. "Hubbard gave me the data and tools to

SOLAR FLIGHT DETAILS TIME:

April 29. 1979 12 noon

PLACE:

Flabob Airport. Riverside, CA, USA

EVENT:

First manned solar powered flight Duration: 1½ minutes Distance travelled: ½ mile Altitude: 30--40 feet Speed: 20-24 miles per hour Solar Riser Ultralight Flying Maschines Santa Clara. CA S 50,000 Cost: Time to complete project: 7 months Designer: Larry Mauro Builder: Larry Mauro Pilot: Larry Mauro Weight of aircraft: 125 pounds Weight with pilot: 290 pounds Wing span: 30 feet Type of aircraft: Bi-plane Power: 3 horse power electric motor spinning a 41" diameter propeller electrical energy generated by 500 solar (photo voltaic) cells Wing area: 175 feet

AIRCRAFT: Name: Manufacturer:

Over 500 solar eel Is. protected upper wing of the biplane.

under a clear plastic covering,

cover the

39

understand myself better, how to set a goal and how to align things to achieve it. That was vital to me in realizing this goal of solar powered flight," says Larry. He freely admits that this project was the hardest task he has ever undertaken.

After 7 months and $50,000 of his own money from his Ultralight Flying Machines company, the newly christened "Solar Riser" was ready for its maiden flight. However, the frustrations were not quite over even yet. At the Chino Air Show April 28, Larry was not allowed to fly the Solar Ri;:;er just when he thought all the problems were over. He was not even allowed to test fly it. The FAA grounded him under the guise of technical reasons, which in actuality were a break of FAA regulations.

"They looked at me in such utter disbelief, as if I had driven up in a flying saucer. They didn't believe what they saw. I think it scared them," laughed Mauro.

Digusted, Larry left and drove to historic Flabob airport in Riverside, Ca., one of the oldest airports on the west coast. On Sunday, April 29, 1979 was the landmark maiden flight of the first manned solar powered aircraft.

The 125 pound Solar Riser has over 500 solar cells in the upper wing under the clear plastic covering. Mauro had to disassemble the plane at Chino, trailer it the 20 miles to Flabob, and there reassemble it. At noon Larry and the Solar Riser slowly lifted into the air, and the dream became a reality for Larry. The initial flight lasted 1 and a half minutes and covered a distance of one half mile at an altitude of 30 to 40 feet. Everything worked perfectly, with no problems or delays.

Manned solar powered flight was now no longer a futuristic dream, but an actuality. But this was not only the realization of a personal goal, but has implications much more broad in terms of a beginning of a new era in aviation and transportation for mankind. Larry Mauro sums it up: "There is no energy crisis. There never was and there never will be. We needn't look underground for sources of power. All the power this earth can use is outward and upward. The sun is a limitless source of power, and just a wee fraction of this power will enable mankind to accomplish purposes as yet undreamed."

■

Universal News

The Ministers held an initial discussion on a Study Report, prepared conjointly by the Federal Republic of Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. This Study Report concerns the future of the EUROCONTROL Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre, stresses the need for the establishment of an air traffic management centre for Western Europe, and raises the possibility of using the facilities of the Maastricht UAC for this task. The Ministers instructed their officials to examine in detail the proposals contained in the Report and to report back at the next Session of the Permanent Commission in June 1980.

The Permanent Commission gave its approval to the conclusion of an Agreement for Cooperation with Greece and welcomed the intention of Greece, as expressed in the preamble of the Agreement, to adhere to the amended EUROCONTROL Convention in 1983. An Agreement with Saudi Arabia for the provision of certain technical assistance by EUROCONTROL was also approved.

T.he Ministers acting in their dual capacities as Members of the Permanent Commission and as National Authorities approved the Tariffs and Conditions of Applications of user route charges to be applied from 1 April 1980.

54th Session of the Permanent Commission The Permanent Commission of EUROCONTROL, the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation, held its 54th Session in Brussels on 22 November 1979. The Session was presided over

by Mr Joel LE THEULE, Minister of Transport of France.

The Permanent Commission adopted the Five Year Plan and Long Term Costings submitted by the Agency for the period 1980-1984. This is the seventh such plan and gives the programme for development activities and deployment of facilities to serve air traffic in the upper airspace for which the Organisation is responsible. For the time being, it maintains the form of earlier plans although the last two years enter the period when an amended Convention is expected to operate and when it is foreseen that the Organisation will concern itself with plans reiated to en-route general air traffic embracing all levels of airspace.

Against the background of the Five Year Plan, the Permanent Commission approved the Organisation's Investment and Operating Budgets for 1980. Credits for payment in the Investment Budget amount to 25,373,645 European Units of Account (EUA)'), comprising 7,720,965 EUA for the common programme of direct investments by the EUROCONTROL Agency and reimbursements of 17,652,680 EUA to Member States in respect of indirect investment made by individual States in respect of services provided for the EUROCONTROL airspace. The common Operating Budget for the seven States provides for payments amounting to 39,923,345 EUA. The four States Operating Budget for the BENELUX/Federal Republic of Germany Region totals 52,709,205 EUA of which 17,697,000 EUA meet the reimbursement of indirect operating costs.

For the longer term future of the Organisation, the Minister reviewed the progress being made in the preparation of the amending protocol to the existing EUROCONTROL Convention, which it is intended should enter into force in March 1983. The Ministers instructed officials to continue work on drafting the necessary text.

The Ministers considered the future relationship between EUROCONTROL and the European Communities and authorised the holding of discussions between the EUROCONTROL Agency and the Commission of the European Communities with a view to the conclusion of a formal agreement, it being understood that the Agency must retain its full competence in the field of air traffic services. ·) 1 EUA has been equated to: OM 2.51034, FF 5.79279, £ 0.66872,

G 2.71115, FB 39.6699

40

UFM NEWS

EUROCONTROL NEWS

Do-it-yourself with Bit and Board Microcomputers as a Hobby More than half a century ago, the constructors of detector receivers founded the "guild" of hobby radio builders. Tube and transistor successively attracted radio hams. And with the advent of microelectronics the construction of remote-controlled models for water, land and air experienced a boom. Today, the number of electronics hobbyists is estimated at about half a million in the Federal Republic of Germany alone. About 15 000, however, dedicate their spare-time activities to the new technology of microprocessors and have chosen working with bit and board as their hobby. Some are more concerned with the basic understanding of the small miracle circuits, while others are searching for innovative applications. Both activities are often pursued in clubs.

One of the largest groups has been formed at Siemens in Munich. The 250 members of this group have been meeting on a regular basis for two years, to hear lectures and participate in training courses. Programs and systems are being prepared in joint efforts, to "harmonize" the activities of the group. Collective orders for components and auxiliary equipment reduce costs.

Uniform pc boards provide a simple basis for all kinds of circuits.

Altogether, 700 employees of the company working in twelve different places cooperate with each other and also with some

"free-lancers". All of them are brought together by a newsletter, which reports about the most recent programs, devices, tricks and technical literature.

The main interest is, of course, centered upon the hobby application of microcomputers for the most varied purposes. The range extends from intrusion detection to text processing for personal invitation cards, from electronical composed, recorded or reproduced music to trick circuits for cameras. And again and again trains, points and signals of model railways are ingeniously controlled to match the real thing. While one member is endeavouring to make telegraph characters appear noiselessly on a screen, another group is trying to track with their antennas communications satellites for amateurs launched into orbit by NASA. A microcomputer fan is developing a VOR radio navigation set, in which the frequencies of all European ground stations are stored. The pilot can now do without the standard lists.

It is especially this application which is on the brink of going beyond mere spare-time occupations. The innovation has already aroused interest in manufacturing circles. In general, the permanent endeavours to find new applications of microcomputers should frequently be a stepping stone to series productions, although the beginning was a mere passtime. When support is granted by a firm this does not mean, however, that there are no costs to bear. On the contrary, the hobby of microcomputers demands a large amount of money and time. This is what the members have in common with the 33 000 or so belonging to all the other hobby groups of the company, whether they engage in philately or homing pigeon fancying, yachting or gliding, or as mentioned above, pass their spare-time as radio hams and hobby radio builders.

Thus, microcomputer technology not only contributes to creating more spare-time and to advancing rationalization; microcomputers will also help towards a better organization of spare-time activities. This includes the possibilities of improved booking of holiday trips to remote countries or of programming road traffic to avoid pile-ups. Moreover, microcomputers have now themselves become the subject of spare-time activities: detector, tube and transistor have found a worthy "successor".

SIEMENS PRESS

oc.9 FAMILY DEVELOPMENT

./.,""-

~ ,

10:4Fl----

1965 - SERIES 10, 1068 - SERIES 20 90 PASSENGERS

/J:T

<~--.,,c~-="'-,)---:.-___.J):-9-.<119JfT----

19G7 - SERIES 30 (+ 15 FEET> 110 PASSENGERS

-'-? .

fi°",.---..--.--,,,=,.

-..-.~---,.. ..,..._ ....

(11).-1

/ q

i<."f'. ·~"n!5>6~:-----

1968 - SERIES 40 i+ 21.4 FEETI 125 PASSENGERS

133!.fT-----

1975 - SERIES 50 I"' 29.2 FEET) 139 PASSENGERS

SUPER 80 Super 80 Spet:ifications

length:

147.9 It. (45.08 ml

cruise speed:

height:

29.3 h. ( 8.93 ml

passengerc.ipacitv:

172

wing span:

107.8 h. (32.34 ml

cr9w;

2, plus c.ibin attendants

propulsion:

2 Pratt & Whitney JTBO-209 T ucbohm cngioes,

first flight:

_,

18,500 lbs. thrust.

546 mph {878 km/hr.)

ll 0,1.~,.,. I'\ H

first airlinedelivery: early 1980 Swiuair

I

In this case, do-it-yourself work with bit and board has led to a professional result: incorporated in the instrument panel of this small powered aircraft is a VOA radio navigation set which has been equipped with a microcomputer by Walter Freier (in photo) of the Munich glider group, so that the compass course to the next ground station is continuously ..precalculated" and indicated by the digital LCD display below the instrument. At present, the microcomputer is being programmed for all European navigation frequencies. The pilot can leave the extensive reference works on the ground from now on.

Flight Testing of the DC-9 Super 80s The first of the quiet, fuel-efficient twin-jets has flown more than 100 hours in over 40 flights since its first flight on October 18, 1979.

The second Super 80 has already flown 25 hours in more than 10 test flights .

A third plane will joined the test programme early this year.

Flight testing is being conducted at the Company's flight development site in Yuma, Arizona.

The three planes will fly nearly 1000 hours as part of a $36.5 million flight and laboratory test programme leading to the certification of the advanced technology jetliner this summer.

The Super 80, built by Douglas Aircraft Company division of McDonnell Douglas Corporation at Long Beach, will carry from 137 to 172 passengers at ranges up to 2000 miles. It is equipped with Pratt and Whitney JTBD-209 or -217 engines and will provide more passenger-seat miles per gallon of fuel than any other airliner in commercial service.

J. P. Hann, Director of Flight and Laboratory Testing, described the test programme so far as "excellent".

"The flight rate we have been achieving shows that the reliability and maintainability of the Super 80 is as good as or better than the previous DC-9 models," Hann said.

"We are very pleased with the handling qualities of the planes, which have been enhanced by the stretch," he said. The Super 80 41

is 147 ft 10 in long (45 m), 14 ft 3 in (4.3 m) longer than the DC-9 Series 50, and 43.5 ft (13.2 m) longer than the original Series 10.

Test on the first ship, painted in McDonnell Douglas colours, have confirmed the plane's structural integrity at normal airline operating speed, 575 mph (925 km).

The Super 80's directional and lateral stability have been tested and found satisfactory, and the plane has demonstrated acceptable stall speeds and satisfactory stall characteristics.

Preliminary noise testing has produced some readings below those expected for the Super 80, which will be the quietest jetliner in commercial service.

The Super 80's advanced avionics and digital flight guidance system have undergone rigorous testing, with much more testing to come in the future. The flight guidance system "has been performing beyond expectations," Hann said.

The system has been used extensively in the cruise mode, and on approaches and landings. The autoland sy·stems has been used for 11 landings, and the optional Head-Up Display has been used for guidance on landing.

Evaluation on the first plane also has included tests of slat and flap extension, and landing gear-extention and retraction at speeds exceeding 250 knots.

Eleven customers have announced orders for the DC-9 Super 80. McDonnell Douglas now has 70 firm orders for the plane, and 22 other conditional orders and options for a total of 92.

Swissair and Austrian Airlines, in whose colours the second and third test ships are painted, are scheduled to get the first two Super 80's this summer.

News from McDonnell Douglas

Noise Maps with ELDO 4 The German department for conservation of the countryside and environmental protection of the society for regional planning in Leiferde has developed a new method for producing area sound-imission maps in the interest of creating a better environ-

men! and for the purpose of improving the quality of life of the populations of noise-endangered regions. The integrating soundlevel meter ELDO 4 from Rohde & Schwarz was judged "highly suitable" as a measuring instrument for these applications after the society had compared it with the instrumentation from international competitors. The criteria that were applied were measuring accuracy, measuring range, graduation of the measuring range, measuring duration, handling and weighting intervals.

With this new technique a net of squares, with a measuring point in each square, is laid over the map of the area that is to be investigated. Three or four measurements are made, each measurement lasting four minutes, at every point and the mean level (the equivalent continuous sound level Leq after DIN 45 641) is then recorded. In regions of constant, and generally low sound level the distance between the measuring points is 1000 meters, in built-up areas and near main thoroughfares the distance is 500 or 250 meters. The results obtained from the measurements with the ELDO 4 are represented on noise maps, these illustrating the noise situation of the area investigated in increments of 3 dBA. It is recommended that the sound-immission maps be produced on the basis of both daytime and nighttime readings, except in the case of open spaces and primarily agricultural regions.

Rohde & Schwarz NEWS

IATA Held Annual General Meeting in Manila Presidents, Chief Executives and senior officers from the International Air Transport Association's 103 Member airlines attended the Association's 35th Annual General Meeting which was held in Manila, November 27-30, 1979, hosted by Philippine Airlines. Over 300 delegates, including invited observers from the international organizations, and national and international media representatives attended the meeting.

The 1979 Annual General Meeting was the second to be held in the Philippines; the 23rd Annual General Meeting in 1967 also took place in Manila.

Addresses of welcome were given by His Excellency Ferdinand E. Marcos, President and Prime Minister of the Philippines, and the First Lady Mrs. Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, Minister of Ecology and Human Settlements and Governor of Metro Manila.

Roman A. Cruz, Jr., President of IATA for the 1978/79 year and Chairman of the Board and President of Philippine Airlines, chaired the 35th AGM. IATA Director General Knut Hammarskjold delivered his keynote report on "The State of the Air Transport Industry."

After discussion of the Director General's annual report, the AGM delegates received the report of the Executive Committee on 1978/79 year programs and activities and detai Is of the Association's work assignment through the 1980 year. This was followed by the regular annual reports by the airline chairmen of the Standing Committees (Financial, Legal, Technical and Traffic) and the Traffic Conferences.

A special feature of this Annual General Meeting was a symposium held on the second day which comprised a series of presentations by invited international experts and a debate on the problems of fuel availability and cost and the impact of the new competitive aviation environment on airports, airlines and users of the system.

The AGM also approved the As·sociation's 1980 budget, and confirmed appointments to the 1980 Nominating Committee and Standing Committees, and elected new members of the Executive Committee.

At the Closing Session, Claude Taylor, President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Canada, was elected IATA's new President for the 1979-80 year. Mr. Taylor will chair the 36th AGM in Montreal, October 27-30, 1980 hosted by the Canadian Members of IATA: Air Canada, CP Air, Eastern Provincial Airways and Quebecair.

The Manila AGM also created a seven-man Task Force, headed by the Managing Director of Zambia Airways, Brig. Gen.

42

Enos M. Haimbe, to focus on how developing nations' airlines can best take advantage of existing IATA services and activities, and what new elements could be added so as to be of primary benefit to such airlines. A report will be presented on this prior to the next AGM. The AGM debated the problems facing the airlines in the new competitive environment, including the issues of fuel availability and cost, airport congestion and the governmental regulatory environment.

On fuel, the meeting urged the early development of a passthrough formula for early government approval enabling airlines to adjust tariffs in a timely manner and commensurate with increases in airline operating costs associated with fuel-related cost increases.

On the regulatory environment, the assembled airlines urged governments to provide a framework in which tariffs and procedures may be effectively harmonized in the public interest, avoiding unilateral or bilateral action conflicting with th'.s process.

IATA NEWS

News from the Federation The Third Pacific Regional Meeting - Fiji

31 Oct- 2 Nov 1979

by Robin Soar

To those who have read the literature concerning the 'South Seas·, Fiji has a certain familiarity, whether it be in fact or fiction.

In the last century the Islands of Fiji gained the reputation as being the centre of the miriad of small islands and atolls which cover the South Pacific like cowrie shells on a beach. Fiji grew to be the centre of trade between these islands and the commercial firms had their headquarters there. Such was the situation until after the Second World War which gave aviation such an impetus. This acceleration in aviation development showed in the Pacific not only in the new types of aircraft available for commercial use but the conflict had left behind at least one beneficial type of battle-scar; many of the atolls and islands now had airfields, the building of which would have been well beyond the economic capabilities of the region had it not been for the exigencies of war.

The airfields of the islands served as staging posts for the trans-Pacific services which developed after during the 40's and 50's. In parallel during these years the lagoons and bays of the islands echoed to the sound of the flying-boat services. The flying boats eventually disappeared from the commercial aviation scene although they lingered on here in the Pacific perhaps longer than anywhere.

The ·sixties saw the advent of the B 707/DC 8 era and many of the smaller staging posts like Canton Island became redundant.

Fiji with its major international airport at Nadi (pronounced Nandi) however saw an increase in the traffic during these years as some fueling stops were still required and aviation generally was booming. In recent years there has been a slight decline in the traffic landing at Nadi primarily due to the introduction of the long range wide-bodied jets. (The B747 SP's regularly fly the twelve to thirteen hour flights USA to NZ/Australia non-stop). It is con-

Toni Uravarn and Nared Asre of the Fiji Association during working sessions.

Jone Koroitamana, Deputy Chief of CAA Fiji, Ted Beddoes, Minister for Health (former Minister for Civil Aviation). Fiji, and Jim Smith, ex-controller. now Fiji Trade Union Executive.

fidently expected that this reduction in traffic at Nadi i:, only temporary as there are clear signs not only of a strong growth of regional short and medium range traffic but also of a new tourist boom from Asia. This will bring a new wave of heavy traffic to Nadi continuing Fiji's long history as centre and distribution point for the central South Pacific.

Captain Bob Rosewarne. IFALPA Regional Vice-President.

Patterson, Vice-President NZATCA.

talking to Alex

43

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.•,·.·.·.

:i: iiit, ..,.},.: ,::::.r:iiliil::: iliillililil 1

1:

Fly AirPacificto the

_FijiIslands.

We' re the nice little airline that flies in and out of Fiji more times a week than any other airline.

AIRP4CIHC The nicelittleairline that's BIG in the South Pacific.

44

With this long history of being the 'hub' of the Pacific it was fitting that the Pacific Region of IFATCA should hold a Meeting there. The Fiji Air Traffic Control Officers Association (FATCOA) are recently affiliated members of IFATCA and kindly agreed to host the Regional Meeting.

The Regional Meeting was held at the Fiji Moc?mbo Hotel which is ideally situated close to Nadi Airport and has most excellent facilities including a conference room able to easily accommodate any meeting that this region of IFATCA is likely to mount. All sessions of the Regional Meeting and all social functions were held at the Mocambo whilst the informal atmosphere of the poolside and the balmy tropical weather provided the perfect setting for the sessions of Committee 13

Transportation Difficulties Transportation problems prevented Australia, New Caledonia and Tahiti from attending the Meeting but the cooperation of Air Pacific enabled other delegates to attend, there being a strong contingent from New Zealand which included both the President and Vice President of NZATCA to attend besides the Regional Executive and several observers. This interest in IFATCA affairs is particularly gratifying since there remains a certain amount of scepticism amongst the controllers in New Zealand towards IFATCA and whether it can really develop 'regionalisation· to a degree where they are able to participate fully in IFATCA. It is to be hoped that this Meeting besides being successful from the point of view of the Pacific Region will also have helped convince members in New Zealand and other Associations of the benefits of membership of IFATCA. Amongst the observers attending we were glad to welcome Dave Squire, the President of the newly formed New Hebrides Association and we hope that that Association will apply for affiliation with IFATCA. For the first time PATCO were represented at a Pacific Meeting. Charles Campbell from PATCO Honolulu and Dianne Warren from Pago Pago came to Fiji. We were very glad to see them there as it is a fact that PATCO is involved in the area not only because the Honolulu FIR in the North Pacific abuts our area but also because their members man Pago Pago in American Samoa which is as South Pacific as Kansas is American!

The IFALPA Regional Vice-President, Capt. Bob Rosewarne, attended the Meeting and was supported at by representatives of the Fiji Air Line Pilots Association primarily in the person of Capt. John Devlin. Their contribution to the meeting was high and also assisted in finding the solutions to matters under discussion allowing as it did the views of the 'user' to be heard and added to the balance.

The first morning of the meeting was given over to the formal opening. This was to have been performed by the Fiji Minister of Civil Aviation but urgent ministerial business caused hirn to have to cancel the engagement. However, Mr. E. Beddoes, Minister of Health and former Minister of Civil Aviation, kindly agreed to open the Third Regional Meeting.

A traditional Fijian welcoming ceremony was arranged for the Minister, the Regional Councillor and Mr. M. Varley, Director of the newly formed Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji (CAAF). This ceremony took place in the conference room which was sealed off once the proceedings had begun by two very large and fierce looking 'yadra's' armed with lethal looking clubs. (The look on Dean Dalzell's face when he briefly came to the door to advise the official guests that all was ready and came face to face with these two guards in full regalia towering over him was one of the more memorable occasions of the Meeting!.)

The "tama" Once the official guests were seated facing the group of warriors the leader gave the traditional oration of welcome, the 'tama·. This speech completed Mr. Beddoes was presented with the 'tabua' (whales tooth) bringing to an end the first part of the ceremony, the 'qaloqalovi'. This was immediately followed by the 'sevusevu' in which 'yaqona' is made by dousing the roots of a particular plant in water producing a drink which contains a small

amount of an anaesthetic substance the after taste of which produces a mild numbing of the mouth. (Making it too strong is a sure way to ensure that the speeches of acknowledgement of the honour by the uninitiated are short indeed!). The honoured guests each drank in turn a bowlful of yaqona thus bringing to an end the traditional ceremony.

Toni Uravaru, President of FATCOA, made a speech of welcome to the delegates and observers and having introduced Mr. Beddoes asked him to open the meeting. Mr. Beddoes in his speech spoke of the history of Nadi and air transport in Fiji. He referred to the drop in traffic but predicted that there would be an increase in air traffic in the coming years. He wished the delegates well in their deliberations having spoken of the changes to the airspace which had occured and the manner in which IFATCA's study of such changes would be well received if they reflected the impartial and professional viewpoint of controllers of the Region.

The Regional Councillor, Robin Soar, replied to Mr. Beddoes and referred to Mr. Beddoes continuing interest in civil aviation despite his current portfolio. The selection of Fiji as a venue and the aptness of this both in a historical and modern sense was emphasised. Whilst welcoming the delegates and observers, regret was expressed that once again transportation problems plagued us and prevented delegations from some associations from attending. The sad fact that some airlines still failed to recognise that not only safety but also expedition was enhanced by such meetings and in these days of high fuel costs such gains were to the airlines commercial benefit.

After a short break for refreshments, a film on air traffic control was shown primarily for the benefit of the guests. The interest it engendered certainly made this part of the programme worthwhile.

The first working session took place on the first afternoon continuing all the second day and during the morning of the final day. Matters discussed ranged from the recent ILO Report to Regional organisation but it was the technical matters which produced the most beneficial results. Problems were discussed concerning present procedures and communications. For the future, the first paper for the long-term IFATCA Pacific Airspace Plan was tabled. This set down basic policy guidelines and was accepted by the meeting. Upon this policy the Technical Advisor will build detailed proposals which will be put to future Regional Meetings and will finally lead a detailed plan covering all aspects of the Pacific Airspace from delineation to communication requirements.

The Meeting highlighted matters of particular interest and requiring a specific declaration of policy by passing several resolutions. Apart from statements concerning technical matters within the Pacific Region, resolutions were passed expressing alarm at the laying of criminal charges against the Swissair crew following a crash at Athens and a reaffirmation of the Meetings belief in the right of controllers to take industrial action whilst being mindful that the responsibilities of our profession required that sufficient warning of any proposed action should be given.

A dinner for those attending the Regional Meeting was sponsored and hosted by Air Pacific who were represented officially by their Chief Pilot Capt. Alistair Mclean. Air Pacific's generosity and as·sistance to us in running the meeting was epitomised by this dinner which was enjoyed by all not only for the gastronomical delights but also for the warm spirit of friendship and cooperation which existed.

On the final evening a cocktail party was hosted by the CAAF. It was significant in that the delegates felt that IFATCA had gained acceptance as a responsible and professional organisation.

We look forward to working cooperation that has been established between the newly formed CAAF and the developing IFATCA Regional Organisation in the Pacific.

The Third Pacific Regional Meeting was a success and without a doubt much of the credit goes to FACOA for their organisation and unflagging hospitality. To Toni Uravaru, Joni Tuliatu, Joe Baivatu and Narend Asre in particular and to Fiji in general the memory of the Fiji Meeting will always be a warm one.

■ 45

All things considered,is it so remarkablethat Irelandalsorunsa rather enjoyableairline?

AerLingus 6

TAIL PIECE - Air Safety Safety is never a certainty. It requires experience, imagination and willpower.

Recent accidents have again drawn the public's attention to the problem of air safety and probably caused new fears.

In discussing other problems, we have frequently recalled in the Bulletin the priority of the "safety" factor, which is sometimes directly involved, more often lies behind the scenes but is always as important.

We must not be afraid of talking about aviation accidents and air safety. The real danger would be if we no longer spoke and no longer cared about them. In any study or in any project concerning air transport, a section should be set aside for safety problems.

Safety is mainly based on vigilance, but the obligation of vigilance, which is obvious to some parties, is much less clearly perceived by others. And yet the responsibilities in this field are manifold and complementary, and those unaffected by them are few in number. Safety is less than ever exclusively the concern of aircrews, engineers and rescue teams. For many others, who are less directly involved, it should be an ongoing concern and a priority objective, requiring of them a certain state of mind.

The danger, as we have said, is that safety should be "forgotten": it is even dangerous enough that only a few persons let it stray from their minds. The obligation of vigilance therefore includes an obligation for the various parties to keep each other on their toes.

It must be admitted that the degree of safety achieved is due to compromise. It is very seldom possible to attain certainty, and even some regulations can only refer to acceptable probability rates. Nonetheless, air safety does not permit withdrawal or omission.

Paradoxically enough, withdrawal may be due to the progress made; in certain fields, problems seem to have been overcome and no more accidents or even serious incidents are observed.

Vigilance may then be relaxed, negligence may occur and regulations may become too conciliatory.

Withdrawal may also be due to economic abandonment, with the limitation of resources for a certain type of protection, or deadlock on decisions concerning sy·stems which are considered too costly for extremely limited use.

Omission may be due to negligence by a member of the operative staff, gaps in regulations, or shortcomings in preventive information or the training of specialists.

Omission may also be due to our lack of knowledge or our misjudgment: with technical progress and changes in operating conditions, new "faults" occur and new risks appear against which we may be completely at a loss. It is not always possible to realise fully the long-term effects of a given practice.

Additionally, air transport operates as a system, with its various components; there are thus sectorial problems and interface or coordination problems to be solved: safety must be scrutinized by the specialists in each sector but the coordination of these sectors must also be studied and ensured, which is not possible unless the right facilities exist.

Maintaining safety always supposes an economic effort and the acceptance of costs: responsibilities therefore lie at the top.

As the effort made is always limited, the aim will be for many other persons to ensure optimum implementation and to avoid waste.

The temptation is to think that the economic effort will always be eclipsed by the unforeseeable, and therefore to accept a degree of helplessness, like the sailor who fills successive breaches but does not succeed in damming the rising water. We are certainly confronted with a major challenge whose present

and future dimensions we cannot even conceive. As in the health field, we make progress but create new problems and perhaps new "illnesses" with which we have to learn to cope.

We are, for example, confronted with problems of useful life.

For economic reasons and because it is possible through technical progress, we are tempted to work our aircraft for increasingly long periods, and the manufacturers endeavour to provide longer useful lives for each new generation. This is one of the conditions set by the users. But all "individuals" do not age in the same way, and the youngest elements will age in a context about which we know very little. All "individuals" are not identical, even if they have gone through the same initial checks, and their development will not be the same. They will not be treated and cared for in the same way. New materials and the way they are associated within a structure with other materials have not the benefit of the same experience acquired with older formulae.

Failures therefore occur in areas where it is not possible to duplicate or triplicate equipment so as to eliminate any dangerous effects. We must then bank on constant monitoring and prevention. and experience has shown that we must provide a rapid and precise exchange of information which is not limited only to operators of the same type of equipment but can be of use to all manufacturers and users.

The useful life demanded of aircraft is accompanied by more difficult working conditions, more frequent climb and descent cycles, higher utilization rates and shorter periods for maintenance. Aircraft avoid some kinds of atmospheric turbulence only to find others at a higher altitude, with greater differences in temperature and pressure and increased acceleration. The future compromises will therefore not be so advantageous as we might have wished or expected.

Oddly enough, the problem has also been raised of the useful professional life of pilots. In this area. pushing back or eliminating age limits is in the common interest of the airlines which have trained the pilots. the doctors who undertake to find any physical defect in good time and the pilots who wish to lengthen their careers. Perhaps we should be cautious when there is such a convergence of interests and not leave ourselves open to unforeseen difficulties.

Problems concerning working conditions are still a major issue but their extent is often not realised. The conditions applicable to aircrews and traffic controllers are subject to ongoing studies and demands. But other personnel of all kinds are also concerned: mistakes can occur at all levels, and checks can be made inefficiently with often incalculable effects. Safety is everybody's business, even when solidarity is not self-evident.

Some points are to be recalled when we think about safety.

Safety is based on experience: the data of the past must be kept and analysed. This experience must be used and made available to all parties - in all its aspects, from the human or psychological ~lements to the statistical material helping us to assess the reasonable limit to our efforts.

Safety is based on imagination: many parties are responsible for foreseeing future risks, preparing certain kinds of protection, and defining the limits not to be exceeded if catastrophic situations are to be avoided.

Safety is quite simply a matter of will, but especially the will to make progress, which is the refusal to accept the present rates as satisfactory or to consider certain failures as being due to "fatality".

A technical problem, an educational problem, a problem of professional competence, a medical problem. a psychological

47

problem and an economic problem all rolled into one - such is safety; and too much work, thought or money can never be devoted to it. It is an overall problem requiring control over all the factors involved, coordination of knowledge, action and checks, comparison of experience, and the exchange of ideas and information.

Safety has been examined in connection with aviation policy questions. Rightly so, to the extent that less economic regulation may imperceptibly result in less technical regulation and operational control. To the extent too that, as a tougher competitive set-up is accepted, more difficult and less stable economic conditions are accepted. Does not the ongoing economic risk confronting operators result in greater risk of failure and accident?

And might not commercial daring involve impossible gambles?

We cannot ignore the problem or accept that all operators, including even new and inexperienced carriers, should be automatically trusted.

In safety as in any other fields, we must avoid unilateral initiatives and hasty decisions. We must maintain a collective sy'stem of safety in which everybody is associated and in which all the problems will be treated as a whole from the geographical viewpoint, as all countries are concerned, from the viewpoint of the air transport system, as all its components are interdependent, and also in relation to time, with the experience acquired on solving present problems and the forecasting of future situations being associated.

We might add the wish that the problems concerning the various transport media, which are no doubt different but in which experience and preoccupations are complementary, should be seen in closer association with one another.

■ Georges Desmas in ITA Bulletin

Regarding the SST c,,mpetition, he thinks that the wrong alrplane won, and that it cost more to kill the program than it would have taken to complete the first prototype, He regrets that the US thereby blew the technological lead which it had established with the production of the Mach 3 SR-71.

Meanwhile, skydiving blossomed into a popular sport, and to gel some first-hand insights into the possible regulations which might be required, Jeeb enrolled in a skydiving school and made a couple of jumps. This led to the charge that he was "showboating". His insistence on dashing to every major airline crash scene started a feud between FAA and the CAB - who were charged with the responsibility for accident investigation. Taxying out for takeoff on one of these dashes, he tangled wingtips with a UAL Viscount.

He had himself fined S 50 for carelessness.

Jeeb's action in carrying out a previous plan for reducing the number of ATC Centers ran into deep problems when Congressman Gonzales of Texas objected violently to the closing of the San Antonio Center. This started a bitter hostility which continued until Halaby finally resigned in ·1955, He was tapped immediately for the No. 2 slot at Pan Am; before long he was President. His two years with Pan Am broke all records, with an average loss of over a million dollars a week for the entire period I For this he blames his predecessors for over-buying 747's. with engines that were still in the teething stage; also he finally realized that he had been hired not to run the airline, but mainly to lobby for favors in Washington.

But Pan Am couldn't get any new routes from the CAB, although competing airlines were getting theirs. He explains this by the fact that none of the Pan Am Directors had made any contributions to the Democratic Party. (One may also wonder whether the previous FAA-CAB feud had anything to do with the CAB 's attitude toward Pan Am). At any rate, he states that the Johnson and Nixon Administrations were the greediest on record. (As of 1978).

CROSSWINDS provides some insights into the workings of a political system in which it costs far more to gel elected than the total salary over the entire term of office. Such a setup invites bribery in one form or another.

The book abounds in little-known facts and stories. For example, did you know that the SR-71 was built for the CIA? Now more than five years downstream from the day he was pushed off his Pan Am post, Jeeb slates that he is leading a more carefree private life, as head of a foreign venture-capital firm. His book ends happily with the marriage of his daughter Lisa to King Hussein of Jordan.

CROSSWINDS will be of special interest to those who served in the FAA during the Halaby Era. - TKV

Publications Review

Letter to the Editor

Jeeb's Jobs, Jabs, Jibes CROSSWINDS by Najeeb E. Halaby, published by Doubleday & Co., Garden City, NY, 1978, 356 pages, indexed, hard cover, price $10.95.

TRIDENT OR TRISTAR?

CROSSWINDS is a playback of the bittersweet memories of Jeeb Halaby's remarkable and turbulent career. With special emphasis on his years as FAA Administrator and Pan Am President, this autobiography also provides some interesting glimpses of Lindbergh, plus a fascinating account of how Juan Terry Trippe, Pan Am's founder, built his one-plane airline into a global giant.

Jeeb's early years as an engineering test pilot for Lockheed and the Navy give rise to some interesting tales of the early jet fighters; for example, Halaby made the first transcontinental US jet flight, ferrying a YP-80 Shooting Star from Muroc to Patuxent. Later he served as a civil aviation advisor with the State Department in Saudi Arabia, and worked as an assistant to James Forrestal in the Navy. Subsequently he served on the Harding Committee, studying the long-range needs of civil aviation. This background put him in line for appointment as FAA Administrator, when Kennedy moved into the White House.

His first days in FAA were spent in formulating vivai. This plan included such maxims as:

a plan for personal sur-

Get and keep the initiative.

Distinguish between action and activity.

Don't play favorites; don't be afraid to make decisions.

Don't let anyone come between you and your boss.

Always have a home base of political support, and nurture it.

Remember that the press and Congress have no predictable code of ethics and standards.

Don't get into more than one fight al a time.

He soon found that the last one was impossible to keep. He fell right into the flight engineer's strike, the cockpit hanky-panky scandal, the hijack problem, headquarters decentralization, controller unionization, and the SST squabble. Of controllers he says: "I still regard most of them as professionals, occasionally led astray by a handful of hotheads whose loyalty to the public has an alarmingly lower priority than their loyalty to themselves and their own interests".

48

Sir, Concerning the visual separation we discovered a very important factor in pilot and controller education and knowledge.

We noticed that many pilots do not know the different types of aircraft and acknowledge an "in sight" aircraft when in fact they are looking at another type of aircraft.

Going through our ASI incidents reports we discovered the following examples: The controller cleared a Corvett to proceed behind a 'Cessna'Citation'. The pilot saw a Cessna 182 on his right side and reported "aircraft in sight: will proceed in respect". He never bothered to look for the much faster 'Citation' also being a Cessna.

The other example concerns air traffic control. Being cleared by a controller to proceed 3 miles behind a Trident during an approach in which we encountered heavy turbulence on the ILS glide path, after landing we noticed that the aircraft ahead was in fact a Tristar.

Sincerely, S D W General Aviation, Mrs. A. De Weerdt-Brits.

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