SECTION II

Rules for the Establishment of Air Traffic Control Service

1. Objective. The primary objective of the air traffic control service shall be to provide for the safe and expeditious movement of air traffic. This shall include:

(a) Preventing collisions between aircraft being operated in the air and on the airport, and between aircraft and other obstacles on airports.

(b) Preventing unnecessary delay in the flow of air traffic.

(c) Assisting the person in command of an aircraft by providing such advice and information as may be useful for the safe and efficient conduct of a flight.

(d) Notifying appropriate rescue service regarding aircraft known to be or believed to be in need of rescue service, and assisting such service as required.

2. General

(a) Operation. The air traffic control service shall be under the supervision of the State in whose territory the area being controlled is situated, unless other arrangements for this purpose have been made with another contracting State.

(b) Traffic Clearances. Traffic clearances and control instructions issued by the air traffic control service shall be based solely on the requirements for providing safe and adequate separation of air traffic and maintaining expeditious flow of air traffic.

3. Types of Services

(a) Airport Traffic Control. Airport traffic control shall be administered by a tower which shall control air traffic operating within a specified airport control sector or airport traffic zone.

(1) Airport traffic control may operate within the boundaries of a control area, or where ro area traffic control is established.

(2) Where an airport control sector is located within a control area, the tower shall be governed by instructions received from the center for such area with regard to coordination between traffic within the airport control sector and traffic operating outside the airport control sector.

(b) Area Traffic Control. Area traffic control shall be administered by a center which shall control air traffic operating within a specified control area.

(c) Flight Advisory Service. Flight advisory service shall be provided by centers and towers to assist persons in command of aircraft by supplying helpful information and advice.

4. Designation of Control Areas. The boundaries of control areas shall be designated by the State in whose territory those areas are situated. In the case of adjacent States, the control area boundaries may be other than national boundaries by mutual consent of the States involved. By mutual agreement between the contracting States affected, control areas may be extended beyond their territories. In the event of disagreement between States, the matter

shall be referred to the appropriate organ of the international organization for air navigation.

5. Designation of Airport Control Sectors. The boundaries of airport control sectors shall be designated by the State in whose territories those sectors are situated and in no event shall the size be less than the airport traffic zone. An altitude may be specified as the vertical limit of an airport control sector.

6. Allocation of Responsibility

(a) General Flight Rules. The only separation which shall be applied to aircraft operating solely under the General Flight Rules will be that effected by a tower while such aircraft constitute airport traffic.

(b) Instrument Flight Rules. The responsibility for the separation of air traffic operating under the Instrument Flight Rules shall be divided between towers and centers as follows, if the air traffic is operating within a control area:

(1) A center shall retain control and provide separation between aircraft inbound to an airport until such aircraft have established communication with the tower, after having reached the boundary of the airport control sector. The tower shall then be responsible for providing adequate separation between aircraft operating within the airport control sector or airport traffic zone.

(2) After departure approval has been received from the center concerned, the tower shall be responsible for providing such separation as is necessary between outbound aircraft and all other aircraft within the airport control sector prior to transferring responsibility to the center.

7. Air Traffic Control Information

(a) Scope. Each State shall disseminate such information to airmen as is necessary for the proper functioning of the air traffic control service. This shall include advice regarding

(1) Radio facilities.

(2) Navigation aids.

(3) Airports.

(4) Instrument approach procedures.

(5) Air traffic procedures and rules.

(b) Publication. Air traffic control information shall be supplied in accordance with standards prescribed by the appropriate organ of the international organization for air navigation.

SECTION III

Standards for the Control of General Flight Rules Traffic

8. Application

(a) General. These standards govern the control of aircraft operating solely in accordance with the General Flight Rules. Normally such control shall be exercised by towers while aircraft are airport traffic. Additional standards governing the control of airport traffic operating in accordance with Instrument Flight Rules will be found in Section IV of this Annex.

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9. Control of Traffic On and In the Vicinity of an Airport

(a) General. Towers shall maintain a continuous guard on all airport traffic under their supervision, and shall control such traffic in accordance with the standards outlined herein.

(b) Determining Proper Runway or Direction To Use for Landings and Take-Offs. The tower shall designate the runway or direction to be used under existing conditions, taking into consideration wind conditions, taxi distances, aircraft characteristics, and other relevant factors.

(c) Control of Airport Traffic

(1) Aircraft in flight shall be individually instructed so as to avoid collision with other airport traffic.

(2) When practicable, taxiing aircraft shall be warned of parked aircraft or other obstructions along or near the taxiing route, and shall be individually instructed to taxi in such manner as will avoid interference with aircraft landing or taking off.

(3) The tower may, pursuant to special local arrangements, omit individual instructions and clearances to aircraft operating under such arrangement. However, individual instructions shall be issued as necessary in the interests of safety or the expeditious movement of air traffic.

(d) Control of Persons and Vehicles on the Airport. The movement of persons or vehicles on the airport shall be controlled by the tower as necessary to avoid hazard to aircraft landing, taxiing, or taking off. (e) Patrol of Water Airports. The tower at a water airport shall include within its functions responsibility for the patrol and policing of the usable surface, and the contracting States shall undertake to insure that the tower has the facilities and authority to discharge this responsibility.

10. Light Signal Procedures. An adequate directional traffic control light shall be used to control the movement of aircraft not equipped with radio, and personnel and vehicles on the airport as follows:

(a) To Aircraft in Flight

(1) A steady green light from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean "CLEARED TO LAND”.

(2) A steady red light from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean "GIVE WAY TO OTHER AIRCRAFT AND CONTINUE CIRCLING”.

(3) A series of red flashes from a directional traffic control light shall be used as a recall signal to indicate to aircraft that it is desired that it return and land. (Light signal to indicate clearance to land must also be given when aircraft is in proper position.)

(4) A series of alternating red and green flashes from a directional traffic control light shall be used as a general warning signal to advise an aircraft to be on the alert for hazardous or unusual conditions.

(b) To Aircraft on the Airport

(1) A steady red light from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean "STOP".

(2) A series of red flashes from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean that the aircraft is to be taxied back to the hangar line.

(3) A series of green flashes from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean "CLEARED TO CONTINUE TAXIING".

(c) To Aircraft in Take-Off Position

(1) A steady red light from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean "CLEAR THE RUNWAY IMMEDIATELY AND WAIT".

(2) A steady green light from a directional traffic control light shall be used to mean "CLEARED FOR TAKE-OFF".

(d) General Warning Signal. A series of alternating red and green flashes from a directional traffic control light shall be used as a general warning signal to advise persons in command of aircraft, drivers of vehicles, or personnel on the airport to be on the alert for hazardous or unusual conditions. In controlling airport traffic by means of visual signals, the general warning signal shall be directed to the aircraft concerned in accordance with the following:

(1) When aircraft are on converging courses and there is a possibility of collision.

(2) When hazardous conditions are present and the person in command of an aircraft must be unusually alert in order to complete the operation safely. Such conditions include obstructions, soft fields, ice on runway, and similar hazards.

(3) When mechanical trouble is apparent to the tower and there is reason to believe that the person in command of the aircraft may not be aware of such trouble.

(4) When deemed necessary by the tower in the interests of safety.

11. Radiotelephone Communications Procedure and Technique. The. operation of the radio facilities of a tower shall be accomplished in accordance with the procedures outlined in Annex B, "Communications Procedures and Systems".

12. Standard Traffic Clearances and Phraseologies

(a) Standard Airport Traffic Clearances. Traffic clearances issued by towers shall conform to the standards which follow. At the discretion of the tower, individual items in the standard clearance form may be omitted if previously given or if not necessary to the proper control of individual aircraft. In transmission of these clearances, standard radio communication procedure and phraseology as prescribed in Annex B, "Communications Procedures and Systems", shall be used.

(1) Clearance To Enter Traffic Pattern. Clearance authorizing an aircraft to enter the traffic pattern at the airport shall be in the following form:

a. Reporting point.

b. Time-minutes only.

c. Altitude in thousands and hundreds of feet.

d. Altimeter setting.

(Above items as reported by the person in command of the aircraft to be repeated by tower.)

e. Clearance to enter the traffic pattern.

f. Specified altitude if necessary.

g. Wind direction and velocity.

h. Direction or number of runway to be used.

i. Any special instructions or traffic information.

(2) Clearance To Land. Clearance to land shall be in the following form:

a. Position of aircraft.

b. Altitude of aircraft.
c. Altimeter setting.
d. Clearance to land.

e. Direction of landing traffic.

f. Direction or number of runway to be used.

g. Any special instructions or traffic information.

(3) Clearance To Taxi. Clearance to taxi shall be in the following form:

Inbound aircraft.

a. Clearance to specified point (gate, loading ramp, hangar, parking space, et cetera).

b. Any special instructions relative to the use of taxi strips and intersecting runways, or any information relative to obstructions, maintenance operations, or other airport activity or condition.

Outbound aircraft.

a. Altimeter setting and time check.

b. Direction of take-off.

c. Clearance to runway to be used.

d. Any special instructions relative to use of taxi strips and intersecting runways, or any information relative to obstructions, maintenance operations, or other airport activity or field condition.

(4) Clearance for Take-Off. Clearance for take-off shall be in the following form:

a. Any special instructions or information.

b. Clearance for take-off.

The take-off clearance described above shall not be issued to aircraft operating under Instrument Flight Rules until the center's traffic clearance has been transmitted to and acknowledged by the aircraft concerned.

(b) Radio Control of Aircraft Having a Receiver Only. Broadcasts of instructions or information which require acknowledgment from an aircraft which is equipped with a radio receiver only, shall contain provision for such acknowledgment in the following manner:

(1) When the aircraft is on the ground within the range of vision of the tower, instructions shall be included which will require acknowledgment of the broadcast by movement of the ailerons or rudder, whichever action may be observed more readily.