Hello everyone, I’m Akshay, and welcome back to another guide!
Without wasting any time, let’s get started.
Today, we’re going to break down a variety of scenarios you may encounter during IFATC training. My goal is to explain not only what to do, but also why you should do it. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how to handle common situations and avoid mistakes that often catch trainees off guard.
Please note that this guide is based on my personal experience and understanding of IFATC procedures. Always refer to official IFATC documentation and training resources as your primary source of information.
Ground Frequency
Pushback Conflicts
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Always use Drag and Push when available.
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If two aircraft request pushback at the same time and their pushback paths may conflict, instruct one aircraft to hold position and allow the other aircraft to push first.
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The reason for this is simple: we want to prevent aircraft from conflicting while pushing back.
Tip: One of the most common mistakes trainees make is forgetting about the aircraft they instructed to hold position. A good habit is to set a one-minute timer as a reminder so you can revisit that aircraft once the conflict no longer exists.
Ground Taxi Conflicts
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If two aircraft are taxiing toward the same point and their paths will converge, a conflict may occur.
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As the controller, it is your responsibility to maintain safe and orderly ground operations.
In these situations, instruct one aircraft to:
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Give way to the aircraft ahead.
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Give way to the aircraft on the left.
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Give way to the aircraft on the right.
This prevents confusion and ensures both aircraft can continue safely without creating a ground conflict.
Tower Frequency
Takeoff Operations
When a pilot requests takeoff clearance, their intentions will generally fall into one of two categories:
1. Remaining in the Pattern
This means the pilot intends to stay in the traffic pattern and most likely perform touch-and-go operations.
2. Departure
This means the pilot intends to leave the airport environment and depart your airspace.
Once a departing aircraft is safely clear of conflicts and leaving your airspace, you may issue:
Frequency Change Approved (FCA)
Before Issuing Takeoff Clearance
Always check the approach path before clearing an aircraft for takeoff.
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If an aircraft is on approach and is within approximately 4 NM of the runway, use caution before issuing takeoff clearance.
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If no conflict exists, takeoff clearance may be issued.
Line Up and Wait
If another aircraft is already sequenced for departure, you may issue Line Up and Wait provided that:
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No approaching aircraft creates a conflict.
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The departure sequence remains safe.
Pattern Traffic
For aircraft remaining in the pattern, always include a traffic direction with the clearance.
Examples:
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“Cleared for takeoff, make left traffic.”
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“Cleared for takeoff, make right traffic.”
Aircraft departing and remaining in the pattern do not require a pattern entry instruction.
Inbound Aircraft
There are generally two types of inbound requests:
1. Inbound for Landing
This means the aircraft intends to land and come to a full stop.
2. Inbound for Touch-and-Go
This means the aircraft intends to join the traffic pattern and continue flying after touching down.
For all inbound aircraft, you should provide:
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A pattern entry.
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Sequencing instructions (if applicable).
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The appropriate landing clearance.
Inbound for Landing
For aircraft requesting a full-stop landing:
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Issue the appropriate pattern entry.
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Provide sequencing information if required.
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Clear the aircraft to land.
Example:
“VT-AKS, enter left downwind runway 27, number 2, traffic to follow is on base, cleared to land runway 27.”
Inbound for Touch-and-Go
For aircraft requesting touch-and-go operations:
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Issue the appropriate pattern entry.
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Provide sequencing information if required.
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Clear the aircraft for the option.
Example:
“VT-AKS, enter left downwind runway 27, number 2, traffic to follow is on base, cleared for the option.”
The Cleared for the Option command allows the pilot to:
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Perform a touch-and-go.
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Execute a low approach.
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Conduct a full-stop landing.
Because of this flexibility, controllers must pay close attention to these aircraft throughout the operation.
Important Note
Unlike aircraft already departing from the runway and remaining in the pattern, inbound aircraft do require a pattern entry instruction.
After Landing
For aircraft conducting a full-stop landing:
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Issue an exit runway instruction when appropriate.
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Transfer the aircraft to Ground once clear of the runway.
For aircraft cleared for the option:
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Continue monitoring them closely.
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Remember that they may decide to perform a full-stop landing at any time.
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If they slow to landing speed and intend to stop, issue an exit runway instruction when appropriate.
Tip
One of the most common mistakes trainees make is failing to verify the pilot’s actual request.
Before issuing any instructions, make sure you know whether the aircraft is:
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Inbound for landing, or
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Inbound for touch-and-go operations.
The clearances for these requests are different, and recruiters often pay close attention to this detail.
Also, keep your focus on aircraft cleared for the option while they are on the runway. Do not immediately shift your attention elsewhere until you are confident they are continuing their intended operation safely.
Transition Operations
Before handling transition requests, it is important to understand traffic pattern altitudes.
Pattern Altitudes
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For propeller aircraft, the pattern altitude is generally 1,000 feet above airport elevation.
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For jet aircraft, the pattern altitude is generally 1,500 feet above airport elevation.
When an aircraft requests a transition, its intention is simply to pass through the airport’s airspace without joining the traffic pattern.
As controllers, our goal is to ensure that transitioning aircraft remain safely separated from pattern traffic.
Example
Let’s assume the airport elevation is 400 feet.
For propeller aircraft:
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1,000 + 400 = 1,400 feet
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Rounded to the nearest 500 feet, the pattern altitude becomes 1,500 feet
For jet aircraft:
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1,500 + 400 = 1,900 feet
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Rounded to the nearest 500 feet, the pattern altitude becomes 2,000 feet
Since the jet pattern altitude is 2,000 feet, approving a transition at 3,000 feet or above provides adequate vertical separation from aircraft operating in the pattern.
Always consider existing traffic before approving a transition and ensure safe separation is maintained at all times.
Runway Change Requests
Runway change requests can seem complicated at first, but they become straightforward once you understand the process.
Example Scenario
Let’s assume we are operating at EGLL using parallel runways 27L and 27R.
Aircraft A, B, and C are flying patterns for Runway 27L.
Aircraft E and F are flying patterns for Runway 27R.
Now let’s assume Aircraft B requests a runway change to Runway 27R.
Step 1: Issue a New Pattern Entry
Whenever an aircraft changes runways, begin by issuing the appropriate pattern entry for the new runway.
Example:
“Aircraft B, enter left downwind Runway 27R, number 3, traffic to follow is on right downwind.”
Step 2: Issue Clearance
Once sequencing has been established, clearance may be issued.
Example:
“Aircraft B, number 3, cleared for the option. After the option, make right traffic.”
Always include a traffic direction whenever the aircraft will continue pattern work.
Step 3: Re-sequence Other Aircraft
Many trainees forget this step.
Since Aircraft B has left the Runway 27L pattern, Aircraft C is no longer following the correct aircraft.
You must update Aircraft C’s sequence.
Example:
“Aircraft C, number 2, traffic to follow is on left downwind.”
Once Aircraft C has been re-sequenced, the runway change operation is complete.
Key Takeaway
A runway change affects more than just the aircraft requesting it. Always review the entire sequence and adjust other aircraft as necessary.
Go-Around Management
As a controller, you should always try to prevent situations from developing into conflicts.
Imagine an aircraft is landing while another aircraft is on short final behind it.
If spacing begins to look tight, you may first attempt to increase separation by instructing the approaching aircraft to:
“Maintain slowest practical speed.”
This often creates enough spacing to avoid further action.
However, if you determine that separation may still be lost, do not wait until the last moment.
Issue a go-around early and provide a traffic direction.
Example:
“Go around, make left traffic.”
or
“Go around, make right traffic.”
Important Tip
Good controllers are proactive, not reactive.
The earlier you recognize a developing conflict, the more options you have available. Waiting too long often turns a manageable situation into a difficult one.
Always maintain awareness of:
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Aircraft on final.
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Aircraft on the runway.
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Pattern traffic.
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Parallel runway operations.
Strong situational awareness is one of the biggest factors recruiters look for during training and evaluations.
Special Scenarios
These situations may not occur as often as standard pattern operations, but they are important to understand because they test a controller’s situational awareness and decision-making skills.
Upwind Conflict
Example Scenario
Let’s assume we are operating at EGLL using parallel runways 27L and 27R.
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Aircraft A departs from Runway 27L.
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Aircraft B departs from Runway 27R.
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Both aircraft are flying parallel upwinds.
Now let’s assume Aircraft B requests a runway change while still on the upwind leg.
What Should You Do?
Do not immediately issue a pattern entry for the new runway.
Instead, instruct Aircraft B to:
“Extend upwind.”
Once Aircraft A has turned crosswind and the potential conflict no longer exists, you may issue the new pattern entry.
Example:
“Aircraft B, enter left downwind Runway 27L, number 2, traffic to follow is on crosswind, cleared for the option, make left traffic.”
Why?
If you immediately issue a new pattern entry, both aircraft could turn toward each other and lose the required separation.
By extending the upwind, you create spacing and allow the conflict to disappear before moving the aircraft into the new pattern.
Key Takeaway
When handling runway changes from the upwind leg, always think ahead and visualize where both aircraft will be in the next few moments, not just where they are right now.
Takeoff Conflict
Example Scenario
An aircraft is lined up and ready for departure.
At the same time, another aircraft is approaching the runway and is now too close for you to safely fit the departure between the arrival.
You determine that the situation is unlikely to work safely.
What Should You Do?
First, instruct the approaching aircraft to go around.
Then, cancel the takeoff clearance if necessary.
Why?
If the departure continues while the arrival executes a go-around, both aircraft may end up climbing into the same area, creating a potential conflict.
As controllers, our priority is maintaining safe separation.
Important Reminder
This is why controllers should always think ahead and avoid creating situations where last-second decisions become necessary.
The earlier a conflict is identified, the easier it is to manage.
Exit Runway Conflict
This is a relatively rare scenario, but it can happen.
Example Scenario
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Aircraft A has landed and is exiting the runway.
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Aircraft B is taxiing toward a parking stand.
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Their taxi routes intersect, creating a potential conflict.
What Should You Do?
Instruct the aircraft taxiing to parking to give way to the aircraft exiting the runway.
Example:
“Give way to aircraft exiting the runway.”
Why?
Aircraft vacating the runway should be able to clear the runway safely and efficiently without being blocked by other ground traffic.
Maintaining smooth traffic flow on the ground is just as important as maintaining separation in the air.
Final Advice
If there is one thing you should take away from this guide, it is this:
Situational awareness is everything.
Most trainees do not fail because they forget phraseology.
Most trainees fail because they become focused on a single aircraft and stop monitoring the rest of the airport.
Before issuing any instruction, quickly scan:
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Final approach
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Active runways
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Pattern traffic
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Taxiways
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Parallel runway operations
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Potential future conflicts
Always think one step ahead.
Ask yourself:
“If I issue this instruction, where will this aircraft be in 30 seconds?”
The best controllers are not the ones who solve conflicts.
They are the ones who prevent conflicts from happening in the first place.
I hope this guide helps you better understand common IFATC scenarios and prepares you for your training journey.
If you are at the final stage of the process, you can use it to revise all the points and just it as a checklist!!
If you have any questions or need clarification on any situation discussed in this guide, feel free to reach out.
Good luck, and happy controlling!
When was this, when I started my recruitment
