Hola!!! Welcome to the Guide!
Let me introduce myself first. My name is Akshay, and I am currently an Officer and an IFATC Tester with 95+ TT sessions of experience. I’m here to help you guys, make sure you don’t face the same problems I did, and help you grow as controllers.
I would also like to thank Jinco for training me and Spinny for recruiting me.
Let’s get started.
First: Planning
This is one of the most essential things you can do. Planning is everything, and preparation is the key to success. Prepare a plan for every possible situation, and more importantly, prepare yourself mentally, as you will be tested under high-pressure situations.
The Common Mistake
This was my first parallel session, and this plan had a major flaw.
Look at the interception altitudes: one aircraft was assigned 4,000 feet, while the other was assigned 3,000 feet.
Let’s assume both aircraft intercept the localizer and glideslope from approximately 13 NM away. The aircraft at 4,000 feet will capture the glideslope earlier and begin descending sooner, while the aircraft at 3,000 feet will capture the glideslope slightly later.
As a result, when the aircraft at 4,000 feet starts descending, the aircraft at 3,000 feet may not have captured the glideslope yet. Additionally, aircraft don’t always capture the localizer immediately and often require some time to become fully established. This can easily lead to a separation bust.
When both aircraft reach the beginning of the localizer, around 11 NM from the runway, they can end up at similar altitudes because parallel runways generally have similar localizer and glideslope profiles.
Correction
What I eventually figured out was that instead of assigning one aircraft 3,000 feet and the other 4,000 feet, you can assign one aircraft 2,000 feet and the other 3,000 feet (provided terrain permits it).
This significantly reduces the possibility of a bust.
Why?
Because the aircraft assigned 2,000 feet will become fully established on the localizer and capture the glideslope slightly later, giving the aircraft at 3,000 feet enough time to become fully established on both the localizer and glideslope as well.
For VIS Aircraft
VIS aircraft are fairly simple to handle.
Keep them close enough to the airport so they can report the airport in sight (RAIS) and be cleared visually. Ideally, clear them before their final turn toward the airport; otherwise, they may cause a separation issue if another aircraft is already established on final for a parallel runway.
Tip
Please do not try to force a half-cone approach if another aircraft is already on final. If the VIS aircraft is slow on base, separation will likely be lost, making things much more difficult for both you and the tower controller.
GPS Aircraft
Let’s keep this simple.
If you see an opportunity to give a shortcut without creating a conflict, take it. GPS aircraft can generally be handled similarly to VIS aircraft.
Tip
Vector them if their route can be shortened safely. Once they are close to their final turn and rejoin their flight plan path, issue a CAF (Continue As Filed) first, then clear them for the approach.
RV Aircraft
For RV aircraft, simply maintain separation standards and hand them off on base or final. RV operations are generally straightforward.
A Few Things to Make Your Sessions Flawless
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Always prepare yourself mentally.
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Don’t panic when yellow pilot request lights start flashing. They can wait a little while,take your time.
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When you start feeling pressure, slow yourself down and think before acting.
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Always think two steps ahead. Create a virtual scenario in your mind, anticipate what will happen next, and plan accordingly.
Final Thoughts
This isn’t a perfect guide, just a few things I’ve learned from my own mistakes and experiences over the time.
I hope some of these tips help make your sessions a little smoother and save you from the mistakes I made. Keep practicing, stay calm under pressure, and always think ahead.
Good luck with your training, and if you ever need help or have any questions, my DMs are always open.
surely will help a lot of radar trainees in future 