id: 6.13-handover-to-towerunicom title: 6.13 Handover to Tower/Unicom meta: How to hand aircraft over to Tower/Unicom on Infinite Flight. order: 13 #

6.13 Handover to Tower/Unicom #

6.13.1 #

Before the Controller can hand an aircraft over to Tower/Unicom they must{.red} ensure that the aircraft has successfully established on the “intended approach path” AND has an acceptable closure rate with the aircraft ahead.

6.13.2 #

The “intended approach path” for the GPS Approach, Radar Vectors and a Visual Approach are covered above (see 6.9.3, 6.11.1 and 6.12.3 above respectively). For the ILS approach, Controllers must{.red} ensure that the aircraft has successfully intercepted the LOC, this is especially important when parallel operations are in use (see 6.13.2.1 below). Do not confuse aircraft being established on the LOC, with “being in the cone” – aircraft must be aligned with the centerline of the runway to be established, regardless of their position inside or outside of the cone.

6.13.3 #

Radar Controllers must{.red} ensure that the aircraft closure rate is “acceptable” and issue speed control if the desired separation cannot be maintained (e.g. if Aircraft A is at 180kts GS on final approach, and Aircraft B is intercepting at 250kts GS with only 3nm spacing, separation could be compromised and result in a go-around). Aircraft should{.red} be kept on frequency until separation is assured, this may mean leaving the frequency change until very late!

6.13.4 #

To help with separation on final approach, the use of “maintain XXXkts until X mile final” should{.red} be used by Radar Controllers when traffic levels are busy. Aircraft will be expected to reduce their IAS to the specified speed, maintain this until the specified distance has been met and then reduce to their final approach speed following this.