ACE Airport Communications Procedures 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of the Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS)?
- To provide real-time ATC separation instructions
- To broadcast routine airport and weather information continuously (Correct answer)
- To relay pilot distress calls to emergency services
- To coordinate gate assignments with airlines
Correct answer: To broadcast routine airport and weather information continuously
ATIS broadcasts current weather, active runways, NOTAMs, and other non-control information to reduce controller workload.
Question 2: During a runway incursion event, who has authority to immediately halt all runway traffic?
- Airport security only
- Any ATC controller or airport operations supervisor with radio authority (Correct answer)
- Only the airport director
- The airline operations center
Correct answer: Any ATC controller or airport operations supervisor with radio authority
Any ATC controller and authorized airport operations personnel can issue immediate stop instructions to prevent a collision.
Question 3: What does the phraseology 'say again' request from another station?
- Repeat the last word only
- Retransmit the entire previous message (Correct answer)
- Confirm the aircraft identification
- Spell out the last waypoint phonetically
Correct answer: Retransmit the entire previous message
'Say again' is the standard phrase requesting a full retransmission of the previous message when it was unclear or missed.
Question 4: A controller tells an aircraft 'Taxi to runway 28L via Alpha, hold short of runway 10.' What must the pilot do?
- Taxi to runway 28L and cross runway 10 without stopping
- Taxi via taxiway Alpha and stop before entering runway 10 (Correct answer)
- Request progressive taxi instructions before moving
- Acknowledge with 'Wilco' and taxi at discretion
Correct answer: Taxi via taxiway Alpha and stop before entering runway 10
A 'hold short' instruction requires the aircraft to stop before the runway hold-short markings of the specified runway.
Question 5: Which phonetic alphabet word represents the letter 'W' in the ICAO/NATO standard?
- William
- Whiskey (Correct answer)
- Washington
- Walnut
Correct answer: Whiskey
The ICAO/NATO phonetic alphabet designates 'Whiskey' as the standardized word for the letter W.
Question 6: What action should an airport communications operator take when they receive a garbled or incomplete distress message?
- Wait for the caller to retransmit before taking any action
- Immediately alert emergency services and attempt to re-establish contact (Correct answer)
- Log the call and notify a supervisor at the next shift change
- Broadcast a general announcement on all frequencies
Correct answer: Immediately alert emergency services and attempt to re-establish contact
Incomplete distress messages must trigger immediate emergency response activation while attempts to restore contact continue simultaneously.
Question 7: What is a 'hot spot' on an airport surface movement map?
- An area with unusually high pavement temperature requiring caution
- A location with a history of runway incursions or surface incidents (Correct answer)
- A gate with frequent ground equipment conflicts
- A taxiway segment under construction
Correct answer: A location with a history of runway incursions or surface incidents
Hot spots are marked locations on airport diagrams where risk of runway incursions or surface incidents has been identified historically.
ACE Airport Communications Procedures 3
What is the purpose of the Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS)?