ATC Responsibilities and Duties 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a responsibility of the ground controller at a towered airport?
- Issuing IFR clearances to departing aircraft
- Directing aircraft movement on taxiways and non-movement areas (Correct answer)
- Sequencing aircraft on final approach
- Coordinating with ARTCC for en route separation
Correct answer: Directing aircraft movement on taxiways and non-movement areas
The ground controller is responsible for directing aircraft and vehicle movement on taxiways and other movement areas of the airport surface.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a Letter of Agreement (LOA) between ATC facilities?
- To establish standard separation minima for all IFR flights
- To document locally agreed procedures for transferring control and responsibility (Correct answer)
- To replace FAA Order 7110.65 requirements within a region
- To assign specific runways to specific airlines
Correct answer: To document locally agreed procedures for transferring control and responsibility
LOAs document mutually agreed-upon procedures between facilities for coordinating traffic, altitudes, and control transfers at shared boundaries.
Question 3: When operating in a non-radar environment, which method is primarily used to ensure separation?
- Pilot position reports and procedural time/distance intervals (Correct answer)
- TCAS advisories relayed to the controller
- ADS-B surveillance only
- Visual separation by the pilot
Correct answer: Pilot position reports and procedural time/distance intervals
In non-radar environments, controllers rely on pilot position reports and procedural separation standards based on time, distance, and altitude.
Question 4: An ATC facility's area of responsibility is formally defined by:
- The facility's NAS system configuration
- FAA facility operations specifications and designated airspace boundaries (Correct answer)
- The number of licensed controllers on duty
- NOTAM issuance authority
Correct answer: FAA facility operations specifications and designated airspace boundaries
Each ATC facility's area of responsibility is defined by FAA-designated airspace boundaries established in facility operations specifications.
Question 5: What is the controller's responsibility regarding wake turbulence separation?
- Apply wake turbulence minima only when a pilot requests it
- Issue wake turbulence advisories and apply prescribed separation standards (Correct answer)
- Delegate all wake turbulence decisions to the pilot in command
- Apply wake turbulence separation only for heavy aircraft on IFR flight plans
Correct answer: Issue wake turbulence advisories and apply prescribed separation standards
Controllers must apply prescribed wake turbulence separation minima and issue cautionary advisories to following aircraft regardless of pilot request.
Question 6: Which controller position is typically responsible for issuing IFR departure clearances at a Class B airport?
- Ground controller
- Clearance delivery controller (Correct answer)
- Local (tower) controller
- TRACON approach controller
Correct answer: Clearance delivery controller
The clearance delivery controller issues IFR and special VFR departure clearances before aircraft taxi, ensuring the clearance matches the filed flight plan.
Question 7: When must a controller report a pilot deviation to a supervisor?
- Only when the deviation caused a loss of separation
- Immediately upon observing any pilot deviation from an ATC instruction or clearance (Correct answer)
- Only when the deviation involves a heavy aircraft
- After completing coordination with the adjacent sector
Correct answer: Immediately upon observing any pilot deviation from an ATC instruction or clearance
Controllers must immediately notify their supervisor whenever a pilot deviates from an ATC clearance or instruction, regardless of whether separation was lost.
ATC Responsibilities and Duties 3
Which of the following is a responsibility of the ground controller at a towered airport?