CTO Coordination with Radar Facilities 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An aircraft on an IFR flight plan is cleared for a visual approach by TRACON and handed off to the tower. The tower's separation responsibility for this aircraft is:
- Maintained using radar only
- Visual separation from other traffic in the tower's area of jurisdiction (Correct answer)
- Transferred back to TRACON immediately upon landing
- Delegated entirely to the pilot
Correct answer: Visual separation from other traffic in the tower's area of jurisdiction
Once the tower accepts the handoff, it is responsible for visual separation of the aircraft in its area, using tower visual surveillance and traffic advisories.
Question 2: Which coordination method is used when a tower controller needs an IFR departure released 'on request' rather than waiting for a specific time window?
- Filing a special PIREP
- Calling TRACON on the landline to request an individual release (Correct answer)
- Transmitting on guard frequency 121.5
- Sending a digital ATIS update
Correct answer: Calling TRACON on the landline to request an individual release
For on-request releases, the tower calls TRACON on the landline coordination line to request and receive authorization for each individual IFR departure.
Question 3: A TRACON controller issues 'traffic, 2 o'clock, 3 miles, a Boeing 737, descending.' This traffic call is an example of:
- A mandatory go-around instruction
- A radar traffic advisory to improve situational awareness (Correct answer)
- A formal airspace waiver
- A controller-pilot data link message
Correct answer: A radar traffic advisory to improve situational awareness
Radar traffic advisories provide pilots with the position, distance, and type of nearby traffic to improve situational awareness, though the pilot retains responsibility for visual separation in VFR conditions.
Question 4: When the tower is delegated control of airspace by the TRACON, the tower may issue what types of instructions within that airspace?
- Only runway crossing instructions
- Headings, altitudes, and speed adjustments within the delegated area (Correct answer)
- Only VFR traffic advisories
- IFR clearances to altitudes above 18,000 feet MSL
Correct answer: Headings, altitudes, and speed adjustments within the delegated area
Within delegated airspace, the tower can issue headings, altitudes, and speed assignments as necessary to control traffic, subject to the terms of the LOA.
Question 5: If a pilot reports 'TCAS resolution advisory, climbing to 4,000 feet' while under tower control, the tower must:
- Issue an immediate altitude restriction to keep the aircraft at its assigned altitude
- Acknowledge the TCAS RA and not issue instructions that conflict with it, then notify TRACON (Correct answer)
- Declare an emergency on behalf of the aircraft
- Cancel the aircraft's IFR clearance
Correct answer: Acknowledge the TCAS RA and not issue instructions that conflict with it, then notify TRACON
Controllers must not issue instructions that conflict with a TCAS RA; the tower acknowledges and coordinates with TRACON since the aircraft will deviate from its assigned altitude.
Question 6: What is the significance of a 'scratchpad' entry in a radar facility's flight data system from a tower controller's perspective?
- It automatically updates the aircraft's route in the national airspace system
- It allows controllers to record coordination notes or special instructions attached to the data block (Correct answer)
- It triggers an automatic NOTAM
- It overrides the filed flight plan altitude
Correct answer: It allows controllers to record coordination notes or special instructions attached to the data block
Scratchpad entries allow controllers to annotate data blocks with coordination notes, special restrictions, or other information relevant to the handoff or control of the aircraft.
Question 7: When coordinating a low-approach or touch-and-go for an IFR aircraft with TRACON, the tower must ensure:
- The aircraft files a new flight plan for each approach
- TRACON is aware so they can maintain proper separation from other IFR traffic (Correct answer)
- The maneuver is limited to published missed approach procedures only
- ARTCC provides a new IFR clearance for each circuit
Correct answer: TRACON is aware so they can maintain proper separation from other IFR traffic
Touch-and-go and low approach operations must be coordinated with TRACON so the radar facility can maintain appropriate separation from other IFR arrivals and departures.
CTO Coordination with Radar Facilities 4
An aircraft on an IFR flight plan is cleared for a visual approach by TRACON and handed off to the tower.
The tower's separation responsibility for this aircraft is: