Shanwick Oceanic Control: Difference between revisions
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Shannon Aeradio maintains radio contact with flights within the Shanwick OCA by means of [[High frequency|HF]] radio. HF can provide global coverage due to its ability to bounce off the [[ionosphere]] and can span the globe in a series of [[Skip (radio)|skips]]. [[Very high frequency|VHF]] coverage however is limited to line-of-sight range. Shannon Aeradio, callsign "'''Shanwick Radio'''", utilises over 20 HF frequency channels and 2 VHF. At peak times it can communicate with in excess of 1300 aircraft during a 24 hour period. (Using the callsign "'''Shanwick Control'''", the Prestwick Centre uses 2 dedicated VHF frequencies specifically for the issue of Oceanic Clearances to westbound flights about to enter the Shanwick OCA, and also provides an [[ACARS]] based system called '''ORCA''' - '''O'''ceanic '''R'''oute '''C'''learance '''A'''uthorisation - for suitably equipped aircraft to obtain such clearances without the need for voice communications). |
Shannon Aeradio maintains radio contact with flights within the Shanwick OCA by means of [[High frequency|HF]] radio. HF can provide global coverage due to its ability to bounce off the [[ionosphere]] and can span the globe in a series of [[Skip (radio)|skips]]. [[Very high frequency|VHF]] coverage however is limited to line-of-sight range. Shannon Aeradio, callsign "'''Shanwick Radio'''", utilises over 20 HF frequency channels and 2 VHF. At peak times it can communicate with in excess of 1300 aircraft during a 24 hour period. (Using the callsign "'''Shanwick Control'''", the Prestwick Centre uses 2 dedicated VHF frequencies specifically for the issue of Oceanic Clearances to westbound flights about to enter the Shanwick OCA, and also provides an [[ACARS]] based system called '''ORCA''' - '''O'''ceanic '''R'''oute '''C'''learance '''A'''uthorisation - for suitably equipped aircraft to obtain such clearances without the need for voice communications). |
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During October 2009, NATS transferred its Oceanic ATC operations from the former Prestwick Oceanic [[Area Control Center]] (OACC) into the £300m Prestwick Centre. The Prestwick OACC had been located within the Scottish & Oceanic Area Control Centre, (ScOACC), at NATS' ''Atlantic House'' facility, adjacent to the Prestwick Centre. The Prestwick Centre |
During October 2009, NATS transferred its Oceanic ATC operations from the former Prestwick Oceanic [[Area Control Center]] (OACC) into the £300m Prestwick Centre. The Prestwick OACC had been located within the Scottish & Oceanic Area Control Centre, (ScOACC), at NATS' ''Atlantic House'' facility, adjacent to the Prestwick Centre. The Prestwick Centre is also home to the Scottish Area Control Centre, (including, since January 2010, the former Manchester Area Control Centre), and the [[RAF Prestwick|Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre (Military)]]. |
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Oceanic ATC operations at the Prestwick Centre are undertaken using the joint NATS/[[NAV CANADA]] designed ATC computer system known as '''SAATS''' - '''S'''hanwick '''A'''utomated '''A'''ir '''T'''raffic '''S'''ystem. SAATS, developed from NAV CANADA's '''GAATS''' - '''G'''ander '''A'''utomated '''A'''ir '''T'''raffic '''S'''ystem - has been in service with NATS since November 2006. ([[Gander International Airport]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], [[Canada]], being the location of NAV CANADA's [[Gander Control|Gander ATC center]] which is responsible for flights in the northwest part of the North Atlantic). |
Oceanic ATC operations at the Prestwick Centre are undertaken using the joint NATS/[[NAV CANADA]] designed ATC computer system known as '''SAATS''' - '''S'''hanwick '''A'''utomated '''A'''ir '''T'''raffic '''S'''ystem. SAATS, developed from NAV CANADA's '''GAATS''' - '''G'''ander '''A'''utomated '''A'''ir '''T'''raffic '''S'''ystem - has been in service with NATS since November 2006. ([[Gander International Airport]], [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]], [[Canada]], being the location of NAV CANADA's [[Gander Control|Gander ATC center]] which is responsible for flights in the northwest part of the North Atlantic). |
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Revision as of 23:44, 19 January 2010
Shanwick is the Air Traffic Control (ATC) name given to the area of International Airspace which lies above the northeast part of the North Atlantic. The name is a portmanteau of two of the air traffic facilities concerned with flights operating within this area of International Airspace. These being the Ballygirreen Radio Station, 10 kilometres (6 miles) North of Shannon Airport in County Clare, Ireland, and the Prestwick Centre in Ayrshire, Scotland.
Responsibility for the provision of air traffic services within International Airspace is delegated to UN Member States by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). ICAO divides such airspace into Flight Information Regions, parts of which may be deemed Controlled Airspace and, where appropriate, classified as an Oceanic Control Area (OCA).
The flight control (Procedural ATC) aspect within the Shanwick OCA is the responsibility of the United Kingdom and is provided by NATS from the Prestwick Centre, while the voice communication aspect is the responsibility of Ireland and is provided by the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) from the Ballygirreen Radio Station based Shannon Aeradio.
Shannon Aeradio maintains radio contact with flights within the Shanwick OCA by means of HF radio. HF can provide global coverage due to its ability to bounce off the ionosphere and can span the globe in a series of skips. VHF coverage however is limited to line-of-sight range. Shannon Aeradio, callsign "Shanwick Radio", utilises over 20 HF frequency channels and 2 VHF. At peak times it can communicate with in excess of 1300 aircraft during a 24 hour period. (Using the callsign "Shanwick Control", the Prestwick Centre uses 2 dedicated VHF frequencies specifically for the issue of Oceanic Clearances to westbound flights about to enter the Shanwick OCA, and also provides an ACARS based system called ORCA - Oceanic Route Clearance Authorisation - for suitably equipped aircraft to obtain such clearances without the need for voice communications).
During October 2009, NATS transferred its Oceanic ATC operations from the former Prestwick Oceanic Area Control Center (OACC) into the £300m Prestwick Centre. The Prestwick OACC had been located within the Scottish & Oceanic Area Control Centre, (ScOACC), at NATS' Atlantic House facility, adjacent to the Prestwick Centre. The Prestwick Centre is also home to the Scottish Area Control Centre, (including, since January 2010, the former Manchester Area Control Centre), and the Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre (Military).
Oceanic ATC operations at the Prestwick Centre are undertaken using the joint NATS/NAV CANADA designed ATC computer system known as SAATS - Shanwick Automated Air Traffic System. SAATS, developed from NAV CANADA's GAATS - Gander Automated Air Traffic System - has been in service with NATS since November 2006. (Gander International Airport, Newfoundland, Canada, being the location of NAV CANADA's Gander ATC center which is responsible for flights in the northwest part of the North Atlantic).
During 2005/06 upgrades to Shannon Aeradio equipment at Ballygirreen took place and the IAA entered into an agreement with the Flugstoðir (ISAVIA) subsidiary Gannet ATS Communications to provide additional HF communication services within the Shanwick OCA via the Gufunes Telecommunications Centre, (in Reykjavík), Iceland.
Trans-atlantic traffic has been steadily growing over the years and prior to the global economic downturn of 2008/09 this growth was expected to continue. In 2006, 391,273 aircraft crossing the North Atlantic, on both random routes and North Atlantic Tracks, communicated with air traffic controllers at the Prestwick OACC via Shannon Aeradio, an increase of 5.4% from 2005.[1] However, despite increasing numbers of aircraft operators utilising technological developments including Datalink communications, Future Air Navigation Systems and forwarding waypoint position reports via Automatic Dependent Surveillance, (ADS-C & ADS-B), or Flight Management Computer, aircraft continue to be required to carry HF radio as a primary means of communication within oceanic airspace.
References
- ^ "Irish Aviation Authority Annual Report 2006" (PDF). p. 4. Retrieved 2007-05-05.