Skip to content

Operational Overview

The position

SBAO_FSS represents the Atlântico ACC. The _FSS suffix identifies an oceanic position under the network convention and requires a minimum rating of C11.

Portion of the airspace Class Service
Above FL 245 (Atlântico UIR) A Air traffic control, flight information and alerting
Below FL 145 G Flight information and alerting, no control

In practice, traffic is almost entirely long-haul IFR at cruising level, therefore in Class A, where all flights are separated from one another.

What changes compared to a continental ACC

Continental resource In the Atlântico FIR
Radar surveillance Does not exist. The FIR is not included in the published coverage2
Direct VHF over the whole area Does not exist. The unit's published frequencies are HF3
Voice as the primary means Reversed. ADS-C and CPDLC are the primary means, HF is secondary4
Vectoring Not applicable. CPDLC is not used for vectoring5
5 NM separation Not applicable. Minima are procedural, in minutes and tens of NM

The Atlântico FIR is expressly excepted from the two rules that apply in the other Brazilian FIRs: here CPDLC is not a means supplementary to voice, and it is used even without an ATS surveillance service6.

The three questions

Everything the controller does answers one of these:

  1. Where is the aircraft? ADS-C when available, position report when not. See Communications and Operational flow.
  2. How do I talk to it? CPDLC primary, voice secondary, SELCAL to recover whoever has gone quiet. See Communications.
  3. Is it separated? Calculation based on estimates, levels and Mach number. See Separation.

The error does not show itself

In radar airspace, a developing conflict becomes visible on the screen. Here, an outdated estimate produces a wrong mental picture that stays wrong until the next report. Keeping the record up to date is not bureaucracy, it is the surveillance tool.

The session cycle

Step Page
Check boundaries, sectors and frequencies Structure and sectorization
Prepare, connect and open Preparation and opening
Receive the aircraft and check the plan Flight plan
Establish communication Communications and surveillance
Monitor and record progress Operational flow
Separate, handle requests and deviations Separation, routes and deviations
Coordinate, transfer and handle failures Coordination and contingencies

On the network (Vatbrz)

Few aircraft, each one for a long time. A Europe/Southeast Brazil flight occupies the position for more than two hours. Plan the session around duration, not volume, and state your expected logoff time in the controller information.

  1. VATSIM, GCAP v2.0, item 6.3. ↩

  2. AIP-Brasil, ENR 1.6, items 3 and 4. ↩

  3. AIP-Brasil, ENR 2.1. ↩

  4. AIP-Brasil, ENR 3.5, items 8.3.1 and 9.5.1.3. ↩

  5. AIP-Brasil, ENR 3.5, item 9.1.6. ↩

  6. AIP-Brasil, ENR 3.5, items 9.1.3 and 9.1.5. ↩