ATS.OR.435 Aeronautical fixed service (ground-ground communications) – communication within a flight information region

(a)Communications between air traffic services units

(1)An air traffic services provider shall ensure that a flight information centre has facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within its area of responsibility:

(i)the area control centre;

(ii)approach control units;

(iii)aerodrome control towers;

(iv)AFIS units.

(2)An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an area control centre, in addition to being connected with the flight information centre as prescribed in point (1), has facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within its area of responsibility:

(i)approach control units;

(ii)aerodrome control towers;

(iii)AFIS units;

(iv)air traffic services reporting offices, when separately established.

(3)An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an approach control unit, in addition to being connected with the flight information centre and the area control centre as prescribed in points (1) and (2), has facilities for communications with:

(i)the associated aerodrome control tower or towers;

(ii)with relevant AFIS unit or units;

(iii)the associated air traffic services reporting office or offices, when separately established.

(4)An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an aerodrome control tower or an AFIS unit, in addition to being connected with the flight information centre, the area control centre and the approach control unit as prescribed in points (1), (2) and (3), has facilities for communications with the associated air traffic services reporting office, when separately established.

(b)Communications between air traffic services units and other units

(1)An air traffic services provider shall ensure that a flight information centre and an area control centre have facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within their respective area of responsibility:

(i)appropriate military units;

(ii)the meteorological services provider or providers serving the centre;

(iii)the aeronautical telecommunication station serving the centre;

(iv)appropriate aircraft operators’ offices;

(v)the rescue coordination centre or, in the absence of such centre, any other appropriate emergency service;

(vi)the international NOTAM office serving the centre.

(2)An air traffic services provider shall ensure that an approach control unit, an aerodrome control tower and an AFIS unit have facilities for communications with the following units providing a service within their respective area of responsibility:

(i)appropriate military units;

(ii)rescue and emergency services (including ambulance, firefighting etc.);

(iii)the meteorological services provider serving the unit concerned;

(iv)the aeronautical telecommunication station serving the unit concerned;

(v)the unit providing apron management service, when separately established.

(3)The communication facilities required under points (b)(1)(i) and (b)(2)(i) shall include provisions for rapid and reliable communications between the air traffic services unit concerned and the military unit or units responsible for control of interception operations within the area of responsibility of the air traffic services unit, in order to fulfil obligations set out in Section 11 of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

(c)Description of communication facilities

(1)The communication facilities required under point (a), point (b)(1)(i) and points (b)(2)(i), (b)(2)(ii) and (b)(2)(iii) shall include provisions for:

(i)communications by direct speech alone, or in combination with data link communications, whereby for the purpose of transfer of control using radar or ADS-B, the communications are established instantaneously, and for other purposes, the communications are normally established within 15 seconds;

(ii)printed communications, when a written record is required; the message transit time for such communications is no longer than 5 minutes.

(2)In all cases not covered by point (c)(1), the communication facilities shall include provisions for:

(i)communications by direct speech alone, or in combination with data link communications, whereby the communications are normally established within 15 seconds;

(ii)printed communications, when a written record is required; the message transit time for such communications are no longer than 5 minutes.

(3)In all cases where automatic transfer of data to or from air traffic services computers, or both ways, is required, suitable facilities for automatic recording shall be provided.

(4)The communication facilities required under points (b)(2)(i);(ii);(iii) shall include provisions for communications by direct speech arranged for conference communications whereby the communications are normally established within 15 seconds.

(5)All facilities for direct-speech or data link communications between air traffic services units and between air traffic services units and other units described under points (b)(1) and (b)(2) shall be provided with automatic recording.