6.7.2 Contingency and degraded mode procedures for RTC operations

In the case of operations to several aerodromes from one RTC, appropriate contingency plans for the RTC need to be developed, including, for example, contingency procedures for full RTC failure (see also Sections 5.10 and 6.1.1). Particular care should be taken about the risk of an RTC becoming a single point of failure for aerodromes which would otherwise be independent, as it could be the case of aerodromes which could be expected to be used by airspace users as ‘alternate aerodromes’ for each other. Despite all measures to reduce its likelihood, the event of total unavailability of an RTC should be considered to enable airspace users to select a suitable alternate. It is expected that this alternate selection can guarantee the availability of an aerodrome with the expected level of ATS. Therefore all remotely controlled aerodromes should have operational contingency procedures for use by the airspace users in place in case of single or multiple failures at the RTC. To allow suitable selection by airspace users, ATS providers should provide the appropriate information to airspace users. Chapter 9 indicates which information to publish. This information can also take other forms, such as workshops with airspace users to present relevant information for selection of alternate(s) aerodrome(s).