Event Coordinator
RG Frankfurt Coordinators supervise a specific group of controllers during high traffic operations or events. They are responsible for keeping an eye on all traffic in their area of responsibility and, if necessary, taking control measures to enable efficient traffic flow. Their key duties are
- supervising airport and frequency capacities,
- decide and coordinate flow management regulations,
- coordinating between controller groups, especially while primary controllers are busy.
A coordinator has the responsibility to make decisions which apply to all members of his/her controller group based on weather, traffic flow and frequency load.
General conditions
To observe the situation, Coordinators should login as X_DEL/TWR/APP/CTR without having a primary frequency set. Additional plugins (e.g. Arrival Manager, Topsky features) can be used or may be mandatory during events.
Usually the Coordinators are seperate stations. If there are not enough controllers available for that, the station with the lowest workload should do the coordinator tasks. This station may change during the day and staffing. However, the primary frequency must always be the first task.
Coordination shall always take place by voice (Teamspeak or VCCS). Only if one station is available by text only (e.g. for neightbouring countries) privat chat may be used.
Delivery Coordinator Duties
With an increased number of flights on the network especially during events and online days the task of Delivery is getting more and more important and the workload is increasing immensely. To handle the outbound traffic the most efficient way it is recommended to work Delivery with two controllers, one operator and one coordinator.
Operator: The operator is responsible for all voice communication with the pilots on the frequency (enroute and startup clearance). He is responsible to set the clearance received flag and the startup state.
Coordinator: The coordinator has the following duties:
- Check and editing flightplans (set SID, initial climb, Squawk etc.)
- Datalink clearances (via Topsky)
- Text communication (e.g. with textpilots on frequency chat and via private message prior clearance request)
- Coordination with other stations (e.g. Tower)
Flightplan editing: Additionally if there are any errors inside the flightplan that need to be corrected (depends on RG - wrong SID, FL, Route), the coordinator should clarify this issues with the pilot by private message prior clearance request, not on frequency! Only if the flightplan is checked, edited and corrected if necessary the squawk should be set. That indicates the operator that the clearance can be issued.
Startup Approval: When the CDM plugin is used, the operator is responsible to set the TOBT which generates a TSAT. If manual slots are used (without CDM plugin) the coordinator is responsible to set the TSAT inside the remarks and to monitor the traffic situation at the airport.
Request queue: For the clearance request queue the VCH plugin request function should be used.
Optimal decision making - Capacity
To make the right decisions it is important to know what the maximum capacity of the airport at all, runways and single sectors are.
However, it is highly recommended to keep in mind that human (especially controller) capacity is variable and therefore a huge factor in defining a movement cap for specific frequencies or runways.
| Outbound EDDF | Inbound EDDF | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| RWY 18 | 40 / hr every 2 min + 10 extra movement |
staggered | 35 - 40 / hr |
| RWY 25C / 25L | 25 / hr every 3 min + 5 extra movement |
parallel independent | 50 - 60 / hr |
| RWY 07C / 07R | 40 / hr every 2 min + 10 extra movement |
single runway | 25 - 30 / hr |
| Sector FS: 8 - 10 at the same time | |||
| Sector FN: 10 - 12 at the same time | |||
At Frankfurt a maximum of 8 aircraft should have the status TAXI towards the same runway. If it seems that more aircraft might be on the way towards the runway at the same time, the traffic flow need to be regulated. To monitor this the Taxi-Out List can be used. The "extra movements" can be used for outbound traffic with very short or long taxitimes.
With a single runway (also for EDDS) a maximum of 30 movements per hour (Inbounds and Outbounds) can be expectetd to handle. Depending on the overall situation (e.g. during LVO), the capacity need to be reduced.
Controller groups
Tower/Delivery
It is highly recommended to split TWR/DEL coordinator positions into two separate ones whenever possible. If there is too much outbound traffic at the same time Slots need to be used for regulation. DEL/TWR Coordinator is responsible for activating it and to assign slots.
TWR/DEL Coordinator should keep the following things in mind:
- It will take some time until you will see an effect of the regulations at the holding points, so you need to work and look in advance.
- During high outbound rushs the primary used runway for inbounds may be changed to have more space for the outbounds.
- Let the holdingpoint never run empty when regulating traffic.
- Especially during high traffic loads do not deviate from the default SID assignment. Exceptions are only if the outbounds that deviate from default will stay completely independent from each other. Otherwise the APP/CTR Controllers will have a highly increased workload!
- Manual Slot Assignment: When the outbound requests clearancce, coordinator need to write down the TSAT into the scratchpad (previous one + 2/3 minutes). Meanwhile DEL will issue the enroute clearance and need to tell the pilot when to expect startup. Once this time is reached, DEL will approve startup, delete the TSAT from the scratchpad and send the outbound to the appropriate Apron controller.
Approach/Center
It is highly recommended to split APP/CTR coordinator positions into two separate ones whenever possible.
- When using Holdings, CTR Coordinator is responsible for them and he should calculate times or amount of orbits.
- Coordinate how to exit the holdings.
- APP coordinator needs to decide when the APP stations can accept traffic again (final should never run empty!).
- APP coordinator is responsible to use all APP stations' capacity accordingly (e.g. FN/FF and FS/FU sectors regarding north and south arrivals).
Teamspeak Setup
Coordinators identify themselves with the Teamspeak function "Channel Commander". Continuous coordination within numerous Teamspeak channels can be distracting for active controllers. With the "Whisper" function they will be able to coordinate with all other channel commanders without leaving the channel or disturbing other controllers.
Tools (Extras) => Whisper Lists => Set Hotkey (e.g. "ALT" or ENDE") | Whisper to "Groups" | Group Whisper Type "Channel Commander" | Group Whisper Target "Complete Channel Family"
Teamspeak Whisper List Setup