STAR/SID Acronyms

[Navpi]

Hi

I have a interview for an ATC assitant position at a general aviation airfield handling occasional large transports, Exec jets and 4 flying schools.

Does anybody have any tips in terms of the roles undertaken in that kind of environment ?

Also does anybody know of a web site that break down the acronyms used on standard arrival charts

Basically I am after definitions for the following BUT a website would help

I-CMG eg D12 2000 I assume this mean 12 miles be lvl 2000 but what does it mean ?

LHA 2000

OCA
VM 9C(OCA)
LLZ

Thanks in advance

[reportyourlevel]

I can't really help with the roles of the job part of the question, sorry.

You can find a document with all the chart symbols here: http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/gen/EG_GEN_2_3_en.pdf

I guess you're looking at the Cambridge ILS/DME/NDB(L) for runway 23 and that the D12 you're seeing is on one of the direct arrivals. (http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/ad/EGSC/EG_AD_2_EGSC_8-3_en.pdf)

Firstly, be careful with terminology: this is an instrument approach not a STAR. The document above should help you with the symbols.

In this case (looking at the direct arrival from the north) the I-CMG D12 does mean 12nm from the I-CMG DME station (tuned on 111.30). The white "windmill in a box" means inital approach fix. The 2000 is bold and has a line underneath it. This means "not below altitude 2000 feet" i.e. not below 2000 feet above mean sea level (to do this the pilot will set aerodrome QNH on the altimeter subscale). If the figures were normal type it would mean height above aerodrome elevation (using QFE).

LHA = lowest holding altitude
OCA = obstacle clearance altitute
VM(C) = visual manouevring (circling) (but careful, because VMC = visual met conditions)
LLZ = localiser

I hope that is of some use.

[Navpi]

Many thanks that is much appreciated.

[bookworm]

Does anybody have any tips in terms of the roles undertaken in that kind of environment ?

Making coffee for the locally based pilots is a nice touch -- on reflection, that's a bit much, maybe just the twin owners then... ;)

reportyourlevel makes the good point that the plate you're referring to is an Instrument Approach Procedure chart, not a STAR chart. You might want to find the Cambridge STARs and consider the ATS implications -- and also consider why Cambridge has no SIDs.

Hope that helps. Good luck.

[Navpi]

Hi bookworm

many thanks

To be honest I didnt like to ask but assumed STAR meant the STD Arrrrival, so assumed that this was the standard arrival chart, being lvl 2000 12 nm north or (12 south), prior to the prescribed arrival pattern via vectors to keep clear of the Mildenhall MATZ.

[Jumbo Driver]

Navpi,

SID = Standard Instrument Departure
STAR = Standard Terminal Arrival Route
IAP = Instrument Approach Procedure

SIDs/STARs will only be found at major airports. SIDs define outbound routes, altitudes, speeds, etc. and STARs do the same for inbound routes. There will normally be a SID/STAR for departures/arrivals to/from each direction or major route outbound/inbound.

Typically, when inbound, a STAR will define a particular route up to the final holding fix. Thereafter, the approach is conducted either in accordance with the relevant IAP or by radar vectors to intercept (say) an ILS or a visual approach.

IAPs are set out on individual Instrument Approach charts (like the one for EGSC ILS/DME/NDB(L) RWY23, mentioned above) and pictorially define a particular approach procedure (e.g. ILS or VOR/DME) for a specified runway.

You can find examples of all of these charts by looking at (say) EGLL (http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=94&Itemid=143.html) (Heathrow) or EGSS (http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=96&Itemid=145.html) (Stansted) in the aerodrome section (http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/public/index.php%3Foption=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=6&Itemid=13.html) of the UK AIP on the NATS AIS website.

Also, there is a list of abbreviations used in AIS publications here (http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/gen/EG_GEN_2_2_en.pdf) and chart symbology is here (http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/gen/EG_GEN_2_3_en.pdf).

Hope this helps with your understanding ...


JD
:)

[Bagso]

Thats great Jumbo Driver, understood, and much appreciated.