ATRN 213

2ND TOPIC FINAL PERIOD

Local Controller Duties
 It is the responsibility of the local controller to
safely sequence arrivals and
 departures at the airport.

 The primary responsibility of the local controller

 is to ensure that proper runway separation exists
between aircraft.
 The local
 controller issues appropriate instructions to arriving and departing
aircraft to
 ensure this runway separation.

 It is not the local controller’s responsibility to

 separate VFR aircraft inbound to the airport, although the controller
may offer
 assistance and issue traffic advisories.
 It is assumed that the pilots will apply the
 see and be seen rules of traffic avoidance
RUNWAY SEPARATION
 For the purpose of runway separation, every aircraft is
classified by aircraft
 Category.
 CATEGORY I Lightweight, single-engine, propeller-driven
personal aircraft.
 This category includes the Cessna 152 and 172, Piper
 Cherokee, and Bellanca Viking. It does not include
highperformance
 single-engine aircraft.
 CATEGORY II Lightweight, twin-engine,
propeller-driven aircraft weighing
 12,500 pounds or less. This category includes
aircraft such as
 the Twin Comanche, Piper Seneca, and Cessna
320, but does
 not include larger aircraft such as the Lockheed
Lodestar or
 Douglas DC-3.
 CATEGORY III All other aircraft not included in either
Category I or II.
 This category includes high-performance single-engine,
 large twin-engine, four-engine propeller-driven, and
 turbojet aircraft. Category III includes aircraft such as
 the Douglas DC-3 and DC-6, Cessna Citation, and
 Boeing 757 and 777.
Departing Aircraft Separation
 The local controller is required to
separate
 departing aircraft using the same
runway by ensuring that an aircraft
does not
 begin its takeoff roll until at least one
of the following conditions exists:
 1. The preceding landing aircraft has taxied off of the runway.
 2. The preceding departing aircraft is airborne and has
crossed the departure end
 of the runway or has turned to avoid any conflict . If the local
 controller can determine runway distance using landmarks or
runway markings,
 the first aircraft need only be airborne before the second
aircraft begins its
 takeoff roll if the following minimum distance exists between
the aircraft
 involved
 a. If both aircraft are Category I, a 3,000-foot separation interval
may be used.
 b. If a Category II aircraft precedes the Category I, a 3,000-foot
separation
 interval may be used.
 c. If the succeeding or both of the aircraft are Category II, a
4,500-foot
 separation interval must be used.
 d. If either of the aircraft is a Category III aircraft, a 6,000-foot
separation
 interval must be used.
 Thus, if a Piper Cherokee (Category I) departs and is followed by a Cessna 152
 (Category I), the local controller must not permit the Cessna to begin its
takeoff
 roll until the Piper has crossed the departure end of the runway, has turned to
 avoid a conflict, or is airborne and at least 3,000 feet down the runway. But if
 the Piper is followed by a Cessna 310 (Category II), the local controller must
 not permit the Cessna 310 to begin its takeoff roll until the Piper has crossed
 the departure end of the runway, has turned to avoid a conflict, or is airborne
 and at least 4,500 feet down the runway. If the Cessna 310 precedes the Piper,
 however, only 3,000 feet of separation would be needed.