Oldest known version of this page was edited on 2008-02-18 01:09:58 by MattChase []
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Flight Service Station
By MattChase
In Development
Plan to rework the Oceanic Section, hoping someone can gather some info on Eurocontrol/Siberia Control.
Prerequisites
It is recommended you read the material on
Airport Air Traffic Control and
Approach, Departure, and Centre Air Traffic Control before beginning this lesson.
Introduction
Online, you may occasionally notice a position designated with _FSS. These positions are known as Flight Service Stations, and are specialised positions that carry specific roles and responsibilities. In the real world, Flight Service Stations, or Flight Service Centre's are often used as a kind of Radar Information Service; providing traffic advisories and weather information to aircraft outside controlled airspace. Online, there are three main roles you will see FSS controllers simulating.
Oceanic Positions
The most common of Flight Service Stations are those that cover large expanses of water, typically oceans (hence, oceanic!). Oceanic FSS
do not have radar, so the controllers rely on a technique known as
'procedural control'. These positions are adressed as 'Radio' and are scattrered across the world.
Some common positions you may see online include:
Shanwick and Gander Radio, covering the North Atlantic Ocean.
Brisbane, Auckland and Nadi Radio, covering the Tasman and Pacific Oceans.
San Francisco Radio, covering from the U.S West Coast to Guam.
Santa Maria Radio, covering airspace around the Azores.
An important thing to remember, if you do see a Flight Service Station Controller online, they will not cover for any aircraft on the ground, not will they cover any offline Centre controller.
When under control of an Oceanic Flight Service Station, remember that they don't know your exact location on radar, and rely on the accuracy of you position reports and estimates.
