MILPORT ATC 2

dry -> runway dry
damp -> change of colour
wet -> runway wet but no standing water 
water patches -> standing water
flooded -> standing water

"standing water" -> more than 25% of runway surface area covered by water more than 3 mm deep

- altitude of phenomena (up to 5'000 in feet, above in FL)
- location / geographical details
- type of acft involved
- time of observation in UTC

- embedded CB
- icing
- squall lines
- turbulence
- wind shears
- mountain waves
- strong inversions

in flight: cleared to land

on ground: cleared for take-off

in flight: give way to other aircraft and continue circling

on ground: stop

vehicle: stop

in flight: return for landing (clearance will be given in due course)

on ground: cleared to taxi

vehicles: permission to cross landing area or to move onto taxiway

in flight: aerodrome unsafe, do not land

on ground: taxi clear of landing area

vehicle: move off landing area or taxiway, watch out for aircraft

in flight: land at this aerodrome and proceed to the APRON

on ground: return to the starting point of the aerodrome

vehicles: vacate maneouvring area (in accordance with local instructions)

notwithstanding any previous instructions, do not land for the time being

vacate the runway and observe the TWR for light signals

in flight: refusal of permission to land

on ground: take-off not approved, taxi clear of landing area

in flight: land at this aerodrome and proceed to the apron

on ground: return to the starting point on the aerodrome

do not land and go around

steady green: cleared to land

steady red: runway unuseable, orbit airfield at 1'000 ft/AGL and wait for further signals

series of red flashes: proceed to diversion airfield which will have been alerted by ATC

day: rocking wing (except on base or final), movement of ailerons and/or rudder on ground

night: two flashes of landing lights, or switching on and off twice navigation lights

Visual Meteorological Conditions

Meteorological conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from cloud and ceiling, equal to or better than specified minima.

Visual Flight Rules

Set of regulations under which a pilot operates an aircraft in weather conditions generally clear enough to allow the pilot to see where the aircraft is going. Specifically the weather must be better than basic VFR weather minima i.e. in visual meteorological conditios (VMC).

The pilot must be able to operate the aircraft with visual reference to the ground, and by visually avoiding obstructions and other aircraft.

If the weather is below VMC, pilots are required to use instrument flight rules and operation of the aircraft will primarily be through referencing the instruments rather than visual reference. 

Instrument Meteorological Conditions

Meteorological conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from cloud and ceiling, less than the minima specified for visual meteorological conditions.

Instrument Flight Rules

Rules and regulations established by the FAA to govern flight under conditions in which flight by outside visual reference is not safe. IFR flight depends upon flying by reference to instruments in the flight deck, and navigation is accomplished by reference to electronic signals.

It is also a term used by pilots and controllers to indicate the type of flight plan an aircraft is flying, such as an IFR or VFR flight plan.

distance to cloud -> vertically = at least 1'000 ft / horizontally = at least 1'500 m

flight visibility -> at and above FL100 = 8 km / below FL 100 = 5 km

ground visibility: 5 km

ceiling: 1'500 ft above AAE

Jet -> flight vis = 5 km / dfC = clear of clouds and visual surface contact

Prop -> flight vis = 1.5 km or 30 sec equivalent flight distance WIH / clear of clouds and visual surface contact

Heli -> flight vis = 800 m (over known surface for short time less) / clear of clouds and visual surface contact

UAS -> flight vis = 1.5 km

minimum ceiling of 600 ft

flight vis = 4 km

distance from clouds = clear of clouds and visual surface contact

1.5 km / clear of clouds and visual surface contact

helicopter -> for SAR and mil helicopter operations, ATC may issue a SVFR clearance with a Ground Vis of less than 800 m

4 km

- during day time only
- ceiling shall not be less than 600 ft
- for helicopters, ground visibility shall not be less than 800 m

CFO

OM C

Puma / Cougar -> vis = 1.5 km / cloud base = 500 ft

Fixed wing acft -> vis = 3.7 km / cloud base = 1'000 ft

PC-7 team -> vis = 3.7 km / cloud base = 1'000 ft

Patrouille Suisse -> vis = 5 km / cloud base = 1'000 ft

for single pilot ops on single pilot acft -> 800 m for all approaches

(except when using a suitable autopilot coupled to an ILS in which the normal published CAT I minima apply)

OAT HEL may request a helicopter departure in fog (HDF) provided that: 

GND VIS is at least 100 m (day and night)

(then climb on top)

- pilot climbs to lowest safe level
- if possible, re-establish his position/heading
- request ATC clearance using the phrase "MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY" if already in IMC
- set transponder code 7700

if com with ATC impossible, leave controlled airspace and climb as feasible as possible

- set transponder code to 7700

- try to regain radio communication and listen to emergency frequencies

- maintain VMC as long as possible, if unable to comply with radar identification procedure to be applied when in situation of RCF

helicopter pilots: in VMC and in sight of ground are required to land at the next suitable landing site and apply the helicopter procedure