As a Ground controllers you are responsible for safe and efficient aircraft operations on taxiways and aprons including pushback and startup.
Ground positions are found at the following aerodromes:
Before connecting as GND, you need knowledge of at least the following:
Note - If Delivery is not online or not available on the airport, Ground is responsible for their duties.
Pilot will contact GND when ready for pushback (and startup). You need to check if the area behind the aircraft is clear. If so, you can issue a clearance. Always with startup / pushback + startup clearance you need to add current QNH. Additionally you can state the facing direction of the pushback (North / South / East or West).
Pilot: Kraków Ground LOT345 stand 2 request pushback and startup.
ATC: LOT345 Kraków Ground pushback and startup approved QNH1011, facing East.
Notice that word approved not cleared is used in this case.
There are stands with taxiways on both sides. These are called remote stands and pilots don't need pushback from them because they can taxi out on both sides. In such case only startup clearance is given.
When aircraft has pushed back and is ready to taxi he will call you. Now you need to give him taxi instructions to the active runway by the shortest route available considering all the possible aspects.
Pilot: LOT345 request / ready to taxi.
ATC: LOT345 Taxi via Zulu Alpha to holding point runway 25.
Pilot: Taxi via Zulu Alpha to holding point runway 25 LOT345.
Yet again, you need to listen carefully and catch any possible pilot's readback mistakes.
When aircraft has vacated the runway he will switch to your frequency and wait for taxi clearance to the stand.
Pilot: Kraków Ground LOT345 vacated runway 25.
ATC: LOT345 Kraków Ground, Taxi via Uniform Bravo Golf Zulu, stand 1.
Pilot: Taxi via Uniform Bravo Golf Zulu, stand 1 LOT345.
When the aircraft is about to reach the holding point of the Runway you will hand him off to Tower Controller for line-up and take off clearance.
ATC: LOT345 Contact Kraków Tower 123.255.
Pilot: Contact Tower 123.255 LOT345.
When you have more than one airplane you need to start to think ahead and outside of the box in order to safely and smoothly separate the aircrafts. How will you separate them and which aircraft will go into which taxiway depends only on you.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Taxi via (...) Hold short of (...) | Taxi via assigned route and hold before specified TWY / RWY Intersection. |
| Are you able to depart from (...) Intersection? | Does your performance allow you to depart from shorter RWY (different holding point) or you need full length. |
| Taxi behind (...) | If there are more than 2 airplanes going in the same direction from same TWY intersection you can give the 2nd one taxi instruction behind the preceeding one. |
| Behind follow me taxi to stand / holding point (...) | In case of IVAO events follow me might be available. This phrase relieves ATC from giving taxi instructions on the frequency - those instructions shall be passed to the follow me officer by other means of communicaton. |
| Hold position (usually followed by the reason) | Stop now, or in case of pushack don't commence movement due to (...) |
Note - In case of follow me instructions you first need to make sure that pilot has the follow me car in sight
These are basic guidelines. For more information refer to IVAO Documentation and local procedures.
Should you have any questions, IVAO Training Department is always happy to assist you.