An Approach Control Surveillance (APS) rating entitles the holder to provide an air traffic control service to arriving, departing or transiting aircraft with the use of surveillance equipment. To be valid, the rating must include either a Radar (RAD), or Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) endorsement.

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An Approach Control Surveillance rating may be granted to a controller who is competent to provide an air traffic control service to arriving, departing or transiting aircraft with the use of surveillance equipment.

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ICAO Technical Guidelines: Course 054

Course Objective: To provide the trainee with a comprehensive introduction to radar in general and to develop specific theoretical and practical skills in radar procedures and techniques which will enable them, after a suitable period of on-job training, to reach the required level of expertise for successful completion of an Approach Control Radar Rating.

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The ICAO 054 course includes theoretical and practical instruction in the following:

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• Introduction to Radar Systems

• Theory of PSR and SSR Radar Operation

• Radar in the ATM Environment

• General Provisions

• Radar in the ATC Service

. Designation and Classification of Airspace

. Responsibility for Control of Flights by Surveillance ATC Units

. ATC Clearances, Phraseology and language proficiency

• Radar Simulation Equipment

• Familiarisation with Simulator

• Introduction to the Simulation Environment

• Radar Identification—Primary Radar

• Radar Coverage

• Co-ordination between Radar Controllers and Procedural Controllers.

• Basic Vectoring Techniques. (Navigational Guidance.)

• Tactical Vectoring Techniques versus PRNAV.

. Focus on establishing correct methods in handling departing, arriving and

overflying traffic in normal situations and for some special events.

Training is conducted as individual exercises in a modern radar simulator.

• Separation between Identified Aircraft—Primary Radar

• Vectoring and Separation—Primary Radar

• Avoiding Action

• Types of Radar and their Applications

• Interruption of Radar Control

• Technical Factors Affecting the Provision of Radar Control

• Wake Turbulence

• Radar in the Approach Control Service

• Basic Radar Circuit—Arrival Phase

• Basic Radar Circuit—Departure Phase

• Visual Approaches

• Surveillance/Precision Radar Approaches

• Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR)

• SSR Procedures—General

• SSR Code Allocation

• SSR Identification

• Display of SSR Information

• SSR Mode C

• SSR Miscellaneous Procedures

• Radar Data Processing and Display Systems.

. Handling military flights

. Handling VFR flights

. Change of runway

. Using only primary radar

. Handling of transponder failure, communication failure, ACAS, special

weather phenomena, LVP, etc

. Traffic with priority needs

. Speed control, altitude management, holding procedures and

delaying actions

. Virtual Flight Simulation

. Surveillance Emergency Handling

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Compliance with regulations

•The course is compliant with ICAO Guidelines Training Objectives for Air Traffic Controllers.