Controller / Pilot Handshake Program

1. Controller / Pilot Handshake Program Walid NAJA Beirut, Lebanon November 2011

2. The “Controller / Pilot Handshake Program” tends to enhance the partnership between Air Traffic Controllers and Pilots, and reinforce their collaboration with each other across the radio frequency. It is about cooperative understanding / appreciation of workload / knowledge of environment / awareness of safety drivers / etc… What is it?

3. A priority for a pilot could be a challenge for a controller. • A priority for a controller could be a challenge for a pilot. • But when each one is aware of the other’s priorities and challenges, this will result in a better collaboration and a less stressful work environment for both. Priorities & Challenges

4. Incorporate familiarization sessions in their recurrent training: • Pilots regularly visit ATC centers as observers in real or simulated operations. • Controllers regularly join flight crews in real or simulated flights. Increasing Awareness

5. to measure the impact of regularly bringing controllers and pilots “physically” closer to each other, and familiarizing them with their respective duties and challenges on achieving enhanced and fruitful levels of collaboration and cooperation. The Survey - Purpose

6. Controller’s Survey • Country where you perform your duties.  • Duty Station (Ground / Tower / Arrival / En-Route), and years of service. • Does your recurrent ATC training include familiarization with Pilot’s duties? • Does your recurrent ATC training include joining a flight crew as an observer? • Optional Questions: Name / Age / Email / Control Center • Free Space for Comments + 3 common questions The Survey – Contents - 1

7. Pilot’s Survey • Country of duty station.  • Flight Function (Std / Prvt / Cmrcl / Arln / Inst / Mil), and flight hours. • Does your recurrent flight training include familiarization with the ATCO’s duties? • Does your recurrent flight training include joining ATCO’s as an observer? • Optional Questions: Name / Age / Email / Airline • Free Space for Comments + 3 common questions The Survey – Contents - 2

8. The 3 common questions • Do you think a controller should join a flight crew as an observer during a real or simulated flight to have a better perception of the pilot’s workload and challenges? Never / twice per year / Once per year / Every 2 years / Every 4 years • Do you think a pilot should join air traffic controllers as an observer in real-time or in simulated ATC activity to have a better perception of the controllers’ workload and challenges? Never / twice per year / Once per year / Every 2 years / Every 4 years • If controllers and pilots become more familiar with each other’s workload and challenges, the outcome will be a better cooperation and a less stressful work environment for both of them. Totally Disagree / Disagree / Neutral / Agree / Totally Agree The Survey – Contents - 3

9. Period : July, August, and September 2011 Participants: 132 Controllers | 210 Pilots Controllers - 132 • Bahrain - 3 • Egypt - 1 • Jordan - 15 • Kuwait - 1 • Lebanon - 1 • Qatar - 7 • Saudi Arabia - 64 • United Arab Emirates - 30 • Other - 10 Pilots - 212 • Royal Jordanian - 5 • Qatar Airways - 179 • Saudi Airlines - 6 • Etihad Airways - 22 The Survey – Participation

10. Controllers Feedback The Survey – Major Results

11. Controllers Feedback Does your recurrent ATC training include familiarization with the Pilot’s duties? The Survey – Major Results

12. Pilots Feedback The Survey – Major Results

13. Pilots Feedback Does your recurrent flight training include familiarization with the ATCO’s duties? The Survey – Major Results

14. Do you think a controller should join a flight crew as an observer during a real or simulated flight? The Survey – Major Results

15. Do you think a pilot should join air traffic controllers as an observer in real or in simulated ATC activities? The Survey – Major Results

16. If controllers and pilots become more familiar with each other’s workload and challenges, the outcome will be a better cooperation and a less stressful work environment for both of them. The Survey – Major Results

17. ATC/Pilot interaction will have ONLY positive effects for modern Air Transport Safety generally. • Excellent survey, and great news that someone is finally taking a proactive approach to making the skies safer and more efficient!! Thank you! • I applaud this first step in a program that allows pilots and controllers to better understand each other's roles in an airspace that is rapidly reaching saturation and faced with unique operational issues. I hope this leads to a recognized program where pilots/controllers can regularly observe and understand the challenges posed in their relative workplaces. The Survey – Participants Comments

18. Survey II - Only one question In your opinion, what subjects should be discussed between controllers and pilots during a visit to the cockpit or to the ATCC? What are the gray areas, and how can we improve the cooperation between pilots and controllers over the radio frequency? • Sent to 200 Participants • Received only 21 replies Phase II – Oct 2011

19. Replies can be grouped under 3 categories • Radio Telephony and Controller Pilot Communication • Operation • General Concerns Survey II – Results

20. Radio Telephony and Controller Pilot Communication • English language proficiency and standardization. Pronunciation of English as native language vs. foreign language. • Quality of transmission. The use of non-standard terminology and Various accents. Talking speed. All pilots should adopt correct terminology, as in the UK CAP 413 being an excellent example. • The importance of clearance read-back. When there is a need to acknowledge ATC transmission, and when not. • Which transmitted information can be omitted, and which shouldn’t be omitted. • The maximum number of instructions in any one broadcast. (max. 2) • During emergency, when information should be transmitted and when radio silence is required. • Dividing Airspace in more sectors to avoid crowded RT. • Create more CPDLC stations and maximum utilization of Data Link Communication. Survey II – Concerns

21. Operation • Identifying workload in different phases and scenarios, specially emergency and critical situation scenarios. • Identifying priorities and the different ways of planning (a descent for example). • Agree on Maximum speed for final approach. • Every pilot requests his/her non-standard ARR / DEP instead of using SID / STAR, so controller is overloaded doing radar vectoring, and RT frequency is also overloaded. • Separation sequencing and speed control when arriving at TMA’s. • More direct routings to save both fuel and time. • Arrival routing and holding causing delays and extra fuel burn. • Early information on expected delays for better Situational Awareness and better fuel management. Survey II – Concerns

22. General • Know more about the cockpit instruments, mainly those relevant to their jobs. (FMC, TCAS, ILS,…). • Discuss operation under Emergency, and Pilots’ expectations from ATCO during that time. • Maintain ICAO Standards (in RT for example). • Pilots having more confidence in ATCO’s. • How to guarantee mutual respect between Pilot and ATCO. Survey II – Concerns

23. Pilots and Controllers should be asking themselves: “What can I do to make your work easier and better?” • The cockpit familiarization must be a same day return flight to and from their home city. (To avoid program abuse) • When Pilots have a better understanding of ATCO’s instructions regarding speed and level, they can manage fuel more efficiently • How much does it cost an Airline when some of the inefficiencies mentioned happen and how often do they occur and where? • One Pilot said: We need controllers to find ways of being more clear. • One Controller said: We need pilots to explain better their requirements. Comments

24. For ATCO’s For Pilots Increased Efficiency Increased Sit. Aw. / Safety Fuel Burn Efficiency Benefits of the Handshake Program

25. Nominate a Committee or a Work-Group that includes delegates from: CANSO / IATA / ICAO In addition to delegates from regional aviation stakeholders, like airlines and ATCC Recommendation

26. The Committee / Work-Group will develop an action plan which defines the following: • Legal Framework: Identify and standardize the adequatesecurity level and necessary documentations for granting pilots and controllers access to restricted areas. Etc… • Technical Framework: Adequate frequency of visits per year. On-duty / Off-duty. Necessity of a visit preparation and a post-visit debrief. Forms. Etc… • Key Performance Indicators: What elements determine the success / failure of a visit? • Knowledge Base & Business Intelligence. Sharing experiences via a web portal / database. • Etc….. Action Plan

27. THANK YOU