3-1-9. USE OF TOWER RADAR DISPLAYS

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  • 3-1-9. USE OF TOWER RADAR DISPLAYS

    1. Uncertified tower display workstations must be used only as an aid to assist controllers in visually locating aircraft or in determining their spatial relationship to known geographical points. Radar services and traffic advisories are not to be provided using uncertified tower display workstations. General information may be given in an easy to understand manner, such as “to your right” or “ahead of you.”
      • EXAMPLE
      • “Follow the aircraft ahead of you passing the river at the stacks.”
      • “King Air passing left to right.”
      • REFERENCE
      • FAA Order JO 7210.3, Para 10-5-3, Functional Use of Certified Tower Radar Displays.
    2. Local controllers may use certified tower radar displays for the following purposes:
      1. To determine an aircraft's identification, exact location, or spatial relationship to other aircraft.

        NOTE: This authorization does not alter visual separation procedures. When employing visual separation, the provisions of para 7-2-1, Visual Separation, apply unless otherwise authorized by the Service Area Director of Air Traffic Operations.

      2. To provide aircraft with radar traffic advisories.
      3. To provide a direction or suggested headings to VFR aircraft as a method for radar identification or as an advisory aid to navigation.
        • PHRASEOLOGY
        • (Identification), PROCEED (direction)-BOUND, (other instructions or information as necessary),
        • or
        • (identification), SUGGESTED HEADING (degrees), (other instructions as necessary).

        NOTE: It is important that the pilot be aware of the fact that the directions or headings being provided are suggestions or are advisory in nature. This is to keep the pilot from being inadvertently misled into assuming that radar vectors (and other associated radar services) are being provided when, in fact, they are not.

      4. To provide information and instructions to aircraft operating within the surface area for which the tower has responsibility.
        • EXAMPLE
        • “TURN BASE LEG NOW.”

        NOTE: Unless otherwise authorized, tower radar displays are intended to be an aid to local controllers in meeting their responsibilities to the aircraft operating on the runways or within the surface area. They are not intended to provide radar benefits to pilots except for those accrued through a more efficient and effective local control position. In addition, local controllers at nonapproach control towers must devote the majority of their time to visually scanning the runways and local area; an assurance of continued positive radar identification could place distracting and operationally inefficient requirements upon the local controller. Therefore, since the requirements of para 5-3-1, Application, cannot be assured, the radar functions prescribed above are not considered to be radar services and pilots should not be advised of being in “radar contact.”

    3. Additional functions may be performed provided the procedures have been reviewed and authorized by appropriate management levels.
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