Africa FSS Coverage Proposal

[Tony Kovacs 958372]

I think that it would be a good idea of the 3 existing vACC's and 1 Division to each take up a FSS position to give full coverage to the entire African Continent. Here is what I propose:

 

Morroco/Algerie vACC - AFR_NW_FSS (Covering all of North West Africa)

Egypt vACC - AFR_NE_FSS (Covering all of North East Africa including Lybia, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia)

VATDRC - AFR_C_FSS (Covering all countries in Central Africa including Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya)

VATSAF - AFR_S_FSS (Covering all countries in Southern Africa including Botswana, Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia)

[Johnathon Neilsen 955672]

Not a bad Idea Tony, I think well have to see ehat the VATAME board says.

[Sönke Schweppe]

I think this idea is not the newest one, but it's a good one. I heard about some month ago.

 

Does anybody knows how it is in real world? We need SOP's for that, call signs and frequencies. Also the most of the VATSIM members use ServInfo. We also need an update for this program to show that _FSS is online, just like Eurocontrole south.

[Tony Kovacs 958372]

No there is no such thing in the real world, every vACC could decide what frequencey to use, the airspace must cover only FL235 and above, below that is optional, the system that should be used is position reporting (time/intersection ETA/FL).

 

First we need to determined who will do which FIR, once we know that we can make the submission to get this approved by VATAME and after that we can contact V-Route to tell them about the program. I think that idea of 4 controllers covering all of Africa is brutally efficient and practical, especially with the usual traffic load.

 

Right now the very first question would be if everyone would be in for this.

[Ahmed Hasan 958620]

I totally agree with the idea although it leaks realism but will help grab some more traffic over the area

also i think i have made contact lately with a couple of sudannese guys who want to start their sudanese VACC so let's help this will be better

 

Finally Thanks Tony For the Idea and inviting me for the topic

[Paul O'Donnell 969350]

I'm not involved in any ATC in Africa. I just want to recommend that you guys also run this past the BoG before implementing it. I know of a similar idea in Asia that wasn't approved by the BoG and the idea was never heard from again.

[Francisco Obregon 1004310]

True, but i already saw someone on it, a few days ago? AFRI_N_FSS or something like that , which i asked if they had decided on it yet, and he said yes?!

[Ahmed Hasan 958620]

True, but i already saw someone on it, a few days ago? AFRI_N_FSS or something like that , which i asked if they had decided on it yet, and he said yes?!

 

I don't think it is approved yet other wise we must have been informed

[Ilan Jonas 860311]

It Was, and you will

 

My modem was dead for a few days, so let me catch up and I'll give you all the details. Lee or Bernard may also drop a word about the new active FSS.

 

Cheers,

Ilan

[Ahmed Hasan 958620]

It Was, and you will

 

My modem was dead for a few days, so let me catch up and I'll give you all the details. Lee or Bernard may also drop a word about the new active FSS.

 

Cheers,

Ilan

 

 

WoooooooW

 

Then Congrats Guys

[Bernard Candela 842880]

It Was, and you will

 

Lee or Bernard may also drop a word about the new active FSS.

 

Cheers,

Ilan

 

Well, AFI_N_FSS is active althought it does not display yet in Servinfo and Vroute, but it's only a matter of time. The new FSS is controlling a big area including the following FIRs (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lybia, Egypt, Senegal, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Ethiopia). Its frequency is 135.15. It handles traffic above FL245 .

 

Some tricks : If you use VRC to control AFI_N_FSS, you'll have to define two center positions to cover the whole area. you can do it with the following commands:

.vis1 MOK

.vis2 OWT

 

Bernard

[Lee Harman 951361]

Hi Guy's,

 

I agree with Bernard we are happy to have this Position open and within a couple of months we will also have central and southern Africa with an _FSS division.

 

All involved keep up the good work and keep the Skies Safe.

 

Rgds

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

AFR_N_FSS is on the supervisors official list of FSS positions. Please could someone confirm the correct spoken call sign for AFR_N_FSS, as it's the only bit of information on the list that is missing.

[Bernard Candela 842880]

AFR_N_FSS is on the supervisors official list of FSS positions. Please could someone confirm the correct spoken call sign for AFR_N_FSS, as it's the only bit of information on the list that is missing.

 

The spoken callsign of AFR_N_FSS is "North Africa Control"

 

Bernard

[Ruth McTighe 824054]

Thanks Bernard. I'll update the list

 

Ruth

[Thomas Mathieu 998318]

Nice to see interest picking up in Africa. There are some challenging airspace and routes for pilots to venture in and ATC staffing is really picking up!

 

Tom Mathieu

VATDRC Center Controller

[Aggrey Ellis 964561]

AFR_N_FSS is on the supervisors official list of FSS positions. Please could someone confirm the correct spoken call sign for AFR_N_FSS, as it's the only bit of information on the list that is missing.

 

The spoken callsign of AFR_N_FSS is "North Africa Control"

 

Bernard

So does this provide HF coverage as well? IRL it for sure isnt all radar.

[Matthew Horan 901577]

So does this provide HF coverage as well? IRL it for sure isnt all radar.

 

IRL, HF refers to a form of radio communication.. not radar. Not sure what you think it means.

[Aggrey Ellis 964561]

So does this provide HF coverage as well? IRL it for sure isnt all radar.

 

IRL, HF refers to a form of radio communication.. not radar. Not sure what you think it means.

I know what HF is. I also know parts of North Africa have no radar and VHF or just HF radio. This requires position reports and SELCAL in the HF areas.

[Ahmed Hasan 958620]

So does this provide HF coverage as well? IRL it for sure isnt all radar.

 

IRL, HF refers to a form of radio communication.. not radar. Not sure what you think it means.

I know what HF is. I also know parts of North Africa have no radar and VHF or just HF radio. This requires position reports and SELCAL in the HF areas.

 

In Egypt here we have a sector (south west) works with non radar procedures and as the Sudanese airspace work with no radars all operations are based on non radar procedures so they get the ETA of the entrance point in something like a SMS from the controllers of HECC FIR

[Ali Abou-Zeid]

In Egypt here we have a sector (south west) works with non radar procedures and as the Sudanese airspace work with no radars all operations are based on non radar procedures so they get the ETA of the entrance point in something like a SMS from the controllers of HECC FIR

 

Ahmed, they really used something like SMS? What I know is that they use hotlines, just pick up the intercom and press the button it connects you there. That's what I saw when I went to the Area Control, but it was with Nicosia.

 

Anyway, I'd like to add, I've been in discussions about this station for some time now. Apologies, I got cut out, suddenly things took place and I wasn't touching the computer. The next thing, I'm suddenly in the Southern Most tip of Africa for almost a month and a half.

 

Glad it's on now.

[Ahmed Hasan 958620]

In Egypt here we have a sector (south west) works with non radar procedures and as the Sudanese airspace work with no radars all operations are based on non radar procedures so they get the ETA of the entrance point in something like a SMS from the controllers of HECC FIR

 

Ahmed, they really used something like SMS? What I know is that they use hotlines, just pick up the intercom and press the button it connects you there. That's what I saw when I went to the Area Control, but it was with Nicosia.

 

Yes they used something like a Text Message with the Sudan airspace controllers including in it a/c type,ETA To waypoint,FL,Mach and callsign not sure if there where other info

[Paul O'Donnell 969350]

something like a SMS from the controllers of HECC FIR

Would that be data link (CPDLC)?

[Daniel Doorgakant]

something like a SMS from the controllers of HECC FIR

Would that be data link (CPDLC)?

 

Nah, a text message sent from controller to controller

 

Or shall I say

 

txt msg sent 4rm CTR to CTR. ; )

[Paul O'Donnell 969350]

something like a SMS from the controllers of HECC FIR

Would that be data link (CPDLC)?

 

Nah, a text message sent from controller to controller

 

Or shall I say

 

txt msg sent 4rm CTR to CTR. ; )

Ah ha, I couldn't quite work out if it was pilot to controller or controller to controller. Being ill affects my reading skills