ATC Guide

The following information may be useful in planning your flights.

Company Frequency

Compass has been issued with a discreet company frequency for pilot to pilot communications by VATPAC.

Compass uses 130.25 and the voice room is at rw1.vatpac.org/compass_ops

The relevant conditions of use are as follows:
PILOT USE OF A COMPANY FREQUENCY
The following conditions apply to a VA pilot wishing to use a company frequency:

General:
The use of ONLY APPROVED company frequencies is permitted.
The aircraft is outside all CTAFs, MBZs, GAAPs and Victor broadcast zones where self coordination with other aircraft is required.
The pilot reverts to UNICOM 122.8 when not under ATC, and not engaged in company frequency activities.
Where no ATC are present and the aircraft is not under any ATC control, then a VA pilot on a company frequency must revert to ATC frequency:

• When approaching an area where ATC is present.
• When ATC becomes available within the area in which they are flying.
• When contacted by ATC and instructed to do so.
  

Where ATC is present and/or the aircraft is under ATC control then the use of a company frequency shall be restricted to situations where:

• It is emergency use only.
• Approval has been obtained from the relevant controller.
• Absence from ATC frequency is kept to an absolute minimum.
  

Aircraft Codes

Perplexed by all those aircraft codes that the cognoscenti seem to be able to rattle off at the drop of a hat?
They can be found on the AirServices Australia site, or by clicking here

The Compass types are as follows:

New Zealand Ops

New Zealand uses a different quadrantic system for domestic ops to suit NZ geogrpahy. Odd levels are planned for Northbound flights, and even levels for Southbound flights. Simply follow you NOSE! These levels continue up through the RVSM levels to FL410. Standard ICAO levels are used in New Zealand Oceanic airspace.

Pacific Ocean Ops

Oceanic operations in the Pacific use standard oceanic radio procedures.  In RL, long distance tracks (such as Sydney - LA, Auckland-LA) can plan via a flexi-track system, a computer generated track that gives the best possible speeds and economy based on winds etc.  These paths often diverge from the standard airways to take best advantage of high altitude winds and weather patterns.  If anyone knows of a site where we can obtain examples of these tracks, please let us know so they can be included in our flight planning resources.

Indian Ocean Ops

The Southern Indian Ocean below 20° S in Australian Airspace is deemed a random RNAV area.  Companies operating in this area are allowed to plan what ever route they wish between waypoints that act as "gates" on both sides of the area.  This affects flights between Australia and South Africa & Mauritius.  Flights must report as the cross each 5° of latitude. The most usual gate on the eastern side of this zone is STUGE, about 50 nm west of Perth.  These arrangements apply to Compass flights to South Africa and Mauritius. Flights to Male and the Seychelles are along airways to the north of the random RNAV area.

Atlantic Ocean Ops

Trans-North Atlantic airspace is by far the busiest oceanic airspace in the world.  There are no defined airways in this area and tracks are generated dynamically depending on weather and traffic patterns to allow the optimum use of airspace.  NATA, the North Atlantic Traffic Agency, handles the generation of these tracks.  They can be obtained in real time from a number of sources, NAVDATA is one of the best.  Compass operates a few flights in this airspace (mostly Dubai to North America) as well we may have the occasional charter or delivery flight that does so.