2. Definitions

For the purpose of this document, the definitions in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 ‘SERA’ (*) as well as in Article 2 of and Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 2017/373 ‘Common Requirements’ (**) apply. Particular consideration should be given to the following definitions:

(*) ‘aerodrome control service’ means air traffic control service for aerodrome traffic;

(**) ‘aerodrome flight information service (AFIS)’ means flight information service and alerting service for aerodrome traffic at an aerodrome;

(*) ‘aerodrome traffic’ means all traffic on the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome and all aircraft flying in the vicinity of an aerodrome. An aircraft operating in the vicinity of an aerodrome includes but is not limited to aircraft entering or leaving an aerodrome traffic circuit;

(*) ‘air traffic service (ATS)’ means a generic term meaning variously, flight information service, alerting service, air traffic advisory service, air traffic control service (area control service, approach control service or aerodrome control service).

Additionally, the following definitions also apply:

‘aerodrome ATS’ means air traffic service for aerodrome traffic, in the form of ‘aerodrome control service (ATC) or ‘aerodrome flight information service’ (AFIS);

‘conventional tower’ means a facility located at an aerodrome from which aerodrome ATS is provided principally through direct out-of-the-window observation of the aerodrome and its vicinity;

‘detect/detection’ means to visually be able to see that there is something;

‘identify/identification’ means the ability to correlate a detected or recognised object with a specific individual aircraft/vehicle;

‘multiple mode of operation’ means the provision of ATS from one remote tower/remote tower module to two or more aerodromes at the same time (i.e. simultaneously)[3] [4];

‘operational context’ means the operational characteristics — such as aerodrome size/layout, traffic volume/density and complexity, related airspace and flight procedures, number of simultaneously served aerodromes, etc. — that should be considered when remote aerodrome ATS is to be implemented;

‘out-of-the-window (OTW) view’ means a view of the area of responsibility of the aerodrome ATS unit from a conventional tower, obtained via direct visual observation;

‘recognise/recognition’ means to visually be able to determine the class/category/type of an object, e.g.:

— class/category/type of aircraft based on e.g. size/fuselage, engine configuration, wing/stabiliser configuration, painting/colour marking, etc.;

— class/category/type of personnel and obstructions, e.g. person/wildlife/foreign object debris (FOD);

— class/category/type of vehicle, e.g. ambulance/car/fuel truck/baggage trailer;

‘remote aerodrome ATS’ means (provision of) aerodrome ATS from a remote tower/remote tower module;

‘remote tower centre’ (RTC) means a facility housing one or more remote tower modules;

‘remote tower module’ (RTM) means a combination of systems and constituents from where remote aerodrome ATS can be provided, including one or more ATCO/AFISO workstation(s) and the visual presentation. (It can be compared with the tower cabin of an aerodrome conventional tower.);

‘remote tower’ means a geographically independent facility from which aerodrome ATS is provided principally through indirect observation of the aerodrome and its vicinity, by means of a visual surveillance system. (It is to be seen as a generic term, equivalent in level to a conventional tower);

NOTE: The actual distance to the serviced aerodrome may vary from hundreds of metres to many kilometres.

‘single mode of operation’ means the provision of ATS from one remote tower/remote tower module to one aerodrome at a time;

‘visual presentation’ means a view of the area(s) of responsibility and interest of the aerodrome ATS unit, provided by a visual display;

‘visual surveillance system’[5] means of a number of integrated elements, normally consisting of optical sensor(s), data transmission links, data processing systems and situation displays providing an electronic visual presentation of traffic and any other information necessary to maintain situational awareness at an aerodrome and its vicinity;