Area Control Service, (both Procedural and Radar Control) is provided from the Area Control Centre (ACC), located just off the Caroni North Bank Road, Piarco.  New facilities are now being constructed to accommodate the administrative offices, air traffic control centre and tower. (See Photo on the left)
	Aerodrome Control Service - Aerodrome Control is responsible for directing aircraft on the ground and those flying with visual reference to terrain, in the immediate vicinity of the airport, a status of flight known as VFR, Visual Flight Rules.

Aerodrome Control is often complex. Aircraft carrying out repetitive training flights must be integrated with all normal arrivals and departures. High-speed aircraft must be mixed with light and smaller aircraft during take- offs and landings. During these operations standard (international) separation must be maintained at all times between these aircraft. A very high quality of expertise is necessary to carry out this function.

Approach Control Service - (Back to  Services)

Approach Control is responsible for the separation of all aircraft arriving and departing at Piarco and Crown Point, including training aircraft and helicopter operations. It is the service that is provided for all aircraft flying within the Piarco Control Zone (i.e. within a 30 mile radius of Piarco) with reference to their electronic instruments, as opposed to those flying by visual reference to terrain. (i.e.VFR)
 Aircraft flying on instruments are referred to as flying IFR (Instrument Flight Rules).

The Piarco Approach Control Zone encompasses the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, and extends from the surface up to 8,500 feet. The airspace above and beyond this area falls under the jurisdiction of the Area Control Centre.

When an inbound aircraft is approximately 30 miles from the airport, the Controller at the Piarco Area Control Centre communicates with the Approach Controller to give details of the aircraft's height and estimated time of arrival and other pertinent details, and then transfers this aircraft to the Approach controller at the appropriate time. The Aerodrome/Approach Controller (who is usually executing these two functions, )establishes the correct landing interval between the aircraft and ensures that all aircraft under his/her control are correctly separated before and during landing.

At Piarco, as at many other international airports, Aerodrome and Approach Control services are integrated and therefore provided by the same controller. In the facility now under construction at Piarco, these two services will be separated from the year 2010.

Area Control-
(Functions and General Overview)

At the Area Control Centre (ACC) on the Caroni North Bank Road, basic control of aircraft is conducted within an area of 750,000 square miles (2 million square kilometers) known as the Piarco Flight Information Region (FIR). [Plan View shown on Left. Click to Enlarge] The eastern extremities of the airspace reach as far as 37 degrees West. The vertical extent of the airspace lies from 6000 feet in most areas to unlimited, except for the local airspaces (called Terminal Control Areas) delegated by international agreement to each of the Eastern Caribbean states. Throughout all airspaces, general flight information is provided to all known aircraft. Such information may consist of other aircraft in the vicinity, weather phenomena and anything known which can affect the safety of the flight.

Most of this of this FIR  is  now positively controlled through the provision of instructions to aircraft.  [Profile View shown on Left] In other areas, primarily in airspace below 6000 feet, the Piarco controllers' input is officially limited to the provision of flight information only. Area Control (Radar) (Back to  Services) A portion of the Piarco FIR, from Saint Lucia in the North, to Barbados to the East, Margarita (in Venezuelan airspace) to the West and the South American mainland (in Venezuelan and Guyana airspace) to the South, will soon be covered by new radar equipment for this Area Control. From  Morne St. Catherine,  this new radar will beam the information received  to the Piarco ACC to be used for the control of air traffic. Radar-trained air traffic controllers can manage control and expedite air traffic more effectively by the use of Radar

Area Control (Procedural) (Back to  Services) The remainder of the airspace is controlled by making use of other internationally standardised procedures, where controllers, depending on their own time computations and pilot reports, determine and maintain the required spacing or separation between aircraft under their control. (Click here for a layman's explanation of How Aircraft are Separated from each other in flight)

TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS. (Back to  Services)

COMMUNICATIONS

Communication with aircraft in controlled airspace is effected via a series of Very High Frequency (VHF) relay stations so regionally located, as to completely cover the airspace within which positive air traffic control is provided. The remainder of the wider eastern airspace previously mentioned is covered by High Frequency Single Side Band (SSB) (HF) radio. 

The installation and maintenance of modern air navigation equipment is an essential feature in the safe and efficient operation of Air Traffic Services.

The Telecommunications unit is located in the terminal building at Piarco. 

The Electronics Engineer  in charge works with a number of electronics technicians. The section is responsible for the planning, directing, and implementation of programmes for the installation, repair and maintenance of the telecommunications and electronics equipment owned or operated by the CAA. The unit also makes recommendations to the Director  General for the modernisation of existing equipment, the purchasing of equipment spares, and ensures that the specifications of the air navigation aids for which the CAA is responsible, are in compliance with the relevant national and international technical standards.

AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES (AIS) (Back to  Services)

Exchange of Information

AIS is the major service responsible for the dissemination of Aeronautical Information of concern to pilots, aircraft operators and other Air Traffic control authorities on an international basis.  The Aeronautical Information Services Unit is located on the third floor of the south terminal building at the Piarco International Airport.

 Prior to an aircraft taking off on a flight from Piarco or Crown Point airports, the flight crew must provide Air Traffic Services with basic information on the flight so that Air Traffic Control can keep aircraft safely separated and have information on the flight in case there is a need for alerting or search and rescue services. Such procedures exist at all international airports. This information, called a Flight Plan, consists of aircraft radio callsign, speed of aircraft, height and route to be flown, number of persons on board and destination. The information is provided in the format specified by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

Flight Plans are collected by the Aeronautical Information Services Unit, and checked for accuracy by Aeronautical Information Services Officers before they are transmitted to all the concerned air traffic services units. This is accomplished via a communication network known as the Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunication Network (AFTN). The function of this network is to pass messages containing not just Flight Plan information, but meteorological and all other messages related to flight safety

The AIS also provides airline operators and pilots with information on airport facilities, services, air navigation facilities and related procedures. This is published in a document called the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) which contains information of a permanent nature for Eastern Caribbean states and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) with the exception of Barbados and the French Antilles.. Temporary changes to this information is usually distributed via the AFTN by means of a message called a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen). The information in the AIP document is amended at regular intervals by various means, as safety, efficiency and cost effectiveness of air operations depend on all flight safety information being current and easily available to the airline operators and pilots in a timely manner.

Starting July 2008, this publication has been available on compact disc and is at present the only form in which it is available.
The International NOTAM Office (NOF) for Eastern Caribbean States and the BVI operates out of the Piarco AIS Unit. This office is responsible for the issue and dissemination of International NOTAM for these states.
The Eastern Caribbean Region has one main aeronautical message switching centre, which is located at Piarco. It is referred to as the Port of Spain Automatic Message Switching Centre. This Switching Centre is fully automated and is connected to similar switching centres in Caracas, Venezuela and Atlanta, USA, all of which form part of the Global Aviation Communication System.
In addition, an Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) is provided by the AIS Unit for aircraft arriving and departing Piarco Airport. It is an hourly voice broadcast containing information on weather, surface conditions and any other relevant information that may affect aircraft.
The AIS unit operates on a 24-hour basis providing, AIS services and supervision of the Port of Spain Automatic Message Switch (POS AMS), as well as ATIS broadcasts. The AIS Unit also provides selected information via the Trinidad and Tobago Civil Aviation Authority’s official website: www.caa.gov.tt

Read more on The Evolution of the AIS in Trinidad and Tobago

Flight Information Service- (Back to Services)

Flight Information Service (FIS) is a service which may be separate, but is usually  incorporated within other Control services, the purpose of which is to provide  advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights.

Such information may consist of present or forecast weather, collision hazards to aircraft legally operating without the benefit of positive instructions or control.

Alerting Service-(Back to Services)

At Piarco, Alerting service is a sub-function of all the services provided. Generally this is a service provided to notify appropriate organizations regarding aircraft in need of search and rescue aid and to assist such organizations as required. The Piarco controller alerts the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard Stations which initiate the Search and Rescue if necessary. The  Coast Guard co-ordinates with other regional Search and Rescue authorities.

FLIGHT SAFETY SERVICES  (Back to  Services)

The Regulatory Section of the Civil Aviation Division

The Flight Safety Centre is located opposite to the terminal building at Piarco. The Assistant Director of Civil Aviation, Flight Safety and Licensing is in charge of this section.

Before a local airline or private flying company can be registered in Trinidad and Tobago, it must apply for and receive approval from the Civil Aviation Authority.

The company must prove that it has the managerial, financial and other resources to ensure that all air operations of the company can be conducted legally and in accordance with the required safety practices. This is particularly applicable if the company is being established as a public transport company, to fly either domestically or to overseas destinations.

Air Operators

The CAA therefore inspects the operations of all local airlines, and small operators to ensure compliance with CAA requirements. These inspections usually culminate in the issuing of Air Operators Certificates and Certificates of Airworthiness. The latts a certificate issued to a company with respect to a particular aircraft, stating that this aircraft has met the required standards and is airworthy or fit, and is authorised to fly.

As a result of the many regulatory requirements, the CAA maintains very close liaison with all airlines and flying companies registered in Trinidad and Tobago in order to ensure that an acceptable standard of safety is maintained with respect to their air operations. Such liaison also seeks to ensure that pilots have the flying skills and have met the stringent medical requirements; and that log books and operations manuals of these aircraft operators meet the legal requirements.

Airport Authorities

The CAA also ensures via its regulatory authority, that airports' characteristics, runway markings, and fire and rescue services at Trinidad and Tobago's international airports meet the CAA/ICAO standards as laid down by the ICAO convention.

THE AIR TRANSPORT LICENSING AUTHORITY  (Back to  Services)

The Air Transport Licensing Authority (ATLA) is a ministerially appointed Committee whose Terms of Reference include the following:-

• The granting and issuing of operating licences to scheduled airlines, giving due consideration to the details of negotiated bi-lateral air service agreements.

• The regulating of passenger fares and freight rates charged by airlines so as to prevent instability and unfair practices in the industry.

• Ensuring that both local and foreign registered aircraft engaged in scheduled air services are maintained to the required standards, and are operated with the expected degree of regularity and efficiency.

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION.

The Headquarters building of the CAA accommodates the offices of the Director General, Flight Safety Centre and other Corporate personnel and is  located on the Golden Grove Road in the vicinity of the old airport compound.

(Please be advised that this is not the official website of the Civil Aviation Authority, but this one is)

"You may Email me your comments or if you wish to draw my attention to

anything that appears not to be quite right"

G.Livingstone
 

Disclaimer

(Back to  Services)