LFV Annual Report 2019 1
L F V 2019 DIRE C T OR S ’ REPOR T LFV IS WITH YO
U DURING THE TRIP LFV's flight controllers guide approximately 2,000 flights in Swedish airspace every day. Their task is to guide the pilots and to separate the planes vertically and horizontally. They also ensure that the flight is as efficient as possible by means of the planes flying the shortest possible route without having to wait in queue while in flight. LFV's work with a flight between Stockholm and Luleå. THE DAY BEFORE DEPARTURE THREE HOURS BEFORE DEPARTURE Flight Planning Center, FPC, receives the flight plan from the airline and sends it to the flow control at Eurocontrol. From there, it is sent to the relevant air control towers and control center LFV's control center is Stockholm ensures that the correct staff is on the work shift the following day and checks to see the potential influence of weather and technology can have on capacity. The flight plan arrives at the Flight Planning Center 20 hours before the calculated take-off. The Flight Planning Center checks to see if the airline has requested weather information. The flight plan (information about the type of plane, route and altitudes) arrives in the air traffic control system three hours before the flight. THE PLAN TAXIES OUT FROM THE GATE TO TAKE-OFF THE PLANE IS PARKED AT THE GATE The air traffic controller gives the pilot clearance to taxi towards the runway and assigns the plane a position in the queue. The control center sees that the flight is now in progress and starts planning for the plane to take off soon. The air traffic controller gives approval to take up a position on the runway in order. When adequate spacing is achieved, clearance for take-off is given. LFV gives clearance for take-off from the tower and the plant climbs to 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) on a predetermined route. The pilot reports that the flight is ready to begin. The air traffic controller confirms that they are within their time slot and gives approval to start up and back out of the gate. THE PLANE TAKES OFF The air traffic control monitors the take-off and receives and verifies the altitude of the flight. When a separation factor no longer has to be taken into account, the flight is transferred over to the control center air traffic controller. The flight appears on the radar screen in the control center and is granted permission to climb further towards its cruising speed. INBOUND FLIGHT When the flight has progressed as far as Skellefteå, the air traffic controllers in Stockholm pass control of the inbound flight control over to the air traffic controllers in Luleå, who follow the flight on their radar screens. The pilot is given approval to descend and information about current barometric pressure and what course the plane should maintain. The air traffic controllers ensure that all planes are adequately separated from each other. 8