ATC Responsibilities and Duties 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which FAA order is the primary reference document governing ATC procedures in the United States?
- Order 7110.65 (Correct answer)
- Order 7340.2
- Order 8260.3
- Order 7400.9
Correct answer: Order 7110.65
FAA Order 7110.65, Air Traffic Control, is the primary directive governing ATC separation and procedural standards.
Question 2: When a pilot declares an emergency, what is the controller's first priority?
- Notify the supervisor immediately
- Provide maximum assistance to the aircraft in distress (Correct answer)
- Clear all other traffic from the sector
- Contact the nearest airport rescue team
Correct answer: Provide maximum assistance to the aircraft in distress
Providing maximum assistance to the distressed aircraft is always the controller's first priority during an emergency.
Question 3: What does the term 'control jurisdiction' mean for an air traffic controller?
- The geographic airspace a facility is legally responsible for (Correct answer)
- The altitude block assigned to a specific sector
- The number of aircraft a controller may work simultaneously
- The legal authority to issue violations to pilots
Correct answer: The geographic airspace a facility is legally responsible for
Control jurisdiction refers to the defined airspace within which a facility or sector has authority to provide ATC service.
Question 4: A TRACON controller's primary responsibility differs from an en route center controller in that TRACON primarily handles:
- Oceanic traffic beyond radar coverage
- Arrivals and departures within approximately 40-50 miles of an airport (Correct answer)
- Aircraft operating above FL 600
- Military airspace coordination only
Correct answer: Arrivals and departures within approximately 40-50 miles of an airport
TRACON facilities manage terminal airspace, typically handling arrivals and departures within roughly 40–50 nautical miles of the served airport.
Question 5: Which responsibility belongs exclusively to the radar controller and NOT the data controller during a team operation?
- Issuing clearances to aircraft on frequency (Correct answer)
- Coordinating with adjacent sectors
- Updating flight progress strips
- Monitoring ATIS broadcasts
Correct answer: Issuing clearances to aircraft on frequency
The radar controller (R-side) is responsible for communications and issuing clearances directly to aircraft on frequency.
Question 6: What action must a controller take when transferring radar identification to an adjacent sector?
- Issue a new squawk code to the aircraft
- Ensure the receiving controller acknowledges the handoff before the aircraft enters their airspace (Correct answer)
- Terminate radio contact before the boundary
- Obtain pilot concurrence before transfer
Correct answer: Ensure the receiving controller acknowledges the handoff before the aircraft enters their airspace
The transferring controller must receive acknowledgment from the receiving controller to ensure continuous radar identification and separation.
Question 7: Under what condition is a controller authorized to deviate from ATC procedures?
- Whenever workload becomes excessive
- When an emergency requires immediate action to ensure safety (Correct answer)
- When a pilot requests a non-standard clearance
- Only with supervisor approval obtained in advance
Correct answer: When an emergency requires immediate action to ensure safety
FAA Order 7110.65 authorizes deviations from prescribed procedures only when an emergency requires immediate action to ensure safety of flight.
