Tracks

Aircraft Tracks and Labels.

Overview

A track is a graphical representation of an aircraft position, provides essential information about the aircraft and facilitates recording of new information via mouse interaction.

Tracks may consist of a combination of the following features:

  • track symbol
  • leader line
  • track label
  • short route probe
  • velocity vector
  • history trails

Track States

Tracks can be presented in a number of states. Current state affects the type of track and label shown, and it’s colour. Strips are also coloured based on the associated track state.

Track state is decided based on combination of flight plan state and the flights relevance to your selected Sectors.

State Meaning Track Colour
(Default Profile)
Jurisdiction Controlled by you
Announced Soon to affect your sectors
(FDR not departed yet or inbound from adjacent airspace)
Handover In Handoff proposed to you
(flashing)
Handover Out Handoff proposed by you
Post Jurisdiction Handover Out accepted
(flashing)
Preactive FDR has not been activated (strip state only)
Ghost Jurisdiction Controlled by another controller that is also one of your selected sectors
(Shadow Mode)
Non Jurisdiction All other tracks

When the invididual quick-look (IQL) tool is used on a track, the colour of the track changes:

State Eurocat Australia Colour
(Default Profile)
Jurisdiction
Others

IQL disables filters for an individual track.

The brightness of the track colours can be adjusted in the Display Settings window.

Track Symbols

The track symbol indicates the position of the aircraft and the source of that information.

The track symbol position is based on the best source of information available to vatSys. The order of precedence is as follows:

  • radar (SSR)
  • ADS-B
  • flight plan predicted position

The shape of the track symbol indicates the source of position information and special SSR codes.

Tracks Symbols (Default Profile)
Primary Radar Secondary Radar
Radar extrapolated position (coast) SSR code 0001
SSR code 0100 SSR code 1200
SSR code 2000 ADS-B
ADS-B extrapolated position (coast) Cancelled
Flight plan

Where a primary return is detected with a secondary return, a combined track is presented.

When an aircraft activates the IDENT feature of the transponder, the track symbol flashes cyan.

The “radar track cancelled” symbol is displayed when a track is no longer detected by radar. The history trails are removed one-by-one on each screen update and the cancelled symbol is removed after the history trails.

Labels

Track labels are displayed for all tracks, except filtered tracks and primary tracks. Track labels are connected to their respective track symbols by a leader line.

The position of track labels relative to their track symbols can be adjusted by RIGHT CLICK on the track symbol or level field in the track label. The draw order of track labels track labels must be manually adjusted so that they do not overlap and become obscured.

The type of label presented is determined by the available information for the track, and individual and global track display settings.

Note: All tables and diagrams below refer only to the default profile, Eurocat Australia, though label items may be used in other profiles.

Label Type Tracks Items (Default Profile)
Limited Uncoupled Radar or ADS-B tracks
EMG WARN
CALLSIGN
LVL
Quick-Tag Uncoupled Radar or ADS-B tracks with quick tag
C EMG WARN
CALLSIGN
LVL > CFL GS
OPDATA
Normal Coupled or Flight Plan tracks
CPDLCMSG
C RWY EMG WARN
CALLSIGN + W *
LVL > CFL F GS b
WXL CLL WXR
OPDATA
Extended Coupled or Flight Plan tracks with Extended labels toggled
CPDLCMSG
C RWY EMG WARN
CALLSIGN + W *
LVL > CFL F GS b
WXL CLL WXR
ADES ATYPE N
OPDATA
Extended - Shared Coupled or Flight Plan tracks with Extended and Shared labels toggled
CPDLCMSG
C RWY EMG WARN
CALLSIGN + W *
LVL > CFL F GS b
WXL CLL WXR
NEXT NEXT+1
OPDATA
Label Fields Content Action
CPDLCMSG Current unacknowledged CPDLC message LEFT CLICK to open CPDLC Menu. MIDDLE CLICK to toggle display. RIGHT CLICK to open CPDLC Editor Window.
C Togglable Coordination Prompt MIDDLE CLICK to toggle display of C prompt.
RWY Arrival or Departure Runway LEFT CLICK to open Runway Menu
EMG EMG (code 7700) or RAD (code 7600) MIDDLE CLICK to acknowledge.
WARN Highest priority current alert abbreviation
See alerts
MIDDLE CLICK to acknowledge.
CALLSIGN Callsign or SSR code LEFT CLICK to open Callsign menu. MIDDLE CLICK to toggle extended label display. RIGHT CLICK to open SAR Window.
+ CPDLC status indicator
(+, - or blank)
LEFT CLICK to open CPDLC Editor Window. MIDDLE CLICK to toggle CPDLCMSG display.
W Wake turbulance category
* Important information (STS/) contained in FDR LEFT CLICK to open Flight Plan Window.
LVL Mode C level or Pilot Reported LEVEL LEFT CLICK to enter Pilot Reported Level (FP tracks only). RIGHT CLICK to position label.
> Vertical direction indicator
(positive ^, negative v, cruise >)
CFL Cleared flight level, colour toggleable LEFT CLICK to open CFL Window. MIDDLE CLICK to toggle CFL colour.
F Flight rule abbreviation
GS 2 digit rounded Groundspeed
b ADS-B not flight planned indicator
WXL/WXR Weather deviation clearance (local only) LEFT CLICK to open Weather Diversion Menu.
CLL Lower bound of a block Cleared Flight Level LEFT CLICK to open CFL Window. MIDDLE CLICK to toggle CFL colour.
ADES Destination
ATYPE Aircraft Type
N Performance Based Navigation capability
(A RNP2 and RNP10/4, 2 RNP2, 4 RNP4, 5 RNAV5, T RNP10, Z none)
NEXT Next route waypoint
NEXT+1 Next route waypoint + 1
OPDATA Label Operational Data (scratchpad) LEFT CLICK to edit Label Op Data. RIGHT CLICK to toggle display of WX/BLOCK label line.

Alerts

Alerts trigger an audible and visual warning on a track label. High priority alerts are shown with a solid red background in addition to yellow text.

Alert Label Abbreviation Priority Default Criteria
Cleared Level Adherence Monitoring CLAM 3 CFL is not None, VSA or 000 and;
Maintaining:
  • Mode C greater than 200FT from CFL

Change of Level:
  • not commenced within 15 minutes, or
  • Vertical speed in the opposite direction to CFL
Danger Area Infringement Warning DAIW 1 Radar trajectory will enter dangerous volume in 60 seconds
Estimated Time Over ETO 4 (Not yet implemented) Pilot estimated time over waypoint disagrees with system calculated time by more than 180 seconds
Missed Position Report MPR 4 180 seconds after waypoint ETO when MPR is armed
Minimum Safe Altitude Warning MSAW 1 CFL is not None, VSA or 000 and radar trajectory will be within 600FT of projected obstacle height in 60 seconds
Medium Term Conflict Alert MTCA 3 (Not yet implemented)
Route Adherence Monitoring RAM 3 Radar track is outside of:
  • 20NM from departure and destination aerodrome, and
  • 7NM either side of route, and
  • 14NM radius of route waypoints
Search and Rescue SAR 3 SAR Timer has expired. SAR Timer is automatically set to ETA+10 minutes when no arrival runway is selected
Short Term Conflict Alert STCA 1 Radar trajectories of two or more radar tracks will be less than:
Level (bound by CFL)
  • 600FT, or
  • 1600FT when non-RVSM applies

Distance
  • 2.1NM for TMA volumes, or
  • 4.8NM for Enroute volumes

In the next 60 seconds for TMA volumes and 90 seconds for Enroute volumes, and the trajectory is not within defined airport STCA inhibition areas.