The Traffic Information Broadcast by Aircraft (TIBA), named in IVAO as "self announcing procedure", is intended to permit reports and relevant supplementary information of an advisory nature to be transmitted by pilots on a designated VHF radiotelephone (RTF) frequency for the information of pilots of other aircraft in the vicinity.
These broadcast procedures should be applied in designated airspace where:
- there is a need to supplement traffic information outside controlled airspace
- there is a temporary disruption of normal air traffic services
Providing flight status information will help everyone in the vicinity to be aware of any other traffic around - be it on the ground or in the air.
The broadcasts should not be acknowledged unless a potential collision risk is perceived
This is part of what is called Situational Awareness: Be aware of where you are and what is around you.
It is a mandatory rule in IVAO to use UNICOM frequency (122.800) to transmit your information about your flight timely for the benefit of other users in your vicinity - therefore use it as such!
To help you understand and use this self-announcing procedure, there is the rule of the Five W's.
The Five W's are:
- What? Traffic advisory is a text message from a pilot to other pilots on what he plans to do.
- Who? All pilots flying or intend to fly when no ATC is available.
- Where? On the IVAO network when no ATC is available.
- When? Anytime your aircraft moves on the ground or in the air.
- Why? To avoid conflicts with other aircraft - this is an example of airmanship (being nice to others).
Ensure you observe and follow the points below first:
- Make sure no ATC is serving your area or airfield. Check this periodically. If no ATC is available, make sure you are on UNICOM or your active COM frequency is set to 122.800MHz
- Pilots are either on an assigned ATC frequency or on UNICOM 122.8
- Monitor UNICOM 122.800MHz. This means watch and read any text message that may affect your operation. Text messages can be read on the pilot client.
- Look outside before you move your aircraft. Weather permitting, if there is nice weather with good visibility (VFR conditions) -- then have a good look outside the cockpit to watch for other traffic.
- Make sure your transponder and TCAS are switched on. This is required to be seen on other pilot's TCAS when within range. If you do not switch your transponder to the Charlie/Sierra/TX/ON position, other TCAS will not spot you!
- Continue announcing traffic advisory in text on UNICOM periodically. Because you never know if another aircraft has just logged on at your airport or is close in your area.
- Know where you are at all times. Otherwise your traffic advisory may be incorrect and may cause a conflict.
- Know the current time - in UTC (universal coordinated time) or Zulu. Avoid saying or using "local time".
- Text traffic advisory messages should be standard in English anywhere on the IVAO network. Be familiar with the main Aviation English commands and also use the standard Abbreviations.
- Always keep your traffic advisory simple so that everyone will understand.
While announcing text traffic advisories, you do not need to repeat your call sign. All text messages using IVAO pilot software include your call sign automatically.
During the following phases where you are moving:
- push back
- taxi
- take-off
- climb
- cruise and level flight
- descend
- approach
- landing
- taxi
The broadcast should be made especially with some traffic around your position (presence of traffic < 20NM - check your TCAS):
- 10 minutes before entering a designated airspace or, for a pilot taking off from an aerodrome located within the lateral limits of the designated airspace, as soon as appropriate after take-off;
- 10 minutes prior to crossing a reporting point;
- 10 minutes prior to crossing or joining an ATS route;
- 2 to 5 minutes, where possible, before a change in flight level;
- at the time of a change in flight level;
- at any other time considered necessary by the pilot.
Note that these rules are simplified from the real operation of traffic information broadcast operating procedure.
To avoid large text-based communications, Consult the Phraseology text abbreviation documentation which gives you the abbreviations commonly used in text mode in English.
The broadcasts other than those indicating changes in flight level:
- ALL STATIONS (necessary to identify a traffic information broadcast) or "ICAO airfield code" Traffic,
- (call sign) [in IVAO TEXT the emission of call-sign is done automatically by the pilot client]
- FLIGHT LEVEL (number) or CLIMBING/DESCENDING TO FLIGHT LEVEL (number) or ALTITUDE (number)
- (direction)
- (ATS route) or DIRECT FROM (position) TO (position)
- POSITION (position) AT (time)
- ESTIMATING (next reporting point, or the point of crossing or joining a designated ATS route) AT (time)
- FLIGHT LEVEL (number)
- (direction)
Some of the items can be ignored if the pilot estimates that there is enough information given in the broadcast message.
Example:
- ✈️ All stations, FL180, Route UA949, Position RTE Vor at 1203UTC, Estimating KOLOX at 1255UTC, FL200
- ✈️ EBBR Traffic, Descending to FL190, North west, Direct From GOGLU to RONIX, Position GOGLU Now, Estimating ILS interception Runway 03 at 1445UTC, 3000 ft.
- ✈️ All stations, FL330, Route V54, Position VIFIC at 1403UTC, Estimating DFI NDB at 1442UTC
- 🛩️EBOS Traffic, 2000ft, Direct to SW VFR entry point, estimating over airfield in 3 minutes, 1500ft
Before a change in flight level, broadcast:
- ALL STATIONS
- (call sign) [in IVAO TEXT the emission of call-sign is done automatically by the pilot client]
- (direction)
- (ATS route) (or DIRECT FROM (position) TO (position))
- LEAVING FLIGHT LEVEL (number) FOR FLIGHT LEVEL (number) AT (position and time)
- LEAVING FLIGHT LEVEL (number) NOW FOR FLIGHT LEVEL (number)
Example:
- ✈️ All Stations, Direct TRO VOR, Leaving FL340 at 2203UTC for flight level 360
- ✈️ All Stations, Route UW76, Leaving FL340 now for flight level 360
After a change in flight level, broadcast:
- ALL STATIONS
- (call sign) [in IVAO TEXT the emission of call-sign is done automatically by the pilot client]
- MAINTAINING FLIGHT LEVEL (number)
Example
- ✈️ All Stations, Maintaining FL340
If, on receipt of a traffic information broadcast from another aircraft, a pilot decides that immediate action is necessary to avoid an imminent collision risk, and this cannot be achieved in accordance with the right-of-way described in the rules of the air documentation, the pilot should:
- unless an alternative manoeuvre appears more appropriate, immediately descend 500 ft (150m), or 1000 ft (300m) if above FL 290 in an area where a vertical separation minimum of 2000 ft (600m) is applied;
- display all available aircraft lighting which would improve the visual detection of the aircraft;
- as soon as possible, reply to the broadcast advising action being taken;
- notify the action taken on the appropriate frequency; and
- as soon as practicable, resume normal flight level, notifying the action on the appropriate frequency.
Normal position reporting procedures should be continued at all times, regardless of any action taken to initiate or acknowledge a traffic information broadcast.
See alsoReferenceAuthor
- ICAO Documentation Annex 11 - Air Traffic Services - 14th Edition - July 2016
- VID 150259 - Creation - Wiki integration
- VID 150259 - Update October 2019
- VID 496402 - Wiki.js Integration