System Operation
The ATIS at an airport is usually given by an automated voice, this allows a busy air traffic controller to quickly type a new ATIS message instead of making a time-consuming voice recording. Most airports in a certain country will often have the same ATIS format or layout with the same automated voice. For example all ATIS information at major airports in the United Kingdom such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and even smaller ones such as East Midlands and Newcastle and many more have a similar format or layout and are all given by the same automated voice. Below shows the same ATIS information for two UK airports which have the same automated voice as nearly all other UK airports. Some airports will give information that others do not even within the same country.
Luton information oscar, time 1250. Runway in use 26. Expect an ILS approach. Surface wind 230 8 knots. Visibility 10 kilometers or more. Scattered 2,800 feet. Temperature +18. Dewpoint +10. QNH 1016. Threshold QFE 997 hectopascal. Departing aircraft should make initial contact with Luton ground on 121.750. Acknowledge receipt of information oscar and advise aircraft type on first contact.
Stansted information oscar, time 1250. Runway in use 22. Expect an ILS approach. Ground is open. Delivery is closed. Surface wind 230 8 knots. Visibility 10 kilometers or more. Scattered 2,800 feet. Temperature +18. Dewpoint +10. QNH 1016. Transition level flight level 60. Acknowledge receipt of information oscar and advise aircraft type on first contact.
As Heathrow and Manchester airports both have two runways and both airports use one for arrivals and the other for departures, they have two ATIS frequencies, one for arrivals and one for departures. Manchester only uses its second runway part-time however both ATIS frequencies still remain active when only one runway is active, both ATIS services will have a recorded message saying "single runway operations" after it gives the runway in use when this is the case.
Read more about this topic: Automatic Terminal Information Service
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