ATC Controllers assigned to night watch-keeping duties must possess comprehensive knowledge of airfield illumination, encompassing both permanent and portable lighting systems, with a specific emphasis on temporary obstruction lighting. Night watch-keeping controllers must report for duty well in advance to familiarize themselves with the lighting conditions and, if required, brief pilots engaged in night flying activities.

Airfield Layout Plan

Before the commencement of night flying operations, an airfield diagram must be meticulously prepared, delineating the following particulars:

• Configuration of the flare path, inclusive of emergency flare path arrangements.
• Locations of marshaling points.
• Taxiing routes to be adhered to.
• Identification and characteristics of airfield obstructions, accompanied by pertinent details regarding associated obstruction lighting.
• Positions of dispersed aircraft, if liable to impede, along with specifications of their obstruction lighting.

Purpose of the Airfield Diagram

The airfield diagram serves four primary functions, namely:

• To serve as a reference for determining portable lighting requisites for flare path assistants.
• To act as a guide for lighting inspections.
• To furnish reference notes during night flying briefings.
• To provide an overview of the lighting layout for utilization during the watch-keeping period, facilitating briefings for other controllers, motor transport drivers, and visiting pilots.

Briefing

All night flying activities, excluding those involving transport aircraft fulfilling outstation commitments, necessitate organized briefings beforehand. These briefings should encompass the layout of the airfield and alternatives, as well as protocols for handling emergencies.

General Regulations of ATC Control

The ensuing regulations are intended to provide information and directives for ATC controllers:

• Aircraft must refrain from night flights unless their radio/telephony (R/T) equipment, when installed, is operational on local, approach, distress, and guard frequencies.
• Aircraft must exhibit standard navigation lights whenever their engines are operational.
• The number of aircraft conducting circuit and landing exercises concurrently must not exceed four.
• Only aircraft with comparable circuit speeds should be employed in circuit operations and landings within a given detail.

Taxi and Take-Off Procedures

In addition to standard air traffic control procedures, the following guidelines apply to nighttime operations:

• Pilots must activate all pertinent aircraft lighting prior to requesting permission to taxi from dispersal, encompassing navigation lights, upward and downward recognition lights, and rear and front turret lights (if equipped).
• In the event of observing an aircraft taxiing without appropriate lighting, the ATC controller is obligated to inform the concerned pilots and other nearby taxiing aircraft.
• Aldis lamp signals from the runway controller to aircraft seeking takeoff clearance must be directed straight at the pilot.
• Aircraft formations on takeoff are required to communicate “AIRBORNE.”

Circuit and Landing Procedures

During periods of elevated (non-jet) traffic density, the air traffic controller reserves the discretion to enforce vertical separation in the airfield circuit, assigning altitudes and landing priorities to aircraft as necessary. In instances where night circuits must be conducted without radio/telephony, standard lamp signals should be utilized. Aircraft with inoperable R/T equipment are to be given precedence in landing. If a pilot indicates an immediate need to land via R/T, the air traffic controller must promptly notify the runway controller and any nearby aircraft, taking requisite measures to facilitate the distressed aircraft’s priority landing.

Obstructed Runway

In the event of a runway obstruction during nighttime landing operations, the duty air traffic controller, in addition to adhering to local crash protocols, must pursue one of the following courses of action:

• Transition the lighting to an appropriate runway.
• If no suitable runway is available and there are doubts regarding the prompt clearance of the obstruction, immediate diversionary action must be initiated.
• If no alternative runway exists, the obstruction cannot be swiftly cleared, and airborne aircraft lack sufficient fuel for diversion, the controller must:
  • Seal the landing end of the obstructed runway using five red marker lamps.
  • Position the portable illuminated ‘Tee’ on the runway centerline at the touchdown end.
  • Direct aircraft to land on an adjacent area parallel to the flight strip.