CTP 24E BIRD Controller Briefing

Welcome, and thank you for volunteering to control in Iceland for this edition of Cross the Pond! This briefing provides important event information for BIRD controllers participating in CTP Westbound 2024.

Roster

The BIRD roster is available ADD LINK!.

Installing the Controller Pack

This year’s CTP Controller Pack is a standalone package that should be installed separately from any other install of the BIRD Sector File. The Controller Pack is distributed through GNG, but only via the website.

Do not overwrite your "normal" BIRD sector file with the CTP pack!

BIRD Modified Vertical Splits

For the event, the standard BIRD vertical splits will be modified to widen the middle split and push up all the splits in general. For the event, we are splitting our sectors at FL355 / 375 / 385.

In other words:

The aim of this change is to more evenly distribute the expected CTP traffic load across each vertical split.

The specific splits that are staffed is flexible; controllers may ask the BIRD supervisor (or the SUP may ask them) to staff a different split/combination of sectors, as is beneficial for the traffic situation on the moment.

E.g., even if the roster says Person A and Person B are to open BIRD_S1_CTR and BIRD_S2_CTR respectively, they can choose to open BIRD_S1_CTR and BIRD_S3_CTR instead if the traffic situation means would be better to split at FL375 instead of FL355.

CTP NAT Tracks

During Cross the Pond, due to the high volume of traffic, the CTP planning team publishes event-specific NAT tracks. These are not the same as the current real-life tracks, and are for event traffic only.

For this edition of the event, BIRD is fully responsible for four NAT tracks (A1, A2, B1, B2) and partially responsible for a fifth track (B3.)

ADD IMAGE!

For tracks A1, A2, and B1, BIRD will receive aircraft directly from Gander domestic (CZQX_CTR.)

For tracks B2 and B3, BIRD will receive aircraft from Gander oceanic (CZQO_CTR) at the usual FIR boundary.

All the NAT tracks are visually displayed on the ACC radar view (hotkey F1+1.)

Track routings must not be shared to pilots, especially non-event pilots!

VATCAN Bookings Plugin

As with recent editions of CTP, we will be using the VATCAN Bookings plugin for the event. This plugin adds a variety of event-specific information to your radar scope and aircraft lists.

Firstly, you will notice two new buttons on your scope – the “Refresh” button, and the “Enter Code” button. To move the two buttons to a better place, left-click on the Refresh button and drag.

Click on the “Enter Code” button and type in the event code: AZYjg

To start the plugin’s auto-update function, right-click on the Refresh button. You should do this before you connect to VATSIM. The border of the Event ID button will turn green when the event data has been loaded successfully into Euroscope. See the screenshot below for an example (taken from a past edition of CTP, so the event code is different.)

The border will turn red if the download failed for any reason. If this happens, try re-entering the event code to make sure it is correct. If the code is correct, and the button is still red, contact Jonathan Fong (@mythic_fci on Discord) or an appropriate member of the CTP planning team for assistance.

If the plugin is working correctly, every event aircraft will have "EVT" displayed in orange next to their radar target, e.g.,

Aircraft without a booking will not have anything next to their target.

New Sector Inbound/Exit List Items

Event-relevant list items have been enabled on the Sector Inbound and Sector Exit lists.

Tag Transfer Methods

BIRD controllers must note that our neighboring FIRs are using two different tag transfer methods.

Confirmed Method (CZQX | Gander Domestic)

For Gander Domestic (CZQX_CTR), BIRD must accept the tag from CZQX before CZQX will transfer the aircraft’s communications to BIRD.

I.e., the sequence of events is:

1. CZQX_CTR transfers the tag to BIRD.
2. BIRD accepts the tag.
3. CZQX_CTR tells the aircraft to contact BIRD.

As this is different from BIRD’s usual SOP, BIRD controllers must be particularly mindful to accept all CZQX_CTR tag transfers immediately, rather than waiting for the aircraft to call up on frequency.

Silent Method (All Other FIRs)

For all other FIRs, including Gander Oceanic (CZQO_CTR), the transferring controller will transfer the tag AND communications at the same time. As is usual SOP for us, BIRD shall only accept aircraft’s tags when the aircraft is on our frequency.

I.e., the sequence of events is.

1. Transferring controller transfers the tag AND tells the aircraft to contact BIRD.
2. BIRD waits until the aircraft calls on frequency.
3. Once the aircraft calls on BIRD’s frequency, BIRD accepts the tag.

Ocean Live | Coordination Across the OCAs

ADD INFO!

Flow Control Measures

All controllers shall monitor ECFMP to keep updated on new flow control measures as they arise.

Eastbound Departure Releases

Non-event departures going Eastbound (i.e., same direction as event traffic) are subject to release by ECFMP. All such traffic should be told to expect significant delays (up to several hours.)

Releases for non-event departures must be requested and coordinated via the CTP Non-Event Traffic Coordination Sheet, starting from the time listed for BI** in the sheet.

ADD ACCESS INFO TO SHEET!

Once an aircraft has an approved release from the CTP planning team, DEL shall communicate any reroute and CTOT time to the pilot, and input the CTOT time into CDM.

This does not apply to Westbound traffic (opposite direction to event flow.)

Level Cap

All non-event Westbound traffic shall be capped at FL280. All Eastbound traffic shall be capped at FL290.

Final Notes

If you have any technical difficulties (e.g., laggy Euroscope), try the following ‘tricks’:

Please message Jonathan Fong (@mythic_fci on Discord) if you have any questions. Happy controlling!