S1: Delivery and Ground

S1 is the foundation. You are responsible for getting aircraft from flight plan to runway without creating confusion or ground conflicts.

S1 Objective

An S1 controller must safely and professionally:

• Issue IFR and VFR clearances.
• Assign logical routes, SIDs, squawks, and initial altitudes.
• Manage pushback, startup, taxi, and runway crossings.
• Coordinate departures with Tower.
• Detect and correct readback errors.
• Use RadarThing and VStrips at a competent level.

S1 Prerequisites

• Signed up on ATCThing as S1.
• Knows the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet.
• Knows how to use the ATCThing Discord server for communications.

Delivery Control Workflow

Delivery turns a flight plan into a controlled clearance.

Before issuing clearance, check:

• Callsign matches the filed plan.
• Aircraft is at the correct departure airport.
• Flight rules are IFR or VFR.
• Destination is valid.
• Route is logical.
• SID matches the active runway and route direction.
• Initial altitude is appropriate for local procedures.
• Squawk is assigned and unique.
• Next frequency is correct.

IFR Clearance Structure: CRAFT

Use CRAFT:

Example IFR clearance:

"AAL123, cleared to San Francisco via the LOOP6 departure, DAG transition, then as filed. Climb and maintain five thousand. Departure frequency one two four point five zero. Squawk four three two one."

If the route is simple and already correct:

"AAL123, cleared to San Francisco as filed. Climb and maintain five thousand. Departure frequency one two four point five zero. Squawk four three two one."

VFR Clearance and Taxi

VFR aircraft usually need simpler handling, but they still need clear limits.

Example:

"N172AB, VFR departure approved to the north. Maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred. Squawk 1200."

If the aircraft will enter controlled airspace or cross active runways, coordinate with Tower before moving them.

Ground Control Workflow

Ground controls aircraft movement on taxiways and non-runway movement areas. The goal is to move aircraft efficiently while protecting runways and avoiding taxi conflicts.

Before taxiing an aircraft, know:

• Its current parking spot or ramp.
• Assigned runway.
• Taxi route.
• Any hotspots or closed taxiways.
• Other aircraft using the same route.
• Whether Tower must approve a runway crossing.

Taxi Instructions

Standard format:

"Callsign, taxi to [location/runway] via [route], [restriction]."

Examples:

"DAL456, taxi to runway 25R via Alpha, Bravo, hold short runway 25R."

"N172AB, taxi to the run-up area via Charlie, hold short runway 25L."

For progressive taxi:

"N172AB, progressive taxi approved. Turn left next taxiway, then continue straight ahead."

Hold Short Discipline

Hold short instructions protect runways. They must be read back.

Example:

"UAL88, hold short runway 25R."

If the pilot misses it:

"UAL88, hold short runway 25R. Read back hold short."

Never let an aircraft cross or enter a runway unless Tower has approved it or you own that runway under local procedure.

Pushback and Startup

When pushback matters for traffic flow:

"AAL123, pushback approved, expect runway 25R."

If pushback would block another aircraft:

"AAL123, hold position, traffic behind you."

Ground Conflict Prevention

Use the "next three" scan:

1. The aircraft moving now.
2. The aircraft it could meet next.
3. The aircraft you will move after that.

Common ground risks:

• Opposite-direction taxi on a narrow taxiway.
• Aircraft crossing behind pushback traffic.
• Aircraft taxiing to the wrong runway.
• Multiple aircraft approaching the same hold short line.
• Pilot continuing after a missed hold short readback.

S1 Coordination

Coordinate with Tower for:

• Runway crossings.
• Departure releases if required.
• Runway changes.
• Intersection departures.
• Aircraft ready at the hold short line.

Example coordination:

"Tower, Ground, AAL123 ready runway 25R, IFR departure DAG transition."

S1 Competency Targets

To be S1 competent, the trainee should:

• Build logical routes and assign expected SIDs about 90 percent of the time.
• Catch all clearance readback errors involving route, squawk, and altitude.
• Create zero runway incursions under normal traffic.
• Keep phraseology errors minor and infrequent.
• Prioritize departures in an order that does not overload Tower or Departure.
• Transfer aircraft to Tower with complete strips.
• Use RadarThing and VStrips confidently.

S1 Training Sessions

Suggested structure:

1. Aircraft performance, basic routing, and GeoFS airport layouts.
2. IFR/VFR clearance building and CRAFT practice.
3. Taxiway geometry, hold short discipline, and ground conflicts.
4. Mixed traffic practice, readback errors, and final test preparation.

S1 Practical Exercises

S1 Final Test

Any runway incursion requires a retest.

Post-S1 Privileges

After S1 completion, the controller may:

• Begin S2 training.
• Operate Delivery and Ground during events.