UNIT 1: S1 - Delivery & Ground

Lesson 1.1: S1 Objectives & Delivery Workflow

Objective: An S1 controller must safely and professionally get aircraft from flight plan to runway without creating confusion or ground conflicts. They issue clearances, assign logical routes, manage pushback, taxi, and coordinate runway crossings with Tower.

Delivery Control Workflow: Delivery turns a flight plan into a controlled clearance. Before issuing a clearance, check:

• Callsign matches the filed plan.
• Aircraft is at the correct departure airport.
• Flight rules are IFR or VFR.
• Destination is valid and the 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.

Lesson 1.2: IFR Clearances (CRAFT) and VFR

IFR Clearance Structure: CRAFT Use CRAFT to structure every IFR clearance:

• C - Clearance limit ("Cleared to San Francisco")
• R - Route ("LOOP6 departure, DAG transition, then as filed")
• A - Altitude ("Climb and maintain 5000")
• F - Frequency ("Departure frequency 124.50")
• T - Transponder ("Squawk 4321")

Example: "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."

VFR Clearance: VFR aircraft do not use CRAFT routes, but they still need clear safety limits. Example: "N172AB, VFR departure approved. Maintain VFR at or below 2500ft. Squawk 1200."

Lesson 1.3: Ground Control & Taxi

Ground Control Workflow: Ground controls aircraft movement on taxiways. The goal is to move aircraft safely while protecting active runways. Before taxiing an aircraft, know: Its current spot, assigned runway, taxi route, hotspots, other traffic, and if Tower must approve a runway crossing.

Taxi Instructions Standard Format: "Callsign, taxi to [location/runway] via [route], [restriction]." Example: "DAL456, taxi to runway 25R via Alpha, Bravo, hold short runway 25R."

Hold Short Discipline: Hold short instructions protect runways. They must be read back. 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.

Lesson 1.4: Pushback, Conflicts & Coordination

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 (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 risks: Opposite-direction taxi on narrow taxiways, aircraft crossing behind pushbacks, multiple aircraft approaching the same hold short line.

S1 Coordination: Coordinate with Tower for: Runway crossings, departure releases, runway changes, intersection departures. Example: "Tower, Ground, AAL123 ready runway 25R, IFR departure DAG transition."