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01 6.1 General Principles

6.1 General Principles

Emergency and abnormal situations require immediate and decisive action to maintain safety.

The Tower Controller shall prioritise the affected aircraft while maintaining awareness of all other traffic.

6.1.1 Controller Responsibilities

The Tower Controller shall:

  • Prioritise safety above all other considerations
  • Provide maximum assistance to aircraft in distress
  • Maintain clear, concise, and controlled communication
  • Avoid unnecessary frequency congestion
  • Coordinate with all relevant units without delay

The Tower Controller shall act decisively and maintain control of the overall traffic situation at all times.

6.1.2 Controller Priorities

In emergency or abnormal situations, the Tower Controller shall apply the following priority order:

  1. Aircraft in distress or emergency
  2. Aircraft experiencing abnormal situations
  3. Other airborne traffic
  4. Departures and ground movements

Lower priority traffic shall be delayed or re-sequenced as required.

6.1.3 Operational Principles

The Tower Controller shall:

  • Act immediately when an unsafe situation is identified
  • Avoid delaying action in order to obtain complete information
  • Use plain language where standard phraseology is insufficient
  • Keep all transmissions short, clear, and relevant
  • Continuously reassess the situation and anticipate further actions

The Tower Controller shall not delay critical instructions due to uncertainty where safety is at risk.

6.1.4 Communication Discipline

During abnormal or emergency situations, the Tower Controller shall:

  • Maintain a calm and controlled communication style
  • Prioritise essential transmissions
  • Limit non-essential communication on the frequency
  • Ensure instructions are clearly understood

6.1.5 Example

GFA123, roger MAYDAY, runway 27 cleared to land, wind 270 degrees 8 knots, emergency services are standing by.

6.1.6 Key Principle

In all abnormal and emergency situations, the Tower Controller shall:

  • Act early
  • Act decisively
  • Maintain control of the traffic situation

Safety shall not be compromised by delay, uncertainty, or workload.