Radar Services and Radar Vectoring

General (ICAO)

ICAO Annex 11 §3.5 and ICAO Doc 4444 PANS-ATM Chapter 8 (Radar Services) describe the ATS services provided by a radar controller.

Radar-based ATS include:

1. Radar Vectoring

• Controller instructions to fly headings assigned to the pilot, to guide the aircraft along a specific path — the pilot does not navigate.
• Phraseology: "Turn left/right heading 240", "Maintain heading 270".
• Use: approach guidance to the localizer/final, traffic separation, weather avoidance, avoidance of restricted areas.

2. Radar Separation

• Minimum distance between aircraft is monitored by the controller via radar, instead of procedural separation (Annex 11 §3.4.1).
• Standard minima horizontal: 5 NM (or 3 NM in TMA/CTR with adequate radar), vertical: 1 000 ft.

3. Radar Monitoring

• Controller watches the aircraft track on radar and warns of deviations from the cleared path.

4. Surveillance Approach

• Approach guidance by radar (PAR — Precision Approach Radar, or SRA — Surveillance Radar Approach).

5. Traffic Information

• Even on flights without radar separation, the controller passes traffic information: "Traffic 12 o'clock, 5 miles, opposite direction, 2 000 ft".

Pilot obligations during radar vectoring (Doc 4444 §8.6):

• Follow assigned headings as accurately as possible,
• Maintain assigned altitude,
• Inform ATC if the required manoeuvre cannot be performed (e.g. due to bank-angle limits, weather, emergency),
• On "Vectoring terminated, resume own navigation" the pilot resumes self-navigation.

Minimum altitudes: A controller may only vector the aircraft below the MVA (Minimum Vectoring Altitude) with the pilot's explicit acceptance and assumption of responsibility.

Identification (Doc 4444 §8.6.4): Before issuing a radar instruction, the controller must radar-identify the aircraft — typical methods:

• Squawk Ident ("Squawk ident"),
• Observation of an instructed turn through more than 30°,
• Pilot position report ("Position xx miles west of yyy").

Europe (EASA / EU)

Regulation (EU) 2017/373 Annex IV (Part-ATS) requires surveillance-based services at commercial airports and in TMA/CTR. EASA AMC point to the ICAO procedures.

Germany (national)

DFS provides radar services at all commercial airports (FRA, MUC, DUS, …), TMA and ACC. MVA and radar charts are documented per aerodrome in AIP Germany AD 2.22. In uncontrolled airspace (G) there is no radar vectoring by FIS — FIS controllers may only pass traffic information.