Purpose and object

Press this to start the simulation.
Once the simulation is running, this button will say PAUSE, and can be used to pause the simulation at any time.

This button stops the simulation and returns you to the start.
If you do this, you will lose your current points score. Press this for an explanation of the simulation's main features.

You can also change language in the middle of a simulation.

This button gives general information on the simulation (version, authors, copyright etc.).

An airway is an "aerial corridor" along which aircraft travel. Only those aircraft that are in contact with air traffic control are allowed to fly in an airway.
All the aircraft in your simulation should remain in their airways. If an aircraft leaves its airway, you will lose points. But you will be given a chance to return the aircraft to the airway as quickly as possible.
If your aircraft is too far out of the airway or remains outside it for too long, the simulation will stop (GAME OVER).

Areas of bad weather are marked in blue and consist of one or more clouds. You can pass through an area of bad weather, but it is better to avoid them. You will lose points if you enter an area of bad weather; and the longer you stay in one, the more points you will lose.
What is peculiar about these areas of bad weather is that they move around at random.

Danger areas are marked in dark grey.
These are usually areas which are reserved for military aviation or for firing exercises.
You are not permitted to enter a danger area.
If you do so, the simulation will automatically stop (GAME OVER).

In our simulation, a track is the symbol representing an aircraft on the radar screen.


The labels on these symbols contain various flight data. In this example:
1. SWR4570 is SWISS flight 4570.
2. 310 is the aircraft's current flight level - its altitude, expressed in hundreds of feet above sea level. (A foot is 0.3048 metres, so 33 000 feet is about 10 000 metres.)
3. G350 is the aircraft's groundspeed - its speed relative to the ground - expressed in nautical miles per hour. (A nautical mile is 1.853 kilometres.)
4. 130° is the aircraft's current direction, known as its heading, and is measured from North.

You can use the wind rose to guide your aircraft. Mouse-click on a track and the wind rose will appear. Move the mouse and click to change the heading of the aircraft you have selected.
The radar screen display will be updated every four seconds, just as it is on a genuine air traffic controller's screen. You will have to wait about eight seconds, however, before an aircraft's heading changes: this is also about the time it takes an aircraft to respond to a change of heading in real life.
The faster an airplane flies, the larger its radius within curves becomes. With every screen update, each aircraft will leave a trace of its former position in the form of a dot. The last four positions are displayed.

The flight plan provides the information that a controller needs to see what route an aircraft entering their sector intends to take.

The flight plan provides the following information::
- the company (SWR)
- the flight number (4570)
- the altitude or flight level (310)
- the aircraft type (SB20)
- the aircraft's groundspeed (G350)
- the point of entry into the controller's sector (N)
- the point of exit from the controller's sector (S)
The flight plans shown in black are currently active (as opposed to the grey ones).

Any messages will be displayed in the "Alerts" area. The latest message will be shown at the top of the list.
"Collision alert" messages will be posted with a red background, while other messages will have a yellow background. If a collision alert is triggered, the two aircraft involved will be labelled in red. A collision alert will not be triggered if the aircraft concerned are flying at different flight levels.

Remaining time
The maximum time allowed for the simulation is six minutes. If this time limit is exceeded, the simulation will automatically stop. The clock will begin as soon as you press START.

If you press PAUSE while the simulation is in progress, the clock will stop, and will start again when you continue.

Score
This is your starting total for this simulation. Points will be deducted from this as follows:
- Calling up a wind rose: -10 points.
- Leaving the airway: -20 points, and -5 points for every second you remain outside it.
- Entering an area of bad weather: -10 points, and -2.5 points for every second you remain in it.
- Collision alert: -100 points.

Bonus
You will earn a bonus if you get all your aircraft to their destinations within the time allowed. The number of bonus points you earn will depend on the time you take: the less time it takes you, the more bonus points you will earn.