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Members of Rhein Radar Controllers Association are working as Air Traffic Controllers at the DFS Air Traffic Control Center Karlsruhe, the Karlsruhe UAC (Upper Area Control Center).

Our radio-callsign is ``Rhein Radar".

Air Traffic Controllers? Air Traffic Control Center? - they are working at the Tower - don`t they?

For the public air traffic controllers and air traffic control are connected to the most visible item of an airport - the aerodrome  control tower (TWR).

From the TWR all traffic on runways, taxiway or in the close vicinity of the airport is controlled by visual contact.

Outside the vicinity of an airport aircraft are controlled by RADAR. Radar data of several radar sites are transmitted to the individual control unit.

Munich Tower
analogue Radarpicture

Target data are treated by special computers and programs and then dispayed on the radar screens to allow the execution of radar control by controllers.

This takes place at various approach units controlling departures and arrivals. Departing aircraft are controlled during their climb to assigned altitudes as well as arriving aircraft are vectored from certain entry areas up to final  approach and hand-over to Tower.

The majority of air traffic controllers work at ATC-control centers for the lower and upper airspace.

Our center is one of six domestic control centers operated by the Deutschen Flugsicherung GmbH -DFS. It started operation in 1977.

Karlsruhe UAC is responsible for the provision of air traffic services above FL245  (25000 ft = ~ 8 000 meterns) within an airspace of almost 180 000 square miles within the lateral limits of the Federal Republic of Germany south of a line Luxembourg - Cologn - Kassel - Magdeburg - Czecian border excluding an area around Munich and south/southeastern Bavaria.

Karlsruhe UAC is operated 24 Hours/365 days.

It is staffed with approximately 190 controllers and 60 flight data operators working rotating shifts. There is also staff assigned to handel the various office and technical functions associated with the operation of the facility.

UAC-Map

In addition Eurocontrol Staff is providing technical support to the Karldap system software, a situation unique within the DFS.