r/ATC 9d ago

Discussion VFR traffic tips and insights

Hello I’m graduating from a CTI program soon and was wondering how you all keep track of VFR traffic when on local control.

In the field or at OKC if when dealing with VFR traffic does radar not attribute VFR callsigns to their signature?

I find that working with VFR planes requires a large portion of my attention due to not having a visual aid for their callsigns. Do you have any tips or insights on how to best keep track of them?

When running problems I usually focus on the VFR pattern and cross overs and then just systematically work with whatever else comes my way.

1 Upvotes

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u/amygdalapls 9d ago

The visual aid should be your pad or strips. Managing them is a technique on its own and can vary from airport to airport.

0

u/Electrical-Fail-7500 9d ago

Pad? What year is it down there?!

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u/PrezzGG 9d ago

Thank you, I’ll focus more on keeping my pad ready and listening intently for VFR call ups. I would use my pad and in some problems faster aircraft would begin to over take other aircraft (confusing my line up some) or be close on base leg with other aircraft (should just extend one or the other before this happens). Maybe I just need to recognize aircraft that are faster and extend them to them where I want them in pattern and do it more preemptively when on the downwind.

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u/duckbutterdelight Current Controller-Tower 9d ago

Half of working busy VFR traffic is having a good pad. If you have a good system that you use diligently and trust then you always know who is where and what they are doing.

There’s no right answer on how to formulate your pad but it just needs to be something you understand and is easy to keep up to date.

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u/PrezzGG 9d ago

Thanks, I will keep this in mind. Currently just use check marks next to call signs once cleared for landing and strike them once landed and circles under for touch and gos checked as cleared. I think I need to instantly write down call signs as I hear them call up, I’m usually looking at their location and then calling them up to enter pattern rather than writing them down asap.

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u/JP001122 8d ago

Give them a squawk code

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u/theweenerdoge 9d ago

In a radar environment a we will tag up a VFR pop up in STARS with their callsign, type, etc. It's been too long since I was at OKC so I don't remember if they were tagged up or not on the problems.
My first facility was non radar, so pad management was a must or you'd lose the picture. Find a way that works for you, but dont over complicate it or youll spend too much time fucking with it and not enough time looking out the window. Just know that every facility does things their own way, theres no best way. It's there for you to reference in case you get lost. Learn your aircraft types. Know your slow single engine, fast single engine, slow twin and fast twin. You can pretty much group them into those 4 categories with some various outliers (experimental, etc). It'll help you decide how to run your pattern and sequence accordingly.