---
title: "AMC1 ATCO.D.010(a)(2)(v) Composition of initial training – Area control surveillance rating (ACS) training — INITIAL TRAINING CONTENT, ATCO — COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2015/340 — extract 8 · Avioverse"
description: "SUBJECT 8: EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS The subject objective is: Learners shall integrate knowledge and understanding of the basic working principles of…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/atco/initial-training-content/commission-regulation-eu-2015-340/amc1-atco-d-010-a-2-v-9"
---

# AMC1 ATCO.D.010(a)(2)(v) Composition of initial training – Area control surveillance rating (ACS) training

INITIAL TRAINING CONTENT · Regulation (EU) 2015/340 · EAR revision 14 Jun 2024

AMC Acceptable means of compliance

## AMC1 ATCO.D.010(a)(2)(v) Composition of initial training – Area control surveillance rating (ACS) training

SUBJECT 8: EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS

The subject objective is:

Learners shall integrate knowledge and understanding of the basic working principles of equipment and systems, and comply with the equipment and system degradation procedures in the provision of ATS.

\[applicable until 3 August 2024 - ED Decision 2019/023/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 1 — VOICE COMMUNICATIONS            |                                                                |   |                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ---------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | - | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 1.1 — Radio communications       |                                                                |   |                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 1.1.1                                 | Operate two-way communication equipment.                       | 3 | Transmit/receive switches, procedures Optional content: frequency selection, standby equipment                                          | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 1.1.2                                 | Identify indications of operational status of radio equipment. | 3 | Optional content: indicator lights, serviceability displays, selector/frequency displays                                                | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 1.1.3                                 | Consider radio range.                                          | 2 | Optional content: transfer to another frequency, apparent radio failure, failure to establish radio contact, frequency protection range | APP ACP APS ACS |
| Subtopic EQPS 1.2 — Other voice communications |                                                                |   |                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 1.2.1                                 | Operate landline communications.                               | 3 | Optional content: telephone, interphone and intercom equipment                                                                          | ALL             |

| TOPIC EQPS 2 — AUTOMATION IN ATS                                        |                                                        |   |                                                                                    |                 |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 2.1 — Aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN) |                                                        |   |                                                                                    |                 |
| ACS EQPS 2.1.1                                                          | Decode AFTN messages.                                  | 3 | Optional content: movement and control messages, NOTAMs, SNOWTAMs, BIRDTAMs, etc.  | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 2.2 — Automatic data interchange                          |                                                        |   |                                                                                    |                 |
| ACS EQPS 2.2.1                                                          | Use automatic data transfer equipment where available. | 3 | Optional content: sequencing systems, automated information and coordination, OLDI | ADV ADI APS ACS |

\[applicable until 3 August 2024 - ED Decision 2019/023/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 2 — AUTOMATION IN ATS                                        |                                                        |   |                                                                                    |             |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | - | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 2.1 — Aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN) |                                                        |   |                                                                                    |             |
| ACS EQPS 2.1.1                                                          | Decode AFTN messages.                                  | 3 | Optional content: movement and control messages, NOTAMs, SNOWTAMs, BIRDTAMs, etc.  | ALL         |
| Subtopic EQPS 2.2 — Automatic data interchange                          |                                                        |   |                                                                                    |             |
| ACS EQPS 2.2.1                                                          | Use automatic data transfer equipment where available. | 3 | Optional content: sequencing systems, automated information and coordination, OLDI | ADC APS ACS |

\[applicable from 4 August 2024 - ED Decision 2023/011/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 3 — CONTROLLER WORKING POSITION                     |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.1 — Operation and monitoring of equipment      |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.1.1                                                 | Monitor the technical integrity of the controller working position.             | 3 | Notification procedures, responsibilities                                                                                                                               | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.1.2                                                 | Operate the equipment of the controller working position.                       | 3 | Optional content: situation displays, flight progress board, flight data display, radio, telephone, maps and charts, strip-printer, clock, information systems, UDF/VDF | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.1.3                                                 | Operate available equipment in abnormal and emergency situations.               | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.2 — Situation displays and information systems |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.2.1                                                 | Use situation displays.                                                         | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.2.2                                                 | Check availability of information.                                              | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.2.3                                                 | Obtain information from equipment.                                              | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APP ACP APS ACS |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.3 — Flight data systems                        |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.3.1                                                 | Use the flight data information at controller working position.                 | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.4 — Use of ATS surveillance system             |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.1                                                 | Use the ATS surveillance system functions.                                      | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.2                                                 | Analyse the information provided by the ATS surveillance system.                | 4 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.3                                                 | Assign codes.                                                                   | 4 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.4                                                 | Appreciate the use of advanced surveillance technology.                         | 3 | Optional content: Mode S, ADS-B, MLAT                                                                                                                                   | APS ACS         |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.5 — Advanced systems                           |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.5.1                                                 | Appreciate the use of controller–pilot data link communications when available. | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.5.2                                                 | Appreciate the use of information provided by advanced systems.                 | 3 | Optional content: trajectory-based information, MTCD, MONA, etc.                                                                                                        | APS ACS         |

\[applicable until 3 August 2024 - ED Decision 2019/023/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 3 — CONTROLLER WORKING POSITION                     |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.1 — Operation and monitoring of equipment      |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.1.1                                                 | Monitor the technical integrity of the controller working position.             | 3 | Notification procedures, responsibilities                                                                                                                               | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.1.2                                                 | Operate the equipment of the controller working position.                       | 3 | Optional content: situation displays, flight progress board, flight data display, radio, telephone, maps and charts, strip-printer, clock, information systems, UDF/VDF | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.1.3                                                 | Operate the available equipment in abnormal and emergency situations.           | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.2 — Situation displays and information systems |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.2.1                                                 | Use situation displays.                                                         | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.2.2                                                 | Check the availability of information.                                          | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 3.2.3                                                 | Obtain information from equipment.                                              | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APP ACP APS ACS |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.3 — Flight data systems                        |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.3.1                                                 | Use the flight data information at the controller working position.             | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.4 — Use of the ATS surveillance system         |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.1                                                 | Use the ATS surveillance system functions.                                      | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.2                                                 | Analyse the information provided by the ATS surveillance system.                | 4 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.3                                                 | Assign codes.                                                                   | 4 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.4.4                                                 | Appreciate the use of advanced surveillance technology.                         | 3 | Optional content: Mode S, ADS-B, MLAT                                                                                                                                   | APS ACS         |
| Subtopic EQPS 3.5 — Advanced systems                           |                                                                                 |   |                                                                                                                                                                         |                 |
| ACS EQPS 3.5.1                                                 | Appreciate the use of controller–pilot data link communications when available. | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                         | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 3.5.2                                                 | Characterise the use of information provided by advanced systems.               | 2 | MTCD, AMAN, DMAN Optional content: trajectory-based information, MONA, etc.                                                                                             | APS ACS         |

\[applicable from 4 August 2024 - ED Decision 2023/011/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 4 — FUTURE EQUIPMENT      |                                |   |                      |     |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------ | - | -------------------- | --- |
| Subtopic EQPS 4.1 — New developments |                                |   |                      |     |
| ACS EQPS 4.1.1                       | Recognise future developments. | 1 | New advanced systems | ALL |

\[applicable until 3 August 2024 - ED Decision 2019/023/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 4 — FUTURE EQUIPMENT      |                                |   |                                                                                                    |     |
| ------------------------------------ | ------------------------------ | - | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --- |
| Subtopic EQPS 4.1 — New developments |                                |   |                                                                                                    |     |
| ACS EQPS 4.1.1                       | Recognise future developments. | 1 | New advanced systems Optional content: European ATM Master Plan, European Plan for Aviation Safety | ALL |

\[applicable from 4 August 2024 - ED Decision 2023/011/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 5 — EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS’ LIMITATIONS AND DEGRADATION |                                                                                    |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                     |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.1 — Reaction to limitations                       |                                                                                    |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                     |
| ACS EQPS 5.1.1                                                    | Take account of the limitations of equipment and systems.                          | 2 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | ALL                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.1.2                                                    | Respond to technical deficiencies of the operational position.                     | 3 | Notification procedures, responsibilities                                                                                                                                                                                            | ALL                 |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.2 — Communication equipment degradation           |                                                                                    |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                     |
| ACS EQPS 5.2.1                                                    | Identify that communication equipment has degraded.                                | 3 | Optional content: ground–air and landline communications                                                                                                                                                                             | APP ACP APS ACS     |
| ACS EQPS 5.2.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of communication equipment degradation.  | 3 | Optional content: procedures for total or partial degradation of ground–air and landline communications, alternative methods of transferring data                                                                                    | APP ACP APS ACS     |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.3 — Navigational equipment degradation            |                                                                                    |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                     |
| ACS EQPS 5.3.1                                                    | Identify when a navigational equipment failure will affect operational ability.    | 3 | Optional content: VOR, navigational aids                                                                                                                                                                                             | ALL                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.3.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of a navigational equipment degradation. | 3 | Optional content: vertical separation, information to aircraft, navigational assistance, seeking assistance from adjacent units                                                                                                      | ADI APP ACP APS ACS |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.4 — Surveillance equipment degradation            |                                                                                    |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                     |
| ACS EQPS 5.4.1                                                    | Identify that surveillance equipment has degraded.                                 | 3 | Partial power failure, loss of certain facilities, total failure                                                                                                                                                                     | APS ACS             |
| ACS EQPS 5.4.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of surveillance equipment degradation.   | 3 | Optional content: inform adjacent sectors, inform aircraft, apply vertical separation (emergency), increased horizontal separation, reduce the number of aircraft entering area of responsibility, transfer aircraft to another unit | APS ACS             |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.5 — ATC processing system degradation             |                                                                                    |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                     |
| ACS EQPS 5.5.1                                                    | Identify a processing system degradation.                                          | 3 | Optional content: FDPS, SDPS, software processing of situation display                                                                                                                                                               | APS ACS             |
| ACS EQPS 5.5.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of a processing system degradation.      | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | APS ACS             |

\[applicable until 3 August 2024 - ED Decision 2019/023/R]

| TOPIC EQPS 5 — EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS’ LIMITATIONS AND DEGRADATION |                                                                                   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                 |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------- |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.1 — Reaction to limitations                       |                                                                                   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.1.1                                                    | Take account of the limitations of equipment and systems.                         | 2 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 5.1.2                                                    | Respond to technical deficiencies of the operational position.                    | 3 | Notification procedures, responsibilities                                                                                                                                                                                            | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.2 — Communication equipment degradation           |                                                                                   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.2.1                                                    | Identify that communication equipment has degraded.                               | 3 | Optional content: ground–air and landline communications                                                                                                                                                                             | APP ACP APS ACS |
| ACS EQPS 5.2.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of communication equipment degradation. | 3 | Optional content: procedures for total or partial degradation of ground–air and landline communications, alternative methods of transferring data                                                                                    | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.3 — Navigational equipment degradation            |                                                                                   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.3.1                                                    | Identify when a navigational equipment failure will affect operational ability.   | 3 | Optional content: navigational aids, ‘European GNSS Contingency/Reversion Handbook for PBN Operations’                                                                                                                               | ALL             |
| ACS EQPS 5.3.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of navigational equipment degradation.  | 3 | Optional content: vertical separation, information to aircraft, navigational assistance, seeking assistance from adjacent units                                                                                                      | ALL             |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.4 — Surveillance equipment degradation            |                                                                                   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.4.1                                                    | Identify that surveillance equipment has degraded.                                | 3 | Partial power failure, loss of certain facilities, total failure                                                                                                                                                                     | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 5.4.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of surveillance equipment degradation.  | 3 | Optional content: inform adjacent sectors, inform aircraft, apply vertical separation (emergency), increased horizontal separation, reduce the number of aircraft entering area of responsibility, transfer aircraft to another unit | APS ACS         |
| Subtopic EQPS 5.5 — ATC processing system degradation             |                                                                                   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |                 |
| ACS EQPS 5.5.1                                                    | Identify processing system degradation.                                           | 3 | Optional content: FDPS, SDPS, software processing of situation display                                                                                                                                                               | APS ACS         |
| ACS EQPS 5.5.2                                                    | Apply contingency procedures in the event of processing system degradation.       | 3 |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | APS ACS         |

\[applicable from 4 August 2024 - ED Decision 2023/011/R]

AMC · AMC1 ATCO.D.010(a)(2)(v) — Regulation (EU) 2015/340 · ED Decision 2023/011/R · ATCO Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 14 Jun 2024

[All rules in COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) 2015/340](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/atco/initial-training-content/commission-regulation-eu-2015-340)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 14 Jun 2024, extracted 13 Oct 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.
