Introduction to TopSky

[Luke Brown]

With the 2020/14 release of the UK Controller Pack, we’ve included profiles that make use of the TopSky plugin for the area control profiles (NERC only). TopSky brings a whole host of features over default EuroScope, this topic aims to give a brief overview of what it does and how it can improve your controlling experience when covering an area sector. Whilst it’s not required to use TopSky, I’d implore you to give it a go. This is completely optional, however, once you give it a go, you'll never want to go back to default EuroScope when controlling area!

My thanks to @Michael Pike, Harry S and @Chad Byworth for their help with this latest edition of the controller pack. Within the next few cycles, it is hoped we can get the controller pack in a state to open source its upkeep, much like we already do with the sector file.

The changes are best explained in this introductory video. Many thanks to @Tom Bewick for editing, Harry S @Lawrence Abel@John Kirk for starring.

For those of you that can't stand Harry's dulcet tones, I'll summarise some of the points below.

What has changed?

TopSky changes the way you interact with the tags, whilst we’ve retained some standard ES items where possible, certain interactions now use TopSky menus, which bring many enhancements over the default ES menus.

Callsign Menu

The callsign menu is the biggest change, compared to default ES. As you can see from the below screenshot, there's lots of options. The only main difference I think I need to highlight is that to release an aircraft you select "free"

CFL/ASP/AHDG Menu

Again, these are slightly different, but function very much the same. The added benefit is when you apply an assigned heading/speed/FL, if connected to CPDLC, it will send the message in the same click.

TopSky Radar Menu

The TopSky Radar Menu is summoned by Alt+Right Click

Maps

Maps are polygons, lines or shapes drawn on the screen in addition to sector file elements. We have defined the following:

• Conditional Airspace (based on day/time)
• Altimeter Setting Regions
• Radar Corridors
• RMAs (auto-triggered by EuroScope selected RWY dialog or Controller ID)
• Extended Centrelines (auto-triggered by EuroScope selected RWY dialog)
• Release Lines (dependant upon controllers online)
• Radar gates (dependant upon controllers online)
• Buffer zones (dependant upon controllers online)

Simply Open the map menu, select the category you want. Left click to enable a map (inverse video displayed), right click to disable.

Filters

Perhaps one of my favourite features is the “CJI filter” function. This enables you to de-clutter the display based on tracking controller ID. This will reduce the tags of non-concerned aircraft that are being tracked by another controller to just intention code and current level. Very useful during busy events. This can also improve performance when under heavy traffic conditions. Left Click -> Enables (Inverse Video) Right Click - >Disables

Separation Tools/Warnings

TopSky adds a slightly more intelligent separation tool, accessed by pressing SEP in the radar menu, then clicking on the two concerned track symbols.

TopSky brings a couple of new warning you won't have seen before. Airspace Infringement Warning (AIW) and Minimum Safe Altitude Warning (MSAW)

Toolbar

You will instantly notice a new toolbar that isn’t present on the default ES setups at the top of the screen. From here you can adjust many aspects of the display.

Weather Radar

(Setup->Weather Map) Menu. Gain levels are set to the recommended level, but they can be adjusted in the menu.

CPDLC Setting

Available via Setup->CPDLC Setting Once logged onto the network you will see a connect button, simply press this to connect to Hoppie CPDLC. The code should already be suggested by the plugin for the position you have logged into. Try to avoid changing these as auto-handovers won't work with unrecognised codes! More info on interacting with CPDLC aircraft in the relevant section.

Planning Graphics

Mainly for @James Yuen. Operations rate (by airfield) and predicted traffic (by sector).

Also available:

• Range Rings (Setup->RR Main)
• Radio Direction Finder (Setup->RDF)
• Conflict and Risk Display (CARD) (Tools->CARD)
• Vertical Aid Window (Tools->Vertical Aid Window)

Airspace Management (AMS) Window

Here you can activate and de-activate danger areas.

Danger areas that have a calendar/time based activation schedule are automatically turned on/off. 10 minutes before they are active, they will indicate with a white colour, turning to red at the correct time. You can also manually turn danger areas on/off when/as required, by right clicking on the danger aea name, clicking activate and then apply.

A quick note on conditional airspace

I, like everybody except Harry, have no idea when the conditional airspace is active, luckily TopSky turns it on/off for you. Amazing. That’s all you need to know. If you’re controlling at the right time you’ll see certain airways appear, disappear or an airspace base will change. Wowza! If however you feel the need to turn any feature on/off manually, this can be done in the radar menu.

I've opened a Q&A thread in the area control if you have any further questions/issues.

For anything else controller pack related, feel free to post in the #sector_file discord channel or in the forum.

Cheers,

Luke