Course detail

Communication, Navigation, Surveillance

FSI-OZLAcad. year: 2025/2026

The course incorporates communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS) principles and CNS equipment/aids. Relevant themes include:  explanation of radio waves used for civilian air operations;  technologies of navigation at short and long distances; precise air control systems of approach and landing; principles of primary and secondary radiolocation,  global navigation satellite systems; ADS/ADS-B system. Passive surveillance systems (MLAT).

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

5

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Miroslav Šplíchal, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Aerospace Engineering (LÚ)

Entry knowledge

High school level knowledge of mathematics and physics is demanded.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Conditions for obtaining the course-unit credit: 80% participation at the lectures and excercises and the minimum  50% evaluation of the final written test at least. Succesful result of the course-unit credit test is the basic condition to attend the oral examination. Classification of the exam is predetermined by the BUT university requirements.


Lectures (min. 80% attendance required) and exercises (100% attendance required) are realized by means of audio-visual method and therefore student´s presence is necessary.
Missed lectures & exercises can be compensated in a very limited extend only by personal consultations with the lecturer or by a selfstudy under the lecturer´s personal supervision.

Aims

Students will be acquainted with the whole spectrum of nowadays CNS radionavigation aids being in use of commercial air carriers. They will be familiarized with relevant current and future CNS technologies used for ATC/ATM. CNS/ATM mutual relationship will be stressed. Future development trends will be mentioned in the necessary extend.


The subject will allow students to get acquainted with the CNS/ATM technologies as well as with main procedures used in civil air traffic. Students will comprehend the relationship between both an aircraft and ATS and get the common philosophy of automated CNS/ATM systems as well.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

. (CS)
ICAO: Aeronautical Telecommunications, , 0
ICAO: Manual of the Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) Systems, , 0
ICAO: Manual on Testing of Radio Navigation Aids, , 0
JAA ATPL, 061 General Navigation, Theoretical Knowledge Manual, Oxford, 2006
JAA ATPL, 062 Radionavigation, Theoretical Knowledge Manual, Oxford, 2011
Kayton, M.; Fried,W.R.: Avionics Navigation Systems, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York, 1997, second edition
KULČÁK a kol.: Učebnice pilota vrtulníku II, ISBN 978-80-7204-638-6, CERM s.r.o., Brno, 2009 (CS)
KULČÁK, L. a kol.: Zabezpečovacia letecká technika, Žilinská univerzita, 1999 (CS)
VOSECKÝ, S. a kol.: Základy leteckých navigačních zařízení I a II, učebnice Univerzity obrany, Brno 1988 (CS)
Vosecký, S.: Radionavigace, učební texty pro teoretickou přípravu dopravních pilotů dle předpisu JAR-FCL-1, CERM s.r.o., Brno, 2011 (CS)

Recommended reading

Galotti, V. P.: The Future Air Navigation System (FANS), ISBN 13: 978-1-138-27385-6 (pbk), Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London and New York, 1997.
GROVES, P.D.: Principles of GNSS, Inertial, And Multisensor Integrated Navigation Systems, ISBN - 13:978 - 1 - 58053 - 255 - 6, USA, BOSTON/LONDON ARTECH HOUSE 2008
Kulčák, L.:: Klasické prostriedky zabezpečovacej leteckej techniky, ,  učebný text, Žilina 2005
Skrypnik, O. N.: Radio Navigation Systems for Airports and Airways, Springer Airspace Technology, ISBN 978-981-13-7200-1, 2019

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme N-LKT-P Master's

    specialization TLT , 1 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

52 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Miroslav Šplíchal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Introduction - fundamentals of ATS radios & radars. 
2. Radio Direction Finders (ADF/NDB, VDF).                            3. VHF radio beacons (VOR, DVOR).
4. ILS, MLS.
5. Fundamentas of radar operation.
6. ATC primary radars.                                                                  7. ATC secondary radar.
8. Distance-measuring system (DME).                                      9. Satellite navigation - principle, structure of a GNSS.
10.GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Bei-Dou.
11.Passive surveillance systems (MLAT).
12.ADS/ADS-B.
13.Seminar; consultation; preparation for a credit test.


Exercise

13 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Miroslav Šplíchal, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Structure and properties radio-signals.
2.  Propagation of radio waves (CNS/ATS).
3. Structure, use and properties of VDF, ADF, VOR/DVOR.
4. ILS/MLS operational principles. ICAO categories.
5. Principles of radar operation.- ranges, accuracy, frequencies).
6. ATC primary radars.
7. ATC secondary radars (operation; interrogations, responses, DTZ-aircraft co-operation/ACP, RCP)                8. DME and DME/DME - use and operation principles.
9. GNSS and its utilization in ATS.
10.GNSS - augmentation methods (ABAS, GBAS, SBAS).
11.PSS/MLAT - structure, location, use in ATC). 
12.ADS-B and its use in ATC.
13.Seminary, consultation - preparation for the credit test.