Exercise G · for US student pilots
Conditional and non-standard
Hold-short landing clearances, 'unable', abbreviated frequency changes and a diversion.
Worked here at Palo Alto (KPAO). In the app the same prompts use your own home airport and call sign.
Prompt 1 of 5
Palo Alto Tower says: "N172SP, runway 13, cleared to land, hold short of runway 18, traffic departing runway 18." You can accept. Read it back.
What the AIM says: JO 7110.65 3-10-5 b: a land-and-hold-short clearance; ATC must get a readback of the hold-short. Read back the runway, 'cleared to land', and 'hold short of runway 18', with your call sign. If you could not accept, the word is 'unable'.Prompt 2 of 5
Palo Alto Tower says: "N172SP, cleared into the Class Delta Special VFR, maintain Special VFR conditions, at or below two thousand five hundred, enter left base runway 13." Read it back.
What the AIM says: Read back the clearance, the altitude restriction and the pattern entry, with your call sign. Special VFR: remain clear of clouds with at least one mile visibility (AIM 4-4-6).Prompt 3 of 5
NorCal Approach says: "N172SP, change to my frequency one two zero point one." Respond on the new frequency.
What the AIM says: AIM 4-2-3 d 2: the same controller on another frequency — the callup may be abbreviated: 'N172SP on one two zero point one' or 'one two zero point one, N172SP'. The decimal is 'point'.Prompt 4 of 5
NorCal Approach says: "N172SP, climb and maintain six thousand five hundred." You are not equipped with oxygen and want to stay lower for the passenger. Respond.
What the AIM says: P/CG 'unable': say 'unable' with your call sign and, briefly, why, then what you can do — 'unable six thousand five hundred, able four thousand five hundred'. Never read back an instruction you will not comply with.Prompt 5 of 5
Your destination Palo Alto has just closed. You are on flight following with NorCal Approach. Tell them you are diverting to Hayward Executive.
What the AIM says: Call sign, 'diverting to Hayward Executive', the reason, your new heading and altitude, and your request (continued flight following / routing). Include fuel in minutes if it is becoming a factor.
What this exercise is graded against
| Call or readback | Graded against |
|---|---|
| Land-and-hold-short: runway, 'cleared to land' and the hold-short read back; 'unable' if not acceptable | AIM 4-3-18 a 9; P/CG: UNABLE |
| LAHSO clearance form and the required hold-short readback | JO 7110.65 3-10-5 bunverified |
| Special VFR clearance read back with the altitude restriction | AIM 4-4-6; 4-4-7 b |
| Changing to the same controller's other frequency: abbreviated callup, 'point' | AIM 4-2-3 d 2; 4-2-8 e |
| Declining an instruction with 'unable' and what you can do | P/CG: UNABLE |
| Advising a diversion: where, why, heading, altitude, fuel in minutes if a factor | AIM 4-2-3 a 1; P/CG: FUEL REMAINING |
Now say them to a controller
Push-to-talk, at your airport, with today’s altimeter. The AI controller answers and the grader tells you what the AIM says about each call.
Prompts and notes are written in our own words from the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual (Change 3, 7/9/26) and the Pilot/Controller Glossary, with paragraph references. Frequencies are from the FAA NASR data and are for training only. Study aid; not approved or endorsed by the FAA. Always defer to the AIM, current FAA publications, your instructor and your examiner.