Radio phraseology study library

Phonetic alphabet

Use it for your identification on initial contact, for single letters (taxiways, runway left/right), and to spell anything hard to hear. [AIM 4-2-7]

Numbers

Each digit

Most numbers are spoken digit by digit: 10 is “one zero”. Say “niner” for 9, “tree” for 3, “fife” for 5. [AIM 4-2-8 d, 4-2-7]

Hundreds & thousands

Round hundreds and thousands up to 9,900 are spoken as such: 500 “five hundred”; 4,500 “four thousand five hundred”. Above 9,900, separate the thousands digits: 10,000 “one zero thousand”. [AIM 4-2-8 a, b]

Altitudes

Below 18,000 feet: the separate digits of the thousands plus the hundreds — 12,500 is “one two thousand five hundred”. At and above 18,000: “flight level one niner zero”. [AIM 4-2-9]

Frequencies

Each digit, with the decimal spoken “point”: 122.1 is “one two two point one”. (ICAO says “decimal”; the FAA honours it from aircraft required to use ICAO procedures.) [AIM 4-2-8 e]

Headings & winds

Three digits, magnetic: heading 100 is “heading one zero zero”; wind 220 is “wind two two zero”. [AIM 4-2-10]

Speeds

Digits then “knots”: “two five zero knots”. [AIM 4-2-11]

Altimeter

“Altimeter” then the four digits: 29.92 is “altimeter two niner niner two”. Never QNH, never hectopascals.

Time

UTC, four digits: 0920 is “zero niner two zero”; “Zulu” may be said. Minutes only where no confusion is likely. [AIM 4-2-12]

A civil pilot states the aircraft type, model or manufacturer, then the registration with the “N” dropped. With no type stated, the registration is spoken with “November”. [AIM 4-2-4 a 3]

Cessna One Seven Two Sierra Papa · Bonanza Six Five Five Golf · Aztec Two Four Six Four Alpha

Never abbreviated on first contact

Nor at any time when similar call signs are on frequency. ATC may abbreviate after communications are established — the prefix and the last three characters (“Cessna Two Sierra Papa”) — and only then may you. [AIM 4-2-4 a 1, 2]

Student pilot

Say “student pilot” after your call sign on initial contact with each facility and you will get extra help. “Dayton Tower, Fleetwing One Two Three Four, student pilot.” [AIM 4-2-4 c]

If in doubt

“Verify clearance for (complete call sign).” Never act on a clearance you are not sure was for you. [AIM 4-2-4 a 2]

Air taxi without an FAA call sign

Prefix the identification with “Tango”: “Tango Aztec Two Four Six Four Alpha”. [AIM 4-2-4 a 4]

Call a facility by its name and its type. [AIM 4-2-6, TBL 4-2-1]

(Name) Ground

Ground control in the tower — taxi, before you move on the movement area.

(Name) Tower

The airport traffic control tower — runway, takeoff, landing, the pattern.

(Name) Clearance Delivery

IFR clearances at busier airports.

(Name) Approach / Departure

Radar approach control — VFR flight following, Class B and C airspace, sequencing to the tower.

(Name) Center

The air route traffic control center — en route, flight following away from a terminal area.

(Name) Radio

A Flight Service Station — weather, flight plans, in Alaska airport advisories.

(Name) UNICOM

The non-government station at an airport — wind and runway on request.

(Name) traffic

Not a station: the self-announce address on a CTAF at an airport with no operating tower. [AIM 4-1-9]

The first call to a facility, or to a new controller within it, has a fixed shape. [AIM 4-2-3 a 1]

1. Facility

“Columbia Ground”, “Miami Center”…

2. Your full identification

Type and registration, no “N”.

3. Position

On the airport surface, always. In the air, position and altitude help the controller — include them if the frequency is not busy.

4. The request

Or the type of message to follow, if it is long.

5. “Over”

Only if required — rarely on VHF.

Columbia Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, south ramp with Information Charlie, request taxi, VFR to Memphis.

Miami Center, Baron Five Six Three Hotel, request VFR traffic advisories.

Saying “Information (letter) received” on the first call saves the controller reading you the weather. Do not overload a busy controller: name, identification, “request flight following”, then details when asked. [AIM 4-2-3 a 3]

There is no “with you”, no “checking in”, and no “traffic in the area, please advise”. [AIM 4-2-1 c, 4-1-9 g 1]

Acknowledge every call-up and clearance with your identification — at the start or the end — and one of the standard words. [AIM 4-2-3 c]

Wilco

Received, understood, will comply. [P/CG]

Roger

Received all of your last transmission. Never an answer to a yes/no question. [P/CG]

Affirmative / Negative

Yes / No. [P/CG]

Unable

Cannot comply with the instruction. Say what you can do instead. [P/CG]

Say again

Repeat — “say again all after (fix)”. [P/CG]

Stand by

A pause, not an approval or a denial. Call again if the wait is long. [P/CG]

What must be read back

Runway assignments

The runway, including left/right/center, in the first readback of a taxi, departure or landing clearance. [AIM 4-4-7 b 4]

Hold-short instructions

Word for word. ATC is required to obtain this readback. [AIM 4-3-18 a 9, 10]

Any clearance to enter a runway

Line up and wait, cross runway (number), cleared for takeoff. [AIM 4-3-18 a 9]

Altitudes, vectors, altitude restrictions

In the sequence given, with your identification. [AIM 4-4-7 b 2]

Squawk codes and frequency changes

Read back the code; acknowledge the frequency. [AIM 4-2-3 d]

Not read back

Wind, traffic information, weather — acknowledged, never required.

November Five Charlie Tango, roger, cleared to land runway nine left.

Runway three six left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of taxiway Charlie, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.

ATIS is the recorded airport information at busier fields: the phonetic letter, the time, wind, visibility, sky condition, temperature and dew point, altimeter, and the runway and approach in use. Get it before you call, and say the letter on initial contact. [AIM 4-1-13]

“With Information Charlie”

Tells the facility you have the current ATIS; approach and tower omit the wind, runway and altimeter. [AIM 4-1-18 a 4]

“Have numbers”

You have the runway, wind and altimeter only — NOT the ATIS. [P/CG]

No ATIS

Ask for the numbers, or the tower will give runway, wind and altimeter with the landing information. [JO 7110.65 3-10-1]

US airspace is by class. The radio requirement rises with the class. [AIM chapter 3; 4-3-2; 4-4-6]

Class B

A clearance is required: you must hear “cleared into the Class Bravo” before entering. Expect a squawk first and “remain clear” until cleared. Mode C transponder within 30 miles of the primary airport.

Class C

Two-way radio communication with the approach control must be established before entry — a reply that uses your call sign. A transponder with altitude reporting is required.

Class D

Two-way communication with the tower before entering the surface area; initial call about 15 miles out. “Aircraft calling, stand by” does NOT establish communication — remain outside. [AIM 4-3-2 a]

Class E surface area

No radio requirement in VFR conditions; a Special VFR clearance below basic VFR.

Special VFR

A clearance to operate in a surface area below VFR minima: clear of clouds, at least 1 statute mile. Request it from the tower where there is one; state your intentions in enough detail to fit the traffic. [AIM 4-4-6]

NorCal Approach, Cessna One Seven Two Sierra Papa, one two miles south of Palo Alto, three thousand five hundred, request Class Bravo transition to San Carlos.

A radar facility will give a VFR aircraft traffic advisories, safety alerts, limited vectors and sequencing, workload permitting. Ask for it; it is not automatic. [AIM 4-1-15, 4-1-17, 4-1-18]

The request

Call sign, type, position, altitude, destination, “request VFR flight following”. Keep the first call short on a busy frequency and give details when asked. [AIM 4-1-18 a 3]

Squawk and ident

You will be assigned a code; read it back. Ident only when asked. [AIM 4-1-20 d]

“Radar contact”

You are identified; the controller may add your position and the altimeter — read back the altimeter.

Monitor the frequency

Stay on it; tell the controller before changing altitude or frequency. [AIM 4-1-15 b 2]

Vectors are advisory

“Suggested heading” — you remain responsible for VFR and for terrain. Read back a heading you are given. [AIM 4-1-17]

Ending it

Ask to terminate, or hear “radar service terminated, squawk VFR, frequency change approved” — acknowledge, then set 1200. [AIM 4-1-15 b 2]

The controller gives traffic as a clock position, a distance, a direction of travel or relative movement, and the type and altitude if known. [JO 7110.65 2-1-21]

Traffic, eleven o’clock, one zero miles, southbound, converging, Cessna, one seven thousand.

Traffic in sight

You have it. [P/CG]

Negative contact

You cannot see it — you may ask for a vector to avoid it. Also: unable to raise ATC on a frequency. [P/CG]

Not “roger”, not “looking”

“Looking” is not a P/CG term; “roger” tells the controller nothing about whether you see the traffic.

1200

VFR, unless ATC assigns a code. Altitude reporting on. [AIM 4-1-20 5 (a)]

7500

Hijack. Never select it by accident — when changing codes, avoid passing through 7500, 7600 or 7700. [AIM 4-1-20 e]

7600

Radio communications failure.

7700

Emergency. Squawk it if you cannot immediately reach a facility. [AIM 6-3-2 a 2]

Squawk (code)

Set the code with altitude reporting. “Ident” — press the ident button, only when asked. “Squawk standby” — standby. “Squawk VFR” — 1200. [AIM 4-1-20 f]

Before you move

Call Ground (or Clearance Delivery) for taxi before starting to move on the movement area; state your position on the airport. [AIM 4-3-14 a, 4-3-18 a 1]

The taxi instruction

“Runway (number), taxi via (route)”, with hold-short instructions where you must stop. ATC never says “cleared” for a taxi. Read back the runway and any hold short. [JO 7110.65 3-7-2; AIM 4-3-18 a 9]

Crossing a runway

Needs an explicit “cross runway (number)”. Absence of holding instructions authorises crossing taxiways only. [AIM 4-3-18 a 5; JO 7110.65 3-7-2]

Ready

Switch to Tower when ready for takeoff (stay on Ground until then). Turbine aircraft are assumed ready at the runway. [AIM 4-3-14 a, b]

Line up and wait

“Runway (number), line up and wait” — onto the runway, not a takeoff clearance. Read it back. [P/CG; JO 7110.65 3-9-4]

Takeoff

“Runway (number), cleared for takeoff.” Runway first, then the clearance; read back both. [JO 7110.65 3-9-10]

Landing

“Runway (number), cleared to land”; “cleared for the option” lets you choose touch-and-go, stop-and-go, low approach or full stop. [JO 7110.65 3-10-5; P/CG]

After landing

Exit at the first available taxiway or as told; taxi clear past the hold-position markings and hold; change to Ground only when the tower says. [AIM 4-3-21, 4-3-14 c]

Leaving the tower frequency

Once outside the Class D you do not need permission to leave the frequency, but staying on it for traffic is good practice. [AIM 4-3-2 a]

Runway two seven, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one eight, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.

Runway two seven, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.

The legs have standard names — departure, upwind, crosswind, downwind, base, final — and the tower uses them in instructions. [AIM 4-3-2 c]

Pattern altitude

Propeller aircraft: 1,000 feet AGL unless the Chart Supplement says otherwise; large and turbine aircraft 1,500 feet. [AIM 4-3-3 a]

Turns

Left unless the chart or the tower says right (“RP” on the chart for a right pattern). [AIM 4-3-3 c, d]

Entry

Level, abeam the midpoint at pattern altitude; the tower may say “enter left downwind”, “enter left base”, “straight-in approved”, “make right traffic”. [AIM 4-3-3, FIG 4-3-2; JO 7110.65 3-10-1]

Reports

Give the report the tower asked for — “midfield downwind, runway two seven” — and nothing more; the tower adds “report two mile final” when it wants that.

Extend / I’ll call your base

Acknowledge with your identification and fly it. Do not turn base until told.

Go around

Answer “going around” with your identification, then fly: overfly the runway, climb to pattern altitude, enter on the crosswind unless told otherwise. [P/CG]

Without an operating tower, everyone transmits on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) — which may be a UNICOM, MULTICOM (122.9) or the closed tower’s frequency. [AIM 4-1-9]

When

Inbound: monitor and announce from 10 miles out; entering downwind, base and final; clear of the runway. Outbound: before taxiing, before taxiing onto the runway, and until 10 miles out. [AIM 4-1-9 c, TBL 4-1-1]

How

The airport name at the START and the END of every transmission; runways by number, never “the active”. [AIM 4-1-9 g 8]

UNICOM

State the station in each call; 10 miles out ask for wind and runway. [AIM 4-1-9 h]

Straight-in

Discouraged; if you do one, announce at 8–10 miles and coordinate — you have no priority over the pattern. [AIM 4-1-9 g 4]

Never

“Any traffic in the area, please advise.” Not a recognised phrase. Listen instead. [AIM 4-1-9 g 1]

Strawn traffic, Apache Two Two Five Zulu, ten miles south, two thousand five hundred, landing Strawn, Strawn.

Strawn traffic, Apache Two Two Five Zulu, entering left downwind runway one seven, full stop, Strawn.

Strawn traffic, Apache Two Two Five Zulu, clear of runway one seven, Strawn.

The tower controls aircraft without a working radio by light gun. In daylight acknowledge by rocking the wings (in flight) or moving the ailerons or rudder (on the ground); at night by flashing the landing or navigation lights. [AIM 4-3-13, TBL 4-3-1]

Steady green

In flight: cleared to land. On the ground: cleared for takeoff.

Flashing green

In flight: return for landing (a steady green will follow). On the ground: cleared to taxi.

Steady red

In flight: give way to other aircraft and continue circling. On the ground: stop.

Flashing red

In flight: airport unsafe, do not land. On the ground: taxi clear of the runway in use.

Flashing white

On the ground: return to your starting point on the airport.

Alternating red and green

Exercise extreme caution.

Squawk 7600

And, in VFR conditions, continue VFR and land as soon as practicable — which is not “as soon as possible”, nor at an unsuitable airport. [AIM 6-4-1 c 2]

Receiver failed, arriving at a towered airport

Stay outside or above the Class D until you have worked out the traffic flow; then transmit in the blind — type, position, altitude, intention to land, request light signals — and at 3 to 5 miles announce your position and join the pattern, watching the tower. [AIM 4-2-13 a 1]

Transmitter failed (or both)

Stay outside or above the Class D until the flow is known, join the pattern, monitor the tower frequency and watch for light signals; acknowledge by rocking the wings. [AIM 4-2-13 a 2, 3]

Departing with a failed radio

Have it fixed; otherwise telephone the tower for authorisation to depart without two-way radio. [AIM 4-2-13 b]

MAYDAY, three times, for imminent and grave danger; PAN-PAN, three times, for an urgent condition that is not yet distress. MAYDAY commands silence on the frequency; PAN-PAN warns others not to interfere. [AIM 6-3-1 c, d; P/CG]

The message, as many elements as necessary, preferably in this order: [AIM 6-3-2 a 3]

1. MAYDAY ×3 or PAN-PAN ×3
2. The station addressed — or “any station” if no reply
3. Your identification and type
4. The nature of the distress or urgency
5. Weather
6. Your intentions and request
7. Position and heading — or, if lost, last known position, time and heading since
8. Altitude
9. Fuel remaining in minutes
10. Number of people on board
11. Anything else useful

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, NorCal Approach, Cessna One Seven Two Sierra Papa, engine failure, forced landing in a field, five miles south of Palo Alto heading three six zero, two thousand feet, fuel one hour, two people on board.

Squawk 7700 if you cannot reach a facility. 121.5 MHz is the emergency frequency if the one in use is not preferable. Climb if you can — for radio range and radar. [AIM 6-3-1 h, 6-3-2 a 1, 2]

Flight Service Stations give weather, open and close flight plans, and in Alaska give airport advisories. Call “(name) Radio”; if the station transmits from several outlets, say which frequency you are on and where you are so the specialist answers on the right transmitter. [AIM 4-2-3 a 2, b; 4-2-14]

Dayton Radio, November One Two Three Four Five, on one two two point two, over Springfield V-O-R, over.

122.2 MHz is the common en-route frequency at most FSSs when in doubt. [AIM 4-2-14 a]

An example, in the form you will hear read as the ATIS:

KPAO 091750Z 31008KT 10SM CLR 22/12 A2992

KPAO

The station — Palo Alto.

091750Z

The 9th, 1750 UTC.

31008KT

Wind 310 at 8 knots — “wind three one zero at eight”.

10SM

Visibility 10 statute miles (US visibilities are in statute miles).

CLR

Sky clear (or FEW/SCT/BKN/OVC with a height in hundreds of feet).

22/12

Temperature 22 °C, dew point 12 °C.

A2992

Altimeter 29.92 inches — “altimeter two niner niner two”.

1. Get the ATIS. Call Ground with your position and the ATIS letter; request taxi.
2. Read back the runway and any hold-short. Taxi; run-up; switch to Tower when ready.
3. “Holding short runway (number), ready for departure.” Read back “line up and wait” or “cleared for takeoff” with the runway.
4. Clear of the Class D, contact Approach or Center for flight following: identification, type, position, altitude, destination.
5. Read back the squawk; ident when asked; acknowledge “radar contact” and the altimeter.
6. Answer traffic with “traffic in sight” or “negative contact”. Read back any heading or altitude you are given.
7. Approaching your destination: “radar service terminated, squawk VFR” — acknowledge, set 1200 — or take the handoff to the tower.
8. Fifteen miles out, call the tower with the ATIS letter; read back the pattern entry; report as asked.
9. Read back “runway (number), cleared to land”. Exit the runway, hold, and contact Ground when told.
10. At a non-towered field, replace 8–9 with self-announced calls on the CTAF from 10 miles to clear of the runway, airport name first and last.