Departure, Approach and Circuit Communications
Core concepts
This domain covers communications in the traffic circuit and during departure and approach. For VFR at Brunei, you will often join the circuit, report positions (downwind, base, final), and request touch-and-go or full-stop. Key concepts: standard circuit calls: 'downwind', 'base', 'final', 'long final'; request for 'touch and go', 'full stop', 'option'. Know the phraseology for departure: 'ready for departure', 'cleared for take-off', 'after departure climb to', 'report airborne'. For approach: 'request join', 'report base', 'cleared to land', 'go around'. Traps: forgetting to report 'final' when requested; confusing 'cleared for take-off' with 'cleared for departure' (the former is the actual clearance); not reading back take-off clearance; using 'rolling' instead of 'departing'; failing to report position when instructed. Also, know that 'cleared for the option' allows touch-and-go, stop-and-go, full stop, or low approach. Worked example: 'Brunei Tower, Cessna Five Six Alpha Bravo, downwind runway two zero, request touch and go.' Tower: 'Cessna Five Six Alpha Bravo, report final runway two zero.' You reply: 'Wilco, Cessna Five Six Alpha Bravo.' On final: 'Cessna Five Six Alpha Bravo, final runway two zero.' Tower: 'Cessna Five Six Alpha Bravo, cleared touch and go runway two zero, wind two zero zero degrees five knots.' Read back: 'Cleared touch and go runway two zero, Cessna Five Six Alpha Bravo.' Rule of thumb: always read back take-off and landing clearances.
Key points
- Report downwind, base, final as instructed.
- Read back take-off and landing clearances.
- 'Cleared for the option' includes touch-and-go, full stop, etc.
- Use 'ready for departure' to request take-off.
- 'Go around' is the instruction to abort landing.