Communications (VFR and IFR)
What this paper tests
Communications covers VHF radiotelephony: standard phraseology, pronunciation, readback requirements, distress and urgency procedures, IFR clearances and the calls made at a non-towered aerodrome. Marks are lost for imprecise phrasing as well as for wrong content.
Standards and phraseology
- VHF airband runs from 118.000 to 136.975 MHz and is line-of-sight; range grows with altitude. Use the phonetic alphabet and pronounce digits as tree, fife, niner, with 'decimal' spoken.
- An initial call carries the station called, your callsign, position, altitude or level, and your request or intentions.
- Read back: ATC clearances, runway and hold-short instructions, altimeter settings, headings, frequencies and transponder codes. Finish the readback with your callsign.
- 'Roger' means received; 'affirm' means yes; 'wilco' means will comply; 'standby' means wait. The word 'take-off' is used only for an actual take-off clearance - otherwise say 'departure'.
Emergency and IFR communications
- Distress: MAYDAY three times with callsign, position, nature of distress, intentions and persons on board. Urgency: PAN-PAN with the same content. Guard frequency is 121.5 MHz.
- SSR: 7700 emergency, 7600 radio failure, 7500 unlawful interference, selected with mode C.
- IFR clearances follow CRAFT: clearance limit, route, altitude, frequency, transponder - read the whole clearance back.
- Position reports: callsign, position, time, level, next position and ETA, and the following point.
- At an uncontrolled aerodrome broadcast joining, downwind, base and final calls, giving type and position.
Worked example
'PK-ABC, cleared to enter the control zone via GAVAL, maintain 2000 ft, runway 24, QNH 1010, squawk 4321.' The readback must include the entry point, level, runway, QNH and squawk, ending with 'PK-ABC'. 'Cleared to enter' is not 'cleared to land' - a separate landing clearance is still required.
Traps that cost marks
- Reading back only the runway and omitting level, frequency or squawk.
- Using 'roger' as if it meant agreement or compliance.
- Saying 'take-off' in a request instead of 'departure'.
- Failing to read back a hold-short instruction - a recurring operational error noted by regulators.