Communications (VFR and IFR Phraseology, Radiotelephony)
What the exam tests
This domain tests standard radiotelephony: call signs, phonetic alphabet, numbers, clearance readback, distress and urgency calls, and position reporting.
Core rules
- Use the aircraft call sign consistently. The phonetic alphabet uses Alfa, Bravo, Charlie and so on. Numbers are transmitted digit by digit for headings, frequencies and altitudes, except standard group forms such as flight levels.
- Standard words have precise meanings: affirm means yes; negative means no; roger means received; wilco means will comply; standby means wait; unable means cannot comply.
- A clearance must be read back when it contains a runway, altitude, heading, frequency or hold-short instruction. Readback is not optional confirmation.
- Distress uses MAYDAY, repeated three times, with call sign, nature of distress and intentions. Urgency uses PAN PAN.
- Position reports include call sign, position, time, altitude or flight level, next position and ETA.
Worked example
Tower: ABC123, runway 29L, line up and wait. Correct readback: Line up and wait, runway 29L, ABC123. A reply of roger is wrong because it does not confirm the runway or the hold instruction, and it does not include the call sign.
Traps
Using roger as if it were a clearance; omitting the runway in a take-off or landing readback; confusing MAYDAY with PAN PAN; and failing to read back a hold-short instruction.