Communications (VFR and IFR)
Scope
Communications tests standard RT phraseology, clearance readback, distress and urgency, transponder use and lost-communication procedures for VFR and IFR.
Core rules
- MAYDAY (spoken three times) is for grave and imminent danger; PAN PAN for urgency without immediate danger.
- Read back safety-related items: clearances, runway in use, hold-short instructions, altimeter settings, SSR codes and frequency changes.
- “Roger” means received; “Wilco” means will comply; “Affirm” means yes.
- Lost communications: squawk 7600; IFR generally continues according to the last clearance or the published lost-communication procedure.
- Emergency frequencies: 121.5 MHz; transponder codes 7500 unlawful interference, 7600 radio failure, 7700 emergency.
Worked example
ATC: “FASTJET 123, climb FL190, squawk 4271.” The readback must include the callsign, FL190 and squawk 4271. Reasoning: altitude and SSR code are safety-related; a readback that omits either leaves ambiguity about whether the clearance was received correctly. “Climb FL190, squawk 4271, FASTJET 123” is correct.
Traps
Using MAYDAY for a non-imminent problem; reading back only part of a clearance; treating “Roger” as “yes”; forgetting 7600 after radio failure.