Communications - VFR and IFR
This domain tests standard radiotelephony: phraseology, readback, distress and urgency, position reporting and SSR. Clarity and standard words matter more than fluency.
Standard phraseology
- Use the phonetic alphabet and digits in groups. Say 'line up and wait', 'hold short', 'cleared for take-off'.
- Read back runway, altitude, heading, SSR code, frequency and hold-short instructions.
- 'Roger' means received; 'wilco' means will comply; 'affirm' and 'negative' are standard.
Distress and urgency
- MAYDAY, three times, for grave and imminent danger; PAN PAN for urgency.
- Distress frequency 121.5 MHz; guard 243.0 MHz for military.
- Squawk 7700 distress, 7600 radio failure, 7500 unlawful interference.
Worked example
Clearance: 'Kilo Alpha Bravo, cleared to Nairobi Wilson, runway 14, climb 7,000 ft, squawk 4271.' Read back: 'Cleared to Wilson, runway 14, climb 7,000 ft, squawk 4271, Kilo Alpha Bravo.' Include the aircraft callsign at the end and read back every safety-related item.
Traps
- Treating 'roger' as permission.
- Failing to read back a hold-short instruction.
- Using 'take-off' in a readback when the clearance was 'line up and wait'.
- Overloading the frequency with a long mayday when a concise one is needed.
- Forgetting to state position, altitude and intentions in a position report.