Communications (VFR and IFR)
What the exam tests
Communications tests standard ICAO phraseology, readback, position reporting, clearance delivery, distress and urgency calls, SSR, and lost-communication procedures for VFR and IFR in Kazakhstan airspace.
Core rules
- Use the full aircraft callsign on initial contact and when reading back clearances. Standard words include ROGER, AFFIRM, NEGATIVE, STANDBY, and WILCO.
- Read back clearances containing a runway, altitude, heading, speed, squawk, or frequency. 'Line up and wait' is not a take-off clearance.
- Distress: MAYDAY repeated three times; urgency: PAN PAN repeated three times. Include callsign, nature, position, altitude, and intentions.
- IFR lost communications: continue along the last assigned route, maintain the last assigned altitude, and comply with the published lost-communication procedure; squawk 7600.
- Position reports include callsign, position, time, altitude, and next position with ETA.
Worked example
ATC: 'KZ-123, climb and maintain FL180, direct UAAA, squawk 4271.' Correct readback: 'Climb and maintain FL180, direct UAAA, squawk 4271, KZ-123.' Omitting the callsign, the level, or the squawk is a readback error. 'Roger' alone does not confirm a clearance.
Traps
Do not use 'take-off' except when cleared for take-off. Do not read back a clearance out of order or omit the callsign. Do not use 'roger' as a substitute for a full readback.