Communications
Communications tests VHF/UHF radio use, standard phraseology, readback requirements, distress and urgency procedures, and datalink.
Frequencies and phraseology
- Civil VHF airband is 118.000–136.975 MHz, 8.33 kHz spacing in Europe; 121.5 MHz is the emergency frequency.
- Standard readback includes clearance limits, runway, altitude, heading and frequency.
- Use ICAO phraseology: "line up and wait", "cleared for takeoff", "go around", "say again".
Distress and urgency
- MAYDAY (spoken three times) is distress; PAN-PAN is urgency.
- Distress call includes station addressed, callsign, nature of distress, intentions, position, altitude and fuel.
- Loss of radio: squawk 7600; unlawful interference: 7500; general emergency: 7700.
Worked example
You are cleared to "descend to FL120, report passing FL150". You read back the clearance and report passing FL150 when the altimeter passes 15,000 ft. If ATC later says "descend to FL100", you must read back the new level; the earlier report does not authorise further descent.
Traps that cost marks
- Using MAYDAY for a non-immediate urgency situation; use PAN-PAN.
- Failing to read back a level or runway clearance.
- Confusing squawk 7600 (radio failure) with 7700 (general emergency).