Communications (VFR Radiotelephony)
VFR Radiotelephony tests standard phraseology, readback requirements, distress and urgency procedures, and correct frequency use. The examiner wants concise, standard calls, not conversation.
Structure of a call
Station called, your callsign, position or level, intention. Example: Valletta Approach, G-ABCD, Cessna 152, 5 nm south, 2,500 ft, inbound landing, information Bravo.
Readback
Read back clearances, runway in use, hold-short instructions, altitude or heading instructions, and QNH. If you did not hear it, say Say again rather than guess.
Distress and urgency
MAYDAY three times for grave and imminent danger; PAN PAN three times for urgency. Emergency frequency is 121.5 MHz. Squawk 7700 for emergency, 7600 for radio failure, 7500 for unlawful interference.
Worked example
Clearance: G-ABCD, taxi to holding point Alpha One via Bravo, QNH 1015. Read back: Taxiing to holding point Alpha One via Bravo, QNH 1015, G-ABCD. The holding point and QNH must be repeated; roger alone is not a readback.
Position reporting
At uncontrolled aerodromes, make blind calls: (Aerodrome) Traffic, G-ABCD, Cessna 152, downwind runway 27, touch and go. State position, level and intention; listen before transmitting.
Traps
Using roger for a clearance; omitting your callsign; reading back only part of a hold instruction; and using MAYDAY when PAN PAN is correct.