Radio Communication and IFR Phraseology
Radio Communication and IFR Phraseology
Phraseology questions look easy and cost marks through small omissions: an unread item, a non-standard word, or a clearance acknowledged but not fully read back.
Standard practice (ICAO)
- Initial call: station called, your callsign, position, altitude/level, and any instruction expected (e.g. "request descent").
- Read back all safety-related items: clearances, route amendments, runway in use, altitudes/heights, headings, speeds, frequencies and transponder codes. If a readback is wrong, ATC must correct it - but the responsibility for a correct readback sits with the pilot.
- Standard words keep meaning unambiguous: cleared (authorisation), roger (received), wilco (will comply), say again, standby (no reply expected), affirm, negative, correction.
- Numbers are transmitted digit by digit for levels and headings ("flight level two four zero", "heading zero nine zero").
- Emergency: MAYDAY ×3 for distress, PAN PAN ×3 for urgency; transponder 7700 distress, 7600 radio failure, 7500 unlawful interference.
Worked example
ATC: "ABC123, cleared to Lagos via UR780, climb flight level 240, squawk 4512." A complete readback repeats the clearance limit, route, level and squawk: "Cleared to Lagos via UR780, climbing flight level two four zero, squawk four five one two, ABC123." Omitting the squawk is the commonest loss of marks.
Radio failure
On radio failure in IMC, follow the published lost-communication procedure: maintain the last assigned level for the prescribed period, then the flight-planned level, attempt contact on the last frequency and through other agencies, and watch for light signals or intercepts.
Traps
- Acknowledging with "roger" where a full readback is required.
- Mixing "standby" with "wilco".
- Reading back the level but not the route amendment.