Communications - VFR
This domain tests VFR radiotelephony as it is actually spoken: standard phraseology, position reports, airspace-class procedures and emergency calls.
Standard words and alphabet
- Affirm, negative, roger, wilco, say again, standby, correction, request, report.
- The ICAO spelling alphabet: Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf, Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November, Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango, Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu.
- Digits: tree for three, fife for five, niner for nine to avoid confusion; hundreds and thousands in the standard form, for example one one thousand two hundred.
VFR calls
- Initial call: station called first, then aircraft call sign and position. Aircraft call sign follows the registration, for example A4O-AB or the approved company prefix and flight number.
- Position report: call sign, position, time, altitude, next position and ETA, next point.
- Readback is mandatory for clearances, runway instructions, altimeter settings, headings, frequencies and transponder codes.
Distress and urgency
- MAYDAY three times for distress; PAN PAN three times for urgency. Give call sign, nature, intention, position, level, and pilot qualification. End with the number of persons on board.
- Transponder: 7700 distress, 7600 radio failure, 7500 unlawful interference.
Worked example
A VFR flight north of Muscat loses engine power. Transmission: MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY, Muscat Approach, A4O-AB, PA-28, engine failure, 15 nm north of the field at 4,500 ft, positioning for a forced landing, PPL, two persons on board. Calm, complete, in that order - the examiner listens for the structure, not the speed.
Traps
Transmitting the message before the distress call; using roger as a response to an instruction demanding readback; forgetting that readback is required for altimeter settings.