Radio #

General #

HF tends to work better at night.

Sun Up, Frequency Up
Sun Down, Frequency Down
For ATC with North America, it uses 25 KHz spacing. All aircraft equipped with 720 channel transceiver with 25 KHz spacing. For example (119.000, 119.025, etc.)
Turn off radio when starting engines of the aircraft as large voltage transients are created and may damage radio
When radio contains the word HOLD, always read back the hold point on the radio call

Types of towers #

In order of departure, reverse for arrival: Ground: Controls taxiways, contact ground AFTER you get off the runway. Tower: Controls runways, contact within 5-20nm of airport Approach / Departure: Controls larger terminal area around airport, contact when entering zone Center: Usually entire province / VERY large area, contact when entering zone

Clearances #

“To the circuit”: it means the pilot is expected to join the circuit on the DOWNWIND leg at circuit height.
“Straight in approach”: Means straight to final

Common frequencies #

Emergency: 121.5 (consider always listening to this)
Advisory schannel (flight information service, typically creating and closing a flight plan): 122.2
Flight service stations in Canada & USA: 112.2
Uncontrolled tower in USA: 123.6
Uncontrolled airspace / VHF en-route: 126.7
Soaring activities (gliders, balloons): 123.4
UNICOM (Universal Communication): Private stations between 122.7 and 123.5.
Most common UNICOM: 122.8
ATC control most common: 123.2
Ground control at most airports (common): 121.9
Private (crop spraying, formation flying, etc.): 122.9

Emergencies #

Emergency: Mayday is repeated 3 times
Pan pan: Urgency / there is reported damage / repeated 3 times.
Security: Repeated 3 times, indicates station about to transmit an important message

Terms #

NORDO: aircraft without radio
Unicom: Private advisory stations (PAS) at uncontrolled airports. May provide limited support
Simple channel simplex: Communication in one direction at a time; transmitting and receiving on same radio freq
Double simplex: Transmitting on one chan freq and receiving on another freq, but not simultaneously
Double channel duplex: transmitting on one chan freq and receiving on another freq simultaneously
Ground waves: Across the ground
Air waves: Broadcasted into the air and bounces off ionospherea
Mode S: Secondary surveillance radar system that provides two-way data communications capability for air traffic
VHF data link: used for limited flight information and air traffic services such as clearance, ATIS info, taxi instructions, take off and landing requests / clearances
SATCOM: Satellite communications
11/2 system usually called NAV/COM.$a
VFR alerting service: If VFR plan not closed in certain amount of time, emergency personall are dispatched
FISE: Flight information service en route
RCOs: Remote communications outlets, advisory service where there is no FSS (flight service stations)
RAAS: Remote aerodrome advisory service consists of weather reports including wind and altimeter settings
DUATS: Direct user access terminal system enables pilot to access weather informatoin and NOTAM information using a personal computer
ATIS: Automatic Terminal Information Service, provides automatic information describing (usually) something similar to METAR.

Landing #

IMPORTANT. You will always be told “cleared to land”, or “cleard for touch-and-go”, etc. You are not allowed to land unless you hear that phrase.

Common FSS services #

VHF Direction Finding Servicea #

VHF finding equipment is provided at some FSS to assist VFR airplanes. COmmonly within the 115 to 144 Mhz range transmittions. The FSS will give you headings to follow. When doing this, reset the magnetic heading and do not change it without telling the ATC / FSS.

Aircraft: Sudbury Radio — This is Foxtrot Romeo Tango Mike — Request DF Homing — Approximately Two Zero Miles South of Sudbury — Heading Zero Four Five — Seven Thousand. FSS: Foxtrot Romeo Tango Mike — This is Sudbury Radio — For Homing to Sudbury Airport — Steer Heading Zero One Five.

ATIS #

Automated information. You must listen to ATIS and report to tower with “information bravo”. As tapes change, letter increases, starting the day with Alpha.

ATIS example output: Vancouver International Airport. Information Bravo. Weather at 1400 Zulu. Three Thousand Scattered, Measured Ceiling Five Thousand Overcast. Visibility Ten. Haze. Temperature One Five. Dew Point Eight. Wind Two Five Zero (magnetic) at Ten (knots), Altimeter Two Niner Niner Eight. Runway Two Six, Inform Vancouver ATC on Initial Contact that you have received Information Bravo.

Frequency Descriptions #

Uncontrolled airspaces #

Uses 126.7Mhz for uncontrolled airspace
Should report the last known position, estimated next position, present altitude and intention and planned altitude.
Ex: TODO

MF (Mandatory Frequency) #

Mandatory Frequency (MF): Ordinarily these airports have a flight service station (FSS) or a community aerodrome radio stations (CARS). Both of which provide airport and vehicle advisory service.
Most cases, the MF is 5 nautical miles in radius from the airport on which it is centred and extends up to 3,000ft AAE.
MF is shown in the Canada Flight Suppliment.

Ex: MF - radio 118.7 04-12Z 5NM 3050ASL:

MF = mandatory frequency
118.7 = frequency
04-12Z = call sign
5NM = must contact within 5 nautical miles
3050ASL = up to 3050 altitude.
En route VFR traffic indending to fly through the specified area must report position, altitude and intensions prior to entering the area

ATF (Aerodrome Traffic Frequency) #

At uncontrolled airports that are considered active, ATF are designated instead of mandatory frequencies. Designated ATF will normally be the ground station where one exists.
122.8Mhz usually, if it does not exist then:
123.2Mhz in broadcast mode

ATF, call sign, hours of operation is usually listed in the Canada Flight Suppliment, for example:

ATF – unicom ltd hrs O/T tfc 122.8 5NM 4300ASL:
- Monitored by limited hours
- Limited hours
- O/T = Call sign
- 122.8 freq
- 5 nautical miles
- 4300ft up to

Phraseology #

Calling a facility #

When calling a facility, always use the name of the station followed by the facility.. Example: Winnipeg APPROACH, Vancounter CENTER, Calgary GROUND.

Common facilities are:

Flight altitudes and headings #

FL always given in thousands and hundreds of feet above sea level

One thousand (1,000 feet ASL)
Two thousdand five houndred (2,500ft ASL)
Flight Level Two Four Zero (FL 240)

Headings are given in groups of three digits:

060 is spoken Heading Zero Six Zero
275 is spoken Heading Two Zero Five

Aerodrome elevations in feet:

Field Elevation Six Seven Five

Radio Frequencies #

Necessary on initial call state frequency on which they are transmitting. Towers often monitor mulitple freq and this helps give positive indication whcih one it’s on.

Ex: Vancouver Radio — This is Beechcraft Foxtrot Delta Lima Tango — On One Two Two Decimal Two — Over.

Transponder codes are given in numbers proceeded by the word SQUACK.

Code 1200 is spoken: Squawk One Two Zero Zero

Runway visual range information #

Provides visual range information by ATC:

RVR Runway Two Five, Three Thousand Six Hundred Feet.
RVR Runway One Niner, Variable from One ThousandFeettoTwoThousandFeet.

Aircraft call signs #

On initial contact, use the FULL name including the manufacturer / make of the aircraft
Example: Piper Tomahawk Golf Mike Oscar Tango
After initial contact, can be shortened to last 3 characters: Cessna 172 N8723T becomes Two Three Tango.

Standard phrases #

Priority of communication #

Emergency
Flight safety communications (ATC clearances, airport advisories, position reports, traffic in sight)
Scheduled broadcasts
Unscheduled broadcasts
Other air-ground communications

Typical things #

Typical things you may say #

'…': ALWAYS repeat what they say & tail number. Example: “Cleared to land, 5EC”.
Roger: I understand
WILCO: Will comply, ONLY used when airwaves are busy
Affirmative: Yes (short words can be cut off)
Negative: No
Say again: Repeat something
Request: Use to ask for something for an upcoming request to give ATC time to. Example: “Boston approach, 505EC request”. Wait. “505EC go ahead”. “505EC would like to descend to 3,500 because of clouds”.
Looking (for traffic): Ack after ATC tells you about another aircraft in your area
Traffic in sight: You see the other aircraft
Negative contact: You do not see the other aircraft after a reasonable search
Student pilot: Add student pilot after tail number and it’ll help ATC with troubles understanding, etc.

Typical things ATC may say #

Acknowledge: Let me know you have received and understood this message.

Affirm: Yes

Correction: Error has been made, the correct version is…

Wilco: Will comply

Cleared…: ATC has given you the permission and right to do something. “Cleared to land, runway 11” “Cleared for takeoff.” “Cleared to enter Class B.”

Cleared for the option: Said when preparing for a landing, without further clearance you may do any of these things as you wish: full stop, stop-and-go, touch-and-go, or go-around.

Continue: Keep doing what you’re doing. Go straight if you were told to go straight. If you were told earlier to enter the pattern downwind on the 45, then do that.

Go ahead: Talk to ATC. Perhaps the airwaves have been very busy and you finally manage to get in, saying, “Hanscom tower, Katana 505EC.” Then wait until the tower says, “505EC go ahead.” It’s your turn to talk, now.

Report…: ATC is telling you that when you arrive at the given position, you should radio the tower and tell them so. “Report downwind”: when you’re established on the downwind and are at midfield, call the tower and say, “505EC downwind.” “Report base”: call the tower as you start to turn base and say, “5EC turning base.”

State (your) intentions: This is most often tower’s polite way of saying that they don’t understand what you’re doing, or that you are not on the right heading, or that you are not following instructions. They want to know what you want to do, or what you think you’re doing. Then they can give you appropriate guidance.

Maintain…: Stay at a given altitude. “Climb and maintain 4500” means you should climb up to 4500 MSL and stay there until they tell you otherwise. “Maintain 1500 until Cider Hill”: do not descend below 1500 until you reach this landmark.

Climb to/descend to…: Go to the altitude they give you.

Fly heading…: Turn to the direction given. “Fly heading 180”: go south until told otherwise.

Make [left/right] closes: This could also be phrased, “Make (left/right) close traffic.” You are going to work in the traffic pattern, and make left or right turns, as instructed.

You’re number [three] following a…: You are in the traffic pattern, and there will be planes landing in front of you. “You’re number three following a Cessna” means that one plane is cleared to land, there’s a Cessna behind that, and you should be looking for the Cessna so you can follow behind it.

Traffic at two o’clock [high], [three miles] is a [Dash 8].: The standard traffic advisory: in this example, look forward and to the right for a big twin commuter plane above you and a few miles away. This advisory will often be accompanied by information on the direction that the Dash 8 is traveling.

Check wheels down: At some airports, this is a standard thing to say whether your wheels are down or not. It would be a good time to check, though, as this is only said once you’re cleared to land.

Confirm…: ATC wants you to repeat some instruction you’ve been given.

Hold short of…: Said when taxiing. Stop before reaching and do not cross the given runway or taxiway. Always repeat this instruction back to the controller.

Hold short of the ILS critical area: Stay behind not just the runway hold-short solid lines, but behind the ILS hold-short line (looks like a ladder with double rungs).

Position and hold: Go on to the runway and wait in position to take off.

Recycle: ATC isn’t reading your transponder, so they want you to turn your transponder off, then turn it back on again.

Ident: Push the little button on the transponder. This makes your radar blip blossom on their screen, so they can find you easily and know who you are.

Radar contact: ATC is informing you that it has you on radar. You don’t need to respond to this.

Contact [tower] on [118.5]: ATC is “handing you off” to another controller, telling you to change your radio frequency and talk to someone else. In this example, you would respond, “505EC going to tower,” switch your radio frequency to 118.50, and report in by saying, for example, “Hanscom Tower, Katana 505EC at 2000.”

Cleared out of class [D]: ATC is informing you that you are leaving its airspace and can go on your own recognizance. This phrase is often followed by…

Radar service is terminated: ATC is telling you that it will not provide separation or traffic advisories any more. This phrase is often followed by…

Squawk VFR: Change your transponder code to 1200. And this phrase is often followed by…

Frequency change approved: This call is permission to stop communications with ATC, usually because you’re leaving their airspace and continuing on a visual flight.

Do you want advisories?: You can request to stay on the radio with a controller, and be advised of traffic in your vicinity, as ATC’s workload allows. This is called traffic advisories, or “flight following.

Taxi to [runway 29] [via Juliet and Echo]: A taxi clearance: if cleared to taxi TO a runway, you are allowed to cross all other taxiways and runways on the way there, but you must hold short of the final runway. In the case of this example, you should go on taxiway Juliet, turn on to Echo, and taxi up to the hold-short line of runway 29.

Taxi into position and hold (or just, “Position and hold”): Drive your airplane on to the beginning of the runway and stop. Do not take off. You are being put in position for your takeoff, but another plane is still on the runway, or other traffic considerations (e.g. wake turbulence) make your departure unsafe.

Extend downwind: Don’t turn from downwind to base yet. This is to separate your plane from other traffic in the pattern. This is often followed by…

I’ll call your base: Stay on downwind, at traffic pattern altitude, until the tower tells you to turn in.

Do a 360 and re-enter the [downwind]: The controller wants you to do a standard two-minute turn-around-a-point in the pattern (360 degrees of turn), and reenter the pattern wherever you left it. This is for spacing purposes. This instruction could also happen on base or final. If you’re just about to turn left base, ATC could also tell you to do a right 270 (degree turn) and come back in on base. A 360 gives you the perfect opportunity to use that stuff you learned in “turns around a point,” and to practice one

Talking to ATC #

Clearances and Instructions (ATC) #

Authorization from ATC unit for aicraft to proceed within controlled airspace under specific conditions
Once you accept it, you must comply with an ATC clearance.
If IFR, must read it back and use form of the word “clear” in text
If VFR, must read back text of clearance only if requested by ATC to do so

Position reports #

Report to ATC from an aircraft en route made upon passing a reporting point.
Must include: identification of aircraft, position, time of passing the reporting point, altitutude, type of flight plan and destination.

Reporting point #

Solid triangle: Compulsary reporting
Outline triangle: Non-compulsary reporting points (usually navigational aids)