Vocabulary

Standard speech radiotelephony communications.

ACKNOWLEDGE

  • Let me know that you have understood my message

Pilot
… (RADIO FAILURE)
ATC
DLH5031, CLEARED ILS APPROACH RWY25L, ACKNOWLEDGE BY SQUAWK IDENT

AFFIRM

  • Yes

NEVER say: “Affirmative”

ATC
OCO125F, ABLE TO VACATE RWY 26?
Pilot
AFFIRM, OCO125F

APPROVED

  • You have permission..

NEVER say: “Go ahead”, “Roger”, “Cleared to proceed”

Pilot
DAT2018, STAND 421, REQUEST START-UP
ATC
DAT2018, START-UP APPROVED

Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: APPROVED is used INSTEAD of CLEARED for all clearances except for TAKE-OFF, LANDING or TOUCH AND GO.

BREAK

  • To separate portions of the SAME message when there is no clear distinction between different portions of the message

ATC
TO ALL STATIONS, DELAY UNDETERMINED DUE TO BLOCKED RUNWAY BREAK DE-ICING IN PROGRESS ON RWY 25L

BREAK BREAK

  • Separation between messages to different aircraft in a very busy environment

Remark: Avoid as much as possible !!

ATC
DAL125, CONTACT BRUSSELS TOWER 120.775 BREAK BREAK DLH1756, TURN RIGHT HEADING 160

Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: NOT USED.

CANCEL

  • Disregard the previously transmitted clearance

ATC
BAW376, HOLD POSITION, CANCEL TAKE-OFF, I SAY AGAIN CANCEL TAKE-OFF

CHECK

  • Examine a system or procedure
  • Not to be used in any other context
  • No answer is expected

ATC
VLM777, CHECK GEAR DOWN
ATC
DAT77F, CHECK INFORMATION DELTA

CLEARED

  • Authorized to proceed under specified conditions

ATC
TUB2304, CLEARED LEAL VIA KOK1M DEPARTURE, FL60, SQUAWK 0152

Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: used ONLY for TAKE-OFF, LANDING or TOUCH AND GO. The word APPROVED is used for all other clearances.

CONFIRM

  • request verification of:
    • clearance
    • instruction
    • action
    • information

ATC
TFF561, CONFIRM ON COURSE TO HAAMSTEDE (HSD)

CONTACT

  • Establish radio contact with ...

ATC
MAS6733, CONTACT BRUSSELS GROUND 121.87

Attach:GB_Flag.gif United Kingdom: FREECALL used mainly by Military ATC to inform the pilot he/she must pass FULL DETAILS to the next ATS UNIT on FIRST CONTACT.

CORRECT

  • That is correct

ATC
KLM1728, QNH 1017
Pilot
QNH 1017, KLM1728
ATC
KLM1728, CORRECT

CORRECTION

  • An error has been made in this transmission! The correct version is ...

ATC
IBE3205, DESCEND TO FL90, CORRECTION DESCEND TO FL80

DISREGARD:

  • Consider my last transmission as not sent

ATC
AZA157, HOLD POSITION ABEAM STAND 240
Pilot
HOLD POSITION ABEAM STAND 240, AZA157
ATC
AZA157, DISREGARD, CONTINUE TAXI AS CLEARED

GO AHEAD

  • Proceed with your message
  • Not to be used whenever "GO AHEAD" may be mistaken as an authorization for an aircraft to proceed !

ATC
MKA118, CLEARANCE AVAILABLE
Pilot
GO AHEAD, MKA118

Attach:GB_Flag.gif United Kingdom and Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: PASS YOUR MESSAGE is used INSTEAD.

HOW DO YOU READ?

  • How well can you hear my transmission ?

ATC
TCW7655, HOW DO YOU READ?
Pilot
READ YOU 2, TCW7655

Possible readability 'values':

  1. UNREADABLE
  2. READABLE NOW AND THEN
  3. READABLE BUT WITH DIFFICULTY
  4. READABLE
  5. PERFECTLY READABLE

I SAY AGAIN

  • I repeat to make sure you understand

ATC
TAY885, HOLD POSITION, I SAY AGAIN , HOLD POSITION

MAINTAIN

  • Continue in accordance with specified condition(s) or in its literal sense, e.g. "Maintain VFR"

ATC
DAT26A, MAINTAIN 3000 feet
ATC
DEOFT, MAINTAIN OWN SEPARATION UNTIL ENTERING CONTROLLED AIRSPACE

MONITOR

  • Listen out on <frequency>

DO NOT use to establish 2-way communication

ATC
VEX32K, MONITOR DEPARTURE ATIS 121.750

NEGATIVE

  • "No"
  • "Permission not granted"
  • "That is not correct"
  • "Not capable"

ATC
DLH14W, REQUEST DESCENT
Pilot
DLH14W, NEGATIVE TRAFFIC BELOW!

READ BACK

  • Repeat everything, or the specified part, of this message back to me exactly as you received it

NEVER say: “Did you copy?”

ATC
EIN635, TAXI HOLDING POINT RUNWAY 07R VIA OUTER, QNH 998
Pilot
TAXI HOLDING POINT RUNWAY 07R VIA OUTER, EIN635
ATC
EIN635, READBACK QNH
Pilot
QNH 998, EIN635
ATC
EIN635, CORRECT

RECLEARED

  • Your last clearance has changed and this new clearance replaces your previous clearance completely or only partially

ATC
CKS223, TAXI HOLDING POINT RUNWAY 25R VIA OUTER B1
Pilot
REQUEST FULL RUNWAY LENGTH, CKS233
ATC
CKS233, RECLEARED HOLDING POINT RUNWAY 25R VIA OUTER E6 F5 W4, CROSS 20

Attach:GB_Flag.gif United Kingdom and Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: NOT USED.

REPORT

  • Pass me the following information ...

ATC
DAT54E, DESCEND FL130, REPORT PASSING FL150
Pilot
DESCEND TO FL130, REPORT PASSING FL150, DAT54E

Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: The word SAY is used INSTEAD of REPORT.

REQUEST

  • I like to know ...
  • I wish to obtain ...

Pilot
REQUEST CLIMB TO 2000 feet FOR SIMULATED FORCED LANDING, OONZL
ATC
OONZL, CLIMB TO 2000 feet FOR SIMULATED FORCED LANDING

Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: The word REQUESTING is used INSTEAD of REQUEST.

ROGER

  • I have received all of your last transmission
  • DO NOT use when a " READ BACK" or “AFFIRM” or “NEGATIVE” are required

NEVER say: “ROGER THAT”, “Okay”, “COPIED”, “COPIED THAT” !!

ATC
EWG754, EXPECT START-UP IN 2 MINUTES
Pilot
ROGER, EWG754

NOT CORRECT
ROGER THAT
COPIED
COPIED THAT
OKAY
YES

SAY AGAIN

  • Repeat everything , or a certain part, of your last transmission

Pilot
ANTWERP TOWER, N4375Y REQUEST CLEARANCE FOR FLIGHT TO THE EAST
ATC
STATION CALLING, SAY AGAIN CALLSIGN ?

SPEAK SLOWER

  • Reduce your rate of speech

Pilot
BRUSSELS FLIGHT INFORMATION, OOLOL VFR FLIGHT FROM EBKT TO EBUL VIA Gullegem St-Eloois-winkel Oekene Ardooie Schuiferskapelle Lotenhulle Bruggewijk Buntelare AT 1200 feet, REQUEST FLIGHT INFORMATION
ATC
… STATION CALLING, SAY AGAIN AND SPEAK SLOWER

STANDBY

  • Wait and I will call you
  • The caller will try to re-establish contact if the delay is lengthy - STANDBY does not mean you may proceed.

Pilot
READY FOR PUSH-BACK, SQC2428
ATC
SQC2428, STANDBY

ATC
BCS777, STANDBY TOWER 120.775
BCS777 listens out on 120.775 and waits until Tower controller calls him

UNABLE

  • I cannot comply with your request, instruction, or clearance
  • UNABLE is normally followed by a reason

ATC
DAT72K, REDUCE SPEED TO 160 kts AND INCREASE RATE OF DESCENT
Pilot
UNABLE, DAT654

Attach:FR_Flag.gif France: NOT USED.

WILCO

  • I understand your message and will comply with it
  • Abbreviation for "will comply"

ATC
BMA237, REPORT READY FOR DESCENT
Pilot
WILCO, BMA237

WORDS TWICE

  1. As a request:
    • Communication is difficult. Please repeat every word, or group of words
  2. As information:
    • Since communication is difficult, every word, or group of words, in this message will be repeated

Pilot
''OSTEND APPROACH, O..GK, OVERHEAD… 500… REQUEST…
ATC
STATION CALLING OSTEND APPROACH, SAY AGAIN, WORDS TWICE