GENERAL AVIATION SAFETY SENSE

22RADIOTELEPHONY

1 INTRODUCTION

a Radiotelephony (RTF) is essentialfor the safe operation of aircraft in abusy environment. RTF enables apilot to obtain aerodromeinformation, weather information,and instructions relating to the safemovement of air traffic. Manystudent pilots find the process oflearning to use the radio moredaunting than learning to fly.

b Radio waves are not confined bynational boundaries and for thisreason radio is regulated on aninternational basis. Radio regulationsagreed at World Radio Conferencesof the International Telecommuni-

cations Union (ITU) and are bindingin international law on memberstates, including the UK.

c In the UK the primary legislation isthe Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 (theWT Act). This act empowers theSecretary of State to make andenforce regulations regarding theinstallation and use of radio,including the requirements to be metby users, manufacturers and importersof any radio equipment that iscapable of causing radio interference.Responsibility rests with the Secretaryof State for Trade and Industry andthe Radiocommunications Agency(RA). In the case of aeronautical radiostations, the responsibility for the

GENERAL AVIATION SAFETY SENSE LEAFLET 22

RADIOTELEPHONY

Photos: John Thorpe

issue of operator licences and theapproval of the equipment and itsinstallation is delegated to the CivilAviation Authority. Regulationsregarding the operation of aircraftradio equipment and aeronauticalradio stations are contained in the AirNavigation Order 2000 (ANO) Articles15, 21, 46, 104 and Schedule 8.

d All radio transmitting equipmentrequires a WT Act licence unless thattype or class of equipment has beenspecifically exempted by regulationfrom the need for licensing by theSecretary of State.

Licence exempt equipment (generallyoperating over short ranges) mustconform to a specification and canonly be used in a manner for which itis intended as described in theexemption. Such equipment bears anexemption mark showing thespecification against which it hasbeen tested eg MPT1340. Any aircraftthat uses radio, whether installed ornon-installed (portable), requires anAircraft Radio Licence issued by theRA. When specialist knowledge orprocedures are required by the radiouser, an additional operators licenceis also required. In the case ofaircraft radio equipment a Certificateof Approval for Aircraft RadioInstallation issued by the CAA and anAircraft Radio Licence issued by theRA, are required for all aircraft. Inaddition, the radio operator mustalso be in possession of a FlightRadiotelephony Operators Licence(FRTOL). Glider pilots and studentpilots under training are exemptfrom the requirement to hold aFRTOL. However, glider pilotswithout a FRTOL, are confined to theuse of air/ground communicationusing the nominated ‘gliderfrequencies’.

2 FLIGHT RADIOTELEPHONYOPERATORS LICENCE

a The Flight RadiotelephonyOperators Licence (FRTOL) entitles theholder to operate the radioequipment in any aircraft. FRTOLsissued prior to April 1998 contain theword ‘Restricted’, this is oftenmistaken for a ‘VHF Only’ limitationwhich, if applicable, will be endorsedon the reverse of the licence. In theUK the term ‘Restricted’ referred onlyto the type of equipment that may beoperated (see ANO Schedule 8). Olderradio equipment designed for use byspecialist radio operators who were‘Unrestricted’ is no longer in use,therefore the word ‘Restricted’ hasbeen eliminated from the FRTOL. The privileges however remainunchanged. When the FRTOL islimited to ‘VHF Only’, the holder maynot use radio equipment operating inthe High Frequency (HF) aeronauticalbands (below 60 MHz). This limitationmay be removed by obtaining a passin the HF written examination with anRTF Examiner authorised to conductthe HF examination, or by obtaining apass in the UK Navigation groupexaminations at CPL/ATPL level.

b It is essential that the holder of aFRTOL is familiar with thephraseology and procedures used foraeronautical communication. ATCfrequencies are often busy,necessitating the use of concisephrases without ambiguity. Longwinded radio calls waste time andmay endanger others.

c On 27th March 1977 two heavilyladen Boeing 747s collided on therunway at Los Rodeos airportTenerife in poor visibility, resulting in575 fatalities. A KLM 747commenced take-off whilst a Pan Am747 was still taxiing towards it on thesame runway. There was clearly abreakdown in communication;

perhaps a misunderstood radio call!The Pan Am aircraft had been askedby the controller, who was unable tosee either aircraft due to low cloud,‘Are you CLEAR of the runway’? TheKLM aircraft had already commencedthe take-off roll without clearance;could the KLM pilot have mistakenthe call to the other aircraft thinkingthat he was ‘CLEAR to Take-Off’? Theanswer remains a mystery, the cure isstraightforward; use the correct RTFphraseology which is designed to beunambiguous, acknowledge andread back all clearances and aboveall, if in doubt ASK!!

Boeing 747 Tenerife Accident

d As a direct result of aircraftaccidents RTF phraseology has beenprogressively modified to avoid anypossibility of ambiguity or confusion.Specific phrases have well definedmeanings and should not bemodified by the operator. Somerecreational pilots consider that theydon’t need to know the fullvocabulary used for RTFcommunication, yet whencommunicating with an Air TrafficService Unit (ATSU) they mayencounter any aspect of it. It istherefore incumbent upon everyradio user to be fully conversant withthe nature of the air traffic serviceprovided, and to be able tounderstand the radio calls they mayhear.

3 RADIO EQUIPMENT

a Aircraft VHF radio communi-cations equipment operates in theband 118.00 MHz to 136.975 MHz.Individual frequencies are allocatedevery 25 KHz giving rise to 760channels. Some older radios mayhave 720, or even 360 channels withan upper limit of 135.975 MHz,neither type is allowed for IFR flight,or for VFR flight in certain countriesincluding Germany. Many VHFaeronautical radios also includecoverage of the 108.00 MHz –117.975 MHz band which is allocatedto radio navigation such as VOR andILS. These frequencies may also beused to provide radiotelephonychannels for one way transmission ofaerodrome information to aircraft.

b Aircraft radio equipment isdesigned with a minimum numberof controls. The operating frequencyis selected by rotary knobs orswitches, allowing the frequency tobe adjusted in steps of 1 MHz, 100KHz and either 50 or 25 KHz. Onsome equipment an additional switchselection is necessary in order toselect 25 KHz resolution. This may

take the form of a toggle switch orrequire a rotary selector knob to bepulled In or Out. Many radios do notdisplay the last figure of thefrequency which may end in a (0) ora (5). This creates the impression thatthe frequency ends in a (.x2) or a(.x7) rather than (.x25 or .x75).

e.g.

121.025 shown as 121.02

121.050 shown as 121.05

121.075 shown as 121.07

This may mislead the user intothinking that a particular frequencycannot be selected. Additionalfrequencies spaced at 8.333KHz, willbe introduced in 1999, giving rise toeven more frequency combinations.e.g. 118.0333 MHz and 118.0583 MHz,to be designated 118.03(5) and118.06(0) MHz respectively. The (5)and the (0) will not be stated.

c All too often the receiver VOLUMEand SQUELCH controls may beincorrectly set. SQUELCH is anelectronic switch that mutes thereceiver audio output when no signalis received. This facility is designed toreduce operator fatigue which canresult from continuous exposure towhite noise. When a continuousradio signal (carrier) is received, itactivates or ‘lifts’ the SQUELCHcausing the speaker or headphonesto be activated. Where a variableSQUELCH control is fitted, this allowsthe operator to determine thestrength of the received signalrequired to lift the SQUELCH whichmay also be activated by bursts ofnoise. The correct setting procedurefor the SQUELCH control is:

• set the volume control toapproximately halfway;

• turn the SQUELCH control up untila hiss appears, this is backgroundnoise;

• turn back the SQUELCH controluntil the hiss just stops, this occursquite abruptly;

• leave the SQUELCH control in thisposition.

Some radios are not fitted with anexternal SQUELCH control, insteadthey have a switch marked TEST.Operating the switch ‘lifts’ theSQUELCH and allows the volumecontrol to be set at a level where thebackground hiss is audible, oralternatively where the receivervolume is acceptable.

Note:

♦ The SQUELCH cannot be set correctlywhilst you are receiving a station.

♦ If the VOLUME control is set excessivelyhigh, distortion may occur within theradio making it more difficult to hearstations. Ideally the VOLUME controlshould not exceed 70% of its rotation.

d VHF aeronautical radios useamplitude modulation (AM), the samesystem used by broadcast radio stationsin the long and medium wave bands.When two AM stations transmitsimultaneously on the same frequencythe signals can mix together and mayrender one or both stationsunreadable. If the two transmitters arenot exactly on the same frequency, anannoying whistle or ‘heterodyne’ equalto the difference between the twofrequencies may be heard. It istherefore important not to transmit atthe same time as another station oryou may render both signalsunreadable. Always listen beforespeaking and keep transmissions short.

e If you experience difficultycontacting another station thefollowing checks should be made:

• The correct frequency is selected *

* Frequencies ending (.025 MHz) and(.250 MHz ) are easily transposed.

• The correct radio has beenselected on the comms panel e.g.COMM 1, or COMM 2. (Transmitand receive switching are oftenindependent)

• The ground station is open forwatch

• The station is within range (Thisvaries with altitude)

• Volume and Squelch are correctlyset

f The simplicity of an aircraft radiomay be downgraded by the additionof separate intercom systems. Beforeflight these should be checked andadjusted independently of the radioequipment. It is important to obtaina good balance between intercomvolume and radio volume to preventradio calls being swamped by theintercom. Always seek instruction ifyou are unfamiliar with a particularradio installation. KNOW THEEQUIPMENT.

g Most light aircraft are nowequipped with a Transponder. This isan important aid to flight safety andpermits an air traffic controller topositively identify an aircraft. Thetransponder transmits a 4 digit code(SQUAWK) selected at ATC request,by the pilot, to the ground stationwhere it is displayed on the radarscreen. If Mode C (Charlie) isincorporated in the transponder theaircraft’s level (relative to 1013.2 Mb)is also transmitted and displayed onthe ATC radar screen. Thetransponder mode switch must beselected to Altitude (ALT).Adjustment of the altimeter pressuresetting has no effect on the Mode Caltitude information. A switchmarked ‘IDENT’ is provided on thetransponder, this enables the displayto be modified so that it is readilyseen by the controller. The IDENTswitch should not be operated unlessrequested by ATC.

h In recent years an AirborneCollision Avoidance System (ACAS)has been employed in airliners inorder to provide automatic collisionavoidance information. Mode Cinformation from the transponder isessential for ACAS to be effective. Itis important that aircraft fitted withMode C always select ALT when thetransponder is used. One of the mostcommonly known ACAS systems is theTraffic Alert and Collision AvoidanceSystem (TCAS) pronounced ‘TEEKAS’.

i To avoid radar clutter, aircraftflying in a Control Zone (CTR) areadvised to select ‘Stand-By’ unless aSQUAWK is requested by ATC. In theabsence of a code from ATC aircraftshould set the conspicuity code 7000on the transponder.

4 RADIO PHRASEOLOGY

a The correct radio phraseology isdetailed in CAP413 RadiotelephonyManual. In some cases it may seemvery pedantic, however, it must beremembered that it has evolved for apurpose; primarily to avoidambiguity. Many incorrect phrasesare regularly heard.

b FINAL is a position in the circuitpattern between 4 nautical miles andthe landing threshold, in circuitparlance it is singular not plural! AnAir Traffic Control Officer (ATCO)hearing a call such as ‘ON FINALS’might easily believe the traffic to be‘LONG FINAL’ (a position between 4and 8 miles from the landingthreshold); in poor visibility, such amistake could result in the ATCOgiving another aircraft clearance toTake-Off as he believes the landingtraffic to be in excess of 4 milesaway, when in reality, it may be aslittle as only half a mile away! Thereis no official report ‘SHORT FINAL’however, the distance from thelanding threshold may serve as amore accurate indication of positioni.e. ‘Half Mile Final’.

c The phrase ‘at my discretion’should NOT be used by pilots. This iscommonly heard at small aerodromeswith either an Air/Ground (A/G) or aFlight Information Service (FIS).

d ‘Land at your discretion, one onwell up’ This is illegal at anaerodrome with only A/G or FIS. Youmust not land on a runway whilstanother aircraft is on that runwayunless authorised by an ATCO. (Rulesof the Air Rule 17).

e Requests for landing instructions,should not be made.

f Requests for ‘instructions’ shouldnot be made to stations providing aA/G or FIS. A/G operators and FlightInformation Officers (FISO) are notpermitted to give instructions.

g Public correspondence messages(including air to air conversations)are not permitted on the VHFaeronautical band.

5 MICROPHONE TECHNIQUE

a Use a headset, it cuts out aircraftnoise and avoids the distraction of ahandheld microphone.

b Keep the microphone close toyour mouth.

c Speak directly into themicrophone, ensuring the transmitbutton is held firmly pressed UNTILyou have finished speaking.

6 AERODROME RADIO STATIONS

a The nature of the ground radiofacilities at an aerodrome are usuallydependent upon the number of airtraffic movements. Some minoraerodromes have no provision forradio at all, whilst others may havean allocated frequency but no actualground station. The majority ofaerodromes have a ground radiostation and provide one of threetypes of air traffic service:

• A/G Callsign ‘RADIO’

• FIS Callsign ‘INFORMATION’

• Air Traffic Control (ATC) Callsigns:‘GROUND; TOWER; APPROACH;RADAR; DIRECTOR; DELIVERY’

Each service employs differentprocedures and it is important forpilots to be familiar with thedifferences. Small aerodromes mayprovide an A/G or Aerodrome FIS(AFIS) utilising a single frequency,whereas a busy airport will have anATC service with separate frequenciesfor Radar, Approach, Tower, Groundand possibly an Automated TerminalInformation Service (ATIS).

b In some countries a commonfrequency (UNICOM) is allocated foruse by aircraft visiting aerodromesnot equipped with a ground radiostation. In the UK the onlyfrequencies allocated for UNICOMare: 130.425 MHz for use by aircrafttransiting in the vicinity of anincident or emergency (see AIC Pink29/1997); and 122.950 MHz allocatedas a landing site DepartureCommunications (DEPCOM)frequency for use by helicoptersdeparting from landing sites wherethere is no radio communication. Anumber of minor aerodromes havean allocated A/G frequency butprovide no permanent groundstation. At these airfields aircrafttaxiing, taking-off, landing andflying in the circuit pattern should

self announce their position andintentions on the appropriatefrequency to alert other pilots oftheir presence. Initial calls should beaddressed to: Airfield Name withthe suffix ‘RADIO’. Calls should NOTbe addressed to ‘XXXX Traffic’.

It is then obvious to a pilot taxiing orwaiting to back-track the runway theintention of the airborne aircraft. Hemay reply:

Avoid using the word ‘CLEAR’, it maybe mistaken as a clearance!

Announce your intentions to assistother traffic whilst making yourpresence noticed. Altimeter settingswill need to be determined inrelation to the aerodrome elevation.The QNH of a neighbouringaerodrome will be approximatelycorrect and invariably more accuratethan the regional pressure.

c An Air/Ground (A/G) Station is thesimplest form of aeronautical radiocommunication. The callsign uses theaerodrome name followed by thesuffix ‘RADIO’. The ground radiooperator is not an air trafficcontroller and must not give any airtraffic instructions or clearances. Thisservice provides aerodrome andtraffic information only. In someinstances the A/G station may belocated in a flying club or buildingthat does not have an unrestrictedview of the aerodrome. In order tooperate an A/G station the operatormust be in possession of a RadioOperators Certificate of Competence(CAA Form CA1308) which must becountersigned by the aeronauticalradio station licensee. A/G operatorsshould NOT use the expression:

‘At your discretion’.

The A/G operator may passinformation to a pilot such as therunway, pressure settings, windvelocity and details of any knowntraffic. Pilots should not requestclearances or instructions as theycannot be given. Before entering theAerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ) duringthe published hours of operation ofan aerodrome with a notified A/Gservice, a pilot must obtain‘information’ from the A/G operatorto ensure that the flight can beconducted safely. The A/G operatormay pass messages on behalf of theaerodrome operator but, any suchmessage must be passed asinformation and must include detailsof the originator of the message. e.g.

On arrival at an aerodrome with anA/G service, taxying and parking arealso the responsibility of the pilot.The A/G operator may not give taxyinstructions but, may suggest asuitable parking location if requestedby the pilot.

ALL INFORMATION PASSED BY ANA/G STATION IS ADVISORY; THEYCANNOT GIVE CLEARANCES ORINSTRUCTIONS TO AN AIRCRAFT.

d A Flight Information ServiceOfficer is qualified to provide anAerodrome Flight InformationService (AFIS) in order to:

• pass ‘Instructions’ to Vehicles andpersons on the aerodrome, to

‘G-ZZ there is parking spaceavailable next to the blue Cessna’

‘ is there a convenient parkingspace? G-ZZ’

‘G-AYZZ Message from the airportmanager. You are requested toreport to the Tower after landing’

‘WILTON RADIO G-ZZXY holdingpoint 06 awaiting landing traffic.’

e.g. ‘WILTON RADIO G-ABCDtransmitting blind, downwind 24left to land’.

aircraft on the ground but notbeyond the holding point and in thecase of aircraft landing, not untilthe landing roll is completed; and

• to pass ‘Information’ for the safeconduct of aerodrome traffic onthe runway and within an ATZ.

Practically, there is little differencefrom an A/G service, but the FISO isrequired to undergo training and istested by the CAA. The FIS callsign usesthe suffix ‘INFORMATION’ to identifythe type of service. Air trafficclearances must not be given. Theservice must revert to A/G if a qualifiedFISO is not available, in which case thecallsign suffix reverts to ‘RADIO’. Thephrase ‘At your discretion’ may beused by a FISO and will follow anyadvisory information. Pilots requestingdeparture may be advised:

‘Take off at you discretion’ or ‘Depart at your discretion’

The pilot should not respond byrepeating the phrase: ‘at mydiscretion’ No clearance has beengiven, there is no requirement toread one back. The pilot shouldsimply respond:

e Examples of A/G and FISO RTFphraseology are contained in CAP413CAP452 Aeronautical Radio Station –Operators Guide and CAP410 Manualof Flight Information Servicesrespectively.

An Aerodrome Flight InformationService Officer (AFISO) may controlaircraft on the ground up to theholding point and after the landingroll is complete. An AFISO may NOTissue clearances to Aircraft in the Airor on the Runway. Pilots arereminded that they are responsibleat all times for the safety of theiraircraft and collision avoidance,LOOKOUT is always paramount.

7 AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL

a Pilots familiar with smallaerodromes providing either an A/Gor AFIS may find larger aerodromessomewhat daunting. Busyaerodromes will employ separatecontrollers for Ground, Tower,Approach and possibly Radar. If thepurpose of each is fully understood,it will help to eliminate anyconfusion regarding who to talk toand when.

Photo: Flight Refuelling Ltd

b The GROUND controller isresponsible for all movements on themanoeuvring area; this will includeall taxiing aircraft and vehiculartraffic equipped with radio. Initialcalls will be made to GROUND,including taxy clearance, (startclearance at some aerodromes),departure clearance * if applicable,and all calls up to the holding point.Landing traffic will change toGROUND after vacating the runway.

*The departure clearance tells a pilotwhat he is required to do ondeparture and will include anyfrequency changes required,together with routeing instructionsand altitude restrictions.

Note: this is NOT a clearance to take-off or to enter an active runway.

‘G -XX Roger’ or ‘G-XX’

c The TOWER controller isresponsible for all traffic in closeproximity to the aerodromeincluding the circuit. Normally anaircraft will change to TOWER whenat the holding point, with all checkscomplete and ready for departure.The first call will usually be:

Aircraft remaining in the circuit willremain with TOWER, whereasdeparting aircraft will change toeither APPROACH or RADAR. Pilotsarriving at an aerodrome will bedirected to contact TOWER for circuitjoining instructions when they are invisual contact with the aerodrome.After landing, aircraft should vacatethe runway and advise the controller:

and then advise changing to theGROUND frequency. Do not use thephrases:

‘Clear the Active’ or ‘Clear of theRunway’

d GROUND and TOWER controllersare located in the glass uppermostpart of the ATC Tower, they areinvariably located side by side andshould have an unrestricted view ofthe aerodrome and circuit.

e The APPROACH controller isresponsible for traffic arriving at anddeparting from an aerodrome. Theyare usually located in the lower partof the ATC tower and have no visualcontact with the aerodrome. Controlmay be either radar or non-radar. Atbusy aerodromes a RADAR controllermay be used in addition to theAPPROACH controller to provideservices for traffic transiting thearea.

f It is not uncommon for controllersto conduct more than one functionwhen traffic is light, The RADAR andAPPROACH controllers work in closeproximity such that the jobs may becombined. The GROUND and TOWERcontrollers are also ideally situatedto combine functions. At the verysmall provincial airports TOWER andAPPROACH control may also beconducted by one controller. If it isapparent that one controller is doingall of the work, do not expect toobtain a radar service as thecontroller will not have the capacity.At smaller airports the service mayrevert to a FIS outside the busyperiod in which case, the service willbe apparent from the Callsign Suffix‘INFORMATION’ and no clearances orinstructions will be given.

g ATIS uses a dedicated frequencyon which a recording of aerodromeinformation is broadcastcontinuously. This information isupdated at least hourly. Such afacility allows pilots to obtainweather information without havingto establish radio contact with theaerodrome, thus considerablyreducing the workload of thecontroller. ATIS information is timecoded using a letter of the alphabetto signify the time of theobservation.

the message concludes:

The pilot advises ATC on his initialcall that he has received ATIS Delta.Pilots who call ATC without passingthe ATIS code may be asked if theyhave received the latest ‘ATISinformation’. To the unwary this maycause confusion!

‘on initial contact with Langfordadvise information Delta received’.

e.g. ‘This is Langford informationDelta time ten hundred hours’

‘Runway Vacated G XX’

‘WRAYTON TOWER G-ABCDholding point RW 30 Ready fordeparture’.

8 ATC SERVICES

Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS)is available to pilots when flyingoutside controlled airspace belowFL95. The General Aviation SafetySense Leaflet 8 provides details of AirTraffic Services Outside ControlledAirspace.

Photo: Dave Alcock, Manchester ATC

9 MILITARY ATC

a When LARS is available it is moreoften than not provided by a militaryATC unit. The terminology used bymilitary controllers differs from thatused by civil controllers. Militarycontrollers are not obliged to beaware of the civil Rules of the Air,and it is possible that you may beasked to fly in a manner that mightnot conform with civil practices orlaw. It is the pilot’s responsibility toadvise the controller if he/she isunable to comply with theinstruction and why. e.g. being askedto overfly a built up area below 1500ft or at a height where it is notpossible to glide clear, and whenaltitude changes might place anunqualified pilot in IMC.

b Military ATC predominantly usefrequencies in the UHF band (225-380MHz) whilst VHF frequencies aresecondary, and facilitatecommunication with civil aircraft.When calling a military ATC unit on

VHF always allow time for thecontroller to reply as he may be incommunication with a militaryaircraft on UHF. Occasionally you mayhear only one side of theconversation when transmissions aremade on both VHF and UHFsimultaneously; you may hear theVHF transmission from ATC, but notthe reply from the aircraft on UHF.

10 RADIO OPERATION

a It is not intended to reproduceCAP 413 the Radiotelephony Manual,but rather to highlight certainaspects of radio operation.

b Radio Check. Before embarkingupon a flight it is essential to knowthat the radio equipment is working.The radio receiver may be checked bylistening to other stations but, inorder to check the transmitter it isnecessary to talk to another stationand let them confirm that they havereceived your transmission in anintelligible form. It is also importantto be sure that the equipmentswitches channels and that thechannel indicated is the correct one.Where two frequencies are in use atan airfield, equipment may bechecked by selecting the frequenciesalternately. The transmitter may bechecked on the initial call for theaerodrome information. When morethan one radio is installed, thesecond radio should be checked on asubsequent call.

c The golden rule of RTF operationis: know what you are going to saybefore you say it. Whilst this mayseem obvious, once the transmitswitch is pressed the human brainoften forgets the obvious. Secondly,anticipate what the reply is likely tobe. That way, it will not be asurprise, for example when callingfor aerodrome information, the reply

will include the QFE, QNH, surfacewind and runway (R/W) in use. Thepilot may obtain the pressures inadvance by the using the altimeter,whilst a good indication of the R/Wand wind direction can be obtainedby observing the windsock and anyother traffic. Always read-back thereply in the same order that it wasgiven – avoid reversing the order.

d A Departure clearance can oftenpose problems for the inexperienced,it may be a lengthy clearance whichmust be read back to the controller.Prior to departure it is normal to‘Book-Out’ with ATC, specifying yourdeparture details; flying instructorsshould allow students to observe andpractice this procedure as part of thelearning process. The departureclearance will normally be aconfirmation of the routeing alreadyrequested, although occasionally, itmay involve changes. It shouldtherefore be no surprise when thecontroller passes a clearance thatclosely resembles the informationpassed by the pilot when ‘BookingOut’. If a frequency change isrequired on departure it will be to apublished frequency, know where tolook it up and whenever possible,select it on a second radio as areminder. Invariably, when departingVFR, the first two digits of thetransponder code will remain thesame for a particular ATSU.

Remember: The departure clearanceis NOT a clearance to Enter a runwayor to Take-off!

After take-off you are required tofollow the departure clearance,remember the basic rule:

• Aviate

• Navigate and then

• Communicate

When safely airborne and establishedin the climb advise TOWER of thechange in frequency:

To omit this call could result inuncertainty over your whereaboutsand may waste the TOWERcontrollers time having to confirmwith the APPROACH controller thatyou are safely airborne!

e En-Route calls usually take theform of position reports. A usefulmnemonic is:

T.R.P.A.C.E.R. The initial call to anATSU should begin:

• Station being called

• Aircraft Callsign in full

• Request

Do not say any more until the ATSUinvites you to ‘pass your message’. Ifyou are advised to Wait or Stand-By,do so but do not acknowledge.When requested to pass you messageit will consist of:

• Full call-sign – so that thecontroller can write it down.

• Type – PA28, C172, Robin 400 etc

• Routeing – i.e. point of departureand destination, do not include alist of turning points – if there areany queries or you subsequentlyfail to report the controller cancontact your departure ordestination aerodrome!

• Position – should be given relativeto a well known landmark, thecontroller will not be familiar withsmall villages and disusedairfields. If you are visible onradar, your Heading shouldconfirm the movement of theradar response!

e.g. ‘WILTON RADAR G-AAXXrequest Radar Information Service’

e.g. G-ABCD to APPROACH 126.1.

• Altitude/Level – together with thepressure setting this will enablethe controller to assess if there isany confliction with other trafficin the vicinity at the same level!

• Conditions – Whilst inflightconditions are important the typeof service you receive isdependent upon the flight rulesbeing observed e.g. Are you IFR orVFR?

• Estimate – pass the ETA for yournext position (turning point).Remember ETA is a clock timeexpressed in Universal Time Co-ordinated (UTC) formerly GMT.

• Request – What service orinformation do you require? e.g.Flight Information Service (FIS),regional pressure settings etc.

Common mistakes are a failure tomake any request of the controller,and inadequate or misleadingposition reporting, leaving thecontroller unaware of your presentposition and/or the next turningpoint. In order to provide you with aService, the controller needs to know:

• Who you are!

• Where you are! and

• What do you want!

Then WAIT...

If you cannot remember what to say,

♦ Stop transmitting

The controller will ask you foranything you miss out!

f Many pilots will avoid flightthrough a Control Zone (CTR) byflying a longer route around it. Themajority of CTRs in the UK aredesignated Class D airspace whichpermits VFR flight subject to an ATCclearance. In the case of a CTRdesignated Class A airspace, a SpecialVFR (SVFR) clearance is required.

Requesting a clearance isstraightforward, however, the ATCOwill form a mental picture of a pilotfrom the radio calls made. The ATCOis unaware of a pilot’s qualifications,private or professional, from theaircraft callsign alone. A radio calldelivered in a professional mannerwill be treated accordingly, whereas,a poorly structured and hesitant callwill probably lead the controller toquestion the pilot’s ability tounderstand and follow instructions.If there is any doubt, the ATCO willnot issue a clearance to transitcontrolled airspace without adequateseparation from other traffic. A callsuch as:

followed by:

will probably result in a reply:

Whereas a call:

‘SOUTHAMPTON this is G-ABCDErr! a 172 at two thousand feetErr! Point of departure Popham. 4Persons on board. Err! Can wetransit over Southampton to theIsle of Wight Sir? or if not we willgo round. Err! we are North ofWinchester. Over’

‘ G-CD is cleared to enter theSouthampton zone abeamWinchester not below altitude twothousand feet Solent QNH OneZero Zero Nine. Maintain VFR.Report overhead’

‘G-ABCD is a Cessna 172 fromPopham to Sandown, 10 milesNorth of Winchester Heading OneEight Zero. Altitude Two ThousandFeet on One Zero Zero Six. VFR,Sierra Alpha Mike Two Five,request zone transit’.

‘SOLENT APPROACH G-ABCDrequest zone transit’

may result in the reply:

g Aerodrome Arrival. Unless youhave filed a Flight Plan (CA48) orhave telephoned in advance,(essential at PPR aerodromes) VFRflights usually arrive at an aerodromeunannounced. You may arrive at thesame time as other VFR or IFR traffic.If the aerodrome provides a RADARservice it is a good idea to talk tothem as soon as you are withinrange, they may look after you untilyou are in visual contact with theaerodrome at which point you willbe asked to contact TOWER. If thereis no radar service the initial call willbe to APPROACH not greater than25 nm from the aerodrome. Joiningprocedure will depend upon the typeof traffic when you arrive, if there isIFR traffic arriving and departing it isunlikely that you will be able to joinoverhead. You may be asked toreport your position at, or relative toone of the established VisualReference Points (VRPs). Occasionally,you may be asked to route via aposition not obvious to you, if indoubt ASK. The change to TOWERcan occur quite late; on landing youmay be asked to vacate the runwayat a specific point and change toGROUND. Be prepared for referencesto published ground positions, standnumbers and holding points. In otherwords, use a plan of the aerodrome!For arrival at a small aerodrome witheither Air/Ground radio stations(A/G) or an Aerodrome FlightInformation Service AFIS, initialcontact should be made within 10miles of the aerodrome. If unfamiliarwith the aerodrome an overhead joinis preferred (but not always

permitted – see the UK AIP) as itenables orientation with theaerodrome and circuit traffic.Remember you must establish radiocontact with the aerodrome BEFOREyou enter the ATZ. See GeneralAviation Safety Sense Leaflet 6B,Aerodrome Sense.

h Any pilot arriving at an unfamiliaraerodrome will experience a highworkload and may not recognisegeographical features. The aircrafthas to descend, there are checks to becompleted and frequencies to beselected. It is essential to LOOKOUT,listen out and keep your wits aboutyou. Be prepared, have a plan andselect the required frequencies as farin advance as possible. Check theAeronautical Information Publications(AIPs) prior to departure and do notuse out of date documents.

11 EMERGENCY PROCEDURES

a Fortunately such events are rarehowever, there have been a numberof occasions when a pilot hasrecognised the need to land as soonas possible, (e.g. No oil pressure butthe engine is still running OK) buthas not wanted to ‘make a fussabout it.’ Clearly if a situation ariseswhere there is a possibility of dangeror a worsening situation it is in yourbest interest to make an URGENCYcall, that way immediate help, or apriority landing is available toprevent the situation getting out ofhand.

b The states of EMERGENCY are:

• Distress. (MAYDAY) A condition ofbeing threatened by serious orimminent danger and of requiringimmediate assistance.

• Urgency. (PAN PAN) A conditionconcerning the safety of anaircraft or other vehicle, or some

‘G-ABCD remain clear of controlledairspace. Route via Romsey, Tottonand Calshot for the IOW. MaintainVFR Solent QNH One Zero ZeroNine. Report Romsey’.

person on board or within sight,but does not require immediateassistance.

c The EMERGENCY MESSAGE advisesothers:

• Who you are!

• What the problem is,

• What you intend to do about it and

• Where you are!

The format is as follows:

• MAYDAY (3 times) or PAN PAN(x 3)

• STATION addressed whenappropriate

• CALLSIGN (once)

• TYPE of Aircraft

• NATURE of emergency

• INTENTION of person in command

• POSITION – HEIGHT and HDG

• Pilot qualification: e.g. Studentpilot, No Instrument qualification,IMC rating or full InstrumentRating (IR) (Not required by ICAO).

• ANY other information – POB,endurance etc

It is probable that in a realemergency you will not wish to bebothered with talking further on theradio. By ending the call: MAYDAYOUT you will convey the messagethat you do not expect a reply.

d Further attention can be attractedin an emergency by selecting theappropriate code on thetransponder:

Emergency 7700 Radio Failure 7600

12 THE PRACTICAL COMMUNICATIONSTEST FOR THE FRTOL

a Candidates wishing to obtain aFRTOL are required to sit a writtenexamination and a practicalcommunications test with anauthorised RTF examiner. Thepractical test involves the use of anapproved RTF simulator. Thecandidate is briefed to follow atypical light aircraft route from oneaerodrome to another passingthrough a Military Air Traffic Zone(MATZ) and possibly at some stageinto or through a CTR. The candidateis required to make all theappropriate radio calls and frequencyselections as if he were actuallyflying the route. The examinerperforms the function of an A/Gradio operator, FISO or ATCO. Otheraircraft may be heard so thecandidate is required to listen out. Atsome stage there will be anemergency involving either thecandidate or another aircraft. At allstages of the test the candidate isrequired to make the appropriateradio calls. There are a number ofoptions available to the candidateand in most cases it is the candidatesresponsibility to select anappropriate agency with whom tocommunicate with. The candidate isprovided with a route map, acompleted navigation flight plan anda list of all communications facilitiesavailable to him. The candidate mustbe familiar with the procedure forobtaining VHF Direction Finding(VDF) bearings from stationsequipped with this facility.

b A typical examination route wouldbe for a C172 aircraft routeing fromShipdham in East Anglia to EastMidlands Airport via Huntingdon andMelton Mowbray. The aircraft isequipped with a single channel radioand a transponder with no mode C.

The pilot is a PPL holder. On thisparticular route a LARS service isavailable for most of the route, itwould be a shame not to use it. Theroute passes South of RAF Marhamand then through the Combined MATZ(CMATZ) at RAF Wittering and RAFCottesmore, finally arriving at EastMidlands which is in Class D airspace.Special entry and exit lanes areprovided to assist VFR and SVFR traffic.

Map of Route (1:500,000 Topo)

c A typical narrative for the flightcould be as follows:

Note: for the sake of clarity numerals areused in this example in preference tospelling out numbers.

Shipdham Information G-ZAONrequest radio check 119.55

G-ZAON Roger, request airfieldinformation, Taxi, VFR to EastMidlands

Taxi Holding Point R/W 20 QNH 1009

G-ON

G-ON Ready for departure.

ROGER G-ON

G-ON

G-ON climbing in the overhead.

WILCO G-ON

G-ON overhead altitude 2500 ft QNH1009, setting course

G-ON report setting course

G-ON depart at your discretion noknown traffic to affect surfacewind 260/05.

G-ON traffic is a Cessna 152 on ahalf mile FINAL.

G-ON RW 20 Surface Wind 250/07QNH 1009. Taxi holding pointRW20

G-ZAON Shipdham InformationReadability 5

WILCO G-ON

G-ON changing to Marham 124.15.

Marham Approach G-ZAON requestLARS

G-ZAONCessna 172From Shipdham to East Midlands2 miles North of Watton Heading 260Altitude 2500 ft 1009VFRHuntingdon 37Request Radar Information Serviceand Chatham Pressure

Squawk 2632; unable comply,negative Charlie, G-ON

Radar information, Chatham 1005,WILCO G-ON

Marham G-ON 15 miles East ofHuntingdon request change toCambridge 123.6 for VDF

WILCO G-ON

Cambridge Homer

G-ZAON request true bearing G-ZAON

True Bearing/True BearingG-ZAON request true bearing G-ZAON

True bearing 355 degrees class BravoG-ZAON changing to Marham 124.15

Marham Approach G-ZAON back onfrequency.

WILCO G-ON

G-ON Huntingdon 37altitude 2500ft 1005Melton Mowbray 02

Free-call Cottesmore 130.2 squawk7000 G-ON

Cottesmore Approach G-ZAONrequest MATZ penetration

G-ZAON Cessna 172Shipdham to East Midlands5 miles North of HuntingdonHdg 300Altitude 2500 ft Chatham 1005Melton Mowbray 03request cross Wittering MATZ, RadarInformation and Barnsley pressure

G-ON Squawk 6554

G-ZAON Cottesmore Approachpass your message

G-ON ROGER Free-call Cottesmoreon 130.2 Squawk 7000

G-ON ROGER report Huntingdon

G-ON ROGER

G-ZAON Cambridge Homer true bearing 355 degrees class BravoI say again 355 degrees class Bravo

G-ZAON Cambridge Homertransmit for bearing.

G-ON change to Cambridge 123.6report returning to this frequency

G-ON you are radar identified 8miles SE of Marham RadarInformation Service, Chatham 1005report Huntingdon

G-ON Squawk 2632 with Charlie

G-ZAON Marham Approach passyour message

G-ON ROGER

G-ON ROGER report leaving thefrequency.

Squawk 6554 G-ON

Maintain height 2500 ft QFE 993millibars, Barnsley 1007 RadarInformation, G-ON

WILCO G-ON

G-ON abeam Oundle

Cleared to cross the CMATZ notabove height 2500ft 993 millibarsWilco G-ON

G-ON abeam Oakham

Squawk 7362 G-ON

East Midlands Radar 119.65 G-ON

(If possible listen to East MidlandsATIS 128.225 MHz to obtain airfieldinformation)

East Midlands Radar G-ZAON onhandover from Cottesmore withInformation ‘Golf’ (The ATIS code)

Route to Shepshed Lane RW 27 QFE998 millibars, G-ON

Clear to enter the Zone VFR, WILCOG-ON

G-ON Field in Sight

East Midlands Tower 124.0 G-ON

East Midlands Tower G-ZAON

Join left base RW 27 QFE 998millibars No 2. G-ON

WILCO G-ON

G-ON FINAL

Continue approach G-ON

Cleared to land RW 27 G-ON

Vacate next Left, Ground 121.9 G-ON

East Midlands Ground G-ZAONRunway vacated Holding pointCharlie

G-ON landing time 1417 vacatenext left contact East MidlandsGround 121.9

G-ON Cleared to land RW 27surface wind 270/07

G-ON continue approach surfacewind 265/07

G-ON report FINAL caution vortexwake the recommended spacing is6 miles.

G-ON join left base RW 27 QFE 998millibars, No 2 to a Boeing 737 ona 1 mile FINAL.

G-ON contact East Midlands Tower124.0

G-ON Cleared to enter the zoneVFR report field in sight

G-ON Stand-by

G-ON route direct to the ShepshedLane Entry Point expect a VFRarrival RW 27 surface wind 270/08QFE 998 millibars

G-ON contact East Midlands Radar119.65 they have your details

G-ON Squawk 7362

G-ON is cleared to cross the CMATZnot above 2500 ft QFE 993millibars, maintain VFR reportabeam Oakham

G-ON ROGER, report abeam Oundle

G-ON identified Radar InformationService, maintain 2500 ftCottesmore QFE 993 millibars,Barnsley 1007

Taxi-way Alpha via Delta 2 for theFlying Club G-ON

WILCO G-ON

G-ON Closing Down

Note: At some stage in a practical test youwill also be required to make an Urgencyand an Emergency call.

13 ALTERNATIVE TO THE COMMUNICATIONS PRACTICAL TEST

The system known as ‘ContinuousAssessment’ whereby ab-initiocandidates for a PPL may useairborne training in lieu of having topass the RTF practical test, wasdiscontinued with effect from 31December 1998. All applicants for aFRTOL (except practising ATCOs) arerequired to obtain a pass in both theRTF written examination and the RTFpractical test conducted by anauthorised RTF examiner. In somecircumstances, the RTF writtenexamination only, may also beadministered by other examinersauthorised by the Authority toconduct ground examinations for thePPL. It is however recommended, andin the candidates interest, to sit bothRTF examinations with a specificallyauthorised RTF examiner.

Useful References:

CAP 413 Radiotelephony Manual

CAP 452 Aeronautical Radio Station –Operators Guide.

CAP 410 Manual of FlightInformation Services

AIC 79/1998 Flight RadiotelephonyOperators Licence (VHF and HF)–Examinations

(Replaced annually and includeslisting of all authorised RTFExaminers)

CAA Flight Safety Poster FSP 4 ‘Cutthe Chat’

The Private Pilot’s Licence Course –Air Law and Radiotelephony byJeremy M Pratt – AFE

The Air Pilots Manual – Volume 7 –by Trevor Thom – Airlife PublishingLtd

CAA publications are obtainablefrom:

Westward documedia Ltd37 Windsor StreetCheltenhamGloucestershire GL52 2DG

Tel: (01242) 235151Fax: (01242) 584139

G-ON report closing down

G-ON turn right onto taxi-wayAlpha turn left at Delta 2 for theflying club

14 MAIN POINTS

• It is illegal to use a radio withouta licence

• All aircraft radio equipment andinstallations must be approved

• Know how to use the aircraftradio equipment

• Be familiar with CAP413, it isrevised from time to time withnew phraseology

• Use correct phraseology, it isdesigned to prevent ambiguity

• Use a headset, speak directly intothe microphone positioned closeto the mouth

• Listen out before transmitting

• Keep transmissions short

• If uncertain of what to say, STOPTRANSMITTING!

• Know the types of Air TrafficService provided and thelimitations

• Know the Emergency Procedures

Other leaflets in this series:1C Good Airmanship Guide2B Care of Passengers3C Winter Flying5D VFR Navigation6C Aerodrome Sense7B Aeroplane Performance8D Air Traffic Services Outside

Controlled Airspace9A Weight and Balance

10A Bird Avoidance11 Interception Procedures12C Strip Sense13A Collision Avoidance14A Piston Engine Icing15B Wake Vortex16A Balloon Airmanship Guide17B Helicopter Airmanship18A Military Low Flying19 Aerobatics20A VFR Flight Plans21A Ditching23 Pilots – it’s your Decision24 Pilot HealthNew leaflets will appear from timeto time on a non-regular basis.

There is no restriction on photo-copying and extracts can bepublished provided the source is acknowledged.

This leaflet does not supersede or replace any formaldocuments.

If clubs, organisations or individuals wish to receive furthercopies, please write to Westward documedia Limited,37 Windsor Street, Cheltenham, Glos GL52 2DG. Fax. No.01242 584139. Telephone 01242 235151.

Suggestions and technical queries to SRG Safety PromotionSection, Aviation House, Gatwick Airport, West SussexRH6 0YR. Telephone 01293 573225/7.

ISSN 0266-1519

© Civil Aviation Authority 2000

Prepared by the Safety Promotion Section and theCorporate Communications Department of the CivilAviation Authority.