Professional Radio Communication Techniques Rev. 05/21/2017
 
1- Departing Uncontrolled Airports (Class "E" and "G").
 
2- Arriving Uncontrolled Airports (Class "E" and "G").
 
3- Arriving Class "D" (Tower Controlled Airports).
 
4- Departing Class "D" (Tower-Controlled Airports).
 
5- Departing Class "B" or "C" (Major Airports) .
 
6- Transition or Landing at Class "B" & "C"(Major Airports ).
 
7- Handoff between Sectors (Class "B", "C", or "D").
 
8- Transition Through Class "D" (Tower-Controlled) Airspace.
 
9- Contacting Enroute Flight Advisory Service (EFAS).
 
10- Contacting Flight Service Stations.
 
11-Common Errors.
#1- Departing Uncontrolled Airports (Class "E" or "G"): Top of Page
Use the current Airport Diagram.
(At uncontrolled airports, use only the last three letters of your call sign, example: "Toledo Traffic, Skyhawk three-four-five downwind, one-seven Toledo." Only the last three numbers of your call sign are used, unless another aircraft is heard on the frequency with a similar call sign.)
"Toledo Traffic, Skyhawk 345 departing (One-Seven) (Three-Five) Toledo."
If unable to determine traffic pattern:
"Toledo Unicom, Skyhawk 345 airport advisory."
#2- Arriving Uncontrolled Airports (Class "E" or "G"): Top of Page
"Toledo Traffic, Skyhawk 345 Entering 45 for Downwind, (One-Seven) (Three-Five) Toledo."
(Make subsequent calls on base, final, etc. if workload permits or if traffic warrants.)
If unable to determine landing pattern:
"Toledo Unicom, Skyhawk 345 airport advisory."
(At uncontrolled airports with Unicom, you may not receive a reply.)
At tower controlled airports (Class D,) or in Class B or C airspace, avoid unnecessary phrases such as:
"We are...; I'd like to...; If it's all right...; My present position is...; We Are with you...etc..."
#3- Arriving Class "D" (Tower Controlled) Listen For ATIS: Top of Page
"Salem Tower, Skyhawk 12345." Tower replies "Skyhawk 12345 Salem Tower."
"Skyhawk 345, _____miles (N, S, E, W or use actual reporting points if avail.) Inbound with (A, B, etc." if ATIS.) If no ATIS, say "Inbound for touch-and-go," or "Inbound for landing." At major metropolitan airports, include your destination on field, example:
"Skyhawk 345, 7 North, Inbound with Bravo, Landing, Flightcraft."
Tower replies with specific entry instructions and reporting points; "Skyhawk 345, cross overhead the field, report right downwind."
You say "Skyhawk 345 roger."
Upon Arrival At Reporting Point, You say "Skyhawk 345 Downwind; Base; Final; Runway______" or " _____miles (N, S, W, E,)" etc...as requested by tower.
Tower replies with "Cleared to land" or "Cleared for touch and go," or "Follow (specific traffic, etc..)." You say "Skyhawk 345 roger."
After Landing, tower will tell you to contact ground: "Skyhawk 345, left turn next intersection, ground point niner leaving the runway."
You say "Skyhawk 345 roger," then you contact ground control: Use the current Airport Diagram.
"Ground, Skyhawk 345 taxi to Flightcraft."
Ground replies "Skyhawk 345, Taxi to Flightcraft"
If a HOLD is issued, (e.g., "Skyhawk 345 Cleared to land Rwy. 12 Hold Short of Rwy. 2")you must acknowledge the specific holding instruction by reading it back.
You'd say "Skyhawk 345 Cleared to Land Rwy. One-Two Hold Short Rwy. Two."
#4- Departing Class "D" (Tower-Controlled): Top of Page
Use the current Airport Diagram. Listen For ATIS, AWOS, or ASOS if available. (Ground control frequencies are either 121.6, 121.7, 121.8 or 121.9 check the back panel of the sectional chart for the specific ground frequency. You don't need to say the name of the airport, just say "Ground." You should however, state your location on the field.
"Ground, Skyhawk 12345, Salem Air Center, Taxi with (A, B, C, etc...") On initial contact, state your Full call sign ex. "Ground, Cherokee 12345" _________(location on field) "Taxi"
If no ATIS: "Ground, Skyhawk 12345 Taxi."  After ATC acknowledged your call sign, you may abbreviate by stating the last three: "Cherokee 345, Wilco."
Read back all clearances/instructions with your aircraft call sign to Taxi on to a runway, Cross a runway, Hold Short, or Line up and Wait. Always include your aircraft call sign.
If unfamiliar with area, add the phrase "Progressive." (e.g., "Ground, Skyhawk 12345, at Butler Aviation, Taxi, Progressive.") Ground replies with (progressive) taxi instructions.
After run-up at holding area, contact tower:
"Salem Tower, Skyhawk 345 Ready for departure,__________" (ask for a straight out, downwind, left, or right turn) Tower replies with either: 1- "Cleared for takeoff;" 2- "Line up and wait;" 3- "Hold short, landing traffic;" or 4- "Hold short." When Hold is issued, you must acknowledge the specific holding instruction by reading it back. (e.g., You must say: "Line up and wait, Skyhawk 345.") Remember "P-A-A," when inbound to Class B, C, or D airspace, (or "P-A-D" if transitioning class B & C airspace): All you need to state is your Position, Altitude, and ATIS if inbound. If transitioning class B & C airspace, all you need to state is your Position, Altitude, and Destination.
#5- Departing Class "B" or "C" Airports: Top of Page
Use the current Airport Diagram. (The Clearance delivery frequency is broadcast on ATIS. If a separate frequency is not designated, the Clearance Delivery frequency would be the Ground Control frequency.)
Listen to ATIS, then contact Clearance Delivery:
"Clearance, Skyhawk 12345, Skyhawk 150, Two Thousand, Toledo, with Bravo."
Clearance then replies with your clearance to Toledo:
"Skyhawk 12345 fly runway heading, maintain at or below one thousand five hundred, departure control one-two-six-point-zero, squawk zero two four six."
Copy your clearance, and then read it back to clearance delivery. Read back all clearances/instructions with your aircraft call sign.
(example, "Skyhawk 12345 runway heading, maintain at or below one thousand five hundred, departure control one-two-six-point-zero, squawk zero two four six.") Now contact ground control
"Ground, Skyhawk 12345, Flightcraft, Taxi." (Remember to say your location on the airport.)
If Unfamiliar with area, Request "Progressive". (e.g., "Ground, Skyhawk 345, Flightcraft, Taxi, progressive." (Ground replies with (progressive) taxi instructions.)
After run-up at holding area, contact tower: "Tower, Skyhawk 345, Ready for departure."
See #4 Departing Class "D" Tower-Controlled Airports for information about holding and requirements for reading back holding instructions. Top of Page
#6- Transition or Landing at airports in Class "B" & "C" Airspace: Top of Page
(Initial contact, use only your full call sign, example: "Portland Approach, Skyhawk One-two-three-four-five." Use only the last three numbers of your call sign for subsequent calls, unless another aircraft is heard has a similar call sign.)
"Portland Approach, Skyhawk 12345." (wait for approach to call you back.)
Approach replies "Skyhawk 12345 Portland Approach."
"Skyhawk 345, (position)" (use actual reporting points. e.g., Lake Oswego, Scapposse, Newberg VOR, etc...) or, "____miles (N, S, E, W)________thousand, ______________."
(Say your destination or ATIS)
Examples:
"Skyhawk 345, Nine North, Two-Thousand Five Hundred, Bravo."
"Skyhawk 345, Nine North, Two-Thousand Five Hundred, Kelso."
Approach replies "Skyhawk 345, squawk _________" (Set your transponder for the appropriate code, and wait for approach to call you back. Your squawk code is your reply.)
Approach calls you back "Skyhawk 345, radar contact
______miles _______, proceed as requested, or fly heading _____ Portland Altimeter Three-Zero-Zero-Niner."
You say "Skyhawk 345 roger."
#7- Handoff between sectors (Class "B", "C", or "D"): Top of Page
After you are assigned the new frequency, write it down or preset the #2 radio and acknowledge the frequency change. Change to the new frequency and begin your report stating your altitude. Example:
"Portland approach, Skyhawk 12345, two thousand five hundred."
or
"Portland approach, Skyhawk 12345, five hundred, climbing, two thousand five hundred."
 
A HANDOFF FROM ARTCC DOES NOT IMPLY A Class "B" CLEARANCE. Obtain a CLEARANCE prior to entering Class "B" or query ATC PRIOR to entering class "B" airspace if you are not sure that you've actually received a clearance.Top of Page
#8- Transition Through Class "D" Airspace: Top of Page
"Salem Tower, Skyhawk 12345." Tower replies "Skyhawk 12345 Salem Tower."
"Skyhawk 345, _____miles ________(N, S, E, W or use actual reporting points if avail.)
transition _____thousand."
Examples:
"Skyhawk 345, Nine North, Inbound, Alpha."
"Skyhawk 345, Nine North, Transition, One-Thousand Five Hundred."
Tower replies "Transition approved, report _____" (at a specific point, overhead, abeam, etc...)
You say "Skyhawk 345 roger."
#9- Contacting EFAS (122.0): Top of Page
"Flight Watch, Skyhawk 12345 Newberg"
(You must include the name of the nearest VOR) Top of Page
#10- Contacting FSS: Top of Page
(NOTE: The word "Radio" is used when you are talking to a flight service station with your aircraft transmitter.)
(RCO=Remote Communications Outlet.)
 
"McMinniville Radio, Skyhawk 12345 Newberg"
(You must say the name of the RCO or VOR where you got the frequency from.)
McMinniville Radio Replies "Skyhawk 12345 McMinniville Radio."
You would then say "Skyhawk 345 Activate Flight Plan" or "Close Flight Plan"
McMinniville Radio says: "Skyhawk 345 your flight plan is activated (or closed)"
You say "Skyhawk 345 Roger."
COMMON ERRORS MADE WHILE USING AIRCRAFT RADIO: Top of Page
1- Failure to give geographic position when calling.
2- Failure to use proper phraseology.
3- Saying more than necessary.
4- Not listening before speaking.
5- Not having radio volume turned up.
6- Transmitting on wrong frequency.
7- Saying "Unicom" instead of saying "Traffic" Top of Page
Produced by
ASR