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ATC-Pilot Transmissions and Phraseologies

Source: Jeppesen Route Manual (Last updated: 2006)

Standard Pilot Phraseologies 11th December 2006
by K. Haroon

Standard Phraseologies: Extracted from ICAO Doc 4444 Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM) mentioned in Jeppesen Route Manual - ATC Section, Dated 24th Feb 2006.

Above reference mentions standard phraseologies to be used by pilots and ATC personnel. For convenience I have filtered the list to mention only those phraseologies which are to be used by pilots. This is for quick reference and recall.

  1. General Phraseologies

  2. Phraseologies for use in an Area Control

  3. Phraseologies for use in the Approach Control

  4. Phraseologies for use on and in the Vicinity of an Aerodrome

  5. Secondary Surveillance Radar Phraseologies


1) GENERAL PHRASEOLOGIES:

a) Level Changes, Reports and Rates:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Instruction that a climb (or descent) to a level within the vertical range defined is to commence REQUEST DESCENT AT (time)
When a pilot is unable to comply with a clearance or instruction UNABLE
After a flight crew starts to deviate from any ATC clearance or instruction to comply with an ACAS resolution advisory TCAS RA
After the response to an ACAS RA is completed and a return to the ATC clearance or instruction is initiated CLEAR OF CONFLICT, RETURNING TO (assigned clearance)
After the response to an ACAS RA is completed and the assigned ATC clearance or instruction has been resumed CLEAR OF CONFLICT (assigned clearance), RESUMED
After an ATC clearance or instruction contradictory to the ACAS RA is received, the flight crew will follow the RA and inform ATC directly UNABLE, TCAS RA

b) Transfer of Control and/or Frequency Change:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Note: An aircraft may be requested to "Stand By" on a frequency when it is intended that the ATS unit will initiate communications soon and to "MONITOR" a frequency when information is being broadcast theron ...
Frequency change request REQUEST CHANGE TO (frequency)
When advised by the controller to monitor a particulr frequency MONITORING (frequency)

c) 8.33 kHz Channel Spacing:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Note: In this paragraph the term "point" is used only in the context of naming the 8.33 kHz channel spacing concept and does not constitute any change to existing ICAO provisions or phraseology regarding the use of the term "decimal" ...
To indicate 8.33 kHz capability AFFIRM EIGHT POINT THREE THREE
To indicate lack of 8.33 kHz capability NEGATIVE EIGHT POINT THREE THREE
To indicate UHF capability AFFIRM UHF
To indicate lack of UHF capability NEGATIVE UHF
To indicate 8.33 kHz exempted status AFFIRM EIGHT POINT THREE THREE EXEMPTED
To indicate 8.33 kHz non-exempted status NEGATIVE EIGHT POINT THREE THREE EXEMPTED

d) Traffic Information:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
To acknowledge traffic information LOOKING OUT

TRAFFIC IN SIGHT

NEGATIVE CONTACT [reasons]

e) Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) Operations:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
To report RVSM approved status AFFIRM RVSM
To report RVSM non-approved status followed by supplementary information NEGATIVE RVSM (supplementary information, e.g. State Aircraft)
To report when severe turbulence affects the capability of an aircraft to maintain height-keeping requirements for RVSM UNABLE RVSM DUE TURBULENCE
To report that the equipment of an aircraft has degraded below minimum aviation system performance standards UNABLE RVSM DUE EQUIPMENT
To report ability to resume RVSM operations after an equipment or weather-related contingency READY TO RESUME RVSM

f) GNSS Service Status:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
GNSS, GBAS or SBAS not available BASIC GNSS UNAVAILABLE [DUE TO (reason e.g. LOSS OF RAIM or RAIM ALERT)]

GBAS (or SBAS) UNAVAILABLE


2) PHRASEOLOGIES FOR USE IN AN AREA CONTROL:

a) Emergency Descent:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
To announce emergency descent EMERGENCY DESCENT (intentions)


3) PHRASEOLOGIES FOR USE IN THE APPROACH CONTROL:

a) Approach Instructions:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Requesting for Approach REQUEST STRAIGHT IN [(type of approach)] APPROACH [RUNWAY (number)]

REQUEST VISUAL APPROACH

REQUEST VMC DESCENT

REQUEST (type of approach) APPROACH [RUNWAY (number)]

REQUEST (MLS/RNAV plain language designator)

b) Holding Clearances:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Requesting to Hold REQUEST HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS


4) PHRASEOLOGIES FOR USE ON AND IN THE VICINITY OF AN AERODROME:

a) Starting Procedures:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
To request permission to start engines [aircraft location] REQUEST START UP

[aircraft location] REQUEST START UP, INFORMATION (ATIS identification)

b) Push Back Procedures:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
When local procedures so prescribe, authorization for push back should be obtained from the control tower. [aircraft location] REQUEST PUSHBACK

c) Towing Procedures:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Denotes Transmission from Aircraft / Tow Vehicle Combination REQUEST TOW [company name] (aircraft type) FROM (location) TO (location)

d) To Request Time Check and/or Aerodrome Data for Departure:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
For Time REQUEST TIME CHECK
When no ATIS broadcast is available REQUEST DEPARTURE INFORMATION

e) Taxi Procedures:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
For departure [aircraft type] [wake turbulence category if "heavy"] [aircraft location] REQUEST TAXI (intentions)

[aircraft type] [wake turbulence category if "heavy"] [aircraft location] (flight rules) TO (aerodrome of destination) REQUEST TAXI (intentions)

Where detailed taxi instructions are required [aircraft type] [wake turbulence category if "heavy"] REQUEST DETAILED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS
For helicopter operations REQUEST AIR-TAXIING FROM (or VIA) TO (location or routing as appropriate)
After landing REQUEST BACKTRACK
General [aircraft location] REQUEST TAXI TO (destination on aerodrome)

GIVING WAY TO (traffic)

TRAFFIC (or type of aircraft) IN SIGHT

RUNWAY VACATED

EXPEDITING

SLOWING DOWN

f) Holding:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
The procedure words ROGER and WILCO are insufficient acknowledgment of the instructions HOLD, HOLD POSITION and HOLD SHORT OF (position). In each case the acknowledgment shall be by the phraseology HOLDING or HOLDING SHORT, as appropriate HOLDING

HOLDING SHORT

g) To Cross a Runway:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
For crossing a runway REQUEST CROSS RUNWAY (number)
The pilot will, when requested, report "Runway Vacated" when the aircraft is well clear of the runway RUNWAY VACATED

h) Preparation for Take-Off:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
When ready for departure READY
Acknowledgment of a conditional clearance (condition) LINING UP (brief reiteration of the condition)

i) Take-Off Clearance:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
To cancel a take-off clearance the controller will say Hold Position, Cancel Take-Off, I Say Again Cancel Take-Off (reasons) HOLDING
To stop a take-off after an aircraft has commenced take-off roll the controller will say Stop Immediately (repeat aircraft call sign) Stop Immediately STOPPING
For departure instructions REQUEST DEPARTURE INSTRUCTIONS

j) Turn or Climb Instructions After Take-Off:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
For turning or climbing after take-off REQUEST RIGHT (or LEFT) TURN

k) Entering an Aerodrome Traffic Circuit:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
For entering the circuit [aircraft type] (position) (level) FOR LANDING
When ATIS information is available (aircraft type) (position) (level) INFORMATION (ATIS identification) FOR LANDING

l) In the Circuit:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Position report in the circuit (e.g. DOWNWIND / FINAL etc)

m) Approach Instructions:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
The report "Long Final" is made when aircraft turns on to final approach at a distance greater than 4 NM from touchdown or when an aircraft on a straight-in approach is 8 NM from touchdown. In both cases a report "Final" is required 4 NM from touchdown LONG FINAL

FINAL

n) Landing Clearance:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
To make an approach along, or parallel to a runway, descending to an agreed minimum level REQUEST LOW APPROACH (reasons)
To fly past the control tower or other observation point for the purpose of visual inspection by persons on the ground REQUEST LOW PASS (reasons)
For helicopter operations REQUEST STRAIGHT IN (or CIRCLING APPROACH, LEFT (or RIGHT) TURN TO (location)

o) Missed Approach:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
While executing a missed approach GOING AROUND


5) SECONDARY SURVEILLANCE RADAR PHRASEOLOGIES:

a) To Request the Capability of the SSR Equipment:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Advise Transponder Capability TRANSPONDER (as in flight plan)

or

NEGATIVE TRANSPONDER

b) To Request the Pilot to Reselect the Assigned Mode and Code:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Reset Squawk [(mode)(code)] RESETTING [(mode)(code)]

c) To Request Pilot to Confirm Code Selected on the Transponder:

Circumstances or ATC Instructions Pilot Transmissions
Confirm Squawk (code) SQUAWKING (code)



Disclaimer: "ATC Pilot Transmissions and Phraseologies" are personal notes of the writer. These notes do not sanction any pilot to violate the Standard Operating Procedures. This article was last updated in December 2006.

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