Radio for beginners: the phrases that get you through a first flight
Talking on the radio is what scares new online pilots most. In truth it is a few dozen fixed phrases that repeat on every flight. Learn the order and you are most of the way there.
How to build a call
A first call always has four parts: who you are calling, who you are, where you are and what you want. For example: “Boryspil Delivery, Ukraine International 123, stand 12, information Bravo, request clearance to Vienna”.
Numbers
- digits are spoken one by one: heading 270 is “heading two seven zero”, level 320 is “flight level three two zero”;
- an altitude in feet is spoken in thousands: “four thousand feet”;
- a frequency: 121.8 is “one two one decimal eight”;
- to stay clear on a noisy radio, 3 sounds like “tree”, 5 like “fife” and 9 like “niner”.
A flight in examples
- clearance: the controller says “cleared to Vienna, runway 18 left, squawk 4521”; you repeat it word for word and add your callsign;
- start and taxi: “request push and start”, then “request taxi”. Read the taxi route back in full;
- takeoff: at the holding point say “ready for departure”. The word “takeoff” is only used in the clearance itself: “cleared for takeoff runway 18 left”;
- in flight: give a new controller your callsign and level: “Kyiv Radar, Ukraine International 123, climbing flight level one two zero”;
- approach and landing: “cleared ILS approach runway 29”, then “cleared to land runway 29”. After leaving the runway: “runway vacated”.
What you must read back
The runway, altitude or level, heading, speed, transponder code (squawk), QNH and a new frequency. Wind and traffic information need no readback: your callsign or “roger” is enough.
Words that save the day:
- say again: please repeat. It is normal; real pilots say it too;
- standby: wait, I am busy;
- unable: I cannot do that;
- wilco: understood and will do. Roger only means “received”, not “yes”;
- affirm and negative: yes and no.
Write the clearance down before you read it back, and tell the controller you are new. The word an airline uses on the radio is on our airline pages, and the traffic map shows where controllers are working now.