Communications VFR: Fábio Guimarães

COMMUNICATIONS
VFR
Fábio Guimarães Session 2

Session 2 - Objectives
• Call Signs For Aeronautical Stations;
• Call Signs For Aircraft includind Abbreviated form;
• Transfer of Communication;
• Test Procedures including readability scale;
• Read Back and tAcknowledgmen Requirements;
• Procedural Phraseology.
COMMUNICATIONS VFR 2
Call Signs – Aeronautical Stations
Aeronautical Station
For aeronautical stations there are of two parts:
• Location name
• Suffix denoting unit or type of service
Example: Lisboa Approach or Cascais Tower
The suffix indicates the type of unit or service provided, as shown in the
next table:
On initial contact use the full call sign of the station you are speaking to,
followed by your full call sign.
When satisfactory communication has been established, and provided

that it will not be confusing, the name of the location or the call sign
suffix may be omitted.
Example: After the initial call to Cascais Tower, you can either use
“Cascais” or “Tower” to identify the station beeing called.
Pilot: “Tower, IFJ211, Left Downwind RWY 17”.
Call Signs - Aircraft
An aircraft call sign shall be one of the following types:
• Type A - Aircraft registration marking e.g. CSDAY ( Note: this may be

prefixed by the name of the aircraft manufacturer or aircraft model Piper
CSDAY or Cessna CSDAY).
• Type B - Operating agency designator plus last 4 characters of the

registration: IFAJET SDAY.
• Type C - Operating agency designator plus flight number: IFAJET 211.
Call Signs – Aircraft
Abbreviated Call Sign
Abbreviated call signs shall be used only after satisfactory
communications have been established and provided no confusion is
likely to arise.
Only air traffic control may initiate abbreviation of aircraft call signs.
Thereafter, the pilots may use abbreviations, but must use full call signs
if changing to another station.
The call signs would be abbreviated as follows:
Call Signs – Aircraft
Abbreviated Call Sign
• Type A - The first character plus at least two last characters:
“CSDAY” becomes “C-AY” or “C-DAY”.
Note: either the name of the aircraft manufacturer or the aircraft model
may be used in place of the first character: “Cessna CSDAY” becomes
“Cessna AY” or “Cessna DAY”
• Type B - The operating agency designator followed by at least two last

characters:
”IFAJET SDAY” becomes “IFAJET AY” or “IFAJET DAY”.
• Type C - No abbreviation.
Tranfer of Communication
An aircraft will normally be advised by the appropriate aeronautical

station to change from one frequency to another.
ATC: “IFAJET 345, contact Lisboa Approach 119.1”

Pilot: “Lisboa Approach 119.1, IFAJET 345”
ATC: “IFAJET 345, contact Cacais Tower 120.305”

Pilot: “Cascais Tower 120.305, IFAJET 345”
Tranfer of Communication
If the pilot wishes to change frequency, he should notify the change as

appropriate.
“Lisboa Approach, IFAJET 345 changing to Cacais Tower 120.3”
After a call has been made to an aeronautical station, a period of at least 10

seconds should elapse before a second call is made.
Stations having a requirement to transmit information to all stations likely to

intercept the call, should preface the transmission with general call ‘ALL
STATIONS’, followed by the identification of the calling station.
No reply is expected, unless individual stations are subsequently called

to acknowledge receipt.
Radio Test Procedures
Before flight, it is wise to ensure that your radios will transmit and
receive properly.
In order to do this, a standard procedure is followed for each radio

requiring a test.
The form of a test transmission should be as follows:
1. The identification of the station being called

2. The aircraft identification
3. The words ‘Radio Check’
4. The frequency being used
Radio Test Procedures
Readability Scale Meaning
1 Unreadable
2 Readable now and then
3 Readable but with difficulty
4 Readable
5 Perfectly readable
Read Back and Acknowledgment
Requirements
The ATC messages listed here must be read back in full by the pilot.
Level instructions
Heading instructions
Speed instructions
ATC route clearances
Runway in use
Clearance to:
Enter, land on, take-off, back-track, cross, hold short of active runway
Requirements
SSR operating Instructions
VDF information
Frequency changes
Type of radar service
Altimeter settings
If the controller does not receive a read back, he will instruct the pilot to
do so.
If the pilot does not understand the message, he is expected to request

that messages are repeated or clarified.
Requirements
ATC Clearence
A clearance may vary, from a detailed description of a route and levels

to be flown, to the name of a standard route, such as a Standard
Instrument Departure (known as “SID”).
Clearances should be passed slowly to enable pilots to write down the

information.
If possible, a clearance is passed before start up and certainly not when

a pilot is engaged in manoeuvring his aircraft;
Requirements
ATC Clearence
A route clearance is not a clearance to enter an active runway or to take

off. The words “TAKE OFF” are only used when an aircraft is cleared to
take off or when cancelling a take-off clearance;
At other times the words “DEPARTURE” and “AIRBORNE” are used.

ATC route clearances shall always be read back, unless otherwise
authorized by the appropriate ATS authority.
Clearances and Readbacks always include the aircraft call sign.
In a readback the last thing you say is your call sign.
Requirements
Clearances and Readbacks always include the aircraft call sign.
In a readback the last thing you say is your call sign.
JAR-FCL makes particular mention of the need to read back the following
clearances:
• ATC route clearances

• Clearances related to runway in use
• Other clearances such as conditional clearances
• Data such as runway, altimeter settings, SSR codes, etc.
Conditional Clearences
Conditional clearances are given by ATC in the following format:
1. Call Sign
2. The Condition
3. The Clearance
4. The Condition
When the clearance involves an active runway, both the controller and
the pilot must have seen the aircraft or vehicle concerned.
Conditional Clearences
Example of a conditional clearance:
“IFJ205 behind the landing Cessna 172 line up and wait behind”
The readback of a conditional clearance must follow the same pattern

with the aircraft call sign at the end.
“Behind the landing Cessna 172 line up and wait behind, IFJ205”
Questions
The message “READABILITY 1” means:
a. readable now and then
b. Unreadable
c. Readable
d. readable but with difficulty
Questions
The abbreviation for the call sign CHEROKEE XY-ABC would be:
a. XY- BC
b. CHEROKEE XY-BC
c. CHEROKEE BC
d. ABC
Questions
The minimum content of a readback of the message from ATC “X-

CD CHANGE FREQUENCY TO STEPHENVILLE TOWER 118.7” is:
a. 118.7
b. CHANGING FREQUENCY X-CD
c. TO STEPHENVILLE X-CD
d. 118.7 X-CD
Questions
The call sign of a station controlling surface vehicles in the

manoeuvring area would be:
a. TOWER
b. CLEARANCE
c. GROUND
d. APRON
Questions
b. Unreadable
c. Readable
Questions
b. Unreadable
c. Readable
Questions
b. Unreadable
c. Readable
References
•ICAO Annex 10 Vol. II
•Oxford ATPL Ground Training Series – Communications
•ICAO Doc. 9432 – Manual of Radiotelephony

Communications VFR: Fábio Guimarães

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Communications VFR: Fábio Guimarães

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

COMMUNICATIONS

Fábio Guimarães Session 2

• Call Signs For Aeronautical Stations;

• Call Signs For Aircraft includind Abbreviated form;

• Test Procedures including readability scale;

• Read Back and tAcknowledgmen Requirements;

Example: Lisboa Approach or Cascais Tower

When satisfactory communication has been established, and provided

Pilot: “Tower, IFJ211, Left Downwind RWY 17”.

An aircraft call sign shall be one of the following types:

• Type A - Aircraft registration marking e.g. CSDAY ( Note: this may be

• Type B - Operating agency designator plus last 4 characters of the

• Type C - Operating agency designator plus flight number: IFAJET 211.

The call signs would be abbreviated as follows:

• Type B - The operating agency designator followed by at least two last

An aircraft will normally be advised by the appropriate aeronautical

ATC: “IFAJET 345, contact Lisboa Approach 119.1”

ATC: “IFAJET 345, contact Cacais Tower 120.305”

If the pilot wishes to change frequency, he should notify the change as

After a call has been made to an aeronautical station, a period of at least 10

Stations having a requirement to transmit information to all stations likely to

No reply is expected, unless individual stations are subsequently called

In order to do this, a standard procedure is followed for each radio

The form of a test transmission should be as follows:

1. The identification of the station being called

Readability Scale Meaning

If the pilot does not understand the message, he is expected to request

A clearance may vary, from a detailed description of a route and levels

Clearances should be passed slowly to enable pilots to write down the

If possible, a clearance is passed before start up and certainly not when

A route clearance is not a clearance to enter an active runway or to take

At other times the words “DEPARTURE” and “AIRBORNE” are used.

Clearances and Readbacks always include the aircraft call sign.

In a readback the last thing you say is your call sign.

In a readback the last thing you say is your call sign.

• ATC route clearances

Conditional clearances are given by ATC in the following format:

Example of a conditional clearance:

The readback of a conditional clearance must follow the same pattern

The message “READABILITY 1” means:

a. readable now and then

d. readable but with difficulty

The minimum content of a readback of the message from ATC “X-

b. CHANGING FREQUENCY X-CD

The call sign of a station controlling surface vehicles in the

The message “READABILITY 3” means:

a. readable now and then

d. readable but with difficulty

The message “READABILITY 2” means:

a. readable now and then

d. readable but with difficulty

The message “READABILITY 4” means:

a. readable now and then

d. readable but with difficulty

•ICAO Annex 10 Vol. II

•Oxford ATPL Ground Training Series – Communications

•ICAO Doc. 9432 – Manual of Radiotelephony

You might also like