Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Air Traffic Control Communications: A Guide To Successful Communication Between ATC and The Beginner Pilot
Air Traffic Control Communications: A Guide To Successful Communication Between ATC and The Beginner Pilot
Communications
FAR/AIM
Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Rocky SOP
-Ground Control
-Tower Control
-Approach/Departure Control
Ground Control
Ground control is monitored by people in the very top
of the tower. They are looking out the windows and
can watch you as you taxi.
Include the following information: who you are, that you have
listened to the ATIS, what runway you want to taxi to, where
you want to go, and how high you want to climb.
You have completed your run-up and you are ready for departure.
Taxi to the hold short line, stop and contact tower.
You must tell tower: Who you are, where you are at, and that you
are ready for take off.
You must read back your take off clearance. Include your call sign
and departure runway.
Who you are, where you are at, that you have the current
weather information, and your intentions.
*In the Billings vicinity, you must contact Billings at least 10nm
out. This is so that you may properly enter class C airspace.
While in the practice area, Rocky aircraft usually on Billing’s
radar during maneuvers.
Examples (From the north practice
area to Rocky)
Approach control will advise you on how to proceed
inbound. At their discretion, they will ask you to
contact tower.
You must alert ground control that you have listened to the
information when you contact them initially. Example:
Information Bravo. Each ATIS report is identified by a different
letter. The ATIS is changed several times a day, depending on
the weather. It is usually updated approximately 5 minutes
before the hour.
New words?
The taxi line denotes the area where ground
control begins its jurisdiction. You may not
cross across this line, unless you have
received your taxi clearance.
“Laurel Area traffic, Archer 431RM just departed Billings, any traffic in
the area, please advise.”
“Laurel Area traffic, Archer 431RM is entering the left downwind for
runway 4.”
“Laurel Area traffic, Archer 431RM, turning left base, runway 4.”
The AIM suggests that, “the single, most important thought in pilot
controller communications is understanding.”
4) “Be alert to the sounds, or the lack of sounds in your receiver.” Check to make
sure your microphone is not stuck, thus transmitting your every word for
extended periods of time.
5) Make sure you are within radio range of the frequency you are attempting to
transmit on.
FSS (Flight Service Station)
The flight service station is a group of government contract
employees who provide you with:
- Weather information
- Flight planning
- Aeronautical information
- Flight Following
They will also provide you with flight following once you are in the
air, upon request.
Remain outside the airspace, if able, until you can determine the
direction/flow of traffic. Advise the tower of your type aircraft,
position, altitude, and intentions to land.
*AIM 4-2-13
Inoperative Transmitter
If you have an inoperative transmitter, you can hear
the controlling agency, but they cannot hear you as
you attempt to transmit.
*Memorize ASAP
Practice Area Communications
At Rocky, it is common practice to state your position on the
Rocky frequency. No two aircraft are permitted to share a
practice area. Therefore, it is essential that each Rocky plane is
in constant communication with one another.
A transponder code will always have four number (ex- 0432). There are
4,096 possible codes that you could be assigned.
Occasionally the active controller will ask you to “IDENT.” This is a feature
of the transponder. When you IDENT, the “hit” on the radar screen
begins to flash, allowing them to locate you on their screen easier.
Transponder
Below is a photo of a transponder:
Transponder
The transponder has four distinct codes that
have specific meanings:
1) Aviate
2) Navigate
3) Communicate
Common Warnings
Remember ATC controllers are people too,
they do make mistakes. If you are questioning
ATC instructions, simply ask them for
confirmation or to clarify. It is a possibility that
you received incorrect directions, or
misinterpreted the situation.