VFR Communications

Radio is how pilots and controllers share the same picture. Good radio is short, clear and standard: everyone on the frequency must understand you the first time, even with a strong accent or a bad connection. This lesson covers the words and the structure of VFR radio calls.

1. The phonetic alphabet

A – Alfa	B – Bravo	C – Charlie	D – Delta	E – Echo	F – Foxtrot	G – Golf
H – Hotel	I – India	J – Juliett	K – Kilo	L – Lima	M – Mike	N – November
O – Oscar	P – Papa	Q – Quebec	R – Romeo	S – Sierra	T – Tango	U – Uniform
V – Victor	W – Whiskey	X – X-ray	Y – Yankee	Z – Zulu

Numbers are said digit by digit, with three said "tree", five "fife" and nine "niner". Whole thousands are said as "thousand": 2,500 ft is "two thousand five hundred"; flight level 85 is "flight level eight five". A frequency of 118.25 is "one one eight decimal two five". QNH 1013 is "one zero one three".

2. Callsigns

• A registration is spelled out: JY-ABC is "Juliett Yankee Alfa Bravo Charlie".
• An airline uses its telephony designator and flight number: RJA401 is "Jordanian four zero one"; Levant flights are LVT plus the number.
• After ATC has used an abbreviated callsign (for example "Juliett Bravo Charlie" – the first and last two letters), you may use it too. Never abbreviate first.

3. Standard words and phrases

Word	Meaning
Acknowledge	Let me know you have received and understood.
Affirm	Yes. (Not "affirmative".)
Negative	No, or permission not granted.
Roger	I have received all of your last transmission. (Not a yes, not a readback.)
Wilco	I understand and will comply.
Standby	Wait and I will call you.
Say again	Repeat your last transmission. (Never "repeat", which has another meaning.)
Correction	I made an error; the correct version is…
Read back	Repeat this message back to me.
Unable	I cannot comply.
Break	Separates parts of a message (Break break: separates messages to different aircraft).

4. How to build a call

The first call to a station follows the order: who you are calling – who you are – where you are – what you want.

"Aqaba Tower, Juliett Yankee Alfa Bravo Charlie, Cessna 172, ten miles north, two thousand five hundred feet, inbound for landing, information Bravo."

• Listen before you transmit – don't step on someone else's call.
• Think first, then press the button; speak at a normal speed in a steady voice.
• Mention the ATIS information letter you have received.

5. Readbacks

You must read back these items, followed by your callsign:

• Runway in use, and clearances to enter, land on, take off from, cross, hold short of or backtrack on a runway
• Taxi instructions and route clearances
• Altitude or level, heading and speed instructions
• QNH, transponder code and frequency changes
• Conditional clearances ("behind the landing A320, line up runway 01 behind")

Example: "Juliett Bravo Charlie, cleared to land runway zero one, wind three five zero degrees one zero knots." – "Cleared to land runway zero one, Juliett Bravo Charlie."

6. A VFR flight from start to finish

1. Ground – start-up and taxi: "Ground, JY-ABC, at the flying club apron, information Alfa, request taxi for a VFR flight to Aqaba."
2. Tower – at the holding point: "Tower, JBC, holding point runway 26, ready for departure." – "JBC, runway 26, cleared for take-off, wind 280 degrees 8 knots."
3. Leaving the zone: report the exit point, then change to the en-route frequency (information service or approach).
4. Position reports when asked: callsign, position, time, level, next position and estimate.
5. Arrival: listen to the ATIS, call approach or tower with your position and intentions, join the circuit as instructed, report downwind and final.
6. After landing: vacate the runway, report "runway vacated", then taxi instructions from ground.

7. Emergency and urgency calls

• MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY – distress: grave and imminent danger, immediate assistance needed (engine failure, fire).
• PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN – urgency: a serious problem but no immediate danger (sick passenger, rough engine, lost).

Message content: station addressed, callsign, aircraft type, nature of the emergency, intentions, position, level and heading, persons on board, and anything else useful. Use the frequency you are on; if no one answers, 121.5 MHz is the international emergency frequency. Squawk 7700.

8. Radio failure

Squawk 7600. Keep transmitting your intentions "blind" in case only your receiver has failed – prefix them with "transmitting blind". In VMC, land at the nearest suitable aerodrome and watch for light signals from the tower.

Flying it at Levant

On IVAO you talk to real people using exactly this phraseology – in English unless both you and the controller agree on another language. Where there is no controller online, use UNICOM 122.800 and announce your intentions to other traffic ("Amman traffic, LVT123, taxiing runway 26 for departure"). Read back your clearances, say "say again" when unsure, and use text if your connection is poor.

Check yourself

1. How do you say 3,500 ft? "Tree thousand fife hundred feet."
2. Does "roger" mean you will comply? No – it only means you received the message. "Wilco" means you will comply.
3. Which items must always be read back? Runway clearances, levels, headings, speeds, QNH, squawk codes and frequencies.
4. Your passenger is ill but the aircraft is fine. Mayday or Pan? PAN PAN (urgency).
5. What is the international emergency frequency? 121.5 MHz.

Simulation training material based on ICAO phraseology. Local procedures and phraseology can differ – always follow the AIP and ATC instructions.