RT – Key Words / Pronunciation
These tables are taken from: CAP 413 Edition 23
(21 January 2021)
Contents (Numbers refer to
paragraphs in CAP 413)
2.1
Elements that make up transmissions
2.13
Transmission of Numbers: Altitude, Height, Pressure Setting, …
2.13
Transmission of Numbers: Examples
2.15
Transmission of Numbers: Frequencies.
2.17
Transmission of Numbers: Time
2.19
Categories of ATS and Associated Callsigns
|
RTF Element |
Compliance |
Guidance Material |
|
Clearance |
Requiring strict compliance |
Clearances transmitted by ground personnel (usually Air Traffic
Control) are to be strictly complied with and the clearance issued is to be
read back verbatim, e.g. ‘BIGJET 347, cleared to Kennington via A1, at FL60,
squawk 5501’. |
|
Instructions |
To be followed and carried out where practically possible and safe to
do so |
Instructions transmitted are to be complied with and, in most cases,
should be read back to reduce the chance of any ambiguity or
misunderstanding, e.g. ‘G-ABCD, taxi to the apron via taxiway Charlie’.
Chapter 2 specifies those instructions that are to be read back in full.
However, if the instruction is short, clear and unambiguous, acknowledgment
of the instruction using standard phraseology such as ‘Roger’ (I have
received all your last transmission) or ‘Wilco’ (I understand your message
and will comply with it) is preferred for the sake of brevity in the use of
radiotelephony transmission time. |
|
Information |
Of benefit and usefulness between pilot and ground personnel in the
interests of safety |
Information is provided to assist the safe conduct of the flight and
should not be read back, e.g. ‘G-ABCD surface wind 240 degrees 15 knots’. If the information is not understood, a request to
repeat the information is sufficient. |
|
Letter |
Word |
Appropriate Pronunciation |
|
A |
Alpha |
AL FAH |
|
B |
Bravo |
BRAH VOH |
|
C |
Charlie |
CHAR LEE or SHAR LEE |
|
D |
Delta |
DELL TAH |
|
E |
Echo |
ECK OH |
|
F |
Foxtrot |
FOKS TROT |
|
G |
Golf |
GOLF |
|
H |
Hotel |
HO TELL |
|
I |
India |
IN DEE AH |
|
J |
Juliet |
JEW LEE ETT |
|
K |
Kilo |
KEY LOH |
|
L |
Lima |
LEE MAH |
|
M |
Mike |
MIKE |
|
N |
November |
NO VEM BER |
|
O |
Oscar |
OSS CAH |
|
P |
Papa |
PAH PAH |
|
Q |
Quebec |
KEH BECK |
|
R |
Romeo |
ROW ME OH |
|
S |
Sierra |
SEE AIR RAH |
|
T |
Tango |
TANG GO |
|
U |
Uniform |
YOU NEE FORM or OO NEE FORM |
|
V |
Victor |
VIK TAH |
|
W |
Whiskey |
WISS KEY |
|
X |
X-ray |
ECKS RAY |
|
Y |
Yankee |
YANG KEE |
|
Z |
Zulu |
ZOO LOO |
|
Numeral or numeral element |
Latin alphabet representation |
|
0 |
ZERO |
|
1 |
WUN |
|
2 |
TOO |
|
3 |
TREE |
|
4 |
FOWER |
|
5 |
FIFE |
|
6 |
SIX |
|
7 |
SEVEN |
|
8 |
AIT |
|
9 |
NINER |
|
Decimal |
DAYSEEMAL |
|
Hundred |
HUN DRED |
|
Thousand |
TOUSAND |
|
Number |
Transmitted as |
Pronounced as |
|
BAW246 |
Speedbird Two Four Six |
SPEEDBIRD TOO FOWER SIX |
|
FL100 |
Flight Level One Hundred |
FLIGHT LEVEL WUN HUN DRED |
|
FL180 |
Flight Level One Eight Zero |
FLIGHT LEVEL WUN AIT ZERO |
|
150 Degrees |
One Five Zero Degrees |
WUN FIFE ZERO DEGREES |
|
18 Knots |
One Eight Knots |
WUN AIT KNOTS |
|
122.1 |
One Two Two Decimal One |
WUN TOO TOO DAYSEEMAL WUN |
|
(Squawk) 6500 |
Six Five Zero Zero |
SIX FIFE ZERO ZERO |
|
Number |
Transmitted as |
Pronounced as |
|
10 |
One Zero |
WUN ZERO |
|
100 |
One Hundred |
WUN HUN DRED |
|
2,500 |
Two Thousand Five Hundred |
TOO TOUSAND FIFE HUNDRED |
|
QNH 1000 hpa |
One Thousand |
WUN TOUSAND |
|
(Squawk) 1000 |
One Thousand |
WUN TOUSAND |
|
11,000 |
One One Thousand |
WUN WUN TOUSAND |
|
25,000 |
Two Five Thousand |
TOO FIFE TOUSAND |
|
Frequency |
Transmitted as |
Pronounced as |
|
118.125 |
One One Eight Decimal One Two Five |
WUN WUN AIT DAY SEE MAL WUN TOO FIFE |
|
119.050 |
One One Nine Decimal Zero Five Zero |
WUN WUN NINER DAY SEE MAL ZERO FIFE ZERO |
|
122.500 |
One Two Two Decimal Five |
WUN TOO TOO DAY SEE MAL FIFE |
|
118.000 |
One One Eight Decimal Zero |
WUN WUN AIT DAY SEE MAL ZERO |
|
Time |
Transmitted as |
Pronounced as |
|
0823 |
Two Three or Zero Eight Two Three |
TOO TREE (or ZERO AIT TOO TREE) |
|
1300 |
One Three Zero Zero |
WUN TREE ZERO ZERO |
|
2057 |
Five Seven or Two Zero Five Seven |
FIFE SEVEN (or TOO ZERO FIFE SEVEN) |
When transmitting time, only the minutes of the hour are normally required.
However, the hour should be included if
there is any possibility of confusion. Time checks shall be given to the
nearest minute and preceded by the word ‘TIME’.
Co- ordinated Universal Time (UTC) is to be used at all times, unless
specified. 2400 hours designates midnight, the end
of the day, and 0000 hours the beginning of the day.
|
Word/Phrase |
Meaning |
|
ACKNOWLEDGE |
Let me know that you have received and understood this message. |
|
AFFIRM |
Yes. |
|
APPROVED** |
Permission for proposed action granted. |
|
BREAK |
Indicates the separation between messages. |
|
BREAK BREAK |
BREAK BREAK Indicates the separation between
messages transmitted to different aircraft in a busy environment. |
|
NOTE: The phraseology “BREAK BREAK” may be
confused with an instruction to an aircraft formation and should be used with
caution. |
|
|
CANCEL |
Annul the previously transmitted clearance. |
|
CHANGING TO |
I intend to call. . . (unit) on. . . (frequency). |
|
CHECK |
Examine a system or procedure. (Not to be used in any other context.
No answer is normally expected.) |
|
CLEARED ‡ |
Authorised to proceed under the conditions specified. |
|
CLIMB ‡ |
Climb and maintain. |
|
CONFIRM |
I request verification of: (clearance, instruction, action,
information). |
|
CONTACT |
Establish communications with... (your details have been passed). |
|
CORRECT |
True or accurate. |
|
CORRECTION |
An error has been made in this transmission (or message indicated).
The correct version is... |
|
DESCEND ‡ |
Descend and maintain. |
|
DISREGARD |
Ignore. |
|
FANSTOP |
I am initiating a practice engine failure after take
off. (Used only by pilots of single engine aircraft.) The response should be, “REPORT CLIMBING
AWAY” |
|
FREECALL |
Call. . . (unit) (your details have not been passed – mainly used by
military ATC). |
|
HOLD SHORT** |
Stop before reaching the specified location. NOTE: Only used in limited circumstances where no defined point exists (e.g.
where there is no suitably located holding point), or to reinforce a
clearance limit. |
|
HOW DO YOU READ |
What is the readability of my transmission? |
|
I SAY AGAIN |
I repeat for clarity or emphasis. |
|
MAINTAIN ‡ |
Continue in accordance with the condition(s) specified or in its
literal sense, e.g. “Maintain VFR”. |
|
MONITOR |
Listen out on (frequency). |
|
NEGATIVE |
No; or Permission not granted; or That is not correct; or Not capable. |
|
NEGATIVE I SAY AGAIN |
May be used if repeated incorrect readbacks are given by the pilot and
additional emphasis is required. |
|
OUT* |
This exchange of transmissions is ended and no response is expected. |
|
OVER* |
My transmission is ended and I expect a response from you. |
|
PASS YOUR MESSAGE |
Proceed with your message. |
|
READ BACK |
Repeat all, or the specified part, of this message back to me exactly
as received. |
|
RECLEARED |
To be used only in relation to routings and NOT for instructions to
climb or descend. |
|
REPORT** |
Pass me the following information |
|
REQUEST |
I should like to know... or I wish to obtain... |
|
ROGER |
I have received all your last transmission. NOTE: Under no circumstances to be used in reply to a question requiring a
direct answer in the affirmative (AFFIRM) or negative (NEGATIVE). |
|
SAY AGAIN |
Repeat all, or the following part of your last transmission. |
|
SPEAK SLOWER |
Reduce your rate of speech. |
|
STANDBY |
Wait and I will call you. NOTE: No onward clearance to be assumed. The caller would normally re-establish
contact if the delay is lengthy. STANDBY is not an approval or denial. |
|
UNABLE |
I cannot comply with your request, instruction or clearance. Unable is normally followed by a reason. |
|
WILCO |
I understand your message and will comply with it (abbreviation for
will comply). |
|
WORDS TWICE |
As a request: Communication is difficult. Please send every word
twice. As Information: Since communication is difficult, every word in this
message will be sent twice. |
* Not normally used in U/VHF Communications.
** Not used by Air/Ground Communication Service Operators (c/s “Radio”).
‡ Not used by Air/Ground Communication Service Operators (c/s “Radio”)
or Flight Information Service Officers (c/s “Information”).
|
Service |
Suffix |
|
Area Control |
CONTROL |
|
Radar (in general) |
RADAR |
|
Approach Control |
APPROACH |
|
Aerodrome Control |
TOWER |
|
Approach Control Radar Arrival/Departure |
DIRECTOR/DEPARTURE (RADAR – when tasks combined)/ ARRIVAL – (when
approved) |
|
Ground Movement Control |
GROUND |
|
Military Aerodrome Traffic Zone (MATZ) Crossing |
ZONE |
|
Precision Approach Radar |
TALKDOWN |
|
Flight Information |
INFORMATION |
|
Air/Ground Communication Service |
RADIO |
|
Clearance Delivery* |
DELIVERY |
|
Full callsign |
Abbreviation |
|
GBFRM |
G-RM |
|
Speedbird GBGDC |
Speedbird DC |
|
N31029 |
N029 |
|
N753DA |
N3DA |
|
* Midland 640 |
No abbreviation |
|
**Piper GBSZT |
Piper ZT |
|
**Helicopter GABCD |
Helicopter CD |
|
***PHABC |
P-BC |
|
Phrase |
Meaning |
|
Say again |
Repeat entire message |
|
Say again … (item) |
Repeat specific itme |
|
Say again all before … (the first word satisfactorily received) |
|
|
Say again all after … (the last word satisfactorily received) |
|
|
Say again … (word before missing portion) to … (work after missing
portion) |
|
|
Mandatory read backs |
|
Taxi Instructions |
|
Level Instructions |
|
Heading Instructions |
|
Speed Instructions |
|
Airways or Route Clerances |
|
Approach Clearances |
|
Runway-in-Use |
|
Clearance to Enter, Land On, Take-Off On, Backtrack, Cross or Hold
Short of any Active Runway |
|
SSR Operating Instructions |
|
Altimeter Settings, including units when a value is below 1000
hectopascals |
|
VDF Information |
|
Frequency Changes |
|
Type of ATS Service |
|
Transition Levels |
|
Readability scale |
Meaning |
|
1 |
Unreadable |
|
2 |
Readable now and then |
|
3 |
Readable but with difficulty |
|
4 |
Readable |
|
5 |
Perfectly readable |