Air Traffic Control Radio Procedure
To assist you, I have below set out the basic Radio Procedure used by real ATC & Airline Pilots during a flight. We will fly from Gatwick to Tenerife for the purposes of this flight. There are many variations in use but I have covered as many as I could. Over and Out are not used. Politeness is used with the odd thank you and hello goodbye creeping into messages. Technically these should not be used but it has become part of the norm. ATC Language is English Worldwide.
The Golden Rule is that almost all commands given by Air Traffic Control Must be repeated back so that the controller is aware you have received it correctly.
For this flight our callsign is Britannia Three Alpha for this demonstration. It is a 6 30 departure from Gatwick the aircraft is on stand 12. Our route is Southampton ORTAC ARE KORUL STG DEMOS ORTIS BRICK. Then we will have to see which way they are landing at Tenerife. The STAR starts at BRICK .The flight plan is in the ATC Computer as it is a regular flight and activates automatically about an hour before the flight is due to depart. This has already been filed by our company.
We are in our aircraft. It is 5 minutes before departure, our aircraft is fully prepared for flight we need to call ATC for our clearance to Tenerife. We have first listened to the ATIS which is updated at every half an hour and is given a letter from the alphabet each time it changes, For this ATIS the letter is T Tango. We contact Gatwick delivery on 121.95 to get our clearance. All the pilots voices are in blue controllers in red and notes in white from now on. Actions in green . Squawk means the number our transponder is set to.
Pilots voice are
in blue controllers in red.
We call delivery as follows
Delivery Britannia three alpha on stand 12 with information tango, request our clearance to Tenerife South.
Britannia three alpha delivery stand by.
Stand By means ATC will call you back shortly.
Britannia 3A delivery your cleared to Tenerife South a Southampton two mike departure squawk four five two four slot time of four five.
Britannia 3A is cleared to Tenerife South a Southampton Two Mike departure squawk Four Five two four slot time of four five.
A slot time means the aircraft has to take off at 6:45 today this is caused by too much traffic somewhere on the route the slot is 15 minutes normally 5 minutes before to ten minutes after. If you arrive later on the runway your clearance will get cancelled. You go to the back of the queue again and a new release time has to be negotiated with Euro Control. Not everyday slot times are in force.
Britannia 3A read back is correct contact ground for pushback one two one decimal eight goodbye.
To ground one two one decimal eight Britannia three alpha thanks goodbye.
From this exchange, you can see that we have now got our SID departure, our transponder code and a take off time. Plus our clearance to enter controlled airspace to Tenerife on the flight planned route. Not all airfields have a delivery frequency, so it maybe necessary to contact the Ground or Tower Controller for your clearance The SID is from Runway 26 Left to Southampton the first block height is 4000 ft at Midhurst. We are now cleared to climb to 4000 ft on take off on the SID. Once airborne ATC will instruct further climb above 4000ft depending on the Traffic Situation above. Bearing in mind Heathrow traffic in and outbound crosses in the Midhurst Area, as well as Traffic inbound from the West and North to the Willo Hold for Gatwick. They will be at 6000ft FL70 and FL 80 minimum. So we are going out under the inbound and outbound traffic initially before climbing. The Air Traffic Controller may take us off of the SID and radar vector us to allow us to climb quicker. This will be know as a radar heading. If the controller states radar heading we stay on it when until told otherwise.
The aircraft is now ready to pushback we call ground
Ground Britannia 3 Alpha request push and start stand 12
Britannia 3 Alpha push and start approved face West after the push.
Britannia 3 Alpha to push and face west
Sometimes the aircraft could face more than one way after pushing back this confirms which way the controller wants the aircraft to face in readiness for the taxi to the runway.
The aircraft is now pushed back onto the taxi way and the ready to taxi
Ground Britannia three alpha request taxi.
Britannia three alpha taxi to Alpha South via taxiway two and five for runway two six left.
Britannia three alpha is cleared to taxi to Alpha South via taxiway two and five for runway two six left.
Britannia three alpha Ground read back correct.
Alpha South is the one of holding point names at Gatwick. Sometimes you may be told to hold short and give way to another aircraft on a taxiway as the controller has to juggle the aircraft into the correct take off order. Obey the instructions given and repeat them back.
We are now approaching Alpha South
Britannia Three Alpha contact tower 124.22 goodbye.
Britannia Three Alpha to Tower 124.22 goodbye.
We change frequency
The frequency is really 124.225 the last five is omitted. The frequencies go up 25 Mhz at a time. if it was 124.200 it would be pronounced one two four decimal two.
Tower good morning Britannia 3A with you Alpha South ready for departure
Britannia 3A Tower good Morning Hold position at Alpha South
Britannia 3A holding Alpha South.
Then
Britannia 3A after the next landing British Airways 747 short final line up and hold runway 26 Left .
Britannia 3A to line up and hold runway 26 left after the next landing British Airways 747 on short final.
The 747 lands we taxi into position and hold ready for take off when the 747 rolls clear
then the tower says
Britannia 3 Alpha cleared immediate take off runway 26 Left wind 240 at 10.
Britannia 3 Alpha cleared immediate take off runway 26 Left on the roll.
What has happened here the controller has got a stream of inbound aircraft about 3 minutes apart he only has the one runway so his plan was to get the 747 down and get us off in the gap between the two landing aircraft. When the controller says immediate take off that is what you do as the aircraft behind you is getting closer and closer. The approaching pilot will get told continue approach or possibly expect a late landing clearance and as we rotate the approaching pilot will be told cleared to land or land after departing Britannia 767 a slightly different form of clearance .
If we do not do an immediate take off we will get Britannia 3 Alpha take off clearance cancelled hold position the aircraft approaching from behind will be sent into a go around. We will not be popular and flavor of the month.
We are now rotating and in the climb to 4000ft heading for Midhurst and then Southampton as we pass through 800 ft we hear from the tower the aircraft behind being told to land then
Britannia 3 Alpha airborne at 46 contact London Control one three four decimal one two goodbye
Britannia 3 alpha to contact London Control one three four decimal one two goodbye
The reason the controller says airborne at 46 is because the frequency is being monitored by West Drayton. The person monitoring pushes the button that tells all the ATC Controllers on route the aircraft is now airborne. it has no real meaning for the pilot. Handy if you forgot to write it down though.
We now already have been handed over to the London Air Traffic Control Centre
We change frequency and give London a call like this
London good morning Britannia 3 Alpha out of Gatwick on a Southampton two mike departure passing 1000ft heading 254 to Midhurst
Britannia 3 alpha London good morning climb and maintain 4000ft turn right radar heading two eight zero
Maintain 4000ft turn right to a radar heading 280 Britannia 3A
We are now being radar steered by West Drayton the controller is now getting us clear of the aircraft above to let us climb.
After a minute or so we hear
Britannia three alpha climb flight level one one zero expedite through flight level seven zero
Climb flight level one one zero expedite through flight level seven zero Britannia 3 Alpha
Expedite means go at the highest rate of climb possible for the aircraft in this case as we pass between 7000 and 8000ft. We can then slow the climb rate down again at FL80. This is busy airspace here this time of day. This is another technique ATC use to get airspace used effectively Sometimes the ATC instruction is just climb only in which case you can use the VNAV computer setting at a gentle rate.
As the other traffic passes you overhead you hear
Britannia three alpha London climb flight level 280
Climb to flight level two eight zero Britannia 3 alpha
A little later
Britannia 3A London your cleared direct to Southampton and resume own navigation thanks for the climb
Cleared direct to Southampton and resume own navigation Britannia 3A
Passing flight level 170
Britannia three alpha contact London one two six zero decimal zero seven goodbye
To London one two six decimal zero seven goodbye Britannia 3A
126.075 the five is not mentioned at all in the last digit in ATC the go up in 25 blocks
We have now been handed off from the London TMA Lower airspace Controller to the Southampton Sector Upper Airspace Controller in the London Control Centre. We now call them
London Britannia 3A passing flight level one seven zero for flight level two eight zero heading two four zero have been given a direct routing to Southampton
Britannia three alpha London Good morning climb flight level three five zero to be level ten miles before ORTAC
C
What has happened here already the London Controller is thinking about handing you off to the French Controller at Brest in the next sector. They will have agreed a set height for the hand off for your aircraft The French Controller wants you to be level at Flight Level 350 ten miles before Brest. They are planning 15 minutes ahead.
ORTAC is a reporting point on the boundary of UK and French Airspace where control is handed over. If you look on a chart and the the chart has an inked in black triangle on the fix or VOR that means it is a compulsory reporting point and the pilot has to report overhead the fix in a set format you need to learn. If the fix has an unfilled triangle you only report this on ATC request.
We now are Overhead ORTAC
London Britannia Three alpha is ORTAC at 21 level at Flight level three five zero estimating Mont Aree at 37 The time is always in minutes to the hour ie 37 if you are going to arrive at the fix at say 07. 37
Britannia three alpha London roger report that to Brest now on one three two decimal zero two goodbye
To Brest now on one three two decimal zero two Britannia three alpha goodbye
Change frequency to 132.025
Brest Bonjour Britannia Three Alpha is ORTAC at 21 level at flight level three five zero estimating Monts D 'Aree at 37.
Britannia three alpha Brest control Bonjour cleared mont aree, korul climb flight level three eight zero
B
Britannia three alpha Brest roger that is approved remain flight level three five zero and you are cleared to flight level three eight zero report out of flight level three five zero when climbing.
Lets digest what has happened here first we are handed off to Brest by London having reported overhead ORTAC. Brest has now given us the routing across their airspace in the Bat of Biscay from ORTAC to KORUL which is the border with Madrid Spain Air Traffic Control. Our aircraft is full today and too heavy to climb above FL350. We have told Brest they have allowed us to stay at FL350 and we can climb when we are light enough to FL380 providing we tell Brest when we are starting the climb.
The position report formula is
Station Calling
Your Callsign
Fix at what time Time and Flight Level
Next Fix and ETA
We are now going to climb to FL380 as this is our cruise level as we have an aircraft with an approved altimeter for this height
Brest Britannia Three Alpha out of flight level three five zero for flight level three eight zero.
Britannia Three Alpha Brest roger report level at flight level three eight zero
We level at FL380
Brest Britannia 3A leveling and maintaining flight level three eight zero
Britannia 3A Brest Roger maintain flight level 380 mach point eight for the cruise.
Maintain flight level 380 mach point eight for the cruise Britannia 3A
And that is us on our way to Tenerife at the top of the climb cruising along reporting waypoints using the above formula. We monitor the international distress frequency and all radio communication to other aircraft. We make a mental picture where they are and can see some on TCAS or visual. We have passed through Madrid and Lisbon Control Sectors and are now have just been handed off to the Canaries Control at ORTIS.
We contact Canaries
Canaries Control good morning Britannia three alpha was ORTIS at 33 flight level three eight zero estimating Brick at four three request descent in twenty miles for Tenerife South.
Britannia 3A Canaries Control descend now to flight level two eight zero cleared to Tenerife South on the Konba one golf arrival ,squawk two five two one with ident expect a ten minute hold today .
Out of three eight zero for two eight zero a Konba one golf arrival squawk two five two one with ident coming down roger the delay Britannia three alpha
We now have been told to to descend to FL280 we now know the arriving runway is 08 from the STAR number. We know we can expect to hold for ten minutes . We have on our TCAS seen a few aircraft in front of us going to Tenerife one of those is our colleagues from the Manchester flight the Birmingham flight is behind us. We have spoken to them on our VHF company frequency. We have contacted our Operations base at Luton when we left Gatwick giving them our off blocks time take off time passenger and crew numbers and if we have any wheelchair passengers and ETA at Tenerife. We now contact our handling agent in Tenerife who give us our stand number and we advise them of the delay and wheelchair passengers and report the aircraft serviceable no major defects.
You notice that the Canary Controller told us to Squawk Ident. I will explain. We reset the transponder number and beside the dial is an ident button that when pushed illuminates our aircraft brighter on the Controllers radar screen. They can then identify us from all the others. We listen to the Volmet broadcast for the Canary Airports the weather is good we listen to the ATIS and get the letter for the broadcast as shortly we will be handed off to approach control . As we get closer we are dropped lower by the Canary Sector Controller in steps. We are now at flight level 110 at GANTA waypoint . We can see three aircraft now below us in the hold circling . We now get handed off to approach and we contact the approach control like this on the first call
Canaries Approach Britannia Three Alpha at GANTA flight level one one zero speed two fifty a 757 with information Delta.
Britannia Three Alpha Canaries Approach take up the hold on the TFS three one one radial between 12 and 17 dme descend and maintain flight level one one zero reduce speed to two ten knots right hand hold
Take up the hold on the TFS three one one radial between 12 and 17 DME right hand hold descend and maintain flight level one one zero reduce speed to two ten knots Britannia Three Alpha
Britannia Three Alpha Canaries Approach readback correct
We drop and slow down and enter the hold and advise
Canaries Approach Britannia three alpha is holding
Britannia Three Alpha Canaries Approach roger it will be two or three holds only.
If the delay is more than say 15 minutes ATC will give the pilot an expected approach time. This is the time the aircraft is expected to leave the hold.
Britannia Three Alpha Roger
At various stages in the hold we get dropped down 1000ft as the controller pulls the aircraft off the hold underneath and drops all the rest down one thousand feet until you are on the bottom and it is your turn to go. Then we get :-
Britannia Three Alpha Canaries Approach leave the hold heading one nine zero descend three thousand feet QNH 1025 millibars speed back to one eighty radar vectors to final for ILS approach runway zero eight your number two
Leave the hold heading one nine zero descend three thousand feet QNH 1025 millibars speed back to one eighty radar vectors to final for ILS approach runway zero eight your number two Britannia Three Alpha
We get to three thousand feet and report
Canaries Approach Britannia Three Alpha maintaining three thousand feet
Britannia Three Alpha turn left radar heading one three five your twenty five miles to touchdown cleared to establish and report on the localiser maintain three thousand feet reduce speed to one six zero.
Radar heading one three five maintain three thousand feet cleared and will report on the localiser speed back to one sixty Britannia Three Alpha.
We now have been cleared out of the hold we have been radar vectored towards the ILS localiser and when reaching it we turn onto final and fly down it to the runway. We are below the glidescope at the moment when we get to ten miles out the glidescope will activate. When the localiser needle and glidescope centre we are then classed as fully established. The controller has put us on a heading to establish the localiser and given us a speed so we stay sepearted from the aircraft in front.Also not riding in his Vortex Wake
The localiser needle centres we turn and fly down the beam and report
Approach Britannia Three Alpha is Localiser established.
Britannia Three Alpha Canary Approach roger report fully established maintain three thousand feet maintain one sixty knots to four DME
Report fully established maintain three thousand feet maintain one sixty knots to four DME Britannia Three Alpha
We get to 10 DME and the Glide scope needle comes down to the centre we report
Britannia Three Alpha is fully established localiser zero eight.
Britannia Three Alpha approach roger descend on the glide scope maintain one sixty knots to Four DME contact the Tower on one one nine decimal zero.
Descend on the glide scope maintain one sixty knots to Four DME contact the Tower on one one nine decimal zero Britannia Three Alpha.
We change frequency and call the tower.
Tower Britannia Three Alpha Eight DME fully established for runway zero eight.
Britannia Three Alpha Tower report four DME
Britannia Three Alpha Wilco will report Four DME
The reason the tower asks for this is so they can judge whether they have time to get a departing aircraft off at the holding point . 4 DME is also the final call remember from our VFR days in the Cessna. Sometimes the Tower will say report the Outer Marker instead but we are coming in over the sea and there is no outer marker here. Wilco means we will co operate . Roger means Understood.
We Get to 4 Dme
Tower Britannia Three Alpha is Four DME
Britannia Three Alpha continue approach your just becoming number one your company 767 aircraft in front is just landing.
Continue approach we have contact with our company aircraft Britannia Three Alpha
When controllers talk to pilots and refer to the same airlines aircraft it is known as company to identify the aircraft ie company 767 will mean to a Britannia pilot a Britannia 767 all other aircraft are referred to by name IE British Airways 747
Some aircraft have got nicknames such as the Shorts 330 and Shorts 360 often get called the Flying Shed as the aircraft is box shape.
The word Contact means we can see the aircraft in this case referred to by ATC or we can see another aircraft
Our company 767 lands and turns off in front we are now two miles to touchdown
Britannia Three Alpha cleared to Land Runway zero eight surface wind calm
Britannia Three alpha cleared to land
We land and taxi off the runway and when clear report
Britannia Three alpha has vacated runway eight
Britannia Three Alpha Tower roger you landed at three six contact ground one two one decimal nine
Britannia Three Alpha to ground one two one decimal nine adios
We change frequency to 121.9 and Call ground
Ground Britannia Three Alpha vacated runway zero eight at the runway two six holding point request taxi to stand twelve
Britannia Three Alpha ground your cleared to taxi to stand twelve please follow the marshallers car in front of you to stand.
Britannia Three Alpha cleared to stand twelve following the Marshallers car.
At the stand
Britannia three alpha on blocks at 42 stand twelve closing down thanks goodbye.
Just a few points here. At some airports the Ground Controller will give the pilot instructions on which taxi ways to follow at night this is lit up by green runway centre line lights that the lighting controller can set up to help the pilot route to the stand . The lighting operator listens to the ground controller talking to the pilot. And the green lights get set up. other airfields have the follow me car that comes out and positions itself in front of the aircraft the pilot follows the car to stand.
I will cover the Go Around now
Controller initated
will be Britannia three alpha go around go around acknowledge
Pilot would reply
Britannia Three Alpha is going around
If the pilot initiates the go around it will be
Britannia Three Alpha is going around (and the reason)
In both cases the pilot follows the missed approach procedure and instructions from ATC
If the aircraft has an urgent situation and not distress then the pilot will put out a PAN Call this is one down from the May Day
This is known as a PAN Call
Pan Pan Pan Pan Pan Pan Britannia Three Alpha have lost radio navigation equipment unsure of position in cloud request radar vectors for landing at Tenerife South maintaining flight level three eight zero
Mayday
Mayday Mayday Mayday Britannia Three Alpha Engine fire heading two two zero ten miles to BRICK request straight in landing and diversion to Las Palmas. All other aircraft would stop transmitting until the Mayday is cancelled.
The format for Maydays and Pan Calls is
Status either Mayday or Pan
Station calling if known
Aircraft Callsign
What has Happened
Your Intentions
Present position Heading and Flight level
Set transponder to 7700 and push Ident
Yes is Affirm
No is Negative
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it for you. Note the Word OVER and OUT are not used in ATC transmissions.