Perhaps nothing supports the image of the professional, in-control pilot as much as how he talks on the radio. Even when the words are wrong—as in movies and TV—if it’s said authoritatively, it sounds cool. But as a student, the reality is more fumbling—like a high school geek trying to get a date—than calm, cool, and collected airline pilot. The reason is clear: Talking on the radio is much more difficult than it seems. Whether interacting with air traffic control or self-announcing on a common traffic advisory frequency, the problems are the same. Almost every student experiences some sort of difficulty with this. And between trying to make sure you are using the right phrases, at the right time, and in the right manner, it’s easy to see why. Flight Training asked air traffic controllers for their advice. What would they say to help students? Here are their top 10 tips.
Take a tour.
The number one recommendation I give instructors is to schedule two tours for their students at the facility where they do most of their flying. The first should be during ground school, and another once the student is about ready to receive his or her certificate. The first tour puts a face to the “all-knowing voice in the sky” and also opens up a line of communication between the student and the controllers. The second tour is to answer the questions that naturally arise as the student gains experience in both flight training and increased interaction with ATC and their procedures.
Leanne Martin
Kalamazoo (Michigan) tower
and radar approach control
On the first call use the complete call sign of the aircraft, not an abbreviated format.
Verify, listen, and speak up.
Try to read back instructions verbatim. Otherwise, ATC may have to ask you to verify something in order to satisfy our requirements. Take the time to listen to the full ATIS. It doesn’t look good when you call for taxi with the ATIS code and request a closed runway. If something doesn’t sound or look right, speak up! We are all human and mistakes can happen.
Mike Fries
Oakland Tower,
Northern California TRACON
Keep it standard.
My recommendations are to emphasize standard phraseology during training, practice certain calls before actually using them, keep initial information to what is required (who you are, where you are, and what you want to do), and learn to actively listen to the frequency.
Andy
Boise (Idaho) tower
Listen first.
I always tell students to practice before they call when first learning. Also, listen to ATC instruction on a handheld radio or listen to www.liveATC.net and learn what is being said, HOW, AND WHY. Listening to the radio is a great learning tool. Don't be afraid to verify instructions that are not completely UNDERSTOOD. It's better to confirm than guess and not be correct.
Elliot Brann
Los Angeles International tower
Learn to actively listen to the frequency.
Take your time.
When you first come over onto a frequency, listen first for a good 10 seconds before you key up. You will get an idea of how busy the controller is, and you will be less likely to block another aircraft that could be answering an ATC clearance, or block the controller’s instructions to another aircraft. Also, speak clearly and at a normal speech rate, especially on initial contact requesting a squawk code for VFR flight following. A lot of times when you just check in and give everything at once, the controller is busy with other things, and will end up asking you again for your information. The call sign and position relative to an airport or navaid are the two best items to tell a controller on an initial call for flight following. Lastly, any time you are flying solo as a student pilot, it’s a safe practice to tell ATC, “student pilot flying solo.”
Lisa Cyr
Albuquerque Center
Don’t forget the pen.
Pilots should be ready to copy any instructions, such as transponder code, departure heading, and so on. Do not rely on your memory. Have paper and pen ready.
Dale Wright
Director, Safety and Technology
National Air Traffic Controllers
Association
Correct information.
On the first call use the complete call sign of the aircraft, not an abbreviated format. So, on initial call, “Cessna Three-Two-Four-Three-Two,” and after initial call, “Cessna Four-Three-Two.” On initial call to a radar facility (not departing from a towered airport or handoff from another facility), provide enough information to inform the controller of your request. The controller will answer and on the second transmission you would provide position, altitude, and destination.
When departing from a towered airport, know this information prior to calling the controller: location on the airport, ATIS code, type of flight (VFR), and destination. For example, “Manassas Tower, Cessna Three-Two-Four-Three-Two, student pilot at Dulles Aviation with information Charlie, VFR to Richmond.”
Any time you are flying solo as a student pilot, it’s a safe practice to tell ATC , “student pilot, flying solo.”
When contacting a controller via transfer of control from another controller, the transmission should be (from tower to departure), “Potomac Approach, Cessna Three-Two-Four-Three-Two, student pilot departed Manassas, VFR leaving 500 climbing to 2,500.” The departure controller will use this information to verify the aircraft’s Mode C (altitude reporting). If the tower has assigned you a heading or a fix, this needs to be included in the initial call. From approach controller to tower controller, “Richmond Tower, Cessna Three-Two-Four-Three-Two, six-mile final, Runway 34.”
Dale Wright Director, Safety and
Technology, National Air Traffic
Controllers Association
If you don’t know, don’t understand, or missed an instruction,
please ask for clarification. Many times I have been on the receiving end of pilots attempting to fake it and play the cool pilot. For example, “Cessna One- Tw o-Three, cross the Mormon Temple at 2,500, make right traffic Runway 27 Right.” Minutes later, it is obvious that the pilot missed the Temple and when asked: “Cessna One-Tw o-Three, are you familiar with the MormOn Temple?” “Norcal, Cessna One- Tw o-Three, ahh, negative. Suggest a heading please.”
Derrick Aubuchon
Northern California Tracon
Ask for help.
As pilots traverse "the system,” either during their initial training or while flying professionally, there may be times that things just may not go according to plan. As such, pilots should never be timid to ask for assistance from ATC if needed. It may be equipment, weather, or another situation requiring a helping hand from the individual on the other side of the mic. We’re there for you. Whatever the reason, state your concern sooner rather than later, so that assistance can be initiated before your situation gets out of hand. Additionally, if something happens that causes you concern about how your flight was handled, remain professional, and if it warrants, ask for the facility phone number and discuss it on the ground. Airborne is no place to discuss and try to resolve the issue.
Bill G.
Northern California TRACON
State your concern sooner rather than later.
Think before you speak.
One of the key things students should remember is to think about what they want to say before they key the microphone. For example, if they’re sitting on the ramp getting ready to taxi, they should have ready all the information that the ground controller will need to hear in order to give them proper taxi instructions: call sign, position on field, the current ATIS, and (if applicable) what runway they are requesting for departure. Likewise, when they are inbound for landing, they should have all the information ready on initial call to the respective tower or approach control, without the controller having to play “20 questions” with them to figure out who they are, where they are, and what they want to do.
Bill C.
Anchorage Center
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