VFR & IFR Comms - Keys Notes

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• Precision – Control Service on Final

Approach with Precision Radar


- ATS Services at an Airport -
• HX – No Specific Working Hours • Standard language is English • Tower – Aerodrome Control Service
• HS – Service Available During Scheduled • Standard abbreviations should be used • Ground – ATC on the Manoeuvring Area
Operational Hours • Wait 10 seconds if no reply • Delivery – Pre-Departure Clearances
• HR – Hours • Information – Flight Information Service
• HN – Sunset to Sunrise (‘Nuit’) (FIS)
• HJ – Sunrise to Sunset (‘Jour’) • Uses NATO phonetic alphabet and numbers - Other Services -
• HO – During Operating Hours • Numbers always as separate digits, except • Apron – Aircraft Guidance by the Airport
• H24 – Continuous Day and Night Service Altitudes, cloud heights, visibility’s and • Dispatch – From the Operator
• ATIS – Automatic Terminal Information RVRs may use the whole number • Callsigns shortened by removing
Service ▪ For numbers >9,999, the number of location/suffix after first call if there will be
• ACARS – Aircraft Communication Addressing thousands should be said no confusion
and Reporting System ▪ e.g 12,000ft = “One Two Thousand”
• SAR – Search and Rescue • Decimal points transmitted as ‘day-se-mal’
• CTR – Control Zone ▪ Always used when giving a frequency - Registration Number -
• STAR – Standard Instrument Arrival • All 6 digits of a frequency should be used • Full – “HB-XYJ”
• APV – Approach Procedures with Vertical • If last 2 digits are 0, these may be omitted • Abbreviated – “H-YJ” (first and last 2 letters)
Guidance • Times should use the 24-hour clock with 4 • Type/Manufacturer of aircraft may be used
• Instrument Approach – From Initial digits in UTC instead of first letter – “Citation BXYJ”
Approach Fix (IAF) or Defined Arrival Route to • Minutes only if no confusion about the hour • If this is the case, abbreviation is just the
a Point where a landing may be completed • Time checks are to the nearest half minute last 2 letters – “Citation XJ”
(and missed approach) ▪ e.g “Time Check Two Three Three Zero” - Operator + Registration Number -
• Aeronautical Station – A land station in the • Full – “FlyKeys PVMA”
aeronautical mobile service (or in some cases • Abbreviated – “FlyKeys MA”
a ship or platform at sea - ATC without Radar - - Operator + Code (i.e Flight Number) -
• Duplex – 2-way communication can be • Control – Area Control Service • Full – “Jersey 1234”
established simultaneously (Air/Ground • Approach – Arrival and Departure Control • This may NOT be abbreviated
Comms are considered 2-way duplex in Austro) Service • Full callsigns used until addressed by ATC
• Simplex – 2-way communication takes place - ATC with Radar - in abbreviated form
in one direction at a time • Radar – ATC Service • ATC may temporarily change callsign
• Departure – Departure Control Service • “Heavy” used if in heavy wake turbulence
• Arrival – Arrival Control Service category (>136,000kg) on first call –
• Director – Control Service on Final Approach “Speedbird 123 Heavy”
• First call - “Station callsign, your (full)
callsign”
• Categories include: • New information – “Aircraft callsign then • QFE – Airfield Pressure
▪ Air Traffic Control Service (ATC) request” ▪ Height is referred to using QFE
▪ Aerodrome Flight Information Service • Reply – “Information then callsign” • QNH – Airfield Pressure adjusted to MSL
(AFIS) using ISA
▪ Aerodrome Air/Ground Comms (A/G) ▪ Altitude is referred to using QNH
• AFIS is provided to give information for safe • QDM – Magnetic Track TO the Station
Required for the following information:
and efficient conduct in the ATZ • QDR – Magnetic Bearing FROM the Station
• Level, Heading and Speed Instructions,
▪ Provided by Flight Information Service Clearances, Runway in Use, VDF info,
• QTE – True Bearing FROM the Station
Officers (qualified) • QUJ – True Track TO the Station
Frequency Changes (only the frequency),
▪ Can give instructions on the ground SSR, Radar Service and Altimetry
(including helicopters)
• Anything with numbers involved
• A/G is provided by AGCS operators 1.Aircraft Identification
▪ May only give information 2.Position
▪ Use the suffix ‘Radio’ 3.Time
• Include station, callsign, “radio check” and
frequency in use 4.Level
• Replies will not include the frequency 5.Next Position and ETA
1. Distress – “MAYDAY” - In imminent & 6.Ensuing Significant Point
• <10 seconds long
serious danger & requires immediate • OLE
• “1, 2, 3, 4, Station” is a test call
assistance
2. Urgency – “PAN PAN” – Safety of aircraft Radio Check Readability Categories
threatened but does not require immediate 1 Unreadable • FIS frequency should be used
assistance 2 Readable Now and Then Format is:
3. Direction Finding – Q codes for directions 3 Readable with Difficulty • Aircraft Identification and Type
4. Flight Safety – Of immediate concern to 4 Readable • Position and Heading
safety of aircraft (normal ATC messages,
5 Perfectly Readable • Level and Flight Conditions
including PIREPs)
• Departure Aerodrome
5. Meteorological – Reports, forecasts or
• Estimated Time at Entry Point
warnings of weather (METARs etc.)
• “TO” is allowed if preceding an altitude, • Route and Point of First Intended Landing
6. Flight Regularity – Changes to schedules,
servicing and operations height or FL • TAS
Prioritized in this order • This is only for EASA! • Requested Level on Airway/Advisory
Route
• Aircraft should not be spoken to whilst taking • a.k.a Procedural Service On first contact with departure/approach, say…
off/landing unless in an emergency • Should be told of conflicting traffics relative • Callsign
• “Cleared for immediate takeoff” means: bearing, range, direction, height and relative • SID designator (e.g SANTA2V)
▪ Taxi straight onto the runway speed • Current/passing altitude
▪ Do not stop, just take-off • Turns may be issued for avoidance • Cleared altitude
• The pilot should NEVER use the word take-
off unless they have been cleared for take-off
• Instead use “Ready for Departure” • a.k.a Traffic Service Information will be given in this order:
• Pilot is responsible for separation • Fix
• Level
• Inbound Track
• RADAR CONTACT – Radar identity • Right or Left Turns
established • Time of Leg
• UNDER RADAR CONTROL – Must obey ATC ▪ Substituted by distance if DME used
• RADAR SERVICE TERMINATED – No longer • FLIRT
receive radar control
• Termination or loss of identification may be
acknowledged with “Roger”
• Time you can leave the hold to begin
approach after delay
• Long Final - 4-8nm away • Given if delay >10 minutes
• Short Final - <2nm away • STOP SQUAWK CHARLIE – Turn off Mode C • Revised if changes by >5 minutes
• RECYCLE SQUAWK – Reset current squawk
• RESET SQUAWK– Reselect current squawk
and mode
• 2000ft AAL to view the Signal Square
• VERIFY YOUR LEVEL – Done to check Mode
• Descend on deadside to 1000ft AAL
C accuracy
• Report “Deadside descending”
• SQUAWK IDENT – Operate ‘Special
• Join downwind and continue circuit
Position Identification’ feature
• CONFIRM SQUAWK – Readback current
squawk
• IFR - Follow Missed Approach Procedure • SQUAWK STANDBY – Set transponder to
• VFR - Continue the Traffic Pattern standby
• In the air, ATC, ATIS and VOLMET may give • WS ALLRWY – On All Runways • Provides routine information as repetitive
weather information • WS RWY27L – On Runway 27L broadcast
• Broadcast on VHF and UHF • Broadcast on discrete VHF and/or VOR
• Usually updated every 30 minutes
• D-ATIS – Datalink Automatic Terminal
• Reported when prevailing vis <1500m
Information Service
• Position Information - Callsign, Position, • e.g R27R/1500U
Time, Altitude, Next Position • Trend value after number:
• Operational Information - ETA, Endurance ▪ U – Increasing RVR
• Meteorological Information - Temperature, ▪ N – Neutral Coefficient Braking Action Code
Wind, Turbulence, Icing and Supplementary ▪ D – Decreasing RVR >0.4 Good 5
Information 0.39 to 0.36 Medium to Good 4
• Exempt if not datalink equipped (unless 0.35 to 0.30 Medium 3
requested) • Format is Location and then Date and Time 0.29 to 0.26 Medium to Poor 2
of Issue (DDHHMM) <0.25 Poor 1
• e.g LEJR 032330Z…. - Unreliable (Slush) 9
• Include Callsign, Position, Time, Altitude and
the Observed Conditions
• Required in severe turbulence, icing, • CAVOK – Ceiling and Visibility OK
mountain waves, embedded CBs, ▪ Visibility 10km+
thunderstorms, heavy sand/dust storms, ▪ No cloud below 5000ft or MSA
volcanic ash or eruption ▪ No CBs/TCU reported
▪ No Significant Weather
Oktas Description
• Visibility in km >5000m
1-2 FEW
• 4 digits in m
3-4 SCATTERED
• Wind in ° True and m/s or kts
5-7 BROKEN
• “Hear it magnetic, see it it’s true”
8 (100%) OVERCAST
• Temperature in °C
• Updated when wind direction changes >60°
or speed increases >10kts
• Also updated with MET REPORT SPECIALs • Gives weather for multiple airports in flight
• Includes TAFs, SIGMETs and METARs
• First call on the frequency in use • “STOP TRANSMITTING, MAYDAY” – Imposes - VMC -
• 121.5 MHz – International Distress Frequency silence after a MAYDAY call • Land at the nearest airport and report
• “CANCEL DISTRESS” – From the aircraft when ASAP to ATCU
emergency is over - IMC -
• “DISTRESS TRAFFIC ENDED” – From ATC • Maintain last assigned speed and level for:
• 7500 – Hijack
when emergency is over ▪ ATC has no radar – 20 minutes
• 7600 – Radio Failure
following failure to report at CRP
• 7700 – General Emergency (Distress)
▪ ATC has radar – 7 minutes following
• “75 taken alive, 76 radios shit, 77 going to
• ‘Safety of aircraft/person on-board or either the last assigned level being
heaven”
nearby threatened not requiring reached, squawking 7600 or not
immediate assistance’ reporting at a CRP, (latest)
• “PAN PAN, PAN PAN, PAN PAN” • Then fly the Current Flight Plan
• ‘Threatened by serious/imminent danger • Land within ±30 minutes of EAT/ETA
• Includes station addressed, aircraft callsign,
and requiring immediate assistance’ • Transmitting blind = Transmit twice
nature of urgency condition, intentions,
• “MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY” • Transmit reports at scheduled times
position, level and heading
• Includes station addressed (unless • Should advise time of next intended
• When heard, pilots should monitor the
circumstances permit it to be omitted), transmission
frequency
callsign, type of aircraft, nature of emergency, • “TRANSMITTING BLIND DUE TO RECEIVER
intentions, position, altitude and heading FAILURE”
• ATC should acknowledge the message
• Relayed Maydays should be acknowledged, • Callsign will be “PAN PAN MEDICAL”
then take control of comms and pass all • Used for protected medical transport
necessary information to the ATS unit, • Includes callsign, position, number and type
Aircraft Operating Agency and warn other of transports, ETE/ETD/ETA and any other
stations information
• Radio silence until the distress is over • Does not apply for an onboard medical
(unless giving assistance or given permission) emergency
• May be imposed by aircraft in distress or ATC • Established by 1949 Geneva Convention

• Before departure – Depart only to get


repaired
• After departure – ATC notified who will try
and get you to destination following FPL
• Aeronautical Comms uses 117.955-137 MHz • Range = 1.23√Transmitter + Receiver
• Amplitude Modulated VHF ▪ Heights in feet, Range in nm
• Available Channels are 118-136.975 MHz • Super refraction may extend range
• Spacing is 8.33 kHz with 25 kHz as backup • Range ∝ Transmitter Power2
• “NEGATIVE EIGHT POINT THREE THREE” – • Affected by obstacles as waves travel
Not equipped basically straight (“Direct Waves”)
• HF uses 2.85MHz – 22 MHz • Two aircraft at altitude will have the best
reception

Band Frequencies
VLF (Very Low) 3-30 kHz
LF (Low) 30-300 kHz
MF (Medium 300-3000 kHz
HF (High) 3-30 MHz
VHF (Very High) 30-300 MHz
UHF (Ultra High) 300-3000 MHz
SHF (Super High) 3-30 GHz
• Higher frequencies have:
▪ Lower range
▪ Higher quality
▪ Lower wavelengths
• 3 x 108 = Frequency x Wavelength

• Weakening of radiated waves


• Increased with high frequencies and high
densities
• Fading will occur if the same signal arrives
at different times

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