Phraseology — Page 97, Lesson 79

I want to walk you through the standardised phraseology used for several specific air traffic control procedures. We'll start with the inbound release message. When a controller is handing an aircraft off to the next sector or unit for arrival, the phrase is: INBOUND RELEASE, followed by the aircraft's call sign. Then, in square brackets, you state the squawk code — that's the SSR transponder code assigned. You say SQUAWKING followed by the code. Next, you give the departure point with FROM, then RELEASED AT a significant point, time, or level — that tells the receiving controller exactly where or when the release takes effect. Then you state CLEARED TO AND ESTIMATING the clearance limit — that's the fix or aerodrome the aircraft is cleared to — followed by the estimated time of arrival at that limit, and the level. If there's a delay expected, you add EXPECTED APPROACH TIME or DELAY EXPECTED. Finally, you say CONTACT AT a specific time, telling the receiving unit when to expect the pilot to call. Next is the radar handover. This is simpler: RADAR HANDOVER, aircraft call sign, SQUAWKING the SSR code, then POSITION followed by the aircraft's position or a significant point, and the level. That's it — the receiving controller now knows where the aircraft is and what it's squawking. For expedition of clearance, there are two formats. If the aircraft hasn't departed yet: EXPEDITE CLEARANCE, aircraft call sign, EXPECTED DEPARTURE FROM the place, AT the time. If the aircraft is already airborne: EXPEDITE CLEARANCE, aircraft call sign, optionally estimated, then OVER a place AT a time, and REQUESTS the level or route they want. Now, there's an important note here: the following phraseologies are specifically for when radar is used in the provision of air traffic services. But the phraseologies we covered earlier — the general ones — also apply when radar is used, as appropriate. Let's move into General Radar Phraseologies, starting with identification of aircraft. To get a radar identification, you might say: REPORT HEADING AND FLIGHT LEVEL — or altitude. Or: FOR IDENTIFICATION TURN LEFT or RIGHT HEADING followed by three digits. Or: TRANSMIT FOR IDENTIFICATION AND REPORT HEADING. Once identified, you say: IDENTIFIED and optionally the position. For position information, if the aircraft is not identified, you say: NOT IDENTIFIED, optionally the reason, then RESUME or CONTINUE OWN NAVIGATION, and give the position — distance and direction from a significant point, or OVER or ABEAM that point. For vectoring instructions, you have several standard phrases. LEAVE a significant point, HEADING three digits, optionally INBOUND, AT a time. CONTINUE HEADING three digits AT a time. CONTINUE PRESENT HEADING. FLY HEADING three digits, TURN LEFT or RIGHT a number of degrees, or HEADING three digits, optionally with a reason, then STOP TURN HEADING three digits, FLY HEADING three digits, and WHEN ABLE PROCEED DIRECT to a named navaid or waypoint. When the heading is correct, you say: HEADING IS GOOD. For termination of radar vectoring, you say: RESUME OWN NAVIGATION, then the aircraft's position and specific instructions. Or: RESUME OWN NAVIGATION DIRECT to a significant point, optionally with MAGNETIC TRACK three digits and DISTANCE a number in kilometres or miles. For manoeuvres, you have: MAKE A THREE SIXTY TURN LEFT or RIGHT, optionally with a reason. In case of unreliable directional instruments on board, you say: ORBIT LEFT or RIGHT, optionally with a reason. Then: MAKE ALL TURNS RATE ONE or RATE HALF, or a number of degrees per second. EXECUTE INSTRUCTIONS IMMEDIATELY UPON RECEIPT. TURN LEFT or RIGHT NOW. STOP TURN NOW. There's a note here: when you need to specify a reason for radar vectoring or these manoeuvres, use one of these: DUE TRAFFIC, FOR SPACING, FOR DELAY, FOR DOWNWIND, FOR BASE, or FOR FINAL. Finally, speed control. The phrases are: SPEED followed by a number in kilometres per hour or knots. REPORT SPEED. MAINTAIN a number in kilometres per hour or knots. MAINTAIN PRESENT SPEED. INCREASE or REDUCE SPEED TO a number in kilometres per hour or knots.