Phraseology — Page 82, Lesson 68

I want to walk you through the standard phraseology for visual approaches, holding instructions, expected approach times, and starting procedures. This is the exact language you will use on the radio and with ground crew, so let's take it step by step. First, let's look at visual approach requests. If you want a visual approach, you say: "REQUEST VISUAL APPROACH". The controller can then reply: "CLEARED VISUAL APPROACH (number)" — that number is the runway. They might add: "REPORT (significant point); [OUTBOUND, or INBOUND]", meaning they want you to call them when you reach a specific point, either outbound or inbound. If you want to descend in visual meteorological conditions, you say: "REQUEST VMC DESCENT". The controller may then instruct you to "MAINTAIN OWN SEPARATION" — that means you are responsible for keeping clear of other traffic visually — and also to "MAINTAIN VMC", meaning you must stay in visual meteorological conditions. If you are unfamiliar with a particular approach procedure, you ask: "ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH (name) APPROACH PROCEDURE". And if you have MLS — Microwave Landing System — capability, you report: "REPORT MLS CAPABILITY". For requesting a specific type of approach, the phrase is: "REQUEST (type of approach) APPROACH [RUNWAY (number)]". For MLS or RNAV approaches, you use the plain language designator: "REQUEST (MLS/RNAV plain language designator)". Now, holding instructions. There are two main categories: visual holds and published holding procedures. For a visual hold, you say: "HOLD VISUAL [OVER] (position), (or BETWEEN (two prominent landmarks))". So you might hold over a lake or between two towers you can see. For a published holding procedure based on a facility or fix, the standard instruction is: "HOLD AT (significant point, name facility or over a fix) (level) EXPECT APPROACH (or FURTHER CLEARANCE) AT (time)". The level is your altitude, and the time tells you when to expect to leave the hold. If you are a pilot and you need an oral description of the holding procedure — for example, if you don't have the chart or you're holding on a VOR or NDB — you request: "REQUEST HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS". The controller will then give you a full description. It goes like this: "HOLD AT (name of facility) (call sign and frequency, if necessary) (level) INBOUND TRACK (three digits) DEGREES RIGHT (or LEFT) HAND PATTERN OUTBOUND TIME (number) MINUTES (additional instructions, if necessary)". Let me break that down. You get the facility name, possibly its call sign and frequency, your holding altitude, the inbound track in three digits — that's the magnetic heading you'll fly toward the facility — then whether it's a right-hand or left-hand pattern, and the outbound time in minutes. Additional instructions may follow. If the hold is based on a VOR with DME, the instruction is: "HOLD ON THE (three digits) RADIAL OF THE (name) VOR (call sign and frequency, if necessary) at (distance) DME (or) BETWEEN (distance) AND (distance) DME (level) INBOUND TRACK (three digits) RIGHT (or LEFT) HAND PATTERN (additional instructions, if necessary)". So you are holding on a specific radial, at a specific DME distance or between two DME distances, at a given level, with the inbound track and pattern direction specified. Next, expected approach time. If there is no delay, the controller says: "NO DELAY EXPECTED". If there is a delay, they give you: "EXPECTED APPROACH TIME (time)". If that time changes, you get: "REVISED EXPECTED APPROACH (time)". If the delay is unknown, they say: "DELAY NOT DETERMINED (reasons)" — and they will give the reason. For identification of your aircraft, the controller might ask: "SHOW LANDING LIGHT". That is a visual check to confirm who you are. For acknowledgement by visual means — when radio communication is not possible or you need a visual confirmation — the controller can say: "ACKNOWLEDGE BY MOVING AILERONS (or RUDDER)", or "ACKNOWLEDGE BY ROCKING WINGS", or "ACKNOWLEDGE BY FLASHING LANDING LIGHTS". You then do exactly that to confirm you received the message. Now, starting procedures. When you are ready to start engines, you call ATC with your aircraft location: "[aircraft location] REQUEST START UP". If you have received an ATIS — Automatic Terminal Information Service — you include its identification: "[aircraft location] REQUEST START UP, INFORMATION (ATIS identification)". ATC can reply in several ways. "START UP APPROVED" means go ahead now. "START UP AT (time)" means start at a specific time. "EXPECT START UP AT (time)" means you are likely to start at that time, but it is not yet approved. "START UP AT OWN DISCRETION" means you can start when you decide. And if they give you a departure time with that discretion, they say: "EXPECT DEPARTURE (time) START UP AT OWN DISCRETION". Finally, starting procedures between ground crew and cockpit. The ground crew asks: "[ARE YOU READY TO START UP?]". The pilot replies: "STARTING NUMBER (engine number(s))" — for example, "Starting number one" or "Starting number two and three". There are two important notes here. Note 1 says the ground crew should follow this exchange by either a reply on the intercom or a distinct visual signal to indicate that all is clear and that the startup as indicated may proceed. Note 2 says unambiguous identification of the parties concerned is essential in any communication between ground crew and pilots. So you must always know exactly who you are talking to and who is talking to you. That covers the phraseology for visual approaches, holding, expected approach times, aircraft identification, and starting procedures.