| -- On the Radio -- |
|---|
Most R/T around the world uses an ICAO format for radio
communications. That is, everywhere except the U.S. of course! Well,
theoretically, ICAO formats are followed, but in my experience, radio talk
is quite "loose" in the U.S. (for example, there are habits which the airlines
are particularly bad offenders such as "Approach, Foo 367 out of ten point
five for three", which is completely non standard and most instructors would
give their students a dirty look if they said that, but the controllers don't
complain - or at least in Houston they don't). Following ICAO formats are
very important in the UK where there is more likely to be pilots who don't
speak English as their first language. And also don't forget that you have
an accent when you are there too!
There are some R/T procedures that are not standardized by the
ICAO, such as around non-towered airfields. This is where you'll find the
major differences. Trevor Thom's radiotelephony book is an excellent place
to start and it'll tell you how to speak like a pro especially if you spend
a little time with a scanner or a handheld transciever before you get checked
out.
On this page, I'll go over general differences you're likely
to find, then go through a typical flight out of Barton. Additionally, I
received these words of wisdom from Julian, the AFISO of
Kemble airfield
about changes to AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service, a common
type of non-ATC airfield in the UK):
"The rules governing AFISO operation at an aerodrome have changed. Basically the AFISO can give instructions to aircraft on the ground. They can be told to taxi to a certain hold point and then told to Hold or Line Up. The PIC then becomes in charge after the wheels leave the ground. As you said, after the phrase 'Take off at your discretion'. But keep your ear to the ground, I feel we will soon be able to give a clearance as well."
So the message is...check any of this with the instructor you get checked out with.
| -- General differences -- |
|---|
There are some differences which apply across the board. They aren't hard to remember. Here are the different phrases you'll commonly encounter:
Abbreviated callsigns - In the U.S. callsigns are abbreviated to the last three letters. In the U.K. it's abbrieviated to Golf then the last two letters. Your callsign is only the aircraft registration - never the type plus registration as in the U.S. You also speak the Golf always! For example, if you were flying the Citabria with tail number G-BOIN, you would speak it "Golf Bravo Oscar India November" on your initial call. This will often be shortened by ATC to "Golf India November".
"Pass your message" - this means exactly the same as "Go ahead". The reason it's used as that it can't be confused as the controller telling you you can just go ahead and do whatever it was you can do when that wasn't what was meant. For example, your initial call might be:
Barton information, Golf Bravo Oscar India Lima
and you'll get the reply:
Golf India Lima, Barton information, pass your message
and at which point you would make your request. Both "pass your message" and "go ahead" are approved by the ICAO, but the CAA prefers to use "pass your message".
Never, ever, ever say "Ready for takeoff" or mention takeoff at all! Takeoff is a taboo word for a pilot to speak. You might remember the tragic pileup at Tenerife when two 747's loaded with tourists collided on the runway due to a misinterpreted call after a pilot uttered the "t" word - this is why you do not use it because it can be misinterpreted by another pilot (particularly one who doesn't speak English well). Actually, you're not supposed to say "takeoff" in the U.S. either but lots of people say something like "Tower, Cessna 123 ready for takeoff". The word to use is departure, so for example you would say "Golf India Lima, ready for departure".
Decimal not point. The ICAO standard phraseology is to use "decimal" not "point" for radio frequencies. The CAA sticks to this, so remember to say "decimal", for example
Barton Information, Golf Bravo Oscar India Lima requesting radio check on one two two decimal seven and taxi information for a local flight to the north
The traffic pattern is called the circuit . ...just like the Canadians.
The standard position report is used when calling an ATC facility for a request - It's a bit long winded, but the official position report to give when checking in with an ATC includes quite a lot of information. I'm not sure that it's always necessary (particularly in a radar environment) so ask your instructor. However, I heard it used more than once (some pilots used it when calling Barton Information too - but most pilots didn't use it when calling Barton. Listening in using my handheld proved very valuable). The acronym to remember the position report format is "PHACER" which is:
first you say callsign and aircraft type, then:
P: Position
H: Heading
A: Altitude
C: Conditions of flight (VFR or IFR)
E: Estimate next reporting point, or en-route to... depending on
circumstance
R: Request
for example (acronym parts in bold type):
Podunk Radar, Golf Bravo Oscar India Lima
Golf India Lima, Podunk Radar, Pass your message
Golf India Lima, Cessna one seven two (P) overhead Blackburn (H) heading zero three zero (A) flight level three zero (C) vfr (E) en-route Newcastle (R) request radar information service
(Radar Information Service is like flight following). In fact, this is a useful acronym to remember for radio callups in the U.S. too, except that you don't need the "H" and the "C" part in the U.S. Also note that it's a Cessna one seven two rather than a one seventy two as well but that's what they call them in England!
Q-codes are used. See Trevor Thom's book, or any good R/T publication for a comprehensive list of these. However, the ones you'll hear all the time are QFE which is the altimeter setting in milibars that makes your altimeter read zero on the ground at the airport, and QNH which is the altimeter setting that gives you the MSL altitude. QNH is what we set our altimeters to in the U.S.
| -- AFIS and A/G -- |
|---|
The real differences happen when you go to non-towered fields (or non-ATC fields as the CAA call them). Barton is an example of a non-ATC field (it does have a tower, but no ATC). There are two types of non-ATC fields that have radios: that's AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) and A/G (Air to Ground radio). AFIS offers the most facilities and is almost like being at an airfield with a control tower, and is generally used at a busier GA airport (and Barton is busy, believe me. It wasn't uncommon to see three in the circuit at 2:30 pm on a Wednesday afternoon).
The AFIS is staffed by an AFISO - Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer. The AFIS itself is usually fairly well equipped and they give you the altimeter setting (both QFE and QNH), the wind direction and the wind speed as well as traffic information. At Barton, communication with the AFIS on 122.7 was not optional - it was like having a control tower. The main thing about AFIS is that they don't give instructions - everything is at the PIC's discression. AFIS will not tell you "cleared for takeoff", they will say "depart at your discretion". Below is a typical interaction I would have departing from Barton aerodrome, flying G-BOIL. Explanations are highlighted in blue where necessary. My transmissions are in bold.
First get your engine started and ready to go, then...
Barton Information, Golf Bravo Oscar India Lima requests radio check on one two two decimal seven and taxi information for a local flight to the North.
Golf India Lima, Information, readability five. Taxi to hold of Runway two seven, right hand, QFE one zero zero five, QNH one zero zero seven.
(Readability is on a scale of 1 to 5 - 1 is almost unintelligable, 5 is excellent. Right hand in this instance means a right hand circuit is in effect. Left hand circuits are the norm just like in the U.S.)
Taxying to the holding point of two seven, right hand, QFE one zero zero five, QNH one zero zero seven, Golf India Lima.
Golf India Lima, roger.
(Note the read back I made. AFIS acknowledged with "roger" so I read back correctly. At this point, I taxi off to the hold point for runway 27, or a little short if a plane is already there. Then I do my before takeoff checklist, and get ready to call AFIS).
Golf India Lima, ready for departure.
Golf India Lima, take off at your discretion, one on base leg, wind two six zero at one five.
Depart my discretion, have the traffic in sight, Golf india lima.
(At this point I line up, make a last check of temps and pressures then firewall the throttle. In the cool, thick air with a 15 knot headwind we are off the ground in no time and climbing at 1,000 fpm in a C172! At 300 feet AGL, the flaps are retracted. At 500 feet, I make a right turn to the north).
Golf india lima, leaving the area to the north, remaining on frequency.
Roger, Golf india lima.
(Now away from the ATZ (Aerodrome Traffic Zone), I can go and check out the local area. If I'm going cross country, I could call Warton Radar for radar service if necessary (in which case I would have said "leaving area to the north, contacting Warton Radar on one two four decimal four five"). If you go off frequency, on return to Barton you'd need to get landing information. However, remaining on frequency you can check that it is correct on the way in instead. So... returning to Barton, the call could be made from 5 miles to the north as follows:)
Barton information, golf bravo oscar india lima five to the north, inbound for landing runway two seven right hand, QFE one zero zero five, QNH one zero zero seven.
Golf India Lima, information correct, report descending deadside
(If we did go off frequency, the call-up would be as follows)
Barton information, Golf bravo oscar india lima
Golf India Lima, Barton information, pass your message
Barton information, Golf india lima is five to the north, request landing information
Golf India Lima, runway in use two seven, right hand, QFE one zero zero five, QNH one zero zero seven, report descending deadside
Two seven right hand, QFE one zero zero five, QNH one zero zero seven, report descending deadside, Golf India Lima
(At this point, I arrive overhead the numbers for 27 at 1500 MSL and begin my deadside descent)
Golf india lima, descending deadside
Roger golf india lima, report downwind
Wilco, golf india lima.
(Now downwind)
Golf India Lima, downwind
Roger Golf India Lima, one ahead, report final
Traffic in sight, report final, golf india lima
Thank you golf india lima
(Saying "thank you" is not standard phraseology on the part of the AFISO, but the AFISO is a nice guy and appreciates you saying you can see the traffic. By the way, don't use "No joy" and "Tally ho" when looking for traffic, you'll get accused of being Biggles. Base is seldom reported. With simple "report downwind", "report base" type of messages, you just need to reply "wilco" and your callsign. I turn base, fly base and get established on final).
Golf india lima, final
Roger golf india lima, wind is two five zero at one two variable two three zero to two eight zero, land your discresion.
Wilco, golf india lima.
(With a bit of luck, the landing will be a good one! I land, slow to a halt (usually about midfield) and on 27, exit to the left).
Golf india lima, runway vacated.
Roger golf india lima.
End!
As you can see, it's a bit different to dealing with UNICOM. The Thom book deals with the subject well, and hanging around the airfield with your transciever or scanner is a good idea. Hangar flying with the people in the clubhouse will also help you learn subtle things the books don't talk about. It may be worth your while spending some time with the AFISO if you don't have a radio to see what goes on up there.
As Dave Mould would say (a R.A.S. frequent contributor from the UK), this all comes with the standard "Not a QFI" disclaimer. Make sure you ask an instructor about anything that seems new so that you sound professional.