MerryfaceAviation's video: ATC Basics: The Call Structure

Hey guys I’m Tarik Merryface and welcome to this short video. Today we’re going to look at the basic structure of radiotelephony calls. This video does not contain any specifics and is not intended to teach standard phraseology. The idea of this video is to better understand the structure of the messages which are transmitted by pilots. There are three general identifiable structures to an RT call made by a pilot. The first is the initial call. It’s best to split this up into the 6 Ws. Who, who, what, where, what what. Initial calls are just that, the first call made to air traffic control. Now, ideally, especially on a busy day, it’s best to prelude this call with a simply Who who. That is to say, first who you’re calling, and then who you are. This gives the controller an opportunity to make the pilot wait if they’re busy at the moment. Once given the go ahead, the pilot can delve into the 6 Ws. Who: The person you’re talking to i.e the controller Who: You are. That is to say the callsign of the aircraft What: you are. What type of aircraft you are in. Where: Where your current position is. On the ground, this may be a holding point, or a parking area. In the air it could be a waypoint or visual reporting point for example. You would also include altitude if this call happens when you’re flying. What: Information you have and/or what you are doing. Have you listened to the ATIS? What are you currently doing? What: you want. Tell them the intentions you have, or in some cases, request permission for it. Every subsequent message after this initial call falls under the other two structures. The first we would look at is the response. This could be the pilot answering a question, or doing a readback. That is to say, repeating information the controller has given, in order to make sure that the pilot has the correct information. The structure is simple. RW. Readback (or response), Who yo are. For example, the controller could give the pilot a new QNH. “G-CD, new QNH 1028” “New QNH 1028, G-CD.” The last structure is when the pilot engages a controller he or she is already in contact with. The pilot could be giving a position report, or a query. In this case we follow WWM. Who you’re calling, who you are, Message to pass. For example, the pilot could see a potential hazard close to the runway and decide to report it the controller. “Merry Tower, G-CD, bird activity south of the field.” Just like with the initial call, there might be times where it’s appropriate to engage the controller with an initial Who Who, just to make sure that they’re not too busy to respond to you at that moment. Merryface Aviation is a Youtube Channel with various aviation related videos. The main themes on this channel are: Flight Training Plane Spotting Aviation Related Tutorials Answers to general aviation question Videos are uploaded at least once a week (every Thursday). It's not uncommon for me to upload more videos when there's a backlog! Website: http://merryfaceaviation.com/ Blog: http://thewebpilot.blogspot.co.uk/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MerryfaceAviation