Section 3. General Phraseology

  1. PURPOSE

This section prescribes standardized procedures and phraseology for specialist to use when communicating weather and aeronautical information in broadcast, radiotelephone, and interphone communications. Where position or procedure-specific phraseology is required, there are references to the relevant chapter of this order.

  1. WORDS AND PHRASES

Use the words or phrases in broadcast, radiotelephone, and interphone communications as contained in the Pilot/Controller Glossary.

  1. ICAO PHONETICS

Use the ICAO pronunciation of numbers and, as necessary, individual letters for clarity. The ICAO radiotelephony alphabet and pronunciation guides are contained in TBL 2-3-1 and TBL 2-3-2.

NOTE-

Emphasize pronunciation of syllables in boldface.

TBL 2-3-1
ICAO Phonetics - Numbers

Character

Word

Pronunciation

0

Zero

ZE-RO

1

One

WUN

2

Two

TOO

3

Three

TREE

4

Four

FOW-ER

5

Five

FIFE

6

Six

SIX

7

Seven

SEV-EN

8

Eight

AIT

9

Nine

NIN-ER

TBL 2-3-2
ICAO Phonetics - Individual Letters

Character

Word

Pronunciation

A

Alfa

ALFAH

B

Bravo

BRAHVOH

C

Charlie

CHARLEE

D

Delta

DELLTAH

E

Echo

ECKOH

F

Foxtrot

FOKSTROT

G

Golf

GOLF

H

Hotel

HOHTELL

I

India

INDEE AH

J

Juliett

JEWLEE ETT

K

Kilo

KEYLOH

L

Lima

LEEMAH

M

Mike

MIKE

N

November

NOVEMBER

O

Oscar

OSSCAH

P

Papa

PAHPAH

Q

Quebec

KEHBECK

R

Romeo

ROWME OH

S

Sierra

SEEAIRAH

T

Tango

TANGGO

U

Uniform

YOUNEE FORM

V

Victor

VIKTAH

W

Whiskey

WISSKEY

X

X-Ray

ECKSRAY

Y

Yankee

YANGKEY

Z

Zulu

ZOOLOO

  1. NUMBER USAGE

State numbers as follows:

  1. Serial numbers. Separate digits.

EXAMPLE-

Number

Phraseology

11,495

ONE ONE FOUR NINER FIVE

20,069

TWO ZERO ZERO SIX NINER

  1. Altitudes or flight levels.
  1. Altitudes. Pronounce each digit in the number of hundreds or thousands followed by the word “HUNDRED” or “THOUSAND,” as appropriate.

EXAMPLE-

Altitude

Phraseology

5,000

FIVE THOUSAND

10,000

ONE ZERO THOUSAND

11,500

ONE ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED

  1. Altitudes may be restated in group form for added clarity if the specialist chooses.

NOTE-

Group form is the pronunciation of a series of numbers as the whole number, or pairs of numbers they represent rather than pronouncing each separate digit. The use of group form may, however, be negated by four-digit identifiers or the placement of zeros in the identifier.

EXAMPLE-

Altitude

Phraseology

10,000

TEN THOUSAND

11,500

ELEVEN THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED

  1. Flight levels. The words “FLIGHT LEVEL,” followed by the separate digits of the flight level.

EXAMPLE-

Flight Level

Phraseology

180

FLIGHT LEVEL ONE EIGHT ZERO

270

FLIGHT LEVEL TWO SEVEN ZERO

  1. Minimum descent altitude/decision height/decision altitude (MDA/DH/DA). The words “MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE,” “DECISION HEIGHT,” or “DECISION ALTITUDE” followed by separate digits of the MDA/DH/DA altitude.

EXAMPLE-

Altitude

Phraseology

1,320

MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE ONE THREE TWO ZERO

486

DECISION HEIGHT FOUR EIGHT SIX

744

DECISION ALTITUDE SEVEN FOUR FOUR

  1. Time.
  1. General time information. The four separate digits of the hour and minutes in terms of UTC.

EXAMPLE-

Time

Phraseology

0115 (UTC)

ZERO ONE ONE FIVE

1315 (UTC)

ONE THREE ONE FIVE

  1. Upon request. The four separate digits of the hours and minutes in terms of UTC followed by the local time equivalent; or the local time equivalent only. Local time may be based on the 24-hour clock system. The term “Zulu” may be used to denote UTC.

EXAMPLE-

Time

Phraseology

2:30 P.M.

TWO THIRTY P-M LOCAL

2230 (UTC), 2:30 P.M.

TWO TWO THREE ZERO ZULU, TWO THIRTY P-M LOCAL

2230 (UTC), 1430 PST

TWO TWO THREE ZERO, ONE FOUR THREE ZERO PACIFIC

  1. Time check. The word “TIME” followed by the four separate digits of the hour and minutes, and nearest quarter minute. Fractions of a quarter minute less than eight seconds are stated as the preceding quarter minute; fractions of a quarter minute of eight seconds or more are stated as the succeeding quarter minute.

EXAMPLE-

Time

Phraseology

1415:06

TIME, ONE FOUR ONE FIVE

1415:10

TIME, ONE FOUR ONE FIVE AND ONE-QUARTER

  1. Abbreviated time. The separate digits of the minutes only.

EXAMPLE-

Time

Phraseology

1415

ONE FIVE

1420

TWO ZERO

NOTE-

Change to the next minute is made at the minute plus 30 seconds.

  1. Field elevation. The words “FIELD ELEVATION,” followed by the separate digits of the elevation.

EXAMPLE-

Elevation

Phraseology

17 feet

FIELD ELEVATION ONE SEVEN

187 feet

FIELD ELEVATION ONE EIGHT SEVEN

2,817 feet

FIELD ELEVATION TWO EIGHT ONE SEVEN

  1. Zero. The number “0” is stated as “ZERO,” except where it is used in approved group form for authorized aircraft call signs and in stating altitudes.

EXAMPLE-

“Field elevation one six zero.”
“Heading three zero zero.”
“One zero thousand five hundred.”
“Western five thirty.”
“Ten thousand five hundred.”
“EMAIR One Ten.”

  1. Heading. The word “HEADING,” followed by the three separate digits of the number of degrees, omitting the word “degrees.” Use heading 360 degrees to indicate a north heading.

EXAMPLE-

Heading/Degrees

Phraseology

5 degrees

HEADING ZERO ZERO FIVE

30 degrees

HEADING ZERO THREE ZERO

360 degrees

HEADING THREE SIX ZERO

  1. Radar beacon codes. The word squawk followed by the separate digits of the four-digit code.

EXAMPLE-

Code

Phraseology

1000

SQUAWK ONE ZERO ZERO ZERO

2100

SQUAWK TWO ONE ZERO ZERO

  1. Runways. The word “RUNWAY” followed by the separate digits of the runway designation. For a parallel runway, state the word “LEFT,” “RIGHT,” or “CENTER” if the letters “L,” “R,” or “C” are included in the designation.

EXAMPLE-

Runway Designation

Phraseology

3

RUNWAY THREE

8L

RUNWAY EIGHT LEFT

27R

RUNWAY TWO SEVEN RIGHT

  1. Frequencies.
  1. The separate digits of the frequency, inserting the word “POINT” where the decimal occurs. When the frequency is in the low/medium frequency or high frequency band, include the word “KILOHERTZ.”

EXAMPLE-

Frequency

Phraseology

302 kHz

THREE ZERO TWO KILOHERTZ

5631 kHz

FIVE SIX THREE ONE KILOHERTZ

126.55 MHz

ONE TWO SIX POINT FIVE FIVE

135.275 MHz

ONE THREE FIVE POINT TWO SEVEN FIVE

  1. Provide TACAN frequencies by stating the assigned two- or three-digit channel number.

EXAMPLE-

TACAN channel niner seven.”

  1. Speeds.
  1. The separate digits of the speed followed by the word knots.

EXAMPLE-

Speed

Phraseology

95

NINER FIVE KNOTS

185

ONE EIGHT FIVE KNOTS

250

TWO FIVE ZERO KNOTS

  1. For Mach speeds, the word “MACH,” followed by the separate digits, and inserting the word “POINT” where the decimal occurs.

EXAMPLE-

Mach Number

Phraseology

0.64

MACH POINT SIX FOUR

0.7

MACH POINT SEVEN

1.5

MACH ONE POINT FIVE

  1. Miles. The separate digits of the mileage followed by the word “MILE(S)”.

EXAMPLE-

Miles

Phraseology

30

THREE ZERO MILES

  1. EXPEDITIOUS COMPLIANCE
  1. Use the word “IMMEDIATELY” only when expeditious compliance is required to avoid an imminent situation.
  2. Use the word “EXPEDITE” only when prompt compliance is required to avoid the development of an imminent situation.
  3. In both cases, and if time permits, include the reason for this action.