Pilot Reference

[Billie Kjergaard]

Im just starting real-world flight training and so far VATSIM has been super helpful. Although even with the basic VATSIM training and real-world ground school I'm still a bit unsure of myself on radio communications. I can usually effectively communicate, but I worry that (especially on VATSIM) people are being lenient on me and I'm not saying things exactly right.

Kirk I dug through all of the docs under the VFR section and I can't find what I'm looking for. There is a great section on Flight Following for VFR and I'm looking for exactly that for departures and arrivals.

I'm glad somebody else asked this question, so I was also about to ask something similar. When talking to ATC, some operators talk faster than what I can remember or write down instructions. So for my question, I wanted to know if there is an online resource or an app that will make the ATC procedures easier. Say... if the ATC give me instructions, I can just punch it into the app while I'm listening. Does that make sense? But like a calculator of sorts that has numbers for runways, L, R, cross, A,B,C and all the data they will give you. As they talk, you press the buttons - and bam! It tells you what to say back to ATC.

I can't think of anything like that Charlie. Though, I'll say in general that what you say back to ATC is what they say to you. Ideally, you're just repeating their instructions as close to verbatim as you can (you can omit weather information like wind or altimeter/QNH settings). The more you do it, the easier this will become. (The one exception is making your initial call...but since you're the one initiating that, you have plenty of time and can even write it down before you start.)

4.5.7.5.1 The flight crew shall read back to the air traffic controller safety-related parts of ATC clearances and instructions which are transmitted by voice. The following items shall always be read back:

c) runway-in-use, altimeter settings, SSR codes, level instructions, heading and speed instructions and, whether issued by the controller or contained in automatic terminal information service (ATIS) broadcasts, transition levels.

Are there maybe special FAA-rules in the US? Under ICAO/EU Air Ops rules the QNH certainly has to be read back, although some countries overdo it (UK), where you need to readback the QNH on almost every single frequency.

Thanks for all the replies. I did find a thread on Steam where someone posted the general conversation for each ATC (clearance, dep, TWR, etc) which helped a lot. While I think I have the language down now, some ATC talk fast and I can't keep up - especially when its busy. I learnt this the hard way, as I decided to take off from Seattle and couldn't follow instructions. I had to excuse myself and log off and I didn't understand.

some ATC talk fast and I can't keep up - especially when its busy. I learnt this the hard way, as I decided to take off from Seattle and couldn't follow instructions. I had to excuse myself and log off and I didn't understand.

You should not logoff, but request ATC to talk slower. They need to adapt to your current experience and if you are able to follow instructions when they are issued in clear and slow language, you will be fine. Of course, if you are not able to understand "'turn left heading 250", then it's a different story, but I understand that you are above that level already.

I haven't looked into this in the FAA AIM but in my experience, the altimeter setting or wind is almost never read back in a landing/takeoff clearance. I have never heard a controller query a pilot and request a readback of an altimeter setting in Canada or the United States. Interesting to know that is a requirement in Europe.

The QNH/altimeter setting is not stated during landing or takeoff clearance, since it it is obsolete information (should have been issued with IFR clearance or first descent instruction to an altitude).

I know this thread is pretty old, (like moi) and some of you may find this solution helpful or even amusing, but I've got the absolute perfect answer, for me anyway, to get read back instructions no matter what length, complexity, speed or accent of ATC controllers right first time without writing anything down on paper or worse, "say again".. It's something I put together myself which I call "Read Back Correct" and it really does the trick like magic. Here's how: 10 hand held Dictaphone from ebay with its mini mic placed in my headset ear piece. After my request to ATC for whatever, on release of PTT immediately press REC on above device. When he's done saying his stuff to you and himself actually, release REC and device auto rewinds in a second or two. Lean forward to device (secured next to my keyboard), so that my headset mic is near the device speaker, press device REP and my PTT together. At the end I chip in my callsign, release PTT. Result, after a moment of stunned surprise, the only possible reply from ATC: "Read back correct". Of course you may not have understood a word of what he said, but now you've got it on tape you can replay ad infinitum and even slow it down. Now that's magic!

From a controller perspective, hearing back the clearance in my own voice, will probably not give me the warm fuzzy feeling that the pilot actually understands the message. Obviously, many text pilots do the same thing (copy/paste the message), but still ...

Runway Status Lights is a fully automated system that provides runway status information to pilots and surface vehicle operators to indicate when it is unsafe to enter, cross, or takeoff from a runway. The Runway Status Lights system processes information from surveillance systems and activates Runway Entrance Lights and Takeoff Hold Lights in accordance with the motion and velocity of the detected traffic. Runway Entrance Lights and Takeoff Hold Lights are in-pavement light fixtures that are directly visible to pilots and surface vehicle operators. Runway Status Lights is an independent safety enhancement that does not substitute for an Air Traffic Control clearance. Clearance to enter, cross, or takeoff from a runway must still be issued by Air Traffic Control. Although Air Traffic Control has limited control over the system, personnel do not directly use, and may not be able to view, light fixture output in their operations.

The Runway Entrance Lights system is composed of flush mounted, in-pavement, unidirectional fixtures that are parallel to and focused along the taxiway centerline and directed toward the pilot at the hold line. A specific array of Runway Entrance Lights lights include the first light at the hold line followed by a series of evenly spaced lights to the runway edge; and one additional light at the runway centerline in line with the last two lights before the runway edge (See FIG 2-1-9). When activated, these red lights indicate that there is high speed traffic on the runway or there is an aircraft on final approach within the activation area.

Whenever a pilot observes the red lights of the Runway Entrance Lights, that pilot will stop at the hold line, or along the taxiway path and remain stopped. The pilot will then contact Air Traffic Control for resolution if the clearance is in conflict with the lights. Should pilots note illuminated lights under circumstances when remaining clear of the runway is impractical for safety reasons (i.e., aircraft is already on the runway), the crew should proceed according to their best judgment while understanding the illuminated lights indicate the runway is unsafe to enter or cross. Contact Air Traffic Control at the earliest possible opportunity.

The Takeoff Hold Lights system is composed of in-pavement, unidirectional fixtures in a double longitudinal row aligned either side of the runway centerline lighting. Fixtures are focused toward the arrival end of the runway at the "line up and wait" point, and they extend for 1,500 feet in front of the holding aircraft (see FIG 2-1-9). Illuminated red lights provide a signal, to an aircraft in position for takeoff or rolling, that it is unsafe to takeoff because the runway is occupied or about to be occupied by another aircraft or ground vehicle. Two aircraft, or a surface vehicle and an aircraft, are required for the lights to illuminate. The departing aircraft must be in position for takeoff or beginning takeoff roll. Another aircraft or a surface vehicle must be on or about to cross the runway.

The PilotsReference Guide is a comprehensive summarization of many abstract topics for pilots, engineers and aviation enthusiasts. It can be effectively used to prepare for ATPL exams and airline interviews.

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