NL / GUIDE 07Communication / Foundation
VATSIM phraseology
Good radio work is preparation made audible.
Field guide
Operational brief
Good radio work is preparation made audible.
Clear, calm radio technique from clearance to shutdown, with practical Icelandair callsign examples and recovery language.
On completion
01 / Before transmitting
Listen long enough to understand the room.
Tune the correct frequency, listen for the controller’s pace and confirm that another exchange is not already underway. Write down the information you expect to receive before making the first call.
Use the flight’s ICE callsign as ‘Iceair’ followed by individual or grouped digits as locally appropriate. Keep the microphone quiet until you know your position, request and current information.
“Keflavík Delivery, Iceair six eight one, stand one four, information Alpha, IFR Seattle, ready to copy.”
02 / Readback
Return the parts that protect separation.
Read back the cleared route, runway, altitude or flight level, heading, speed, squawk code and every hold-short or runway-crossing instruction. Keep the sequence close to the controller’s order.
If only part of a clearance was understood, read back the confirmed portion and request the missing item. A clear correction is faster than an incorrect confident response.
“Iceair six eight one, cleared Seattle via the published departure, climb five thousand feet, squawk two four six one.”
“Cleared Seattle via the published departure, climb five thousand feet, squawk two four six one, Iceair six eight one.”
03 / Airborne
Lead with who you are and what matters now.
On initial contact after a handoff, give the callsign, current or passing altitude, cleared altitude and any assigned heading or direct-to instruction that affects the picture. Do not repeat the entire flight plan.
When receiving a frequency change, acknowledge it with the new frequency when practical. Listen before transmitting after the change; two aircraft may arrive on frequency together.
“Reykjavík Control, Iceair six eight one passing flight level one niner zero, climbing flight level three six zero.”
04 / When uncertain
Plain language is a professional tool.
Use ‘say again,’ ‘confirm,’ ‘stand by’ or ‘unable’ early. If workload prevents safe compliance, tell the controller what you can do instead. Never accept a clearance that the aircraft or pilot cannot execute.
In unstaffed airspace, monitor the designated advisory frequency and make concise position and intention calls where another pilot may benefit. VATSIM currently specifies 122.800 only where a discrete advisory frequency is not in use.
- Say ‘unable’ with a reason and useful alternative
- Ask for vectors if route recovery is becoming unsafe
- Use text only when radio communication is unavailable or instructed
Release to line
Five checks.
Then fly.
Correct callsign and aircraft equipment filed
ATIS and expected clearance written down
Frequencies prepared
Route and first altitude understood
‘Say again,’ ‘stand by’ and ‘unable’ ready when needed
Primary references
Go to the
source.
Operational details change. Verify revision dates and use current charts, aircraft documentation and active ATC instructions for every flight.
