1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 The communication procedures, phraseologies and requirements contained in this section have been selected to harmonise with ICAO and international practices, where applicable. Additional phrases to supplement where ICAO is silent have been included.

1.2 Primary reference documents for this section on radiotelephony are ICAO Doc 4444, Doc 9432, and Annex 10. ATS and pilots should refer to these documents to obtain additional information as necessary. Only procedures appropriate to Australia and commonly used phrases are contained in this section.

1.3 Use of standard phases for radio telephony communication between aircraft and ground stations is essential to avoid misunderstanding the intent of messages and to reduce the time required for communication.

1.4 Phraseologies contained in this section are generic, and, although primarily reflecting a controlled airspace environment, operations OCTA should use these generic phrases unless specific OCTA phrases are shown. Where circumstances warrant, and no phraseology is available, clear and concise plain language should be used to indicate intentions.

2. GENERAL

2.1 Symbols and Parentheses

Words in parentheses "( )" indicate that specific information, such as a level, a place, or a time, etc, must be inserted to complete the phrase, or alternatively, that optional phrases may be used. Words in square parentheses "[ ]" indicate optional additional words or information that may be necessary in specific instances.

2.2 The following symbols indicate phraseologies which may differ to those used in an international aviation environment, but are necessitated by Australian requirements.

l UNIQUE TO AUSTRALIA (ICAO SILENT)
s MILITARY SPECIFIC PHRASEOLOGIES

2.3 Phraseologies show the text of message components without callsigns. They are not intended to be exhaustive, and when circumstances differ, pilots, ATS personnel, Air Defence, and other ground personnel will be expected to use appropriate subsidiary phraseologies which should be clear and concise, and designed to avoid any possible confusion.

2.4 For convenience of reference, the phraseologies are grouped according to types of air traffic service. However, users should be familiar with, and use as necessary, phraseologies from groups other than those referring specifically to the type of air traffic service being provided. All phraseologies must be used in conjunction with callsigns (aircraft, ground vehicle, ATC or other) as appropriate.

2.5 Phraseologies for the movement of vehicles, other than tow–tractors on the manoeuvring area, are not listed separately as the phraseology associated with the movement of aircraft is applicable. The exception is for taxi instructions, in which case the word "PROCEED" shall be substituted for the word "TAXI" when communicating with vehicles.

3. CLEARANCES AND READBACKS

3.1 When initiating a transmission to ATS, pilots will commence the transmission with the callsign of the service provider followed by the aircraft callsign.

3.2 When a readback of an ATC message is required, a pilot will terminate the read back transmission with the aircraft’s radio callsign.

3.3 An ATC route clearance must be read back in its entirety. The accuracy of the clearance readback shall be confirmed by ATS. Other clearances or instructions that require a readback (including conditional clearances) need only contain key elements of the clearance and include sufficient detail to clearly indicate that they will be complied with.

3.4 The following clearances and instructions must be read back:

1. all ATC route clearances, amendments thereto, and IFR holding;
2. all clearances and instructions to hold short of, enter, land on, take off on, and backtrack on any runway, SIMOPS (LAHSO) requirements;
3. runway–in–use, altimeter settings, SSR codes, frequency instructions;
4. level instructions, direction of turn, heading and speed instructions; eg

ATS: "(aircraft callsign) SQUAWK THREE FOUR TWO FIVE"
Pilot: "THREE FOUR TWO FIVE (aircraft callsign)".

Note: If the level of an aircraft is reported in relation to standard pressure 1013.2 HPA, the words "FLIGHT LEVEL" should precede the level figures. If the level of the aircraft is reported in relation to QNH, the figure should be followed by the word "FEET".

3.5 Conditional phrases, such as "behind landing aircraft" or "after departing aircraft", shall only be used for movements affecting the active runway(s) when the aircraft or vehicles concerned are seen by the appropriate controller and pilot. In all cases, a conditional clearance must be given in the following order and consist of:

1. identification;
2. the condition (specify); and
3. the clearance, eg:

ATS: "(aircraft callsign) A340 ON SHORT FINAL, BEHIND THAT AIRCRAFT LINE UP".
Pilot: "BEHIND THE A340 LINE UP (aircraft callsign)".

Note: This implies the need for the aircraft receiving the conditional clearance to identify the aircraft or vehicle causing the conditional clearance.

3.6 "FLIGHT PLANNED ROUTE" Terminology. This phrase may be used to describe any route or portion thereof, provided the route or portion thereof is identical to that filed in the flight notification and sufficient routing details are given to definitely establish the aircraft on its route.

4. AMENDED ROUTE OR LEVEL

4.1 Whenever a situation arises whereby an aircraft is assigned a route or level other than that expected according to the flight notification and any subsequent revisions requested by the pilot, ATS should prefix the route or level information with the term "AMENDED" to alert the pilot that the information and clearance is other than may be expected, eg:

ATS: "(aircraft callsign) CLIMB TO AMENDED LEVEL FLIGHT LEVEL 260"
Pilot: "CLIMB TO AMENDED LEVEL FLIGHT LEVEL 260 (aircraft callsign)".

ATS: "(aircraft callsign) RECLEARED TO ADELAIDE AMENDED ROUTE (amended route details and level."
Pilot: "RECLEARED TO ADELAIDE AMENDED ROUTE (amended route details and level) (aircraft callsign)"

5. LANGUAGE

5.1 English language must be used for all air–ground RTF communications within Australian FIRs unless use of an alternative language has been arranged with ATS prior to any specific flight.

6. PHONETIC ALPHABET

6.1 Radiotelephony pronunciation of the Phonetic Alphabet shall be as follows:

7. NUMERALS

7.1 Radiotelephony pronunciation of numbers shall be in the phonetic form as follows:

8. TRANSMISSION OF NUMBERS 

8.1 All numbers used in the transmission of altitude, cloud height, visibility and runway visual range (RVR) information, which contain whole hundreds and whole thousands, must be transmitted by pronouncing each digit in the number of hundreds or thousands followed by the word HUNDRED or THOUSAND as appropriate, eg:

8.2 Combinations of thousands and whole hundreds must be transmitted by pronouncing each digit in the number of thousands, followed by the word THOUSAND, followed by the number of hundreds, followed by the word HUNDRED, eg:

COMBINATIONS 7,300 "SEVEN THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED".

8.3 All other numbers must be transmitted by pronouncing each digit separately, eg:

Note: For the transmission of numbers in aircraft callsigns, refer to "FLIGHT NUMBER CALLSIGNS" at Section 13.

9. TIME

9.1 Australia uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for all operations. The term "Zulu" is used when ATC procedures require a reference to UTC, eg:

0920 UTC "ZERO NINE TWO ZERO ZULU"
0115 UTC "ZERO ONE ONE FIVE ZULU".

9.2 To Convert from Standard Time to Coordinated Universal Time:

Eastern Standard Time Subtract 10 hours
Central Standard Time Subtract 9.5 hours
Western Standard time Subtract 8 hours.

Note: Daylight Saving is not applied universally across Australia and is not published in the AIP.

9.3 The 24–hour clock system is used in radiotelephone transmissions. The hour is indicated by the first two figures and the minutes by the last two figures, eg:

0001 "ZERO ZERO ZERO ONE"
1920 "ONE NINE TWO ZERO".

9.4 Time may be stated in minutes only (two figures) in radiotelephone communications when no misunderstanding is likely to occur.

9.5 Current time in use at a station is stated to the nearest minute in order that pilots may use this information for time checks.

9.6 Control towers will state the time to the nearest half minute when issuing a taxi clearance to a departing aircraft, eg:

0925:10 "TIME, TWO FIVE"
0932:20 "TIME, THREE TWO AND A HALF"
2145:50 "TIME, FOUR SIX".

10. STANDARD WORDS AND PHRASES

10.1 The following words and phrases are to be used in radiotelephony communications, as appropriate, and have the meaning given.

11. GROUND STATION CALLSIGNS

11.1 ATS Callsigns

11.2 ATS units are identified by the name of the location followed by the service available as follows:

11.3 The name of the location or the service may be omitted provided that satisfactory communication has been established.

12. AIRCRAFT CALLSIGNS

12.1 Improper use of callsigns can result in pilots executing a clearance intended for another aircraft. Callsigns should never be abbreviated on an initial contact or at any time when other aircraft callsigns have similar numbers/sounds or identical letters/numbers, eg:

CHARLIE WHISKY ZULU - WHISKY CHARLIE ZULU.

12.2 Pilots must be certain that aircraft identification is complete and clearly identified before taking action on an ATC clearance. ATS will not abbreviate callsigns of air carrier or other civil aircraft having authorised callsigns. ATS may initiate abbreviated callsigns of other aircraft by using the prefix and the last three digits/letters of the aircraft identification after communications are established. The pilot may use the abbreviated callsign in subsequent contact with ATS. When aware of similar/identical callsigns, ATS will take action to minimise errors by emphasising certain numbers/letters, by repeating the entire callsign, by repeating the prefix, or by asking pilots to use a different callsign temporarily. Pilots should use the phrase "VERIFY CLEARANCE FOR (complete callsign)" if doubt exists concerning proper identity.

12.3 Civil aircraft pilots may state the aircraft type, model or manufacturer’s name, followed by the digits/letters of the registration number, eg:

Bonanza CHARLIE ALPHA ECHO
Cherokee ALPHA BRAVO CHARLIE.

13. FLIGHT NUMBER CALLSIGNS - USING GROUP FORM

13.1 Approved RPT operators using Flight Number callsigns and aircraft having registrations with numbers should use the "group form" when transmitting the callsign/flight number. "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 be negated by four digit identifiers or placement of zeros in the identifier.

13.2 Pilots and ATS should be aware that the preference to use group form does not invalidate any transmissions made in conventional formats. However, to retain the integrity in the communication between ATS and operators, the identification format used should be consistent.

13.3 A pilot not using group form in establishing communication, but subsequently addressed by ATS in this format, should adopt the use of group form for the remainder of the flight in Australian airspace, eg:

QFA 452 "QANTAS FOUR FIFTY TWO"
AAA 100 "ANSETT ONE HUNDRED"
ANZ 110 "NEW ZEALAND ONE TEN"
KDA 1315 "KENDALL THIRTEEN FIFTEEN"
SSQ 101 "SUNSTATE ONE ZERO ONE"
EIA 050 "EVERGREEN ZERO FIVE ZERO"
UPS 1004 "UPSCO TEN ZERO FOUR".

13.4 There is no additional abbreviated form when using Flight Number callsigns. The airline designator and all numerics of the callsign must be pronounced.

13.5 Whenever ATS consider that a possibility exists for callsign confusion, an ATS officer may elect to use conventional formats on either or all aircraft involved, or amend the callsign to include a suffix for the duration that the aircraft concerned are on the same ATS frequency.

14. GROUND VEHICLES

14.1 Ground vehicles shall be identified by the type of vehicle; eg, car, truck, tractor, tug, etc, or an ATS approved format, followed by the assigned vehicle number spoken in group form. eg:

TRUCK 12 "TRUCK TWELVE"
CAR 23 "CAR TWENTY THREE".

15. INTERCHANGE AND LEASED AIRCRAFT

15.1 Controllers issue traffic information based on familiarity with airline equipment and colour/markings. When an airline dispatches a flight using another company’s aircraft and the pilot does not advise the terminal ATC facility, the possible confusion in aircraft identification can compromise safety.

15.2 Pilots flying an "interchange" or "leased" aircraft, not bearing the colours/markings of the company operating the aircraft, should inform the terminal ATC facility (on first contact) of the name of the operating company and aircraft callsign, followed by the company name as displayed on the aircraft, and aircraft type, eg:

ANSETT THREE ELEVEN, AIR NEW ZEALAND INTERCHANGE (or LEASE), BOEING SEVEN FOUR SEVEN.

16. CALLSIGNS - FULL AND ABBREVIATED FORMATS

16.1 Full radiotelephony callsigns must be used when initially establishing two way communication. Thereafter, and only after being initiated by ATS, callsigns may be abbreviated in accordance with para 16.3 below.

16.2 Aircraft radiotelephony callsigns must be in one of the following forms:

1. the characters corresponding to the registration marking of the aircraft; or
2. the telephony designator of the aircraft operating agency, followed by the last three characters of the registration marking of the aircraft; or
3. the approved telephony designator of the aircraft operating agency, followed by the flight number.

Note: The name of the aircraft manufacturer or aircraft model may be used as a radiotelephony prefix in lieu of sub–para 16.2a. above.

16.3 Aircraft callsigns, as described in para 16.2 may be abbreviated as follows:

1. Sub–para 16.2a. - the first character of the registration and at least two characters of the callsign.
2. Sub–para 16.2b. - the telephony designator of the aircraft operating agency, followed by at least the last two characters of the registration marking.
3. Sub–para 16.2c. - no abbreviated form.

16.4 Australian registered aircraft operating within the Australian FIR will use the abbreviated form consisting of the last three characters of the registration unless conforming with an alternative approved format, eg:

VH–DFL DELTA FOXTROT LIMA

16.5 Foreign registered aircraft operating within the Australian FIR will use the abbreviated form consisting of the first character and last three characters of the registration unless conforming with an alternative approved format, eg:

N35826 NOVEMBER EIGHT TWO SIX

16.6 The prefix "HELICOPTER" before the callsign must be used by rotary wing aircraft when first establishing contact on any frequency, eg:

VH–BFK HELICOPTER BRAVO FOXTROT KILO

17. CALLSIGNS - SPECIAL TASK OPERATIONS

17.1 Aircraft engaged in special task operations, and with the agreement of ATS, may use a callsign indicative of the nature of the task, eg:

Police Rescue POLAIR RED
Rescue Mission 32 RESCUE THREE TWO
Coastal Patrol COASTWATCH