Standard Phraseology Guide
1. Clearances
1.1. IFR
Within FAA jurisdiction, all IFR clearances must follow the following standard: C-R-A-F-T
C Clearance Limit (Destination Airport)
R Route (Departure procedure and/or Routing)
A Altitude (Initial climb)
F Frequency (Departure Frequency)
T Transponder (Squawk Code)
Cleared to Tokyo Narita International Airport, SUMMR2 departure, MCKEY transition, then as filed. Climb via the sid, expect FL320 10 minutes after departure. Departure frequency 125.2, squawk 7260.
Cleared to Seattle-Tacomas International Airport, HURCN3 departure, SMELZ transition, then as filed. Maintain 5000, expect FL360 10 minutes after departure. Departure frequency is 122.8, squawk 3601.
Radar Vectors:
Cleared to Fort Lauderdale airport, O'Hare 7 departure, radar vectors DENNT, then as filed. Maintain 5000, expect FL350 10mins after departure, departure frequency 126.625, Squawk 1234.
Cleared to Denver International airport, DEEZZ5 departure, TOWIN transition, radar vectors DEEZZ, then as filed. Maintain 5000, expect FL320 10 minutes after departure. Departure frequency is 125.2, squawk 7260.
1.2. VFR
1.2.1. Departures
Class B
Cleared out of the Memphis class Bravo airspace, departure to the North. Maintain VFR at or below 2500 until further advised, squawk 0740. Advise ready to taxi.
Class C
With Flight Following
Southbound departure approved, maintain VFR at or below 2500 until further advised, squawk 0244. Advise ready to taxi.
Without Following
Southbound departure approved, maintain VFR at or below 2500 until further advised, Advise ready to taxi.
Class D
With Flight Following
Runway 23, taxi via C, E. Squawk 0244
Without Flight Following
Runway 23, taxi via C, E.
Class E & G
Not required to contact ATC. (Non-towered airfields)
1.2.2. Traffic Pattern
1.2.2.1 Class B
Cleared into the Miami class Bravo airspace, pattern altitude 1000, squawk 0704.
1.3. Helicopters
1.2.1. Departures
Cleared into the Los Angeles class Bravo airspace, departure to the South, maintain VFR at or below 1500, squawk 0704. Advise ready for departure.
1.2.1. Arrivals
WIP
1.2.1. Transitions
WIP
2. Ground
2.1. Pushback and Startup
2.1.1. None-Movement Areas (Parking Aprons)
Push and start at your discretion, exepct runway 9R for departure, advise ready for taxi
Push and start at your discretion, face east, exepct runway 21L for departure, advise ready for taxi
Standby for pushback, Airbus A330 currently pushing back into the alleyway
2.1.2. Movement Areas (Taxiways)
United 837 heavy, push and start onto taxiway Kilo approved, face South.
2.2. Taxi (Departing)
2.2.1. Taxi to Departure Runway
Runway 23, taxi via Delta.
2.2.2. Taxi to Departure Runway (with crossing clearance)
Initial Taxi Instruction:
Runway 25L, taxi via taxi via Alpha, Foxtrott, hold short runway 25R.
Upon Reaching:
Cross runway 25R at Foxtrott.
Hold short runway 25R at Foxtrott (reason).
2.3. Taxi (Arriving)
Pilots should not report on blocks. Do not make any frequency change to unicom. If a pilot reports on blocks, simply say roger.”.
Aircraft vacating runway:
Callsign, say parking.
After pilot responds with parking spot:
Gate 45C, taxi via Lima, Bravo, to the ramp
3. Take-off Clearances
3.1 Line Up and Wait
Runway 35R, Line up and wait runway.
3.2 IFR
RNAV SID
RNAV DOCKR, wind 090 at 11, Runway 8R, cleared for takeoff.
Radar Vector SID
Fly heading 090, wind 090 at 11, Runway 8R, cleared for takeoff.
RVR
Runway 18L RVR touchdown 1400, midpoint 600, rollout 1800, fly heading 170, cleared for takeoff.
Intersection Departure
(Departure instruction), wind 090 at 11, Runway 8L at Zulu, cleared for takeoff.
Takeoff Clearance with Wake Turbulence Caution
(departure instructions), caution wake turbulence behind departing Boeing 747, wind 290 at 7, runway 12, cleared for takeoff.
Cancel Takeoff
CANCEL TAKEOFF CLEARANCE (reason).
Cancel takeoff clearance, vehicle on runway.
3.3 VFR
Take-off
Departure to the South approved, turn left at the shoreline, wind 270 at 7, runway 25L, cleared for takeoff.
Join left downwind, report midfield with intentions, wind 270 at 7, runway 25L, cleared for takeoff.
Leaving the airspace (without flight following)
Class B & C
radar services terminated. Squawk VFR, frequency change approved.
Class D
you are leaving my airspace to the north, squawk VFR, frequency change approved.
Leaving the airspace (with flight following)
contact Miami Approach 120.5.
3.3. Helicopters
departure will be at your own risk, wind 230 at 10, departure is approved.
departure will be at your own risk,wind 230 at 10, remain North of the South runways, departure is approved.
4. Local Traffic (VFR)
4.1 VFR Arrivals
Class B
Squawk 0201.
Cleared into the Miami class Bravo airspace, enter left downwind runway 8L, report midfield downwind
Class C
Squawk 0201
Enter left downwind runway 8L, report midfield downwind.
Class D
Enter left downwind runway 8L, report midfield downwind.
4.2 VFR in the Pattern/Circuit
Wind 250 at 6, runway 8L, cleared for the option.
Make left 270-to-base, wind 250 at 6, runway 8L, cleared for the option.
Number 2, following a Caravan on downwind. Report in sight and state your intentions.
Orbit northeast, left turns, expect 10-minute delay.
Turn crosswind to follow traffic.
Extend downwind to follow traffic on final.
Continue downwind. I will call your base.
Make left 360.
Join right traffic on upwind.
Make short appraoch.
4.4 Special VFR
WIP
5. Landing Clearances
5.1 Landing Clearance
Wind 095 at 7, runway 8L, cleared to land
5.2 Multiple Landing Clearances
Number 2, following a B737 short final, wind 350 at 29, cleared to land runway 35L.”
5.3 The Option
Wind 095 at 7, runway 8L, cleared for the option.
Wind 095 at 7, runway 8L, cleared for the option, except stop-and-go.
5.4 Touch-and-Go, Stop-and-Go, Low Approach
Wind 095 at 7, runway 8L, cleared touch-and-go.
Wind 095 at 7, runway 8L, cleared stop-and-go.
Wind 095 at 7, runway 8L, cleared low-approach.
5.5 RVR
RVR touchdown 1400, midpoint 600, rollout 1800, ruwnay 18L, cleared to land.
5.4 Helicopters
Wind 240 at 5, make straight-in approach to Signature, landing will be at your own risk, report landing assured.
6. Missed Approach
Callsign, go around, traffic on runway, fly runway heading, maintain 3000, contact departure 120.5.
7. Departures
RNAV Climb-via SID
Callsign, Las Vegas Departure, radar contact, continue climb via the sid.
RNAV SID
Callsign, Miami Departure, radar contact, climb and maintain 16000.
Radar Vector SID
Callsign, Miami Departure, radar contact, climb and maintain 16000, proceed direct GWAVA.
8. Arrivals
8.1 Initial Call
The examples contain multiple parts in one single transmission (descend, heading, expected approach). However, these items can also be given in their own transmission.
Miami Approach, Miami altimeter 2992, descend and maintain 6000, fly heading 240, expect vectors ILS 24R.
8.2 Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR)
8.2.1 RNAV Arrival
CTR controllers do not assign runways. This is managed by TRACON/Approach controllers.
after GAWKS, cleared FROGZ 3 arrival”
at pilots discretion descend via FROGZ 3 arrival.
8.2.2 Non-RNAV Arrival
CTR controllers do not assign runways. This is managed by the TRACON controllers.
after ZEUSS, cleared FOWEE 2 arrival”
descend and maintain, cross JUNUR at 11000.
8.3 Instrument Approach
Within FAA jurisdiction, all approach clearances must follow the following standard:
P | T | A | C |
---|---|---|---|
Position | Turn | Altitude | Clearance |
3 miles from ZULAB | fly heading 360 | maintain 3000 until estiablished | cleared ILS runway 31R approach |
3 miles from ZULAB, fly heading 360, maintain 3000 until established, cleared ILS runway 31R approach.
8.4 Visual Approach
ATC: airport 12 o’clock, 8 miles, report in sight.
Pilot: field in sight, N123.
ATC: cleared visual approach runway 8L.
9. Generic Phrases
9.1 Navigation
Basic Heading (always in 5° increments)
Turn left heading 215
Heading with reason (unless already on vectors).
turn left heading 215, vectors ILS runway 22R approach.
Heading but turn direction is ommited
Fly heading heading 215.
Conditional heading. Aircraft is requested to fly a heading after passing a specific point or altitude.
Depart CAMRN heading 215.
Passing 5000, turn right heading 100.
Heading by 10° increments left or right
Turn right two-zero degrees.
9.2 Climb/Descent
Basic Heading (always in 5° increments)
Turn left heading 215.
9.3 Traffic Information
Traffic, 12 O'Clock, 1 mile, left-to-right, Cessna Skyhawk, at 1000, report traffic in sight.
Traffic, 2 O'Clock, 2 miles, eastbound, Boeing 737, descending through 2000, approaching runway 9 at Miami Intl', report traffic in sight.
9.4 Cancellation of clearance / restriction
Approach clearance cancelled, (reason).
Speed restriction cancelled.
Take off clearance cancelled.
9.5 VFR Flight Following
Altimeter 2992, squawk 0201
Radar contact, maintain VFR and resume own navigation.
9.6 Holding
CLEARED TO (fix), HOLD (direction), AS PUBLISHED, EXPECT FURTHER CLEARANCE (time).
Cleared to Palm Beach VOR, hold west, as published, expect further clearance 2130.
Changes
Date | Chapter | Paragraph | Changes |
---|---|---|---|
1 June 2014 | - | - | Initial Version |
3 March 2018 | All | All | Complete Update |
7 February 2022 | All | All | Rebrand and updates of document |
9 February 2022 | All | All | Consolidated document |
March 2023 | All | All | Conversion from PDF to Wiki, added NavCanada phraseology |