COMMUNICATION.

The philosophy behind standardized words and phrases in RT messages has been to avoid ambiguity i.e one word - one meaning. The following is an extract from ICAO Doc 4444 and Annex 10 used in SAS Route manual. Comments and explanations in color are made by me, and meant to help all virtual pilots


PHRASEOLOGY.

ACKNOWLEDGE
"Let me know that you have received and understood this message".
AFFIRM
"Yes".
APPROVED
"Permission for proposed action granted".
BREAK BREAK
"I hereby indicate the separation between messages transmitted to different aircraft in a very busy environment".
Readback has to wait until there is a short silence on the channel.
BACKTRACK.
Taxi in the opposite direction on the takeoff/landing RWY.
Often used on small airports where the taxiway does not reach the RWY end. Examples are ESOK and ESMK.
CANCEL
"Annul the previously transmitted clearance".
CHECK
"Examine a system or procedure".
CLEARED
"Authorized to proceed under the conditions specified".
Note: The use of the words CLEAR or CLEARED are restricted to:
-- Take-off/landing clearances
-- Departure/approach instructions
-- ATC route clearances
CLIMB TO
Cleared to climb to specified level as soon as practicable.
COMFIRM
"Have I correctly received the following...?" or "Did you correctly receive this message?"
CORRECTION
"An error has been made in this transmission. The correct version is..."
DEPARTURE INFORMATION
Request "Departure information" when no ATIS broadcast is available.
DESCEND TO
Cleared to descend to specified level as soon as practicable.
This does not mean that the AC has to leave the present FL immediately. When the ATC need your FL the phrase is: DESCEND NOW.. Very often the phrase "DESCEND WHEN READY TO.." or "ON PILOTS DISCRETION DESCEND TO.." is used. Just remember to tell the ATC that you are leaving "(callsign) leaving FL... for FL..."
GO AHEAD
Proceed with your message.
GO AROUND / GOING AROUND
Missed approach procedure.
HOLDING
To acknowledge "HOLD POSITION, CANCEL I SAY CANCEL TAKE OFF". To acknowledge "HOLD", "HOLD POSITION" or "HOLD SHORT OF".
LOOKING OUT
To acknowledge traffic information.
MONITOR
"Listen out on (frequency)".
Do not call, just listen, you will be called by the ATC.
Normally only used on ground, on airports with a lot of traffic.
NEGATIVE
"No" or "Permission not granted" or "That is not correct".
NEGATIVE CONTACT
To acknowledge traffic information.
NEGATIVE TRANSPONDER
Transponder not available or unservicable.
READ BACK
"Repeat all, or the specified part, of this message back to me exactly as received".
RECLEARED
"A change has been made to your last CLR and this new CLR supersedes your previous clearance or part thereof".
ROGER
"I have received all of your last transmission". NOTE: Under no circumstances to be used in reply to a question requiring "RED BACK" or a direct answer in the affirmative (AFFIRM) or negative (NEGATIVE).
RUNWAY VACATED
The word "CLEAR/CLEARED" must not be used.
STANBY
"Wait and I will call you".
STOPPING
To acknowledge "STOP IMMEDIATELY (repeat ACFT callsign)STOP IMMEDIATELY": (To stop a TKOF in emergency conditions).
TRAFFIC IN SIGHT
To acknowledge traffic information.
UNABLE TO COMPLY
When the pilot is unable to comply with a CLR or instruction.
VERIFY
"Check and confirm with originator".
WILCO
"I understand your message and will comply with it".


PILOT READBACK.

An aircraft station should acknowledge receipt of important air traffic control messages or parts thereof by reading them back and terminating the readback by its radio call sign.
Pilots shall always read back the following:
  • all ATC clearances
  • all ATC instructions
  • all ATC approvals
  • all altimeter settings
  • all transponder settings
  • all clearances in connection with a runway IN USE, e.g. clearances to enter backtrack, line up, take off from, land on, etc.
  • all clearances to commence an approach procedure
  • all heading clearances/instructions
  • all climb and descent clearances/instructions
  • all holding entries and departures
  • all essential speed changes
  • other clearances and instructions, including conditional *) clearances, shall be read back or acknowledged in a manner to clearly indicate that they have been understood and will be complied with.
*) Conditional clearance, e.g. "SK941, behind DC-9 on short final, line up behind".


TRANSFER OF CONTROL.

After change of frequency the initial contact with the appropriate ATS unit shall contain information about actual FL and time over a designated REP POINT or REP Line together with any other required information. When climbing or descending the cleared FL/ALT shall also be reported.

This is the standard procedure all over the world. Today, within Europe, it has been replaced by another.......

REDUCED REPORTING PROCEDURE.

  • Amsterdam FIR
  • Brussels UIR
  • Denmark
  • Hannover UIR
  • Hungary
  • France UIR
  • Rhein UIR
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • UK FIR/UIR
  • Wien FIR
In the above areas reduced reporting applies as follows:
  • Initial call, after change of FREQ, shall contain; ACFT callsign and FL, with the addition of cleared FL when climbing or descending.
  • Level changes to be reported when leaving assigned FL.
  • Report APPROACHING FIR BOUNDERY if no transfer instructions are given by ATC.
As you can see Norway and Finland are not in the list. This procedure have been established in those countries any how, by pilots and controllers. And in the flightsim world I think we can use the reduced reporting everywhere.