CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 13 Issue 3 - 6

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THE NOMENCLATURE USED IN AVIATION IS A
PRECISE LANGUAGE AND IT IS INTENDED TO
AVOID CONFUSION. " Off the runway " and " clear
of the runway " can be interpreted differently.
" Takeoff power " or " take off power " can be a
command to move the throttle up or to reduce
power. Both examples have led to incidents with
large airplanes.
General aviation pilots, particularly student pilots,
often show a lack of knowledge of air traffic control
(ATC) phraseology and appropriate usage. It is
the flight instructor's responsibility to review
and clarify terms and definitions during flight
and ground instruction. Learning the language
of aviation is more than learning the phonetic
alphabet-it is an essential part of learning to fly
an airplane.
LEARNING THE LANGUAGE OF AVIATION IS
MORE THAN LEARNING THE PHONETIC
ALPHABET-IT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF
LEARNING TO FLY AN AIRPLANE.
For example, I recently heard a tower controller
ask a pilot if they were ready for takeoff and the
pilot responded, " Roger. " That was the wrong
answer and reflects negatively on the pilot and
the flight instructor who trained the pilot to fly.
A more common problem in the traffic pattern
is a new pilot's request for a touch and go, to
which the tower responds, " You're cleared for the
option. " Then our new pilot responds, " I wanted
a touch and go. " The tower now has to explain
what cleared for the option means.
New pilots wanting to abandon an approach to a
landing often wonder when to notify the tower.
At a busy Class B airspace airport, a student
pilot asked if they could initiate a go-around,
expressing concern it would mess up the tower's
traffic pattern. Student pilots need to understand
that it's better to mess up the tower's traffic
pattern than the tower's runway.
If the tower tells a pilot to turn base at pilot's
discretion, this simply means the pilot can turn
base leg whenever they want for a short, normal,
or long approach. The same applies to departing
ATC's airspace and you're told that you're clear
of Class C airspace and to navigate at pilot's
discretion-navigation responsibility is your own.
Don't ever say you have traffic in sight if you
don't. Obviously that could create a dangerous
situation for all involved. When asked to
report traffic in sight, the correct answer is
" Affirmative " or " Negative. "
A STUDENT PILOT ASKED IF THEY COULD INITIATE
A GO-AROUND, EXPRESSING CONCERN IT WOULD
MESS UP THE TOWER'S TRAFFIC PATTERN.
STUDENT PILOTS NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT
IT'S BETTER TO MESS UP THE TOWER'S TRAFFIC
PATTERN THAN THE TOWER'S RUNWAY.
Let's review commonly used ATC phraseology
that is basic to pilot-to-pilot and pilot-to-ATC
communications. Student pilots should have a
solid understanding of the meaning of all of the
following phrases:
* Roger-means that you have received all of
the last transmission. It should not be used to
answer a yes or no question.
* Wilco-means that you have received and
understood the message, and that you will
comply with it. It is often combined with
" roger " as in " roger wilco. "
* Cleared for the option-signifies that ATC
authorizes a pilot to do any of the following: a
touch and go, low approach, missed approach,
stop and go, or full stop landing at the pilot's
discretion. I have heard a tower controller issue
" Cleared for the option " instructions to which
the pilot replied, " I would like to do a go-around, "
indicating they didn't understand the ATC phrase.
CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 13 Issue 3

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CFI-to-CFI Newsletter - Volume 13 Issue 3
