How many times have you heard or personally stumbled on communications when contacting air traffic control for services? There are a few very simple techniques that can simplify your communications and help you receive the services you wish to request. When wishing to receive services simply remember the phrase; Who Are You, What Are You, Where Are You and What Do You Want. Let me give an example. You are flying 10 miles to the east of Navasota airport (60R) and you wish to practice a VFR vector to final ILS to runway 14 at Conroe-North Houston RGNL. The call to Houston approach would sound like this;
Houston Approach, Sky Lane N12345 request.
N12345 go ahead with request.
Houston Approach, N12345, is a Skylane 182, eight nautical miles from the Navasota VOR on the 060 radial at 2,500 ft, requesting a VFR practice vector to final ILS 14 approach at Conroe-North Houston RGNL, information Charlie.
Another example would be the initial call up to ATC ground control at a class delta airport, such as David Wayne Hooks (KDWH);
Hooks Ground, N12345, is a Skylane 182, at United Flight Systems ramp, requesting taxi for closed traffic, with information delta.
Using the suggested communication structure you can convey all the information required by ATC in a concise statement. It is very important to think through what you want to say before you key up the microphone switch. Verbally stumbling thru the required information only makes ATC ask you more questions and clogs up the frequency. Happy Flying from United Flight Systems.
Scott Silveira
Assistant Chief
United Flight Systems
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