Lesson 24: Radio basics: how pilots talk

Welcome Back! 

Today, we’ll dive deep into the phonetic alphabet and radio phraseology.

Well, it looks like we’re all done with the chapter on weather! So now, I’m going to hand it over to an airplane pilot to help explain radio communication.

Howdy! Today, we’ll talk about how real airplane pilots talk. They have their own ways of speaking, and can sometimes say funny words, like: 

• Affirm, Approach, Mayday, MEL, Pan-pan, Roger, Squawk, and Standby! 

Awesome! We’re excited to get to talk like real pilots do. 

Just a heads up! A lot of this stuff is designed for manned aircraft pilots, but there are reasons why we need to understand radio communications as drone pilots.

The number one reason is always safety! When we share airspace with manned aircraft, proper communication procedures help keep everyone safe.

We want to always avoid mid-air collisions, right?

In emergencies or unexpected events, effective communication with Air Traffic Control (ATC) is super important. 

Remember who they are? They’re the ones managing all the air traffic, making sure everyone flies safely.

Radio communications give us access to tons of important information, like:

• Weather updates

• Runway conditions

• Traffic advisories

This helps us maintain situational awareness and know what's going on around us at all times.

The lingo might seem super random (and funny) at times, but once you understand it, it’s actually really clear and precise. 

So, pilots can fit a lot of information into what seems like a brief sentence when they speak over the radio.

This prevents misunderstandings and delays, especially when there are multiple aircraft in the same area.

We want to make sure our messages are understood quickly and accurately.

Just a heads up for you aspiring drone pros:

•  When we’re learning radio slang, we’re looking to recognize this language, not necessarily memorize it.

So don’t worry if it doesn’t stick immediately! It can take a bit of practice to speak fluent Pilot.

All right, so let’s get into the phonetic alphabet.

Have you ever had to spell something over the phone? It can be hard, especially if you have a name that’s hard to pronounce.  

You might say, “M as in Mary,” because “M can sound a lot like N.” So, imagine how much of an issue this is for pilots over the radio. 

Some letters sound really similar when filtered through crunchy phone or radio static.

For example, can you be sure you heard a “B” and not a “D”? An “S” and not an “F”?

This is where the phonetic alphabet comes in! Pilots use this alphabet to spell out letters clearly when talking with Air Traffic Control (ATC). 

The phonetic alphabet is a set used to spell out words and numbers clearly over the radio or telephone, especially when the connection is poor or there’s background noise. 

Each letter of the alphabet is given a specific (and fun) word to avoid confusion between similar-sounding letters.

For example, instead of saying the letter A, pilots will say “Alpha.” And for the letter B, pilots will say “Bravo.” 

Can you think of a time when pilots might say “Bravo” instead of “B”? And it’s not for when you pass your exam! 

• Pilots call Class B Airspace Class Bravo Space! Because over a crunchy radio, it can sound like Class D (or Class Delta) Space. 

Anyways, back to the main show. Over and Out.

Affirmative! And the phonetic alphabet even has its own codes for numbers! They’re just spelled how they sound.  Let’s define ‘The Phonetic Alphabet.’ 

Today’s 🔑 Word!

Phonetic Alphabet

• The phonetic alphabet is a system where each letter of the alphabet is represented by a specific word to avoid confusion when speaking over radio or phone. 

• It’s like a secret language that pilots use! 

• Using the phonetic alphabet helps make sure that everyone understands exactly which letters are being said out loud, especially in noisy or unclear situations over the radio. 

• Did you know that the military, fire fighters, and law enforcement also use this phonetic alphabet? It’s not just for pilots!  

Nice! If you’re curious about the entire alphabet, here’s a handy visual! 

Which letter or number is your favorite? Ours is Tango and Niner. 

Nice! Let's practice. Spell out your first name (out loud or in the chat) using the phonetic alphabet!

That was great! You’ll notice that the numbers have a specific pronunciation that’s kind of different than how most people say them. 

• Remember, this is for clarity! Pilots just want to make sure no one misinterprets what they’re saying.  

Phew! You’ve done a great job so far! 

Let’s take a much-deserved break. 

Welcome Back, future pilot!

Welcome back, everyone! Now, let’s learn about Radio Phraseology.

Radio Phraseology

Radio Phraseology is the standard language and communication procedures that pilots and air traffic controllers use over radio frequencies.

 Today’s 🔑 Word!

Radio Phraseology

• Radio phraseology is a special way of talking that pilots and air traffic controllers use when they talk to each other over the radio. It’s just how pilots talk over the radio! 

• This way of talking was designed to be clear, precise, and efficient. By using standard phrases and systems, pilots can avoid misunderstanding each other. 

• When pilots use specific words and phrases, we make sure that everyone understands the message the same way. 

  • For example, instead of saying "ten thousand feet," pilots say "one zero thousand" to avoid confusion. We’ll cover why, soon! 

• The phrases are super short and to the point. This helps keep radio communications quick, so that the channel stays open for other pilots to use.

Clear communication helps prevent accidents. Everyone knows exactly what's happening, where other aircraft are, and what to expect next.

By listening to radio communications, pilots get a better sense of what's going on around them, like weather conditions, runway status, and other aircraft in the area.

Reminder: as aspiring drone pros, we don’t have to memorize everything today! 

But it’s important to recognize this language. It’ll help with situational awareness if we ever listen to pilots talk on the radio.

That was important to clarify! Now, let’s start with how pilots talk about numbers out loud.  

The forecast is looking severe up ahead! But don’t worry, you got this. 

How Pilots Say Numbers

Big Numbers

• Pilots usually say numbers out loud when they say how high they are, wind levels, or what the ceiling of a cloud is. 

• If pilots have to say a round number out loud that’s less than 9,900, they don’t have to state every digit out loud. They just say it normally! 

Round numbers under 9,900

• So the number 500 will be pronounced: ‘Five hundred.’ 

  • (Not “Five Zero Zero”)

• And the number 4,500 will be pronounced: ‘Four Thousand Five hundred.’ 

That’s what we normally say, anyways! 

Makes sense so far, right? All round numbers less than 9,900 will be pronounced normally.  

This begs the question, how do pilots state numbers that are bigger than 9,900? 

We’re right on track! Numbers above 9,900 must be spoken by saying the individual digits before the word “thousand”:

• So the number 10,000 will be pronounced: ‘One Zero Thousand.’ 

  • (Not “Ten Thousand”)

• And the number 13,500 will be pronounced: ‘One Three Thousand Five Hundred.’

  • (Not “Thirteen Thousand Five Hundred”)

For round numbers over 9,900, any time you hear a pilot say ‘thousand,’  think about it in your brain as a comma. 

How Pilots Say Numbers: Airway and Jet Route Numbers 

What are Airway and Jet Route numbers?  

It’s time to peel the onion! 

Airways are numbered paths!  

Jet Routes are the flight paths that airplanes take!   

• Airways are defined paths that airplanes take.

• Jet routes are what we call airways that are higher than 18,000 ft MSL (or FL180)

Airway and jet route numbers should be spoken like this:

If it says “V12” on a sectional chart, pilots say “Flying Victor Twelve.” 

•  They use the phonetic alphabet for the letter. 

•  They pronounce the number regularly, not by digit (one two). 

“J533” would be pronounced: “Juliett Five Thirty-Three” 

All other numbers besides airways and jet routes must be spoken by pronouncing each digit:

10 - One Zero

15 - One Five

Confusing, right? So unless they’re airways and jet routes, pilots have to say all numbers in digits. 

10 - One Zero

15 - One Five

Great work! I see you’re all a few steps closer to becoming a certified drone pilot. 

Let’s Descent 

Great work, everyone! 

For Educators: 

Optional wrap-up activities, games, quizzes, and temperature checks can go here, time-permitting. 

See You Next Time! 

Over and Out.