How to practice talking to the tower?

midcap

midcap

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midcap
I Am curious if there Are ways I could practice so I am sharp for next lesson.
 
Use your instructor, another pilot or come see me, I'd be glad to help you out.
 
The way I practiced was by pulling up JFK on liveatc.net and repeating everything that the controller was telling the airplanes

Then they eventually added my local airport KFRG to the website so I begun to listen to tower and it made me even better, and also familiar with checkpoints and what the tower likes to do, etc
 
josephades said:
The way I practiced was by pulling up JFK on liveatc.net and repeating everything that the controller was telling the airplanes

Then they eventually added my local airport KFRG to the website so I begun to listen to tower and it made me even better, and also familiar with checkpoints and what the tower likes to do, etc
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Oh ok that's neat.

I still need to memorize what to say when trying to taxi.
 
Very simple, the 5 W's

Who are you calling? (Orlando Tower)
Who are you? (Cherokee N66BB)
Where are you? (Quebec Ramp)
What do you have? (Information Tango)
What do you want? (Ready to taxi, departure to the southeast)

Put it all together:

Orlando tower, Cherokee N66BB at the Quebec ramp with Tango, ready to taxi, SE departure
 
josephades said:
Very simple, the 5 W's

Who are you calling? (Orlando Tower)
Who are you? (Cherokee N66BB)
Where are you? (Quebec Ramp)
What do you have? (Information Tango)
What do you want? (Ready to taxi, departure to the southeast)

Put it all together:

Orlando tower, Cherokee N66BB at the Quebec ramp with Tango, ready to taxi, SE departure
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That's what I was looking for.
Thanks.

Then after run up, you ask for permission to take off?
 
Why not take a visit to the tower? Controllers enjoy explaining what they do. Don't be afraid to ask them any question you have. Knowing and meeting controllers will enable you to put a face with who you're talking to. It takes time to become comfortable and as always experience doing it enough to become comfortable is a way to do it. There's plenty of written material about it as well as videos etc. Good luck!
 
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On tower freq of course but again tell the tower who you are, (call sign) where you are (holding short of rwy X) and what you want. (ready for take off)

"Orlando tower, Cherokee N66BB holding short at Alpha ready for take off."
 
After run up, as I pull out from the run up area and taxi towards the runway, I change over to tower frequency and monitor it. Once I am number 1 for departure, and the previous aircraft already took off safely, I will call tower, "Orlando tower, Cherokee N66BB, holding short runway 14 (at intersection ____) ready for takeoff"

Some airports have two taxiways that will lead to the runway on two different sides. If your airport has that, you want to identify which taxiway intersection you are holding short of.

I normally make it a habit regardless to announce my intersection

And yes, if you can get a tour of the tower facility, that would be ideal. Great experience to go up there
 
Just try and say "departure" instead of "take off" when announcing your desire to 'depart' it's more professional and sharpening skills is never a bad thing.
 
First couple times I went up with my instructor, he'd have me write down what I was going to say before calling ground. I would practice saying it first, then key the mic. Even now, especially if I'm at an unfamiliar airport, I'll still sometimes verbalize what I'm going to say to myself first before I make the call. Once you're airborne, that's a different story. When ATC talks to you, you shouldn't delay your response. In those cases, you just gotta start going for it. Your CFI can make a corrected call if you botch it up too bad. Listen to LiveATC.net on your headset at work, or through your bluetooth while driving, or at night... pretend they are talking to you and practice making your calls back.
 
NJP_MAN said:
Just try and say "departure" instead of "take off" when announcing your desire to 'depart' it's more professional and sharpening skills is never a bad thing.
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I disagree. Either is fine of course, but when I'm ready, I'm ready for takeoff. I prefer and teach "cleared for takeoff". That's what the tower is saying also.
 
LiveATC.net is a great resource. Pick an airport and listen to their tower or tracon frequency. Being able to listen on interactions between controller and pilot will help you know how to better respond.
 
Here's the procedure for going to the tower:
1. Call the tower, ask them if you can come visit.
2. Proceed with their instructions.

Here is my last visit to the KPAE tower;
Things you can see for free:
Call the tower at KPAE and you can see the latest 737 MAX com in for a landing
A 787-9 come in for a landing
Two Cessna airplanes fighting for position, and one being called off
Air Traffic Controllers being professionals on the microphones, then saying what they really think (and it's hilarious, because they're right) when they're off mic
A propeller airplane on the Boeing Flightline (the only one allowed on there - it ferries pilots)
A tail wheel airplane doing squiggly landings
Being questioned how I like working at The local airplane factory, and telling them that I feel like a little kid when I see the airplanes in the factory. That sense of awe is still cool.
Oh yeah, you can see Seattle from here, too.

(Yes, this post was sent from the ground afterward.)
:)
 
jordane93 said:
The word takeoff should only be used in conjunction with a takeoff clearance. I omit "ready for departure." "XXX Tower, Cessna 12345 holding short runway 1."
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Sorry, disagree with that too. If you're ready for takeoff, nothing wrong with saying that. IMO. I could see where a controller (probably Timbeck;)) would respond " XXX say intentions".
 
mscard88 said:
Sorry, disagree with that too. If you're ready for takeoff, nothing wrong with saying that. IMO. I could see where a controller (probably Timbeck;)) would respond " XXX say intentions".
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The improper use of the word "takeoff" was one of the reasons that caused the Tenerife disaster and prompted change
 
josephades said:
The way I practiced was by pulling up JFK on liveatc.net and repeating everything that the controller was telling the airplanes
Click to expand...

Unless you're doing for entertainment, or you actually fly out of JFK, I wouldn't recommend learning tower communications by listening to a large commercial service airport. It's better for a newbie to listen to the airport he/she flies out of (or is planning on visiting). When listening, follow along with a airport diagram.
 
Liveatc is a good one

Also just relax, don't worry about it, end of the day you're just talking on a radio in English, all else fails and you don't format your request properly, they ain't going to start shooting at you, you're just talking to another human in English.

Who are you talking to
Who are you
Where are you (remeber airplane, so add the extra dimension, 5NW of Podunk, climbing through 3k)
What do you want.



90% of radio issues are just people who are scared of talking on the radio and they say too little, all else fails just ask, no biggie.
 
  • liveatc
  • practice with your instructor
  • understand the W's mentioned above. I like to think of it as an introduction, say you're introducing yourself to a perdy girl at a party........"Hi Candy, (I'll use her stripper name) I'm eman1200, I'm right here and I'd like to motorboat and I have $10". So there you have it, Who I'm talking to, Who I am, Where I am, What I want and What I have.
  • it definitely takes time but you'll get it in time after enough repetitions. it's intimidating at first. if you're 'really' uncomfortable, tell your cfi that you'd like to try communications with tower but can you please back me up in case I goober it up?
 
Visit www.asa2fly.com and so a search for "Say Agaim, Please..."

The author, Bob Gardner is an active member here.
 
jordane93 said:
The improper use of the word "takeoff" was one of the reasons that caused the Tenerife disaster and prompted change
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No it wasn't. It was the total ignorance, arrogance, and cockiness of the Captain of the Lufthansa 747. Plus the FO wasn't aggressive enough either. Remember that Jordane as you start your airline career. Don't be afraid to speak up. I always briefed the FOs I flew with not let me do something stupid. You're stretching Jordane. Nothing wrong with your way, but I prefer and teach "ready for takeoff" as that's what you're about to do right?
 
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Think my last towered takeoff was a

"Airplane123 ready to go 18 at Bravo".

Don't get all hung up on silly things like this, if they know what you mean and you know what they mean, alls good, if not ask, it's a team effort.
 
Use the 5 W,s. Just remember you are just talking to another person. Some people try to make too much of communications, sounding too professional, trying to use fancy words, etc. short simple works everywhere you go. listen to live atc for different places.
 
I'll say it for Bob........."don't worry about it, there's no proper way to say it"
 
ATC using the word takeoff in the Tenerife accident was the problem, not the pilots use of the word. Even then, it was mostly a language barrier and radio interfrence that caused the accident and not proper phraseology. Having said that, I still use "ready for departure" when holding short.
 
One thing that helped me in my early training was that another club member had written out kneeboard sized fill in the blank scripts for all the common VFR comms at our airport. It covered ATIS, initial call to ground, second call to ground (In those days you checked in with ground when ready to depart and they told you to switch to tower. Now you check in with tower when ready.), initial call to tower for departure and initial call to tower on return.

Since most of this is scripted, it is a major help. This is something you could do with the help of your instructor and it would stick in your brain better.

Also, I heartily recommend Bob Gardener's book "Say Again Please".

John
 
Just become an air traffic controller. One less thing to worry about in your training.:D
 
midcap said:
I Am curious if there Are ways I could practice so I am sharp for next lesson.
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From the AIM 4-2-1(b): "Since concise phraseology may not always be adequate, use whatever words are necessary to get your message across." IOW, there is no magic list of words or phrases that MUST be used. Controllers have a "book" that they are required to use...they are subject to frequent tape talks with quality assurance people to be sure that they, the controllers, are using correct phraseology. Pilots have no similar guidance. Say whatever you want to say. As suggested by others, you can listen in to ATC communications or you can buy my book, but in the long run you will just pick up proper (I hate that word) phraseology just by listening to others. A caution: Just because you hear someone say something on the radio does not mean that they are right. That's the way bad habits are passed along.

Bob Gardner
 
midcap said:
That's what I was looking for.
Thanks.

Then after run up, you ask for permission to take off?
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You NEVER "ask for permission" to do anything. You tell the controller that you are ready for takeoff, period.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
You NEVER "ask for permission" to do anything. You tell the controller that you are ready for takeoff, period.
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I used to be guilty of "requesting" things from the ground. Gotten better about that. Now I just say something like: Hanscom Tower, Warrior123AlphaBravo, at 29er, for north departure. Short and sweet.

That said, I disagree that you should never ask permission. There are things that I don't NEED to do, but want to do. For example, early frequency changes or requesting an early crosswind turn.
 
There's really no need to say either departure or take off when you call the tower ready go. They know you are. They know if you need to do something else, like taxi back to the ramp or something you will tell them.
 
As others have mentioned, practicing with your flight instructor or ground instructor would help. And the 5 Ws are very useful, use them wisely.
Where you at, Midcap? Your profile does not say.
 
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