It’s iconic, fun, and at first, intimidating. Talking on the radio as a pilot can be kind of a language in itself. A gathering in the sky that is social yet structured, cordial yet formal. If you’re just starting out your pilot training, talking on the radio can be overwhelming at first because it’s yet another thing to try to learn. The radio can be a distraction or it can save your life. It’s not more important than flying the airplane, but for some pilots it can be the thing they most dread.
But in fact, talking on the radio as a pilot can end up being one of the easier, more predictable parts of any flight once you know what to expect and have a little experience. While it’s certainly intimidating to talk on the radio at first, with some practice and helpful pointers it does not have to be anything scary. It won’t bite.
If you find yourself shy on the microphone or downright scared of an airport in Class D, much less Class B, airspace, then the following tips are for you. I have found that even after approaching a thousand hours of flight time, there are still things I have to remind myself of to stay sharp on the radio. Here are 13 tips to help your radio proficiency, safety, and confidence.
Read the AIM
The Aeronautical Information Manual actually has a pretty good guide on this topic. It’s in Section 2, Chapter 4, titled “Radio Communications Phraseology and Techniques.” It’s a good blend of actionable advice as well as common phrases heard on the radio. I think it’s worth the 15 minute read but if you are more of a skimmer, here are my favorite two pieces of advice it gives:
Announce You Are a Student Pilot
This is somewhat debated in the forums but I think it’s interesting that the AIM actually recommends that you announce yourself as a student pilot. You just add it to the end of your transmission. For example: “Addison Tower, Skylane 916 Delta Foxtrot ready for takeoff, runway 15, VFR to the east. Student pilot.”
I did this during my student days and it seemed to always help. ATC will usually be more patient with you and actually talk to you a little slower to make sure that you understand everything. Other pilots will probably give you more room as well and respect the fact that you are newer. What do you have to lose?
I highly recommend announcing yourself as a student pilot until you feel that you are proficient. It’s like having training wheels and no one will disrespect you for it. In fact they’ll probably be even more willing to help you during the flight.
Listen Before You Transmit
This is a really helpful tip that I don’t see many people talking about. When you switch frequencies there is a tendency to just immediately start talking. Some of the air traffic controllers that I have met over the years have always said this is one of the biggest things pilots can do to help ATC flow and be better on the radio: listen before you transmit.
When you first join a radio frequency, while it might sound quiet for a few seconds, you don’t have the full context of what might have happened right before you tuned in. ATC could be in the middle of trying to reach an unresponsive airplane, or another airplane could have just checked in with ATC and ATC is about to respond. Make sure that before you contact someone on the radio for the first time that you give it a moment to make sure you have an appropriate opportunity to begin talking. I usually wait a solid 10-20 seconds before talking just to make sure.
Listen to a Live ATC App
There are many apps (and websites) nowadays that broadcast live ATC frequencies at major airports. My home airport in Addison, Texas (KADS) is available on the “LiveATC” app and sometimes when I am in the car I will tune into the tower just to see what’s going on. But where this app is particularly helpful is if you need some mental reps of talking to a tower and getting used to the cadence of talking on the radio.
Here’s a helpful exercise you can try: Pick a towered airport (Addison is a great example because it’s so busy), pull it up on a VFR chart, and study the airspace. Then tune into the live radio feed and listen to what is happening. When an airplane calls in, try to put yourself in their shoes and make the appropriate responses to the tower. Or envision where they are – are they on downwind waiting to be cleared to land? Are they holding short of the runway waiting to takeoff? Pick an airplane that will be “you” for the next 5 minutes and respond to ATC out loud to start practicing.
I also find this app particularly helpful when I am headed to the airport to go fly. I like to listen to the traffic pattern and get a sense of the weather and general busyness of the airspace prior to arriving. It can help get you in the right mindset so that you have already “warmed up” by the time you get in the airplane.
Lastly – if you hear something on the radio that you don’t understand or don’t recognize, jot it down and later look it up in the pilot controller glossary published by the FAA. It can help clear up any confusion from the comfort of your living room.
Record Yourself
While it might make you cringe to hear yourself talk (let alone make a mistake), listening to audio playbacks of flights can be incredibly helpful. Just like athletes watch game film to improve their skills, listening to yourself talk on the radio can help you improve very rapidly. A word of caution: don’t set up any kind of gear that is going to be a distraction to you in flight. I will record full or partial flights on either my GoPro or straight through my cell phone.
In order to record yourself you’ll need an adapter for the audio recording and a suction cup to hold the camera (this is optional but it will make for a much better video than just your phone sitting on the seat). Here’s what I personally use and recommend:
Recording Cable:
For my GoPro 5 I use this cable (link to read reviews on Amazon) by Nflightcam and LOVE it. For my Nikon camera and iPhone I use this cable (link to read reviews on Amazon) also by Nflightcam which has the old iPhone jack (3.5mm or 1/8 inch)… if you have a newer iPhone that has the lightning port on it you can simply throw on the 3.5mm to lightning adapter and be good to go. When purchasing the recording cable just make sure to get the right one based on your recording device.
If you don’t have a two prong aviation headset (such as helicopter or military) you can go to Nflightcam’s Amazon page where they have their full line of recording cables and you should be able to find what you need. I have had mine for three years and they have worked flawlessly.
If you have seen any videos on our YouTube Channel we use Nflightcam’s audio recording cables for the sound.
Mounting Device:
There are a few options when it comes to mounting your GoPro or camera but I think the quickest and easiest option is to buy a suction cup holder. For my GoPro I personally use the Nflightcam Mounting Kit (link to read reviews on Amazon) because it’s super easy to put on and off and it DOES NOT BUDGE. You can manipulate the angle in any direction as well.
If you are using your phone (which is a perfectly fine option, especially for the purposes of just needing to record your audio to work on your radio communication) then I recommend the Ram Mount Twist Lock (link to read reviews on Amazon) suction cup which will work just the same as the Nflightcam kit I mentioned above.
Again, I wouldn’t spend much time messing with this in flight. Just hit record at the beginning of the flight and stop the video later on. You can trim the video in iMovie, Blender, or other free applications if you need to cut it down later.
Later listen to yourself talking on the radio. Are there things you missed? What kinds of mistakes did you make? Write them down and you’ll know what to focus on for the next flight.
Write It Down
When I first started flying in Class B airspace next to the big jets, I was very intimidated by both the pace of the radio transmissions and also the possibility of getting curveballs thrown at you. Instead of just heading straight for an airport like you would in rural airspace, in congested areas such as Class B you are likely going to get vectors (heading assignments) and other instructions to stay clear of other airplanes and certain airspaces.
So instead of trying to be hurried and forgetting what ATC just told me to do, or even worse, repeating it back correctly but then not remembering what they just told me, I started writing down any instruction I was given.
If you write down what ATC just told you, you can’t forget it and you will always get it right. It will slow down your pace but especially if you announce “student pilot” (as mentioned above) they will give you grace for taking a second to respond to them while you jot down some (quick) notes.
Over time you won’t need to write things down much anymore and will become more proficient and confident based on memory.
That being said, I ALWAYS write down the flight plan instructions assigned to me by ATC, whether VFR flight following or an IFR flight plan. A helpful acronym that can help in both situations is CRAFT (technically it will be “CRAFT” for IFR and “RAFT” for VFR). Here’s an example:
IFR: CRAFT
IFR clearances are daunting at first because they are long and very thorough. When you break it up into CRAFT though it is actually a very logical paragraph they are giving you. The following clearance is a lot to write down but gets a LOT easier with CRAFT.
C = Cleared to
R = Route
A = Altitude
F = Frequency
T = Transponder
Clearance: “Cessna 916DF, cleared to the T82 airport. On departure fly runway heading. Expect radar vectors to the Joe Pool 9 departure, ARDIA transition, then direct. Climb and maintain 2,000, expect 6,000 one zero minutes after departure. Departure frequency 124.3. Squawk 5312.”
You won’t be able to write that down fast enough word for word. But break it up into CRAFT and it’s a lot faster and easier. Here’s what I would write:
C (cleared to) = T82
R (route) = RH (runway heading) RV (Radar Vectors) JPOOL9.ARDIA, D (direct)
A (altitude) = 2, 6, 10
F (frequency) = 124.3
T (transponder) = 5312
As you can see, a 41 word clearance gets trimmed down into 10 things to actually write. It makes the IFR clearance not difficult.
Pro tip: Now that you can file IFR flight plans on your iPad or smart phone, by the time you actually talk to ATC you will likely receive an “expected route” email that will either confirm that you have the route you filed, or it will tell you the amended route. So by the time you call ATC you can pretty much have your entire CRAFT form filled out and then you just have to verify that ATC is telling you what you already wrote. About 98% of the time it’s exactly what the “expected route” email said it was going to be. It makes the IFR clearance call much simpler and you aren’t having to scramble to write down a lot of information.
VFR: RAFT
The same clearance above but given as VFR flight following could still use the “RAFT” of “CRAFT” and it will help you anticipate what ATC is going to instruct you to do. Here are the instructions from ATC:
“Skylane 916DF on departure fly runway heading. Maintain VFR at or below 2,000. Departure frequency 124.3. Squawk 5312.”
Without writing down RAFT you might be thrown off by that clearance feeling like it is a lot of information. But if you are anticipating those exact instructions it gets super simple. Here’s what you would write:
R = RH
A = <= 2,000 (that’s how I write equal to or less than, at or below)
F = 124.3
T = 5312
And just like that you’ve taken a situation that might be confusing or fast paced and turned it into something you are anticipating and able to write quickly and also reference later for accuracy in your flight path. Don’t be scared to write things down.
Remember You Can ALWAYS Say No
Sometimes I tend to revert back to the assumption that I HAVE to do whatever ATC tells me. I don’t want to cause problems or inconveniences, and I certainly don’t want to get in trouble for a deviation. That being said, ATC exists solely for YOU as the pilot, and as pilot in command YOU are in charge of the safety of the flight.
A routine example of this is if ATC clears you for takeoff and says “no delay, Learjet on 2 mile final”. You don’t have to accept this takeoff clearance. It is ultimately up to you and you can simply say “unable.”
In a more dramatic example, Captain Sully from the “Miracle on the Hudson” muttered the famous “unable” response when ATC was trying to give him vectors to an airport he knew he couldn’t reach. He was pilot in command and in charge of the safety of the flight, regardless of what ATC was saying.
Be sure to think for a split second about what ATC is telling you to do before you do it. If it’s compromising the safety of the flight, say so.
Aviate Before You Communicate
I had this phrase drilled into my memory as a student pilot. My instructor and now lifetime friend would always tell me that my first responsibility is to fly the airplane. If the engine quits, fly the airplane. If you are overwhelmed on the radio, fly the airplane. Your first responsibility is to always fly the airplane.
A practical application of this is if you are approaching an uncontrolled airport and you realize you are on downwind as another airplane is entering the 45 downwind and there is a chance of your paths intersecting. Instead of immediately going to talk on the radio and try to agree with the other airplane about the appropriate course of action, fly the airplane first and get into a safe situation. Then talk on the radio. Make the radio your second priority to flying the airplane.
Expect Certain Calls
I have found that the biggest key to becoming proficient on the radio is simply having a pretty good idea of what ATC is going to tell me next. Particularly in IFR when the radio is a more significant portion of the flight itself, expecting what might be next helps me to not be surprised when ATC contacts me.
This list is far from comprehensive, but thinking through each phase of flight here are some of the common things that you know ATC is going to ask you for, without fail, so go ahead and be expecting these types of calls. Based on your own experience, start to think through some of the common ATC calls that you would get during each phase of flight and learn to expect those.
- Before taxi – ATC will ask you to verify the ATIS
- Before taxi – Use CRAFT or RAFT to write down flight plan (as applicable)
- Taxi – Expect hold short or other anomalies (they are trying to keep you safe and spaced)
- Before takeoff – Expect hold short, line up and wait, normal or expedited departure (they are trying to get you in the air but keep you safely spaced)
- Enroute – Expect (from a radio communications standpoint) traffic separation alerts
- Enroute – Expect frequency changes (make sure to wait before you transmit the first time, as discussed above)
- Enroute – (IFR) Verification that you have the weather and NOTAMS at your destination airport
- Enroute – (IFR) Verification of which approach you’ll want and how it will terminate
- Enroute – Expect to confirm you have the destination airport in sight
- Approach – (IFR) ATC will ultimately clear you for the approach, so be expecting that. They will also give you instructions as part of the approach clearance, so learn to expect that and not get overwhelmed by it. “N916DF you’re three miles from JERIT [the final approach fix], maintain 2,000 until established on the localizer, cleared ILS 15 approach.” When you think about it logically the only thing to have to remember is the altitude and heading, both of which you are probably already on. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you are expecting it.
- Approach – ATC might want to control your pattern. Expect them to either give you a general landing clearance, extended approach (where they might tell you when to turn base), or short approach (they’ll usually ask if you can make a short approach first).
- Landing – Expect a landing clearance. If they haven’t given it to you yet, you can clarify with the tower that you have it or they might be waiting to see if the airplane in front of you can safely get off the runway before clearing you to land. Don’t be caught off guard by a go-around instruction, even if they have already cleared you to land.
- After landing – Ground control is going to route you around. Expect them to ask where you are parked. Write it down on your kneepad so you aren’t scrambling to find what the FBO is called.
I feel very confident flying in Class B airspace and actually enjoy the pace, but my first few IFR training flights were slightly overwhelming. There was so much new information being thrown at me, but once I learned to expect certain types of calls in certain phases of flight, it made things SIGNIFICANTLY easier from a radio perspective because it wasn’t a mystery to me anymore.
This is where listening to the radio at your favorite airport can come in handy. You’ll learn what to expect what calls are routine, and what kinds of curveballs they can give you.
Slow Down
You don’t have to talk fast to sound professional. In fact, talking as fast as you can is going to make it HARDER on everyone else. I used to talk fast when I was a younger pilot because I thought it made me sound more experienced and confident, but I have noticed that as I have gotten more experience I’ve dialed back my pace to be more understandable (but still efficient).
One of my favorite things I’ve ever heard on the radio was from an American Airlines pilot, and it taught me a lot about how I want to slow down on the radio and be honest if and when I don’t understand something. ATC had to repeat something a time or two to this American Airlines flight and finally the pilot just slowed down and said “I’m confused. I want to be un-confused.”
That wasn’t a knock on his intellect or ability. In fact, I think it was a wise thing to say. I appreciated his respectful candor and it reinforced the idea that I need to think about what ATC is telling me to do before repeating it or accepting it. That rolls into the next point…
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help or to Repeat
Just like in the example with the American Airlines pilot above, it’s better to clarify than to do something incorrectly and get in trouble for it.
I was cleared into Class B airspace one time at 2,500 feet but thought they said 3,500. Once climbing through about 3,200 they asked what I was doing and I said climbing to 3,500 and they got mad and told me to stay at 3,500. Luckily I was already cleared into the Class B airspace so I technically wasn’t busting into controlled airspace, but either way I could have caused a problem with traffic separation since ATC was assuming I’d be at 2,500 feet.
In this instance it was an honest mistake that I climbed to the wrong altitude. But I could have easily been in that situation thinking they said 3,500 but not being sure, but being afraid to ask again. Never be afraid to ask for help or ask for ATC to repeat something, even if it was a few minutes ago that they gave you the instruction.
You Can Always Ask for a Vector
Most of the points above had to do with actual communication advice, but this tip comes from a navigational perspective. One of the underutilized features of ATC is their ability to give you a heading assignment for various purposes.
Can’t see the traffic they are warning you about? Ask for a vector that would prevent your paths from intersecting.
Not sure how far a storm system spans but you want to deviate your course to get around it? Ask for a vector that would give you the margin you want.
Can’t find the airport because it is west of your position and the sun is setting? Ask for a vector to the airport or a vector a 2 mile base leg, etc. This happens to me all of the time at my home airport (KADS). Coming back from the east in the summer haze at sunset is brutal. It might as well be IFR. When I was training without a GPS I would ask for vectors all of the time for this reason.
Remember That ATC Is There For YOU
We alluded to this earlier but it’s worth repeating: ATC is ultimately there to serve you and keep you safe. A lot of times we might see them as the intimidating ones or someone who can get us in trouble if we mess something up. But at the end of the day they exist because of you. If there were no pilots and no aircraft, ATC wouldn’t even exist. While it might not sound based on some controller’s attitudes that they are there to help you, they really are.
Furthermore, airspaces like TRSA’s are even optional to utilize but they are there to support pilots and make the skies safer (for more on this, see our article on everything you should know about TRSA airspace). So at the end of the day, we need to remember that ATC is there to help.
Don’t Take It Personally
Being an air traffic controller is one of the most stressful jobs out there. If a controller sounds feisty it might not be (and probably isn’t) because of you. If you do all of the above and stay humble, ask for help, and talk slow, they will have nothing to be mad about. Don’t take it personally if you are trying your best but a controller is getting frustrated. They might be overwhelmed with other traffic. At the end of the day, they are humans just like the rest of us.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, learning to talk effectively on the radio is one of the many journeys of being a pilot. No one starts out proficient. Not one. So if you are struggling on the radio, be patient with yourself and spend some time outside of the cockpit trying to hone your skills and gradually improve. The more experience you have the easier radio communications will be, because 98% of the time it’s routine things that ATC will give you (most of which you can already expect). The remaining 2% of “curve balls” you will get more comfortable with over time as you learn to stay calm and ask for help and clarification when it’s needed.
For more reading you can also check out a verbatim email I received from a real air traffic controller where he shared his advice for the pilot community: Air Traffic Control – Tips for Pilots from a Real Controller.
