AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
Aviation Speech Fundamentals Interactive Audio Activity
General Directions:
Use your computer’s built in sound recorder to complete this interactive activity. Save your file at the
end of this activity and submit it in the appropriate location so that your instructor can verify that you
are speaking characters and phrases correctly.
Note: For this activity, you will be using your computer’s built in sound recording software (Sound
Recorder for Windows or QuickTime Player for Mac). It is recommended that you use the same file for
all parts of the activity, but you may need to record in separate files. When you have completed your
recording(s), it is recommended that you use the LU number and your last name (LU01_lastname) when
naming your saved file(s). If you need help, please see the tutorial on using the Windows Sound
Recorder included in this learning unit.
1. Speaking the ICAO Phonetic Alphabet
Listen to the ICAO Phonetic Alphabet sound file several times while following along using the
“ICAO Phonetic Alphabet Chart,” and practice saying each character correctly into your headset
microphone. Next, put the characters together to state the airport identifiers and aircraft ID
numbers/call signs in Figure 1 (located on page 3). When referencing airports in communications with
air traffic control, the “K” can be dropped if it is obvious that the airport is in the United States. The full
ICAO airport identifier with country code should be used in filing flight plans so that the computer
system recognizes the correct country. When using aircraft identification N-Numbers with the numbers
one and zero, the letters I and O are not to be used to avoid confusion. Also, the national code, or “N,”
for the United States is dropped when using the name of the aircraft model or company name. For
example, a Piper Cherokee with an ID of 7043J could be stated as Cherokee Seven Zero Four Three Juliet
dropping the “N.”
After you have become familiar with the correct pronunciation, record your speech of each
phonetic character into an audio file for this activity. You will use the built in sound recording
software to record your file. Please pause for a couple of seconds between each letter.
Page 1 of 7
AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
ICAO Phonetic Alphabet Chart
Character
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
Morse Code
•―
―•••
―•―•
―••
•
••―•
――•
••••
••
•―――
―•―
•―••
――
―•
―――
•――•
――•―
•―•
•••
―
••―
•••―
•――
―••―
―•――
――••
•――――
••―――
•••――
••••―
•••••
―••••
――•••
―――••
――――•
―――――
Telephony Phonic
Alfa
Bravo
Charlie
Delta
Echo
Foxtrot
Golf
Hotel
India
Juliett
Kilo
Lima
Mike
November
Oscar
Papa
Quebec
Romeo
Sierra
Tango
Uniform
Victor
Whiskey
Xray
Yankee
Zulu
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Zero
Page 2 of 7
(Pronunciation)
(AL-FAH)
(BRAH-VOH)
(CHAR-LEE) or (SHAR-LEE)
(DELL-TAH)
(ECK-OH)
(FOKS-TROT)
(GOLF)
(HOH-TEL)
(IN-DEE-AH)
(JEW-LEE-ETT)
(KEY-LOH)
(LEEMAH)
(MIKE)
(NOVEMBER)
(OSSCAH)
(PAHPAH)
(KEHBECK)
(ROWMEOH)
(SEEAIRRAH)
(TANGGO)
(YOUNEEFORM) or (OONEEFORM)
(VIKTAH)
(WISSKEY)
(ECKSRAY)
(YANGKEY)
(ZOOLOO)
(WUN)
(TOO)
(TREE)
(FOWER)
(FIVE)
(SIX)
(SEVEN)
(AIT)
(NINER)
(ZEERO)
AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
Putting Phonetic Characters Together (Figure 1)
Airport Identifiers
(Pronunciation)
KOTM
Y43
KSDA
8C2
KSUX
KMUT
KIIB
KEFW
KIDG
KDEH
KLRJ
KTNU
KOOA
KPEA
KRRQ
KVTI
Y01
KTZT
“KEY-LOH OSSCAH TANGGO MIKE”
“YANGKEY FOUR TREE”
“KEY-LOH SEEAIRRAH DELL-TAH AL-FAH”
“AIT CHAR-LEE TOO”
“KEY-LOH SEEAIRRAH YOUNEEFORM ECKSRAY”
“KEY-LOH MIKE YOUNEEFORM TANGGO”
“KEY-LOH IN-DEE-AH IN-DEE-AH BRAH-VOH”
“KEY-LOH ECK-OH FOKS-TROT WISSKEY”
“KEY-LOH IN-DEE-AH DELL-TAH GOLF”
“KEY-LOH DELL-TAH ECK-OH HOH-TEL”
“KEY-LOH LEEMAH ROWMEOH JEW-LEE-ETT”
“KEY-LOH TANGGO NOVEMBER YOUNEEFORM”
“KEY-LOH OSSCAH OSSCAH AL-FAH”
“KEY-LOH PAHPAH ECK-OH AL-FAH”
“KEY-LOH ROWMEOH ROWMEOH KEHBECK”
“KEY-LOH VIKTAH TANGGO IN-DEE-AH”
“YANGKEY ZEERO WUN”
“KEY-LOH TANGGO ZOOLOO TANGGO”
Aircraft ID Numbers/Call Signs
(Pronunciation)
N410WA
EAGLE 240
UNITED 351
N7043L
BARON 8976J
NAVAJO 59850
BONANZA 456CT
LIFE FLIGHT 216AA
CHEROKEE 4268G
“NOVEMBER FOWER WUN ZEERO WISSKEY AL-FAH”
“EAGLE TOO FOWER ZEERO”
“UNITED TREE FIVE WUN”
“NOVEMBER SEVEN ZEERO FOWER TREE LEEMAH”
“BARON AIT NINER SEVEN SIX JEW-LEE-ETT”
“NAVAJO FIVE NINER AIT FIVE ZEERO”
“BONANZA FOWER FIVE SIX CHAR-LEE TANGGO
“LIFE FLIGHT TOO WUN SIX AL-FAH AL-FAH”
“CHEROKEE FOWER TOO SIX AIT GOLF”
Page 3 of 7
AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
2. Stating Figures and Altitudes/Flight Levels
Listen to the Stating Figures and Altitudes/Flight Levels audio file while following along using the
audio script below to learn how figures and altitude/flight levels are to be stated in various
communications and practice stating figures correctly into your headset microphone.
“Stating Figures and Altitudes/Flight Levels” Audio Script
Figures indicating hundreds and thousands in round numbers, as for ceiling heights, and upper wind
levels up to 9,900 must be spoken like this:



700 is stated as “seven hundred”
2000 is stated as “two thousand”
3700 is stated as “three thousand seven hundred”
Above 9,900 numbers are spoken like this:


11,000 is stated as “one one thousand” rather than “eleven thousand”
17,600 is stated as “one seven thousand six hundred” rather than “seventeen thousand
six hundred.”
Flying above 18,000’ MSL in Class A airspace flight levels are used. Twenty-one thousand feet pressure
altitude is stated as “FLIGHT LEVEL TWO ONE ZERO.”
Transmit airway or jet route numbers as like any ordinary number. For example, V13, is simply “Victor
thirteen,” and Jet Route number 473 is “J Four Seventy-Three.”
All other numbers must be transmitted by pronouncing each digit. The number “20” is stated “Two Zero.”
When a radio frequency contains a decimal point, the decimal point is spoken as “POINT.”
The Unicom frequency of 122.95 is stated as “One Two Two Point Niner Five.” The International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) procedures require the decimal point to be spoken as “DECIMAL” and the
FAA will honor the usage by military or aircraft required to use ICAO procedures.
After you have become familiar with the correct way of stating figures and altitude/flight levels
record the examples in Figure 2, appending the audio file started for this activity. You will
continue to use the built in sound recording software to record your file. Please pause for a couple of
seconds between each transmission.
Page 4 of 7
AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
“Stating Figures and Altitudes/Flight Levels” Figure 2
Figures and Altitudes/Flight Levels
Altitude
3,500
7,000
9,500
12,500
13,900
19,000
21,500
39,000
(Pronunciation)
“THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED”
“SEVEN THOUSAND”
“NINER THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED”
“ONE TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED”
“ONE THREE THOUSAND NINER HUNDRED”
“FLIGHT LEVEL ONE NINER ZERO”
“FLIGHT LEVEL TWO ONE FIVE”
“FLIGHT LEVEL THREE NINER ZERO”
Airway Numbers
Airway
J485
V13
V112
(Pronunciation)
“J FOUR EIGHT FIVE”
“VICTOR THIRTEEN”
“VICTOR ONE TWELVE”
All Other Numbers
Number
29.79
77
216
(Pronunciation)
“TWO NINER POINT SEVEN NINER”
“SEVEN SEVEN”
“TWO ONE SIX”
Radio Frequency Numbers
Frequency
122.95
117.875
121.9
(Pronunciation)
“ONE TWO TWO POINT NINER FIVE”
“ONE ONE SEVEN POINT EIGHT SEVEN FIVE”
“ONE TWO ONE POINT NINER”
Page 5 of 7
AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
3. Stating Directions, Speeds, and Time
Listen to the Stating Directions, Speeds, and Time audio file while following along using the audio
script to learn how directions, speeds, and time are to be stated in various communications and
practice transmitting these items correctly into your headset microphone.
“Stating Directions, Speeds, and Time” Audio File Script
You need to state the three digits of a bearing, course, heading or wind direction as magnetic. The word
“true” needs to be added when it applies.
For example a magnetic course of “007” is stated as “ZERO ZERO SEVEN.” A true course of “095” is
stated as “ZERO NINER FIVE TRUE,” and a wind from 330 degrees magnetic is stated: “WIND THREE
THREE ZERO.” Heading directions start with the word “heading.” For a heading of 300 degrees, the
transmission should be “HEADING THREE ZERO ZERO.”
Speeds are stated as digits followed by the word “knots”; however controllers may omit the word “knots”
when using speed adjustment procedures; e.g., “REDUCE/INCREASE SPEED TO TWO FOUR FIVE.” The
speed of 180 knots is transmitted as “ONE EIGHT ZERO KNOTS.” For high speed flight using Mach
number, separate digits are used with the word “Mach” preceding the number, the word “point” before
the number for number less than one. For example, Mach number 0.92 is stated as “MACH POINT NINER
TWO” with the zero omitted.
The FAA uses Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) for all operations, and therefore the word “local,” or the
time zone equivalent, must be used to denote “local” given during radio and telephone communications.
The term “Zulu” may be used to denote UTC. The time is stated as the four digits of the 24 hour clock. For
example, 0030 UTC time is transmitted “ZERO ZERO THREE ZERO,” and 1:30 PM local Central Standard
Time is stated as “ZERO ONE THREE ZERO CENTRAL,” or “ONE THIRTY PM.”
Time can be stated in minutes using two digits in radiotelephone communications, but only if you can be
sure that it will be understood. For a pilot to get a time, the current time in use at a station is stated in
the nearest quarter minute. Since one quarter of a minute is 15 seconds, fractions of a quarter minute
less than 8 seconds are stated as the preceding quarter minute, and fractions of a quarter minute of 8
seconds or more are stated as the succeeding quarter. For example, the time of eight twenty nine and six
seconds (08:29:06) is stated “TIME ZERO EIGHT TWO NINER,” and eight twenty nine and ten seconds
(08:29:39) is stated “TIME ZERO EIGHT TWO NINER AND THREE QUARTERS.”
Please note that after this unit, the pronunciation spelling will not be provided in communication
examples; only the phonetic alphabet character names will be used. For example, using the letter “S,”
“SIERRA” spelled correctly in the English language will be used instead of the sound-it-out
pronunciation spelling of “SEEAIRRAH.”
After you have become familiar with the correct way of stating directions, speeds, and time,
record the examples in Figure 3, appending the audio file started for this activity. You will
continue to use the built in sound recording software to record your file. Please pause for a couple of
seconds between each transmission.
Page 6 of 7
AVI 190: VFR Communications
Learning Unit 1: Activity
“Stating Directions, Speeds, and Time” Figure 3
Directions
Direction Number and Type
(Pronunciation)
230 degrees magnetic
007 degrees magnetic
180 degrees true course
270 degrees wind direction
010 degrees wind direction
315 degrees heading
005 degrees heading
“TWO THREE ZERO”
“ZERO ZERO SEVEN”
“ONE EIGHT ZERO TRUE”
“WIND TWO SEVEN ZERO”
“WIND ZERO ONE ZERO”
“HEADING THREE ONE FIVE”
“HEADING ZERO ZERO FIVE”
Speed
Speed Type and Number
(Pronunciation)
160 Knots Indicated Airspeed
95 Knots True Airspeed
Mach 0.88
Mach 1.1
“ONE SIX ZERO KNOTS”
“NINER FIVE KNOTS”
“MACH POINT EIGHT EIGHT”
“MACH ONE POINT ONE”
Time
Time Type and Number
(Pronunciation)
1825 UTC
12:24 AM Local Time
1725 Central Standard Time
“ONE EIGHT TWO FIVE”
“TWELVE TWENTY FOUR AM LOCAL”
“ONE SEVEN TWO FIVE CENTRAL” or “ONE SEVEN TWO
FIVE LOCAL” or “FIVE TWENTY FIVE PM”
“ONE SIX THREE FIVE AND ONE QUARTER”
“ZERO ZERO ZERO ZERO”
“TWO THREE FIVE NINER AND THREE QUARTERS
16:35:07 Pilot Time Check
23:59:54 Pilot Time Check
23:59:44 Pilot Time Check
© Randall L. Brookhiser and Indian Hills Community College
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