Phrase 1 of 15Pre-departure and ground
Copying the ATIS
Before your first call to Delivery, Ground or Approach, listen to the aerodrome's ATIS and write it down. It gives the runway, the weather and the QNH, so ATC does not have to read them to every aircraft. On your first call, say the letter of the broadcast you copied.
station, callsign, position, request, information letter
aerodrome information letter, time time, expect approach, runway in use number, runway surface, transition level level, other information, wind direction degrees speed knots, visibility distance, weather, cloud amount height, temperature number, dew point number, QNH number, trend, instructions
- ATC
Delhi information Kilo, time zero three three zero. Expect ILS approach. Runway in use two eight. Wind two seven zero degrees eight knots, visibility three thousand metres, haze, cloud scattered two thousand five hundred feet, temperature three two, dew point one niner, QNH one zero zero six. No significant change. Acknowledge information Kilo on first contact.
- You
Delhi Delivery, IndiGo 5231, stand two four, request ATC clearance, information Kilo
- ATC
IndiGo 5231, Delhi Delivery, information Kilo is current, QNH one zero zero six
- You
QNH one zero zero six, IndiGo 5231
- ✓An ATIS gives its items in a fixed order (MATS 9.1.5.7.2.2): the aerodrome, the information letter, the time, the approach to expect, the runway in use, the runway surface, the transition level, other information, wind, visibility and RVR, present weather, cloud, temperature, dew point, QNH, any wind shear or other warning, the trend and any instructions. Copy it in that order.
- ✓This example leaves out the runway surface and the transition level to stay short. A real broadcast gives them, so leave room for them when you copy.
- ✓Say the letter on your first call (MATS 9.1.5.7.2.1 vii). ATC still gives you the QNH in its reply, and you read it back (MATS 9.1.5.7.2.1 viii, 12.9.4). If the letter you quote is no longer current, ATC tells you to listen to the current ATIS (MATS 9.1.5.7.2.1 xii).
- ✓Numbers follow MATS 12.5: visibility and cloud height in whole hundreds or thousands use HUNDRED and THOUSAND (three thousand metres, two thousand five hundred feet); everything else is digit by digit, and 9 is niner.
- ✓CAVOK (said CAV-O-KAY) takes the place of visibility, weather and cloud when all three are good enough (MATS 9.1.5.7.2.2).
Now say it out loud, with the examiner playing ATC.
Practise in the simulator