Ready Aviator

How to say RT numbers on the radio

On the radio most numbers are said one digit at a time, 9 is niner, and a frequency has decimal in it. Whole hundred flight levels and a METAR's visibility and cloud follow their own rule.

Radio Telephony, RestrictedAeronautical

Numbers on the radio

Kinds of value6
Questions a round10
Free
One digit at a timeQNH, headings, frequencies, wind.
Niner and decimalNever nine, never point.
Whole hundredsFlight level two hundred.
A METAR, in orderWind first, QNH last.
The rules

Each kind of value, with its slips

QNH

Say each digit on its own. Say niner for 9.

Written

QNH 1009

Say

QNH one zero zero niner

Written

QNH 996

Say

QNH niner niner six

Written

QNH 1000

Say

QNH one thousand

  • Not “QNH one thousand nine”. An altimeter setting is said one digit at a time (MATS 12.5.1).
  • Not “QNH one zero zero nine”. Say niner for the digit 9.
  • QNH 1000 is the one exception: say QNH one thousand.

AAI MATS Part 1, 12.5.1 and Table 12-3

Heading

Always three digits, each said on its own, with the leading zero.

Written

Heading 080

Say

heading zero eight zero

Written

Heading 270

Say

heading two seven zero

  • Not “heading eighty”. A heading is said one digit at a time (MATS 12.5.1).
  • Not “heading eight zero”. A heading always has three digits, so say the leading zero.
  • A heading is where the nose points. Track is the path over the ground.

AAI MATS Part 1, 12.5.1 and Table 12-3

Frequency

Each digit on its own, with decimal between the two parts.

Written

Frequency 118.1

Say

one one eight decimal one

Written

Frequency 121.9

Say

one two one decimal niner

  • Not “one one eight point one”. Say decimal between the two parts of a frequency.
  • Not “one hundred eighteen decimal one”. A frequency is said one digit at a time (MATS 12.5.1).
  • Say decimal, not point.

AAI MATS Part 1, 12.5.1

Flight level

A whole hundred is said with hundred. Every other level is three digits, each on its own.

Written

FL200

Say

flight level two hundred

Written

FL180

Say

flight level one eight zero

Written

FL330

Say

flight level three three zero

  • Not “flight level two zero zero”. MATS Table 12-3 gives FL200 as two hundred.
  • Not “flight level one hundred eighty”. Only whole hundreds use hundred. Other levels are said one digit at a time (MATS 12.5.1).
  • FL180 is not a whole hundred, so it is flight level one eight zero.

AAI MATS Part 1, 12.5.1 and Table 12-3

Wind

Direction first, then speed, each digit on its own. A gust comes last.

Written

Wind 270/15 kt

Say

wind two seven zero degrees one five knots

Written

Wind 160/18G30 kt

Say

wind one six zero degrees one eight knots gusting three zero knots

  • Not “wind two hundred seventy degrees fifteen knots”. Wind is said one digit at a time (MATS 12.5.1).
  • Not “wind one five degrees two seven zero knots”. Direction comes first, then speed.
  • Degrees may be left out: wind two seven zero, one five knots.

AAI MATS Part 1, 12.5.1 and Table 12-3

A METAR line

Pass it as weather, in this order: wind, visibility, weather, cloud, temperature and dew point, QNH. Visibility and cloud height in whole hundreds or thousands use hundred and thousand.

Written

VIDP 120830Z 27008KT 3000 HZ SCT025 32/19 Q1006

Say

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

  • Not “wind two seven zero degrees eight knots visibility three thousand metres haze cloud scattered zero two five feet temperature three two dew point one niner QNH one zero zero six”. A METAR gives the cloud base in hundreds of feet: 025 is two thousand five hundred feet.
  • Not “wind two seven zero degrees eight knots visibility three thousand metres haze cloud scattered two thousand five hundred feet temperature one niner dew point three two QNH one zero zero six”. The first figure is the temperature, the second is the dew point.
  • The station and the time at the start of the line are not read out.

AAI MATS Part 1, 12.16.1.8 and 12.5.2

Warm up

Ten values a round

Pick how each one is said, and see why the others are wrong. Free with an account.

WrittenFL200

You sayflight level two hundred

Start the warm-up
Keep reading
Every phase of the phraseology libraryWorked RT calls, turn by turnRTR Part 2: the practical