blog details

The Dictionary Of Air Traffic Controllers

A clear line of communication between flight crew members is needed to have a successful and safe flight. The pilot, with the help from an air traffic controller, is guided from point A to point B using a specific language understood by both parties.

The English language is the spoken language used by ATCs and pilots use when communicating. Pilots and ATCs have a specific set of words they use to understand each other properly. The letters and numbers used are pronounced using the International Aviation Phonetic Alphabet. This alphabet contains one single letter in exchange for one word, the first letter represents the whole word. The words are substitutes for the letters, if an air traffic controller just said letters, it creates confusion as there are other letters that sound similar.

ATCs should be mindful of the pronunciation, though, since it can be easily misunderstood. This can lead to aircraft accidents that could threaten the entire flight. Here are sample words and their corresponding letters used during radio communication between pilots and ATCs:

A = Alpha                         G = Golf                   M = Mike                         S = Sierra                          Y = Yankee
B = Bravo                         H = Hotel                 N = November             T = Tango                          Z = Zulu
C = Charlie                       I = India                   O = Oscar                      U = Uniform
D = Delta                          J = Juliett                 P = Papa                        V = Victor
E = Echo                            K = Kilo                    Q = Quebec                  W = Whiskey
F = Foxtrot                       L = Lima                   R = Romeo                     X = X-ray

 

So the next time you hear these words in a movie or mid-flight, you can listen in and have an idea of what they are saying.

Knowing tidbits of trivia like this is cool and all, but to really get into the unique language used by pilots and other aviation professions, you should start by learning the basics at school. Schools like WCC Aviation is a great place to start. Visit wccaviation.com and start on your journey now.