Communications and Radio Telephony Flashcards

What is the correct phonetic alphabet word for the letter 'W'?

Answer: Whiskey

The ICAO phonetic alphabet assigns 'Whiskey' to the letter W, ensuring clear communication regardless of accent or radio quality.

Which readability value on the ICAO scale indicates 'readable but with difficulty'?

Answer: 3

The ICAO readability scale uses 1 (unreadable), 2 (readable now and then), 3 (readable but with difficulty), 4 (readable), and 5 (perfectly readable).

What is the standard VHF emergency frequency that all aircraft should monitor when possible?

Answer: 121.5 MHz

121.5 MHz is the international aeronautical emergency frequency, designated for distress and urgency communications worldwide.

When should a pilot read back an ATC clearance containing a runway-in-use instruction?

Answer: Always, without exception

FAA regulations and ICAO procedures require that runway assignment, taxi instructions holding short of a runway, and active runway crossings must always be read back to prevent incursions.

Which transponder code should a pilot squawk when experiencing a radio communications failure?

Answer: 7600

Squawk 7600 is the designated transponder code for radio communications failure (NORDO), alerting ATC that the pilot cannot communicate.

What information is typically NOT included in an ATIS broadcast?

Answer: Detailed traffic flow information

ATIS provides routine airport information such as active runway, altimeter setting, and current weather, but does not include detailed traffic flow or sequencing information.

A pilot declares a MAYDAY. What does this signal to ATC and other aircraft?

Answer: The aircraft is in a state of distress requiring immediate assistance

MAYDAY is the international distress signal indicating that the aircraft is in grave and imminent danger and requires immediate assistance from all who hear it.