VATSIM VFR Phraseology Guide

Pilot’s phraseology is indicated in BLUE

ATC’s phraseology is indicated in RED

Note: in the first communication with a particular station the name of that station is mentioned in bold at the beginning of the sentence.

 For this flight we are assuming we are flying during a VFR event on VATSIM with all frequencies at the airports we fly to being available, and for enroute flight information services we assume the entire Netherlands is covered by Amsterdam Information. On other days on VATSIM this is of course different and you have to assess yourself which frequencies that are available to use. There are some tips in the video for this. In any other case: if in doubt: ask!

RADIOCHECK (optional)

Rotterdam Delivery, PHAVP, radio check on frequency 122,180.

Rotterdam Delivery: PHAVP, Rotterdam Delivery, read you 5.

 

(Listen to EHRD ATIS)

THIS IS ROTTERDAM INFORMATION ALPHA MAIN LANDING RUNWAY 24 TRANSITION LEVEL 40 220 DEGREES 8 KNOTS VARIABLE BETWEEN 210 AND 280 DEGREES VISIBILITY 10 KILOMETERS FEW 2 THOUSAND 4 HUNDRED FEET TEMPERATURE 21 DEWPOINT 10 QNH 1021 HECTOPASCAL NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE END OF INFORMATION ALPHA.

 

STARTUP CLEARANCE

Rotterdam Delivery, PHAVP.

Rotterdam Delivery: PVP, Rotterdam Delivery, good morning.

(callsign has been abbreviated by this controller. As long as we are with this controller we may use the abbreviated callsign too)

PVP, is a Cessna 172 parked at the Lima apron, information A received, VFR Rotterdam to Eelde via the Hotel departure, request startup.

(Note: use the actual airport name, not just the city next to it)

PVP, startup approved for runway 24, information A correct, QNH 1021.

Startup approved, runway 24, QNH 1021, PVP.

(Delivery or Tower may ask about your departure intentions, e.g. which departure route you will use. You can also make that
clear immediately by entering it into your flight plan or by simply stating that at your startup request as we did here)

PVP, expect HOTEL departure 1000 feet, squawk 7000, for taxi contact Tower on 118.205.

HOTEL departure 1000 feet, squawk 7000 and contact 118.205, PVP.

 

TAXI CLEARANCE

(switching to Rotterdam Tower)

Rotterdam Tower, PHAVP at the Lima apron, request taxi.

Rotterdam Tower: PVP, Rotterdam Tower, good day, taxi holding point V6, runway 24.

Taxi holding point V6, runway 24, PVP.

(When arriving at the holding point, you can perform your run-up. This is a normal procedure for small GA aircraft to check
engine parameters and prepare for takeoff. The controller will take this into account! Sometimes at airports, separate run-up areas are available. In most cases though, you will put your aircraft into the wind at the holding point, and perform the run-up there. When finished, you can report ready for departure. Tip: leave some room on the taxiway so other aircraft, that are done with the run-up sooner than you, can pass and depart ahead of you).

DEPARTURE CLEARANCE

PVP, V6 runway 24, ready for departure.

PVP, HOTEL departure 1000 feet, wind 260 degrees, 5 knots, runway 24, cleared for takeoff.

Hotel departure 1000 feet, runway 24 cleared for takeoff, PVP.

(Now, in the case of this airport, we carefully follow a departure route. We have to report the reporting points in bold to ATC. Make
sure you also mention the altitude the first time you have levelled off.)

PVP, abeam TANGO at 1000 feet.

PVP, roger, report WHISKEY.

Wilco, PVP.

(‘abeam’ means ‘next to’, you can use this if you are simply not flying directly overhead the waypoint, which for combined
departure/arrival routes is often the case. You can also simply use ‘Over’ or ‘Overhead’, whichever seems appropriate)

PVP, abeam WHISKEY, leaving your CTR.

PVP, frequency change approved, bye bye!

Frequency change approved, PVP, bye bye!

You are free to fly at this point, remaining clear of restricted airspaces etc. as you have learned in the theory video. In
real life, you can often contact a dedicated ATC frequency which provides Flight Information Service. They can provide things like weather info, traffic info, airport info etc. when flying in uncontrolled airspace. Although you don’t have to, it’s wise to always contact and monitor such frequency, especially to get traffic information. On VATSIM, such frequency is often not online. A CTR/Radar controller may provide traffic information, such as Amsterdam Radar on 125.750, otherwise you can use UNICOM. If you are flying in the TMA of an airport, you can request flight information from the Approach controller. In the Netherlands, such TMAs are often class E airspace. Two-way communication is not required, but it’s highly advisible to actually maintain two-way communication for separation purposes and traffic information.

For realism purposes, and considering during VFR events such frequency often IS online, we will actually consider such
frequency to be online now and get in touch. In the Netherlands, there are multiple frequencies, either Amsterdam Information or DutchMil Info, depending on where you are flying. We will consider Amsterdam Info is covering the entire Netherlands now, so we will be staying on that frequency until reaching Eelde and temporarily leave the frequency when crossing the Schiphol CTR.

In real life, flying under the Schiphol TMA, you can simply tune the Amsterdam Information frequency and put in a “Frequency Monitoring Code” to let the flight info controller know you are simply monitoring their frequency and they can call you when necessary. However, you can also establish two-way communication like we are going to do in this video. 

CONTACTING INFO FREQUENCY

Amsterdam Information, PHAVP, just airborne Rotterdam.

Amsterdam Information: PVP, Amsterdam Information.

PVP, is a Cessna 172, VFR from Rotterdam to Eelde via Schiphol, 1 POB, request flight information service.

PVP, flight information service, regional QNH 1021.

QNH 1021, flight info, PVP.

 

TRAFFIC ADVISORY EXAMPLE

PVP, traffic at your 11 o’clock, 10 miles at 1000 feet, flying on opposite track.

Looking out for the traffic, PVP.

PVP, the traffic is at your 10 o’clock now, 7 miles, at 1000 feet.

Traffic in sight, PVP.

PVP, roger. 

 

(Listen to EHAM ATIS)

THIS IS SCHIPHOL INFORMATION INDIA MAIN LANDING RUNWAY 18C MAIN TAKEOFF RUNWAY 24 TRANSITION LEVEL 40 250 DEGREES 8 KNOTS VARIABLE BETWEEN 230 AND 280 DEGREES VISIBILITY 10 KILOMETERS FEW 2 THOUSAND 4 HUNDRED FEET TEMPERATURE 22 DEWPOINT 10 QNH 1021 HECTOPASCAL NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE END OF INFORMATION ALPHA.

LEAVING FREQUENCY FOR CTR CROSSING

PVP is approaching Schiphol, leaving you frequency for CTR crossing.

PVP, frequency change approved, see you!

 Frequency change approved, PVP.

 

CONTACT SCHIPHOL TOWER FOR CTR CROSSING

(Note, we are making a general call first, at busy Tower frequencies like Schiphol you don’t want to overload the frequency
with a large request all of a sudden. Wait for a response from Tower and then pass your crossing request swiftly and efficiently).

Schiphol Tower, PHAVP.

Schiphol Tower: PVP, Schiphol Tower.

PVP, is a Cessna 172, VFR from Rotterdam to Eelde, information I received, currently south of Zandvoort, 2 minutes, request to cross your CTR via Zandvoort, overhead the field to VICTOR at 1000 feet.

PVP, roger, enter the CTR via Zandvoort and Hoofddorp at 1000 feet, to remain clear of ILS area runway 18C, squawk 0060, QNH1021.

Roger, enter the CTR over Zandvoort and Hoofddorp at 1000 feet, remain clear of ILS area runway 18C, squawk 0060, QNH 1021, PVP.

–

PVP, over Zandvoort, entering your CTR.

PVP, roger, proceed direct to the main Tower now, do you want to fly some orbits?

Roger, direct to the main tower, and affirm, PVP.

PVP roger, orbits approved, report completed.

Orbits approved, wilco, PVP.

–

PVP orbits completed.

PVP, roger, proceed direct to VICTOR at 1000 feet.

Proceed direct to VICTOR at 1000 feet, PVP.

–

PVP, approaching VICTOR, leaving your CTR, thanks for the opportunity, bye bye!

PVP, roger, squawk 7000, frequency change approved, bye bye!

Squawk 7000, frequency change approved, PVP, bye! 

 

CONTACTING AMSTERDAM INFO AGAIN

Amsterdam Information, hello again, PHAVP, north-east of VICTOR.

Amsterdam Information: PVP, Amsterdam information, hello, flight information service, regional QNH 1021.

Flight info, QNH 1021, PVP.

(you don’t really have to repeat the whole thing again with VFR from… to… and aircraft type etc. You were just in touch with this controller so it should be fine)

 

LEAVING FREQUENCY TO SWITCH TO TEUGE RADIO

PVP approaching Teuge, leaving your frequency.

PVP, frequency change approved, see you!

Frequency change approved, PVP.

 

CONTACTING TEUGE RADIO (UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT)

Teuge Radio, PHAVP.

Teuge Radio: PVP, Teuge Radio.

PVP is a Cessna 172, 5 minutes east of SIERRA at 1000 feet, VFR Rotterdam to Eelde via your field, 1 POB, request aerodrome information.

PVP, runway in use 26, left hand circuits.

Runway 26, left hand circuits, PVP.

–

PVP overhead SIERRA.

PVP, roger.

PVP, joining left-hand downwind runway 26, for touch & go.

PVP, roger.

PVP, final runway 26, touch & go, thereafter leaving the circuit.

PVP, roger.

PVP, leaving the circuit and your frequency, see you next time, bye bye!

PVP, roger, till next time, bye bye!

 

CONTACTING AMSTERDAM INFO AGAIN

Amsterdam Information, hello again, PHAVP, just airborne Teuge.

Amsterdam Information: PVP, Amsterdam information, hello again, flight information service, regional QNH 1021.

QNH 1021, PVP.

(again, here we are skipping the whole sign-up procedure because we have just been in touch with this controller)

(Listen to EHGG ATIS)

THIS IS EELDE INFORMATION DELTA MAIN LANDING RUNWAY 23 TRANSITION LEVEL 40 250 DEGREES 8 KNOTS VARIABLE BETWEEN 210 AND 280 DEGREES VISIBILITY 10 KILOMETERS FEW 2 THOUSAND 4 HUNDRED FEET TEMPERATURE 20 DEWPOINT 8 QNH 1019 HECTOPASCAL NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE END OF INFORMATION DELTA.

LEAVING FREQUENCY TO CONTACT EELDE TOWER

PVP, approaching Eelde, leaving your frequency.

PVP, frequency change approved, bye bye!

 Frequency change approved, PVP, bye bye!

 

CONTACTING EELDE TOWER

Eelde Tower, PHAVP.

Eelde Tower: PVP, Eelde Tower.

PVP, is a Cessna 172, south of Assen at 1500 feet, information D received, VFR Rotterdam to Eelde, for landing.

PVP, information D correct, QNH 1019, cleared ROMEO arrival, report TANGO.

QNH 1019, cleared ROMEO arrival, wilco, PVP.

–

PVP overhead ROMEO at 1500 feet, entering your CTR.

PVP, roger, report TANGO.

Wilco, PVP.

–

PVP overhead TANGO.

PVP, roger, descend 1000 feet, join left-hand downwind runway 23, you are number 2.

Descend 1000 feet, join left-hand downwind runway 23, number 2, PVP.

–

PVP, joining left-hand downwind runway 23.

PVP, roger, number 1.

Number 1, PVP.

–

PVP, final runway 23.

PVP, confirm for the full stop?

Affirm, PVP.

PVP, wind 270 degrees, 11 knots, runway 23, cleared to land.

Runway 23 cleared to land, PVP.

–

PVP, taxi to the Lima apron via B.

Taxi to the Lima apron via B, PVP.

(note, again this airport does not have a separate ground controller in real life, therefore Tower simply gives taxi instructions!)

 

 SIGNOFF AND SHUTDOWN (optional)

PVP, is on the blocks, thanks for the ATC, bye bye!

PVP, roger, bye bye!