French Phraseology
Everywhere where you find the signs (XX), please replace those by your own callsign
Everywhere, where you find the runway heading (QFU), please replace them by the QFU of the operating runway.
Following radio dialogues examples deal with most of situations in everyday life. However, they do not represent an exhaustive list. Furthermore, we have met the requirement of the local Civil Aviation Authority and included a paragraph dealing shortly with the distress and urgency messages.
1.1 Arrival of a powered airplane.
Airplane : Blois Paramètres, DR 400 G-GLDB en provenance de ... à 2000 pieds QNH 1012 à destination de vos installations, la verticale estimée dans 5 minutes. Circuit consignes
Phonetic : BLOA PARAMETR; DE DE ER KATR SSAN G-GLDB EN PROVENANSS DE ... A DEU MIL PIAI; KÜ EN ASH MIL DUZ; A DESTINASSION DEU VOS INSTALASSION; LA VERTIKAL ESSTIMAI DAN SSINK MINUT: SSIRKUI; KONSEEGN
Translation : Blois, This is DR 400 G-GLDB, coming from ... present altitude 2000 Feet, QNH 1012, your airfield estimated in 5 minutes, request landing instructions.
Tower: G-DB de Blois, la piste en service est la 31, le QNH 1019, le FE 1012, pas de trafic connu (*), rappelez vent arrière
Phonetic : F-DB DEU BLOA; LA PISST EN SERVIS AI LA TRANT E UN; LEU KU EN ASH MIL DIS NEUF; LEU F.E. MIL DUSE, PA DEU TRAFIC KONU; RAPEULE VENT ARRIER
Translation : F-DB this is Blois, we have runway 31, QHH 1019, QFE 1012, no reported traffic (*), report down wind leg.
(*) could also be :
Activité vol à voile AKTIVITEH VOL A VOAL Glider Activity
Un avion dans le circuit UN AVION DAN LEU SSIRKUI An aircraft in the traffic pattern
Or anything else ...
Airplane : G-DB vent arrière 31
Phonetic : G-DB VENT ARRIER TRENT E UN
Translation : G-DB Down wind 31
Tower: G-DB rappelez en étape de base
Phonetic : G-DB RAPELE EN ETAP DEU BASE
Translation : G-DB Report in base leg
Airplane : G-DB étape de base 31
Phonetic : G-DB ETAP DEU BASE TRANT E UN
Translation : G-DB Base leg 31
Tower: G-DB le vent du 320 pour 5 noeuds, rappelez finale
Phonetic : G-DB LEU VEN DU TROA SSAN VIN PUR SSINK NEU; RAPEULAI FINAL
Translation: G-DB The wind 320, 5 knots, report final
Airplane : G-DB finale 31
Phonetic : G-DB FINAL TRANT E UN
Translation : G-DB Final 31
Tower: G-DB le vent est calme, rappelez piste dégagée
Phonetic : G-DB LEU VEN AI KALM; RAPEULAI PISSTE DEGAGE
Translation : G-DB The wind is calm, report runway vacated.
Airplane: G-DB Piste dégagée, je quitte la fréquence
Phonetic : G-DB PISTE DEGAGE; JEU KIT LA FREKANSS
Translation : G-DB Runway vacated, I leave your frequency
1.2 Départure of a powered airplane
Airplane : Blois Paramètres de DR 400 G-GLDB pour un vol VFR à destination de ... , roulage consignes
Phonetic : BLOA PARAMAITR DEU DE AIR KATR SSAN G-GLDB PUR UN VOL VE AIF AIR A DESTINASSION DEU .... RULAGE CONSIGN.
Translation : Blois, This is DR 400 G-GLDB. VFR Flight to ... request departure information.
Tower : G-DB de Blois Bonjour, la piste en service la 31, le QNH 1022, FE 1019, le vent du 330 pour 10 noeuds, rappelez au point d’attente.
Phonetic : G-DB DEU BLOA BONJUR; LA PIST AN SERVICE LA TRANT E UN; LEU KU EN ASH MIL VINT DEU; LEU FOX ECHO MIL DIS NEUFF; LEU VENT DU TROA SSAN TRANT PUR DI NEU; RAPEULE POIN DATANT:
Translation : G-DB from Blois, good morning, runway 31 is active, QNH 1022, QFE 1019, the wind 330° for 10 knots, report holding point.
Airplane : G-DB au point d’attente 31, prêt au décollage.
Phonetic : G-DB O POIN DATANT TRENT E UN; PRAI O DEKOLAGE
Translation : G-DB on holding point 31, ready for take-off
Tower : G-DB le dernier vent du 305 pour 10 noeuds, rafales à 20 noeuds, rappelez en sortie de circuit
Phonetic : G-DB LEU DAIRNIAI VAN DU TROA SSAN SSINK PUR DI NEU; RAFAL A WIN NEU, RAPEULE EN SORTI DEU SSIRKUI
Translation : G-DB the latest wind 305° 10 Knots, gusts up to 20 Knots, report when leaving the traffic pattern.
Airplane : Blois de G-DB en sortie de circuit, je quitte la fréquence. Au revoir et merci.
Phonetic : BLOA DÖ G-DB EN SORTI DEU SSIRKUI JEU KIT LA FREKANSS, O REVOAR ET MERSSEE.
Translation : Blois, this is G-DB, I leave your traffic pattern and your frequency, thank You and Good-bye.
Here a very important detail : Powered aircraft pilots, please never forget to report loud and clear that you are leaving the local frequency and wait for confirmation from the tower before switching off. Otherwise you can be sure that after maximum five minutes, the lady in the tower will pull the whistle to the air traffic control authorities, with a search and rescue operation triggered as an immediate consequence. First on the waves and by phone, then using all possible means, incl. police vehicles, SAR aircraft and choppers. If instead of finding you crashed and smouldering somewhere in the landscape they trace you in the bar of the next airfield, you can be sure that this will be the most expensive drink you ever had, notwithstanding of the procedurial problems: Enough to jeopardize a holiday !
1.3 An airplane overflies the airfield
Can be useful for gliders in local flight around the airfield. Here also, listen and understand only.
Airplane : Blois paramètres de DR 400 G-GLDB en provenance de ... à destination de ... , nous allons transiter à la verticale de vos installations à 2000 pieds au QNH 1025 dans environ 3 minutes.
Phonetic : BLOA PARAMAITR DEU DE AIR KATR SSAN G-GLDB EN PROVEUNANSS DEU ... A DESTINASSION DEU ... NU SALON TRANSITE A LA VERTIKAL DEU VO SINSSTALASSION A DEU MIL PIAI O KU EN ASH MIL VIN SSINK DAN ENVIRON TROA MINUT
Translation : Blois, This is DR 400 G-GLDB,outbound ... inbound ... we will cross your vertical in approximately 3 minutes at 2000 feet, QNH 1025.
Tower : G-DB de Blois, bonjour. Le QNH 1025, le FE 1018, rappelez à la verticale des installations. Pour information, activité vol à voile.
Phonetic : G-DB DEU BLOA BONJUR. LE KU EN ASH MIL VIN SSINK, LEU FOX ECHO MIL DISS UIT, RAPEULE A LA VERTIKAL DE SINSSTALASSION. PUR INFORMASSION AKTIVITAI VOL A VOAL
Translation : G-DB this is Blois, good morning. QNH 1025, QFE 1018, report overhead the airfield. For your information, we have glider activity.
Airplane : Blois de G-DB à la verticale de vos installations
Phonetic : BLOA DEU G-DB A LA VERTIKAL DEU VO SINSSTALASSION
Translation : Blois this is G-DB reporting overhead your airfield
Tower : G-DB rappelez en sortie de zone
Phonetic : G-DB RAPEULE EN SORTI DEU ZON
Translation : G-DB report when leaving the area
Airplane : G-DB en sortie de zone, je quitte la fréquence, au revoir et merci.
Phonetic : G-DB AN SORTI DEU ZON, GEU KIT LA FREKANSS; O REVOAR E MERSSEE
Translation : G-DB we are leaving your area and your frequency. Thank You and Good-bye.
3. IFR Approach and distress and urgency calls.
3.1 The IFR approach.
Here a list of the messages :
Aircraft : G-DB en éloignement dans l'attente
Phonetic : G_DB EN ELOAGNEMAN DAN LATANT
Translation : G-DB Outbound in hold
Aircraft : G-DB en rapprochement dans l'attente
Phonetic : G-DB EN RAPROCHEMAN DAN LATANT
Translation : G-DB Inbound in hold
Aircraft : G-DB verticale Bravo Lima Bravo
Phonetic : G-DB VERTIKAL LA BALEES
Translation : G-DB, over BLB
Aircraft : G-DB en éloignement dans la procédure
Phonetic : G-DB EN ELOAGNEMAN DAN LA PROSSEDUR
Translation : G-DB Outbound on radial 125°
Aircraft : G-DB en virage de procédure
Phonetic : G-DB AN VIRAJ DE PROSSEDUR
Translation : G-DB Turning on final
Aircraft : G-DB en approche finale
Phonetic : G-DB AN APPROCH FEENAL
Translation : G-DB in final approach
Aircraft : G-DB en remise de gaz
Phonetic : G-DB EN REMIS DE GAS
Translation : G-DB Going Around
3.2 Emergency and urgency reports
You probably all know already how emergency and urgency reports are built-up. An emergency message always begins with the word "Mayday", repeated twice or three times. A urgency message begins with the word "Pan Pan", also repeated twice or three times. Apart from that, no standard phraseology is defined, since the situations which can be described in such messages are by the essence not standard ones !
In any case, if you hear such signals, most of time you are not directly involved. Otherwise you would have transmitted the report yourself. Then stay on the frequency and follow the evolution of the situation without involving yourself or disturbing the exchange of messages. If you were intending to land at this moment, try to postpone, get yourself a thermal and keep out of the way until the situation is back to normal. If you cannot avoid landing in the middle of it, then be predictable in your decisions and actions. Follow accurately your traffic pattern, whereby extreme care and attention to the developing situation and no interference are the highest precept. And of course : Silence on the waves : The frequency belongs entirely to the guy who is fighting with his problem and to those who can really help him.