The secret language of air traffic control - and how you can listen in
The absence of an explanation behind flight delays is often more frustrating than the actual delay.
But a website growing in popularity allows waiting passengers to listen in to the conversations of air traffic controllers to gain insight into why their plane is still sat on the tarmac.
Though illegal in the UK, under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, LiveATC allows users to eavesdrop on the conversation from hundreds of control towers around the world, including in the US, Japan and much of Europe.
The questions is, will you be able to understand what’s going on?
Though the international language of air traffic control is English - the French, for one, are known to stick stubbornly to their mother tongue, and the lingo used by controllers includes so much coded language it can sound alien.
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“Over the decades aviation has collected a unique blend of specialist terminology and a dizzying array of acronyms,” writes Paul Beauchamp from Nats, the UK’s leading air traffic control provider.
“But, it is a language that pilots and controllers all over the world will recognise, with the standardisation helping to ensure efficiency and above all, safety.
“However, to the uninitiated it can seem as impenetrable as any foreign tongue.”
To test the layman understanding of ATC lingo, Nats developed a quiz.
Can you decipher the below?
(Scroll down for answers)
“After departure, climb straight ahead London 2 DME”
“Cleared to New York Kennedy, Compton 3 Foxtrot departure, Squawk 6244, QNH 998 Hectopascals”
“Turn right on Bravo, Link 21 join Alpha, hold at MORRA”
"Follow the greens, Stand 544”
“Speedbird 472, LOC/DME approach, Runway 27 Left”
Nats also pointed out that many airlines use nicknames when it comes to their callsigns, when pilots are communicating with the tower.
For example, British Airways is not BA, but Speedbird, while Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus calls itself Shamrock.
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Can you figure out the below?
Springbok
Cactus
Eurotrans
Dynasty
Bealine
Cedarjet
Clipper
And now, the answers.
1. “After departure, climb straight ahead London 2 DME”
This means, after take off, climb straight ahead until you are two nautical miles from the ‘LONDON’ Distance Measuring Equipment beacon.
2. “Cleared to New York Kennedy, Compton 3 Foxtrot departure, Squawk 6244, QNH 998 Hectopascals”
This means that you are cleared to JFK airport, routing via the Compton 3F Standard Instrument Departure. Your transponder code is 6244, and the atmospheric pressure at sea level is 998 Hectopascals (or millibars).
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3. “Turn right on Bravo, Link 21 join Alpha, hold at MORRA”
This is a taxi instruction for an outbound aircraft. The aircraft must route along taxiway Bravo, then change to taxiway Alpha at Link 21. It must stop when it gets to MORRA, which is a runway holding point.
4. “Follow the greens, Stand 544”
This is used when the Airfield Ground Lighting system is switched on, either at night or in poor visibility. In this instance, an inbound aircraft is given green taxiway centreline lights, controlled from the Visual Control Room (Tower) to its parking stand.
5. “Speedbird 472, LOC/DME approach, Runway 27 Left”
This is a transmission by an inbound aircraft. Speedbird is the callsign used by British Airways, and the aircraft is flying the approach using the Localiser signal (to maintain lateral position on final approach), and the DME (Distance Measuring Equipment which tells him how close he is to the runway).
And the codesigns...
Springbok – South African Airways
Cactus – US Airways
Eurotrans – DHL
Dynasty – China Airlines
Bealine – Brussels Airlines
Cedarjet – Middle East Airlines
Clipper – Pan Am
