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se/en/blog/learn-to-
talk-like-a-pilot-part-3-clearancesLearn
to talk like a pilot: Clearances
A Flight Instructor explains Learn from a pilot

If you have ever had the pleasure of riding jumpseat in the cockpit, meaning that you
get to sit upfront with the pilots, you know how complex the communication between
pilots and Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) sound to the untrained ear (unless you are a
pilot/ATC yourself of course).

In this blog series you will learn to talk like a pilot and get to know the most common
phrases exchanged between pilots and ATC. Along with an explanation of what the
different phrases mean. The series will consist of three parts that will be published
with one week intervals:

1. Phonetic Alphabet
2. Phraseology
3. Clearances

Clearances
Clearances are issued by Air Traffic Control (ATC) to the crew aboard an aircraft for
a variety of different purposes. A few examples are:

1. Departure clearance
2. Taxi clearance
3. Takeoff clearance
4. Approach clearance
5. Landing clearance

One thing that is common for all clearances given is that ATC always starts their
instructions by stating the callsign of the aircraft the instructions are intended for.
The Pilots always read back the instructions and ends with their callsign. This ensures
what is known as "closed-loop communication" between Pilots and ATC. Most
clearances and read-backs follow this structure:

ATC: [Callsign of the aircraft] followed by [Clearance and/or instruction(s)]

Pilot: [Clearance or instruction(s)] followed by [Callsign of the aircraft]

Departure clearance
The majority of commercial flights operate under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).
These flights are always given a clearance, usually before leaving the apron or gate
where the airplane is parked. This clearance includes the:

Clearance limit - Usually an airport or a fix

Route - The routing for the flight
Altitude - The initial altitude the aircraft is cleared to
Frequency - The departure frequency to be contacted after takeoff
Transponder - The code which the crew should program into the transponder

After ATC has given the pilots their clearance, the crew will write it down and read it
back to ensure that they have copied the clearance correctly.

Pro tip for pilots

The first letter in the words above spell out the word CRAFT, which makes it easier
to copy an IFR clearance in a structured manner. Simply write them top-to-bottom in
the left margin before calling clearance delivery for your IFR clearance.

For example:

Cleared to Stockholm, Arlanda airport via the SKORR3 departure, RNGRR

transition, then as filed. Climb maintain five thousand. Departure frequency one-
three-five, decimal niner, squawk four-seven-six-three.

Could be written like this:

C - ESSA
R - SKORR3.RNGRR then AF
A - 50'
F - 135,9
T - 4763

Taxi clearance
The ground controller is responsible for issuing clearances and monitoring ground
movements on the taxiways of an airport. Typically they share what is know as the
"movement area" with the tower controller. Where the ground controller is in charge
of the taxiways and the tower controller is in charge of the runway(s).

Larger airports have one or more ground controllers and might even have several
tower controllers. At smaller airports however, the ground controller responsibilities
can be combined with those of the tower controller, merging the two roles into one.

An example of a taxi clearance from from SAA's location at Gillespie field to runway
27R could be:
Taxi to runway two-seven right via alpha two (A2), bravo (B) and delta (D). Cross
runway three-five.

It is also possible for ATC to give restrictions to your taxi clearance, such as "hold
short of bravo four (B4)". This can be given as part of the original clearance or as an
amendment after the aircraft has started moving. Meaning that the cockpit-crew must
remain vigilant during ground operations in case their original taxi clearance is
amended by ATC.

Takeoff clearance
Once the crew has made its way to the holding position and completed all of the pre-
takeoff checklist items, they are ready to get airborne. Before they are allowed to taxi
the aircraft onto the runway, the must be given either a takeoff clearance or line-up
and wait instructions from the tower controller.

When the cockpit-crew hears their callsign followed by "cleared for take off, runway
XX", they are allowed to commence their takeoff run. A takeoff clearance for our
Diamond Twinstar (Callsign Scavac 20), from runway 01 would sound like this:

Scavac two-zero, cleared for takeoff runway zero-one

The readback from the pilot will be:

Cleared for takeoff runway zero-one, Scavac two-zero

Approach clearance
During the course of a flight, variables such as weather make it difficult to predict
what the landing runway will be until the aircraft is closer to its destination. Therefore
the approach clearance is normally the last clearance given before the landing and taxi
clearances at the destination airport.

ATC will strive to notify the flight-crew as early as possible, by using phrases such as
"you can expect ILS runway 24 at Palomar airport". However, the crew cannot start
the approach until they have been given the approach clearance (unless they have
experienced a radio failure, but that's a whole different chapter).

If an airplane is being vectored onto an approach, the approach clearance is typically

given in conjuction with the final intercept vector. An approach clearance could sound
like this:

Cessna niner-sierra-papa, turn left heading two-seven-zero to intercept the localizer,

cleared ILS runway two-four into Palomar, maintain two-thousand-five-hundred feet
until established.

The pilot would then respond:

Turn left heading two-seven-zero, cleared ILS runway two-four into Palomar,
maintain two-thousand-five-hundred feet until established. Cessna niner-sierra-papa.

Landing clearance
Just like the takeoff clearance, the landing clearance is given by the tower controller.
They are typically pretty straight forward (pun intended), but if you are flying in the
United States you should be familiar with Land and Hold Short Operations
(LAHSO).

Landing clearances follow the same structure as the takeoff clearances and typically
sound like this:

Scavac zero-six, cleared to land runway one-niner

The pilot would then respond:

Cleared to land runway one-niner, scavac zero-six

I hope you've enjoyed this basic introduction to the language that travels across our
frequencies. Hopefully it will allow you to follow along if you are lucky enough to
catch a ride in the cockpit or the next time you tune into LiveATC.

Want to know if you have what it takes to become a student at SAA? Download our
free guide on how to prepare for our Pilot Aptitude Test by clicking on the picture
below.