Peter:'So today Juan, you are going to practise on the simulator moving the plane from the gate at the terminal to arriving at the runway where you will take off.'
Juan:'Perfect. So I need to do a preflight check first?'
Peter:'Yes.'
15 minutes later
Peter:'Now that all the passengers and luggage is boarded and the doors are closed. You need to make a request to the controller at ramp control for a pushback.'
Juan:'That's when a tractor/tug pushes the plane backwards from the gate on the taxiway, isn't it?'
Peter:'Yes. You won't get a pushback until you have permission from the controller to do it. To request one, you have to contact the controller. Then tell them what plane you are, where you are and that you are ready to push. Then just wait for the controller to clear your request.'
Juan:'So, I would say, 'United 231 at gate 8, ready to push'.'
Peter:'That's right. So do it.'
20 seconds later
Juan:'Done it. I've got a message from the ramp controller clearing me to be pushed back to the taxiway. It also says 'contact ground controller at 117.4'.'
Peter:'When a controller gives you a contact instruction, it simply means you have to speak with somebody on the radio. With the instruction 'contact ground controller at 117.4', because you'll be on a taxiway, responsibility for your plane will pass to a controller at ground control. So you'll need to change the radio frequency to 117.4 and contact them to get further instructions.'
2 minutes later, after being pushed back on to a taxiway
Juan:'So now what do I do?'
Peter:'As I said before, you need to contact the new controller.'
Juan:'And say what?'
Peter:'You want to start moving to the departure runway. But you can't do that before getting cleared. Which means getting permission to do something from the controller.'
Juan:'So, do I say I want to start moving to the runway?'
Peter:'When you contact the controller at ground control, you have to tell them that you are ready to taxi.'
Juan:'Ok.'
Peter:'But you also have to tell them which plane you are and where you are before you say you are 'ready to taxi'. So tell them 'Ground control. United 231 at taxiway A, ready to taxi'.'
Juan:'Why do I have to start it with 'ground control'?'
Peter:'When it's the first contact by radio with any control section (e.g. ground control, tower control etc...), you should start the message with the name of the section you are calling. So go on, request 'ready to taxi'.'
1 minute later, after requesting 'ready to taxi'
Juan:'So what now?'
Peter:'When the controller responds with taxi to, it means that you are cleared to start moving to the runway.'
Juan:'But which runway? There are three at this airport. And by which route?'
Peter:'When the controller says 'taxi to', they'll inform you which runway you have to go to and by which route. Look, the ground controller has responded with this message 'United 231, taxi to runway 30 via K and S, hold short of runway 14'.'
Juan:'So, I'm taking off on runway 30 and the route I have to follow to the runway is by taxiways K and S. But what does 'hold short of runway 14' mean?'
Peter:'Peter: Don't worry about that now, I'll explain what that means later. But you need to give the controller a readback of the instructions he has given you before you can start moving.'
Juan:'When you say readback, you mean that I need to repeat the instructions and route?'
Peter:'That's right. So tell them 'United 231, taxi to runway 30 via K and S, hold short of runway 14'.'
10 seconds later
Juan:'Done it.'
Peter:'So start moving.'