In order to both safely and quickly move a plane on the ground at an airport, pilots are in contact with controllers at the airport's air traffic control. These controllers give pilots instructions in English on both where and when to go to reach either the gate at the terminal or their departure runway (depending on if they have just arrived/landed or are departing/taking off from the airport).
Understanding the meaning of these instructions and how to respond is essential if you want to become either a pilot or air traffic controller.
In this first of four online exercises on aviation English vocabulary, I'll show you and explain both the process and the vocabulary/phrases used by controllers and pilots when planes leave the terminal gate at an airport.
Click here to do the next part of this exercise on instructions when moving around an airport.
Although the vocabulary used in this exercise is standard for instructions and communication between pilots and controllers, it may differ from what is sometimes used in some airports. But even if it does, once you the know the vocabulary here, you should have no problem understanding what a pilot or controller is saying.
Click here to see our other exercises on 'Aviation English vocabulary'.
Read the following conversation between Juan (a Spanish trainee pilot) and Peter (a professional pilot). Juan is practicing moving a plane on the ground from the terminal gate to the departure runway at an airport on a simulator. Peter is explaining to Juan the meaning of the aviation English vocabulary used to do this.
From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.
In this exercise the names of different parts of an airport are used. If you are unsure what these are, I would recommend that you do our online exercise on 'Parts of an airport' before starting this exercise to learn them.
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.'
Match the words/phrases in bold from the above text to each of the definitions/descriptions below. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.
When the answer is correct, two icons will appear below the answer. The "" icon contains extra information on the word/phrase. In the "" icon, you can listen to the pronunciation of the word/phrase.
Click here to do the next part of this exercise on instructions when moving around an airport.
Now that you understand the meaning of the words/phrases and when to use them, practise using them by creating your own sentences with them in English. Also click on the "" icon under each correct answer and listen how each is pronounced correctly.
Apart from the other aviation English exercises on my website, there are some other (but not many) useful free online resources for improving your aviation English vocabulary. Below are links to these web pages:
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