Communication - Lesson Two
- Common Abbreviations & Private Messages -

Common Abbreviations:

Communicating with Online Air Traffic Controllers via Roger Wilco or another Voice Client program is one but not the only solution. Another option is using SquawkBox' integral text window to type in our messages to the Controllers. Most Online pilots prefer voice communication, because typing messages and flying an aircraft at the same time is quite tricky, especially during departures and approaches when both the level of communication and the number of required pilot actions are at their peak. Nevertheless, in some cases we have to use text (e.g. in case the pilot or the controller has no voice equipment, the voice servers are overloaded, when voice is unreadable, etc.). In such cases we use the following common abbreviations to alleviate the workload.

acft or a/c = aircraft
a/d = aerodrome
aff = affirm (yes)
afld = airfield
alt = altitude
altset = altimeter setting
apch or app= approach
apt or arpt = airport
arr = arrival
caf = cleared as filed
cc = correct
circ = circling
clr or clrd = cleared (authorized)
c/m = climb and maintain
crs = course
dct = direct
dep = departure
dsc = descend
disrgd or dis = disregard (ignore)
d/m = descend and maintain
dnwd = downwind
est = established
exp = expect
FL = flight level
fp = flightplan
frq or freq or fq = frequency
gbye = good bye
gday = good day
gnight or gnite = good night
gp or g/p = glide path
gs = glide slope
h/a = hold at
hdg = heading
h/o = hand-off
h/p = holding point .or. pattern
h/s = hold short
inbd = inbound
KIAS = IAS in knots
kt = knots
l/h = left hand
luw or l/u and w = line up and wait
min = minima
MM = Middle Marker
neg = negative (no)
NM = Nautical Miles
OM = Outer Marker
outbd = outbound
pax = passengers
pkg = parking
pls = please
POB = People On Board
pos = position
rdr = radar
rep or rpt = report
req = request
rgr = roger (received)
r/h = right hand
r/m = reaching minima
r/p = report passing
r/v = radar vectors
rwy = runway
sby or stby = stand by
SM = Statute Miles
sqk = squawk
std = standard
stdy = steady
s/d = shut down
s/u = start up
t/f = turning final
t/l or tl or tleft = turn left
tnx = thank you or thanks
t/p and hold = taxi into position and hold
t/r or tr or tright = turn right
vect = vectors
wilco = will comply (will do)
wx = weather

E.G. EMD001 checks in to Dublin Approach following a handoff:

• EMD001: “EIDW_APP EMD001 gday with you at FL100 20NM inbd DUB”
• EIDW_APP: "EMD001 gday rdr contact t/r hdg 250 d/m FL60 exp vect ILS rwy 10"
• EMD001: “rgr t/r hdg 250 d/m FL60 exp vect ILS rwy 10 EMD001”

• EIDW_APP: "EMD001 t/l hdg 180 d/m 2000 clrd ILS app rwy 10 rep est"
• EMD001: “rgr t/l 180 d/m 2000 clrd ILS app rwy 10 rep est EMD001”

Private Messages:

From time to time we would like to talk to one Online pilot or a controller (e.g. to greet a friend) but we don't want to broadcast our words to everybody else who is listening to the radio channel that we happened to have tuned. Doing so might be very annoying to other pilots who cannot communicate with the controllers because someone is using the channal for private talk. So, in that case, we send a Private Message. You can send a text message to anybody who is logged in to the VATSIM or IVAO network (even if he's not in radio range) by typing in .msg + his callsign + your message in the SB text window.

E.G. EMD001 sends a private text message to EMD021:

• EMD001: “.msg EMD021 Hi Gary, nice 2 meet you. Where are you going tonight?”