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ATPL subject 090

ATPL Communications: what it covers and how to study it

Communications (subject 090) covers radiotelephony: how pilots and controllers talk to each other, the standard phraseology for VFR and IFR flights, and the procedures for urgency, distress and communication failure.

By Matthew Dowell, airline training captain and Chief Flight Instructor. A revision guide, not approved by any regulator. Your training organisation sets the syllabus and exam rules, and regulations always take precedence.

What the Communications paper covers

• Radiotelephony procedures and phraseology
• VFR and IFR communications
• Call signs and standard words
• Weather and information services
• Urgency, distress and communication failure

Where students find it hard

The paper tests exact phraseology and procedure, so approximate answers lose marks. Students who have flown find some of it familiar, but the formal wording and the less common procedures still need dedicated revision.

How to study Communications

• Say the phraseology aloud, as you would on the radio, rather than only reading it.
• Learn the emergency and failure procedures by their steps and conditions.
• Use the questions to catch the exact wording you tend to get slightly wrong.

The Mastering ATPL book for this subject

The Mastering ATPL Communications book is available on Amazon and through the Other stores links.

Mastering ATPL · Subject 090

Communications

VFR and IFR radiotelephony, phraseology and emergency procedures.

Buy on Amazon UK Amazon US Other stores

Also on Amazon in Europe: Amazon.de · Amazon.fr · Amazon.es · Amazon.it · Amazon.nl

How this book is organised

The book follows the topics listed above, in turn, starting with radiotelephony procedures and phraseology; VFR and IFR communications; call signs and standard words, so you can see which part of the paper you are covering at any point. It is a complete revision guide and question bank built on the full published learning objectives for the subject, and it ends with a mock examination weighted as the real one. Work through a section, test yourself on it, and keep the mock examination for the end, under timed conditions.

Related subjects

• ATPL Air Law
• ATPL Operational Procedures
• ATPL Principles of Flight

See also: all 13 ATPL subjects and 14 study guides · how the EASA ATPL exams work · what order to study and sit the papers · Communications in the airline technical interview.