BZF HeroDE

Radio call examples: a complete VFR flight

This is what a VFR flight from Frankfurt-Hahn (control zone with tower) to Frankfurt-Egelsbach (aerodrome information) sounds like – call by call, in English (BZF I) with the German version (BZF II) below. The BZF Hero simulator generated the dialogue from its sample calls; weather, frequencies and squawks are made up.

Hahn Ground: initial call and taxi clearance

Make a short first call, then your message: callsign, type, position, ATIS letter, flight rules, destination with departure route and your request. Read back the taxi clearance – holding point, taxiway, QNH and squawk. Once the controller has abbreviated your callsign (D-EFFF becomes D-FF), you may abbreviate it too.

  1. You

    Hahn Ground, D-EFFF, good day.

    German: Hahn Rollkontrolle, D-EFFF, guten Tag.

  2. Hahn Ground

    D-EFFF, Hahn Ground, good day.

    German: D-EFFF, Hahn Rollkontrolle, guten Tag.

  3. You

    D-EFFF, Cessna 172, stand G1, information Uniform, VFR to Frankfurt-Egelsbach via ECHO, request taxi.

    German: D-EFFF, Cessna 172, Abstellplatz G1, Information Uniform, VFR nach Frankfurt-Egelsbach über ECHO, erbitte Rollen.

  4. Hahn Ground

    D-FF, taxi to holding point runway 03 via Alfa, QNH 1024, squawk 5661.

    German: D-FF, rollen Sie zum Rollhalt Piste 03 über Alfa, QNH 1024, Squawk 5661.

  5. You

    Taxiing to holding point runway 03 via Alfa, QNH 1024, Squawk 5661, D-FF.

    German: Rolle zum Rollhalt Piste 03 über Alfa, QNH 1024, Squawk 5661, D-FF.

  6. Hahn Ground

    D-FF, contact Hahn Tower on 119.655.

    German: D-FF, rufen Sie Hahn Turm auf 119,655.

  7. You

    119.655, D-FF.

    German: 119,655, D-FF.

Hahn Tower: take-off and leaving the control zone

At the holding point you report ready for departure. “Hold position” is read back as well. The take-off clearance is combined – departure route, wind, runway, cleared for take-off; you read back route, runway and clearance. At the compulsory reporting point you report the point, your altitude and that you are leaving the control zone.

  1. You

    Hahn Tower, D-EFFF, good day.

    German: Hahn Turm, D-EFFF, guten Tag.

  2. Hahn Tower

    D-EFFF, Hahn Tower, good day.

    German: D-EFFF, Hahn Turm, guten Tag.

  3. You

    D-EFFF, holding point runway 03, ready for departure.

    German: D-EFFF, Rollhalt Piste 03, abflugbereit.

  4. Hahn Tower

    D-FF, hold position, traffic on final runway 03.

    German: D-FF, halten Sie Position, Verkehr im Endanflug Piste 03.

  5. You

    Holding position, D-FF.

    German: Halte Position, D-FF.

  6. Hahn Tower

    D-FF, leave control zone via ECHO, wind 360 degrees, 13 knots, runway 03, cleared for take-off.

    German: D-FF, verlassen Sie die Kontrollzone über ECHO, Wind 360 Grad, 13 Knoten, Piste 03, Start frei.

  7. You

    Leaving control zone via ECHO, runway 03, cleared for take-off, D-FF.

    German: Verlasse Kontrollzone über ECHO, Piste 03, Start frei, D-FF.

  8. Hahn Tower

    D-FF, report position.

    German: D-FF, melden Sie Position.

  9. You

    3 miles west of ECHO, D-FF.

    German: 3 Meilen westlich ECHO, D-FF.

  10. You

    D-FF, ECHO, 3500 feet, leaving control zone.

    German: D-FF, ECHO, 3500 Fuß, verlasse Kontrollzone.

  11. Hahn Tower

    D-FF, squawk VFR, frequency change approved.

    German: D-FF, Squawk VFR, Frequenzwechsel genehmigt.

  12. You

    Squawk VFR, D-FF.

    German: Squawk VFR, D-FF.

Langen Information: flight information service (FIS)

With FIS you call with callsign, type, flight from – to, position, altitude and a request for traffic information. Read back squawk and QNH, acknowledge advisories with “roger”. With a new station you use your full callsign again. Before changing frequency you sign off.

  1. You

    Langen Information, D-EFFF, good day.

    German: Langen Information, D-EFFF, guten Tag.

  2. Langen Information

    D-EFFF, Langen Information, good day.

    German: D-EFFF, Langen Information, guten Tag.

  3. You

    D-EFFF, Cessna 172, VFR from Frankfurt-Hahn to Frankfurt-Egelsbach, overhead ECHO, 3500 feet, request traffic information.

    German: D-EFFF, Cessna 172, VFR von Frankfurt-Hahn nach Frankfurt-Egelsbach, über ECHO, 3500 Fuß, erbitte Verkehrsinformationen.

  4. Langen Information

    D-EFFF, squawk 1410, QNH 1024.

    German: D-EFFF, Squawk 1410, QNH 1024.

  5. You

    Squawk 1410, QNH 1024, D-EFFF.

    German: Squawk 1410, QNH 1024, D-EFFF.

  6. Langen Information

    D-EFFF, advise airspace C Frankfurt ahead, lower limit 4500 feet.

    German: D-EFFF, Hinweis: Luftraum C Frankfurt voraus, Untergrenze 4500 Fuß.

  7. You

    Roger, D-EFFF.

    German: Verstanden, D-EFFF.

  8. Langen Information

    D-EFFF, report position.

    German: D-EFFF, melden Sie Position.

  9. You

    8 miles east of ECHO, D-EFFF.

    German: 8 Meilen östlich ECHO, D-EFFF.

  10. You

    D-EFFF, leaving frequency, changing to Egelsbach Information.

    German: D-EFFF, verlasse Frequenz, wechsle zu Egelsbach Information.

  11. Langen Information

    D-EFFF, squawk VFR, approved to leave frequency.

    German: D-EFFF, Squawk VFR, Verlassen der Frequenz genehmigt.

  12. You

    Squawk VFR, D-EFFF.

    German: Squawk VFR, D-EFFF.

Egelsbach Information: arrival, circuit and landing

Aerodrome information is not air traffic control: it gives information, not clearances. So there is no “cleared to land” – you state your intention (“landing runway 08”). In the circuit you report downwind, base and final, and after landing that you have vacated the runway.

  1. You

    Egelsbach Information, D-EFFF, good day.

    German: Egelsbach Information, D-EFFF, guten Tag.

  2. Egelsbach Information

    D-EFFF, Egelsbach Information, good day.

    German: D-EFFF, Egelsbach Information, guten Tag.

  3. You

    D-EFFF, Cessna 172, 8 miles west of Frankfurt-Egelsbach, 1600 feet, for landing.

    German: D-EFFF, Cessna 172, 8 Meilen westlich Frankfurt-Egelsbach, 1600 Fuß, zur Landung.

  4. Egelsbach Information

    D-EFFF, runway 08 in use, wind 360 degrees, 13 knots, QNH 1024.

    German: D-EFFF, Piste 08 in Betrieb, Wind 360 Grad, 13 Knoten, QNH 1024.

  5. You

    Runway 08, QNH 1024, D-EFFF.

    German: Piste 08, QNH 1024, D-EFFF.

  6. You

    D-EFFF, joining downwind runway 08.

    German: D-EFFF, Eindrehen Gegenanflug Piste 08.

  7. Egelsbach Information

    D-EFFF, roger.

    German: D-EFFF, verstanden.

  8. You

    D-EFFF, base runway 08.

    German: D-EFFF, Queranflug Piste 08.

  9. Egelsbach Information

    D-EFFF, roger.

    German: D-EFFF, verstanden.

  10. You

    D-EFFF, final runway 08.

    German: D-EFFF, Endanflug Piste 08.

  11. Egelsbach Information

    D-EFFF, no reported traffic runway 08, wind 360 degrees, 13 knots.

    German: D-EFFF, kein gemeldeter Verkehr Piste 08, Wind 360 Grad, 13 Knoten.

  12. You

    Landing runway 08, D-EFFF.

    German: Lande Piste 08, D-EFFF.

  13. You

    D-EFFF, runway vacated, taxiing to the apron.

    German: D-EFFF, Piste verlassen, rolle zum Vorfeld.

  14. Egelsbach Information

    D-EFFF, roger.

    German: D-EFFF, verstanden.

Phraseology and procedures can differ by airfield and situation. What your flight school and the exam require is binding.

Fly this route yourself – with the controller’s voice and replies: