Aviation English: Parts of a plane vocabulary

part 1 exercise
Knowing and remembering the names of the different parts and sections of an
aircraft/airplane in English is essential for both flying a plane and wanting to
become a pilot.
This is the first part of two exercises on parts of a plane vocabulary in English.

To help you know what the parts are, when reading the text look at the two drawings of
aircraft below. These drawings show all the parts of an aircraft you'll learn in this exercise.

Exercise: Describing parts of a plane

In the following conversation, Peter (a professional pilot) explains to Juan (a Spanish

trainee pilot) the names in English of the different parts of an airplane.
From using both the text and the two images of aircraft above, try to guess what each
aircraft part in bold in the text is. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.

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Peter: 'So now, I'm going to ask you about what the different parts of a plane are.'

Juan: 'Ok.'

Peter: 'So what's the main part of a plane called? The part which contains the
passengers, crew and cargo?'

Juan: 'I think that's called the fuselage.'

Peter: 'That's right. And what do you call the front part of the fuselage?'
Juan: 'That's called the nose. And the section at the back of the airplane is called
the tail.'

Peter: 'Perfect. And the part of the fuselage behind the nose where the pilots fly the
aircraft from?'

Juan: 'That's called the flight deck.'

Peter: 'Yes, it is, but it is more commonly called the cockpit. And what's the section of
the plane where the passengers travel in?'

Juan: 'That's called the cabin.'

Peter: 'And the section under the cabin where the passengers’ suitcases, bags and other
things are carried?'

Juan: 'That's called the hold or baggage hold.'

Peter: 'Perfect. So, what are the wheels called which an aircraft uses when travelling on
the ground?'

Juan: 'They are called the landing gear and they are on the bottom of the aircraft.'

Peter: 'Is the landing gear just attached to the fuselage of the plane?'

Juan: 'No, some of the landing gear is also attached to the wings as well. The two long
horizontal parts of the aircraft attached to the middle part of the fuselage.'

Peter: 'Good. And what do you call the things which power the aircraft so it can move
and fly?'

Juan: 'That depends on the type of aircraft. On some aircraft (especially bigger ones),
they are powered by jet engines which are attached to the wings. On other aircraft
(especially smaller ones), they are powered by a propeller which is normally attached to
the nose of the airplane.'

Peter: 'Perfect.'

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Quiz
Below is a photo/picture of each of the parts of a plane in bold from the above text. Now
choose the part from the question's selection box which you believe matches the
photo/picture. Only use each part once. Click on the "Check answers" button at the
bottom of the quiz to check your answers.

1. Fuselage 2. Nose 3. Tail 4. Cockpit

5. Cabin 6. Baggage Hold 7. Landing Gear 8. Wings
9. Jet Engines 10. Propeller

This is called a

------------------------------------------------

1.

This is a part of a plane which are called

---------------------------------------------- 3.

This is called the

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2.

3
4. 6.

This is called the This is a part of a plane which are called 

---------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------

5.
7.

This is called the

This is called the

-------------------------------------------------
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4
 This is a part on a plane called the

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8.

This is called the

---------------------------------------------

10.

This is called the

--------------------------------------------

9.

101. Wings: (noun) The 'wings' are the two long horizontal fins which are located in the middle
part of the aircraft. All aircraft have 'wings' to give them both stability when flying and to
generate lift to leave the ground.

102. Propeller: (noun) This is one method used to power aircraft (the other being 'jet engines').
On most small aircraft, the 'propeller' is attached to the nose of the aircraft (the front part).
For larger aircraft (and on these there are normally between 2 to 4 'propellers' on each
aircraft), they are attached to the wings.

103. Fuselage: (noun) This is a plane's main body section (the cylinder part) which the 'wings'
and 'fins' of the plane are attached to. This is the part which holds the crew and passengers
and/or cargo.
The 'fuselage' has a number of different sections: the 'nose' at the very front of the plane,
the 'cockpit', the 'cabin', the 'baggage hold' and then the 'tail' at the back of the plane.

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 104. Nose: (noun) This is the name for the part of the 'fuselage' at the very front of an aircraft
(in front of the 'cockpit'). On small aircraft (e.g. Cessna’s), a 'propeller' is attached to the
'nose' of the aircraft.

105. Cabin: (noun) Also called the 'aircraft cabin'. This is the part of the 'fuselage' of an aircraft
in which passengers travel in. In small aircraft (e.g. Cessna’s), the 'cabin' and the 'cockpit'
are combined. In larger aircraft, they are separated.

106. Jet engines: (noun) These are often just called the 'engines'. This is one method used to
power aircraft (the other being a 'propeller'). On most commercial aircraft, the 'jet engines'
(and on these there are normally between 2 to 4 on each aircraft) are attached to the wings.

107. Tail: (noun) Also called the 'tail section'. This is the name for the part of the 'fuselage' at
the back of an aircraft. The 'tail' is where the 'fin' and the 'tailplanes' are attached to the
airplane.

108. Cockpit: (noun) Also called the 'flight deck'. This is the part of the 'fuselage' at the front of
an aircraft (behind the 'nose' of the airplane) which contains the flight instruments and
where the plane is flown from.

109. Landing gear: (noun) Also called the 'undercarriage'. These are the wheels on the aircraft
which are used to move the airplane around on the ground (to taxi, take off or land).
'landing gear' on most aircraft is retractable (it can be folded into the 'fuselage' or 'wings')
when the aircraft is in flight.

110. Baggage hold: (noun) Also called the 'hold'.

On medium to large aircraft which transport people, this is the part of the 'fuselage' under
the 'cabin' section which is used to transport baggage (e.g. suitcases, bags etc...) and cargo
(e.g. packages, goods etc...). In some small aircraft, the 'baggage hold' is at the back of the
aircraft.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.

Aviation English vocabulary:

Parts of an airport exercise
For a pilot or a controller, knowing the names of the different parts of an airport is
essential for moving planes around it successfully.

Exercise: Describing an airport

In the following conversation, Peter (a professional pilot) explains to Juan (a Spanish
trainee pilot) the names in English of the different parts of an airport.

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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.

Peter: 'So Juan, today we are going to be looking at the names of the different parts of
an airport which both pilots and air traffic controllers need to know.'

Juan: 'Ok.'

Peter: 'So to start, tell me what the name of the main building which passengers have to
go through to board/get on a plane is?'

Juan: 'That's called a terminal.'

Peter: 'Perfect. So, in a terminal, what is the name of the place where passengers both
go to and wait at to board a plane?'

Juan: 'It's called a gate. But it's also the place where people get off/disembark from a
plane too. These are too easy!'

Peter: 'So let's make it a little more difficult. What is the area in front of the gates where
planes are parked (whether directly in front of the gates or further away) called?'

Juan: 'I've heard people call it the tarmac before, but I don't know if that's its name.'

Peter: 'Some people do call this space where planes are parked the tarmac, but for pilots
and controllers it is called the ramp or the apron.'

Juan: 'Didn't know that. So, what are the roads which the planes can move slowly on
called? I know that the roads where planes take off and land are called runways. But
what are the roads which connect the ramp to runways called.'

Peter: 'These are called taxiways. And you are right when you say their purpose is that
planes can move between from the ramp to the different runways at an airport or vice
versa.'

Juan: 'There are so many taxiways at airports, how do pilots know which is which or
where to go? Or what is a taxiway and what is runway?'

Peter: 'Well, first of all there are signs. These are squares or rectangles of metal which
are above the ground which have information written on them (e.g. taxiway name,
directions etc...) to help pilots.

In addition, there are lines and information painted on the actual taxiway, runway or
ramp. These markings also help the pilots when moving around the airport.

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Both signs and markings are especially important and helpful for pilots when two taxiways
(or a runway and a taxiway) cross or one joins another. If there weren't signs and
markings at these intersections, planes could get lost or crash together.'

Juan: 'But what happens at night? It must be difficult to see signs or markings!'

Peter: 'It's more difficult. So to help pilots, there are also lights on the taxiways,
runways etc... which have different colours to help pilots move around airports.

There's one special flashing light which is used to show pilots who are approaching to land
where the airport is at night or when visibility is low. This is called a beacon.'

Juan: 'A beacon sounds like a lighthouse for planes.'

Peter: 'You are right, they are very similar to lighthouses.

I have another question for you. What do you call the tall building with lots of windows
which air traffic controllers use to see what's happening at the airport?'

Juan: 'That's easy, it's called a control tower.'

Peter: 'Perfect. And the last question. What do you call the buildings which planes can
park inside?'

Juan: 'You mean the buildings which have very large doors?'

Peter: 'That's right.'

Juan: 'They are called hangars.'

Peter: 'Perfect.'

Quiz: Aviation English vocabulary - Parts of an airport

Below is a photo/picture of each of the words/phrases in bold from the above text. Now
choose the word from the question's selection box which you believe matches the
photo/picture. Only use one word/phrase once.
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 1. Terminal 7. Markings
2. Gate 8. Intersections
3. Ramp 9. Lights
4. Runways 10. Beacon
5. Taxiways 11. Control Tower
6. Signs 12. Hangars

1. 3.

These are called These are called 

--------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------

2. 4.

This place is called a These are called

-----------------------------------------------

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 5.
7.
These buildings are called
This place is called a
----------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------

6.
8.
This is called a
This light is called a
-----------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------

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9. 11.

These are called These are called

----------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------

10. 12.

This building is called a These are called

----------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------

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201. Intersections: (noun) These are where either two taxiways or a taxiway and a runway
cross/intersect or join. Markings, signs and (at night) lights give information to the pilot
what they do at these intersections (e.g. to wait/hold until instructions are given by the
control tower etc...).

202. Ramp: (noun) Also called the 'apron' (outside the US, Canada and the Philippines) and the
'tarmac'. The 'ramp' is an area around the terminal buildings where aircraft are parked
and serviced and passengers board and get off from planes.

203. Markings: (noun) These are words, numbers, symbols and lines which are painted on the
tarmac (on the taxiways, runways, the ramp etc...). These are used to provide locational
(e.g. on what taxiway they are on etc...), directional (e.g. give directions to go to a
terminal, runway or taxiway) and instructional (e.g. where to stop (holding positions), the
edges of taxiway etc...) information.

Most markings are in yellow, white or black, but other colours are also used (e.g. red
(with white) to inform that an entrance to a runway is ahead).

In addition to the markings on the tarmac, signs are also used to give locational,
directional and instructional information. At night lights are also used to provide this type
of information to pilots.

204. Runways: (noun) These are the parts of the airport where the planes land and take off.
Runways are always called a number between 01-36. The number chosen depends on
which compass direction the runway is facing (e.g. a runway would be called '9' if it faces
east (90 degrees) and '18' if it faces south (180 degrees)).

If there is more than one runway facing in the same direction, then a letter is added after
the number (L, C or R). The 'L' stands for 'left', the 'C' for 'centre' and the 'R' for 'right'.

In addition, as a runway can be used in two directions, most runways are called two
names/numbers (e.g. 9 and 27). The number which is used by the control tower depends
on which direction the planes are facing when they land or take off.

For example, on a runway which runs east to west, if planes face east when they land, the
runway will be called '9' (because east is at 90 degrees). But if they change the direction
of the runway, so planes land from the other end of the runway, the name/number of the
runway will change to '27' because the planes are facing west (270 degrees) when they
land.

Although it may seem confusing to call the same runway by two different numbers, these
different numbers do help the pilots to know which compass direction they have to line up
on in the process of landing.

When a runway is being used, it is called 'active'. When it isn't, it is called 'inactive' or
'closed'. In addition, when a runway is being used for take-offs, it is often called a
'departure runway'. When a runway is being used for landings, it is called a 'landing
runway'.

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205. Hangars: (noun) Roofed building used for the parking of aircraft. Hangars are used to
protect aircraft from the weather or when they are undergoing maintenance or repair.

206. Control tower: (noun) Also known as 'TWR'. This is a tower at an airport where the air
traffic controllers who are responsible for moving planes around the airport (called
'ground control'), for parking aircraft (called 'ramp control') and for landings and take-offs
(called 'local/tower control') use.

207. Gate: (noun) This is the area in the terminal where passengers either board or leave the
plane. Pilots and controllers often refer to the area just in front of it outside (where planes
are waiting) for passengers the 'gate' also. But this area is in fact called the 'ramp' or
'apron'.

208. Beacon: (noun) Also called an 'aerodrome beacon' or 'rotating beacon'. This is a flashing
light which is used at night or when there is low visibility to show the location of the
airport to pilots landing. It's like a lighthouse for planes.

209. Signs: (noun) These are metal objects which are used to give pilots information when
taxiing/moving their aircraft around the airport. This information could be locational (i.e.
where they are), directional (e.g. give directions to go to a terminal, runway or taxiway)
or instructional (e.g. a place where to stop the plane or where access is prohibited).

To help pilots know what the purpose of the sign is, they have different colours.

In addition to signs, there are also markings on the tarmac (on the taxiways, runways,
ramp etc...) which also provide locational, directional and instructional information. At
night, lights are also used to provide this type of information to pilots.

210. Terminal: (noun) This is a building at an airport where passengers have to go through to
both board a plane and when they leave the airport when the plane, they have arrived on
has landed.

Many airports have more than one terminal. Some of these are for passengers while
others are for cargo/freight. For example, Heathrow airport in London has six different
terminals (five are for passengers and one is for cargo/freight.

211. Lights: (noun) Different colored lights are used to lighten up different parts of the airport
(e.g. runways, taxiways etc...) for aircraft when it is night or visibility is low (e.g. when
there is fog). These lights are used to help pilot both move around the airport and take off
and land in these conditions.

Like signs and markings, these lights are used to give locational, directional and
instructional information to pilots. The lights have different colours depending on their
purpose. For example, blue lights are used to show where the edges of taxiways are,
while yellow lights are used to show where the edges of the runways are.

In addition, some lights also flash (go on and off rapidly). For example, when a taxiway
crosses/intersects with a runway, there are normally two elevated (not on the ground)
flashing yellow lights.

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 212. Taxiways: (noun) Are the roads/paths in the airport used by aircraft to move/taxi between
different parts (e.g. from the runway to the one of the terminals).

To help pilots move their planes easily in the airport, each individual taxiway is named
and signed. 'Taxiways' are always called a letter of the alphabet (e.g. 'A', 'N', 'T' etc...).
'Taxiways' are never called 'I', 'O' or 'X'.)

On short 'taxiways' (used to connect a major 'taxiway' with a parallel runway, ramp area
or another main 'taxiway'), their name always starts with a letter (the same as the
'taxiway' it is leaving) and then by a number. For example, 'A1', 'A2', 'A3', etc...

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own sentences
with the new words/phrases.

14
 Aviation English: Parts of a plane vocabulary part 2
exercise
In the first part of this exercise you learnt the names in English of the main parts
of an aircraft (e.g. fuselage, wings, cockpit etc...). In this part, you are going to
learn the names (and what they are used for) of some more advanced parts on
the outside of an aircraft. These are the parts of an aircraft which are used to
make the plane move (go up and down, and left and right).

To both learn and (more importantly) remember the names of these important aircraft
parts in English, first read the below text and then do the quiz/text after it.
I would recommend that you do the first part of this exercise before you do this
because some of the vocabulary in it is used here.
To help you know what the parts are, when reading the text look at the below drawing of
an aircraft. This drawing shows all the parts of an aircraft you'll learn in the exercise
except one (the spoilers).

Exercise: Describing more parts of a plane

In the following conversation, Peter (a professional pilot) explains to Juan (a Spanish
trainee pilot) the names in English of the different parts of an airplane.
From using both the text and the image of an aircraft above, try to guess what each
aircraft part in bold in the text is. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.

Peter: ‘So now, I am going to ask you about some other parts of an aircraft.'

Juan: 'Ok.'

Peter: ‘On the wings there are various panels/parts which are used to control the
aircraft.'

Juan: ‘To help the plane to take off, slow down and to move left or right.'

15
Peter: ‘That’s right. So, what are the name of the panels/parts attached to the back part
of the wings next to the fuselage that are used to help the airplane take off from the
runway and to slow it down when landing?'

Juan: ‘I think they are called the flaps. But they are not the only panels/parts attached
to the back part of the wings, are they?'

Peter: ‘No they aren't. There is a panel/part attached at the back of each wing near the
tip/end which are used to turn the aircraft either left or right. Do you know what these are
called?'

Juan: ‘I think they are called the ailerons.'

Peter: ‘That’s correct. And what about the panels/parts on the top of the wing in front of
the flaps, which are used to make an aircraft descend/go down more quickly?'

Juan: ‘I know this. They are called the spoilers. They are also used to slow the plane
down when the plane has landed on the runway.'

Peter: ‘They do. So now let's look at the back or tail of an aircraft. There are two types of
small wings attached to the fuselage and are fixed (they don't move). One which is vertical
and the other which is horizontal. Do you know what these are called?'

Juan: ‘The one which is vertical is called the fin.'

Peter: ‘And the small wings which are horizontal which are under the fin at each side of
it?'

Juan: ‘They are called the tailplanes.'

Peter: ‘Perfect. Although neither the fin and the tailplanes move, they each have a
panel/part which does. So, what is the name of the panel/part at the back of the fin which
is used to help the aircraft turn left or right?'

Juan: ‘It’s the same as on a boat or ship, it's called a rudder.'

Peter: ‘That’s right. So to end, tell me what the names of the panels/parts are at the
back of the tailplanes?'

Juan: ‘They are called the elevators.'

Peter: ‘And what are they used to do?'

Juan: 'They are used to make the nose of the aircraft either point up (so the plane
climbs/goes up) or point down (so the plane descends/goes down).'

Peter: 'That's correct. Well done.'

16
Quiz:
Below is a photo/picture of each of the parts of a plane in bold from the above text. Now
choose the part from the question's selection box which you believe matches the
photo/picture. Only use each part once.

1. Flaps 2. Ailerons 3. Spoilers 4. Fin

5. Tailplanes 6. Rudder 7. Elevators

1. 3.

This part of a plane is called a The yellow part in this photo is called a

---------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------

2. 4.

These parts on the wings are called This is a part of a plane which are called

------------------------------------------ --------------------------------------------

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5. 7.

These parts on the wings are called This is a part of a plane which are called

--------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------

6.

This is a part of a plane which are called

-------------------------------------------

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1. Fin: (noun) Also called a 'vertical stabilizer' or a 'tail fin'. This is the fixed vertical
wing (it doesn't move) at the tail of the aircraft. Like the 'tailplanes', it is used to
stabilise the aircraft in flight. In addition to this, it contains the 'rudder' which is used
when changing the horizontal direction of the plane (i.e. left or right).

2. Flaps: (noun) These are moveable panels fixed/attached to the back part of the
wings next to the fuselage by a hinge. They are used to give lift to the plane at take-
off and to slow the plane down during landing. They have two positions: inline with
the rest of the wing or in a downwards facing position.

During take-off, the downwards position can vary depending on how quickly the pilot
wants the plane to climb (lower if the pilot wants the plane take-off and climb at a
steeper angle).

Because the 'flaps' can create a lot of drag, they also slow the plane down. This is
why they are also used when landing (both on final approach and on landing on the
runway).

During the rest of the flight, the 'flaps' are rarely used for increasing altitude. The
'elevators' (on the tailplane at the tail of the plane) are used for doing this instead.

In many planes, the position of the 'flaps' is controlled by the pilot moving a 'lever'
either forwards and backwards.

3. Rudder: (noun) This is a moveable panel fixed/attached to the back side of the 'fin'
at the tail of the plane. Like the 'rudder' on a boat, it is used on a plane to turn it to
the left or right. By turning the 'rudder' to the right, turns the plane to the right.
Likewise, when you turn it to the left, the plane turns to the left.

The other parts of a plane which are used to turn it left or right are the 'ailerons'
(which cause the plane to bank). Although moving the rudder will turn the plane, it
isn't used for this purpose, because it is far quicker to do it using just the 'ailerons'.
Pilots do normally use both the 'ailerons' and the 'rudder' when turning the plane,
but the 'rudder' is used mainly to help make the turn smooth.

The 'rudder' is moved by the pilot pressing two pedals down with their feet.

4. Tailplanes: (noun) Also called the 'horizontal stabilizers'. They are the fixed
horizontal short wings (they don't move) at the back (tail) of a plane. Like the 'fin',
they are used to stabilise the aircraft in flight.

In addition to this, they contain the 'elevators' on them. These are used to change
the pitch of the aircraft (i.e. make the nose point upwards and downwards).

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 5. Spoilers: (noun) Also called 'lift spoilers'. These are moveable panels fixed/attached
to the top side of the wings. They are normally located in front of the flaps. They are
used to both increase the descent rate of an aircraft and to slow the aircraft down
once it has landed on the runway (because of the drag they produce).

The 'spoilers' of an aircraft have two positions: inline with the rest of the wing or in a
upwards position. This upwards position can vary depending on how much and how
quickly the pilot wants the plane to descend.

In many planes, the position of the 'spoilers' is controlled by the pilot moving a
'lever' either forwards and backwards.

6. Elevators: (noun) These are the moveable panels fixed to the back part of each of
the 'tailplanes' at the tail of the aircraft. They are used to change the altitude at
which the aircraft is flying at. The 'elevators' do this by changing the pitch of the
aircraft (raising and dropping the nose of the aircraft). By raising the 'nose', the
plane goes upwards. By dropping the 'nose', the plane goes downwards.

When the 'elevators' are pointing in a downwards position, this raises the 'nose' of
the plane. When they are pointing in an upwards position, this drops the 'nose' of
the plane

The 'elevators' are controlled by the pilot moving the 'yoke' (the aircraft's steering
wheel) forwards and backwards.

7. Ailerons: (noun) They are moveable panels fixed/attached to the back side of the
wings next to the tips of the wings. They are basically used along with the 'rudder' to
turn the plane to the left or the right (the 'ailerons' to turn the plane and the 'rudder'
to make the turn smooth).

When the 'ailerons' are used, they make the plane bank (one wing points upwards
while the other points down). This is done by one of the 'ailerons' moving into an
upwards position (on the wing that points up) and other one moving into a
downwards position (on the wing that points down). The 'ailerons' are connected, so
when goes up, the other goes down. The plane then moves in the direction of the
wing which is pointing down.

The 'ailerons' are moved by the pilot moving the 'yoke' (the aircraft's steering wheel)
to the left or the right.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.

20
 Aviation English: Flight instrument panel vocabulary
exercise

The flight instrument panel is the place in front of the pilot in a cockpit which
contains the instruments which provide the pilot with information to safely fly
their plane.
On this panel are a lot of different dials (circular instruments like clocks). These
dials provide the pilot with different types of information (e.g. speed, altitude,
how much a plane is turning etc...).

Image of a standard flight instrument panel with the main 8 instruments circled in red.

Knowing both what these different instruments are called and what they are used for is
fundamental for either any pilot or anybody who wants to become a pilot.
To help you both learn what they are and (more importantly) remember it, I have created
the below online exercise. Through first reading a text and then doing a quiz/test, you will
learn the English names of the most important 8 instruments on an aircraft's flight
instrument panel (each shown with a red circle around them in the above image), what
they show and how they are used.

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Exercise: Instruments for flying a plane
In the following conversation, Peter (a professional pilot) explains to Juan (a Spanish
trainee pilot) the names in English and uses of the different instruments on a flight
instrument panel.
From using both the context in the text and the instruments circled in red in the image of
the flight instrument panel above, try to guess what each instrument in bold in the text is
and what its purpose is. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.

Peter: ‘So now I'm going to ask you about 8 of the main instruments on the flight
instrument panel that you need to use to fly a plane safely. Ok?'

Juan: ‘Fine.'

Peter: ‘So, tell me what the name of the instrument you use to know what altitude you
are flying at?'

Juan: ‘That’s called the altimeter and it shows the altitude in hundreds of feet.'

Peter: ‘Perfect. Many people think it's called the attitude indicator, but it isn't.
The attitude indicator is the dial which is half blue and half black with a representation
of the wings of an aircraft in the middle. This is used to show if a plane is flying level or
not. And if it isn't, how much it is turning (left or right) and pitching (the nose of the plane
pointing up or down).

So what's the name of the dial on the instrument panel used to show what the speed of
the aircraft is?'

Juan: ‘In a car it's called a speedometer.'

Peter: ‘That’s right, but not in a plane.'

Juan: ‘In a plane, it's called the airspeed indicator. And it shows the speed not in miles
or kilometres per hour, but in knots per hour. '

Peter: ‘Yes it does. There's another dial which shows how much power the engine or
engines are making (how many revolutions per minute they are turning at). What is this
called?'

Juan: ‘This has a strange name. It is called a tachometer.'

Peter: ‘Perfect again. So, what instrument does a pilot use when they want to see how
fast they are climbing or descending?'

Juan: ‘The altimeter?'

22
Peter: ‘No, that just shows the speed. If they want to know how many hundreds of feet
per minute the aircraft is climbing or descending at, they use the vertical speed
indicator. This is the dial where zero ('0') is positioned at the left side in the middle and
then it has numbers (normally from 1 to 20) which go around the dial both from above it
and below it.'

Juan: ‘I know which one you are talking about now.'

Peter: ‘And which instrument is used to see how much the plane is turning (either to the
left or right) and if it is doing it safely?'

Juan: ‘That’s the dial with an image of an aircraft seen from the back in the middle of the
dial with a black ball that can move from side-to-side at the bottom. It is called the turn
coordinator.'

Peter: ‘That’s right. So, what instruments does the pilot use to know in what direction the
plane is flying in?'

Juan: ‘There are two. The first isn't on the panel, but above it. This is called
the magnetic compass. And this shows in what compass direction the plane is heading in
(i.e. north, south etc...). But pilots don't normally use this for navigating because it makes
a lot of errors. So instead, they use a dial which has an aircraft in the middle which points
to the compass direction which the plane is currently heading in. And it is called
the heading indicator.'

Peter: ‘That’s right. Well done.'

23
Quiz
Below is a photo/picture of each of the instruments written in bold from the above text. Now choose
the name from the question's selection box which you believe matches the photo/picture.
Only use one name once.

1. Altimeter 2. Altitude Indicator 3. Airspeed Indicator

4. Tachometer 5. Vertical Speed Indicator 6. Turn Coordinator
7. Magnetic Compass 8. Heading Indicator

1. 3. 

This instrument is called a     This instrument is called a       

         
----------------------------------- -----------------------------------------       
  

2.  4. 

This instrument is called a      This instrument is called a              

-------------------------------------  ---------------------------------------

24
5.  7. 

This instrument is called a               This instrument is called a              

---------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------

6.  8. 

This instrument is called a               This instrument is called a     

--------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------

1. Airspeed indicator: (noun) Also called an 'airspeed gauge'. Like in a

speedometer in a car, this instrument measures the speed at which the

25
 plane is flying at. Like with most speedometers in cars, the current speed
the plane is moving at is shown by the number at which the hand on the
instrument points to. With most 'airspeed indicators' this is measured in
knots (1 knot equals 1.852 kilometres per hour).

But this will only give you the 'indicated airspeed', which may not be the
'true airspeed' (the actual velocity the plane is moving at). The is because
of what the 'airspeed indicator' uses to calculate the speed the plane is
flying at (the flow of air as the plane moves). As a result, many 'airspeed
indicators' have a dial that can be adjusted to show the 'true airspeed' on a
part the instrument.

To find out why and to see an example of an 'airspeed indicator' which

shows the 'true airspeed' watch this video on YouTube.

There are also other markings on 'airspeed indicators' (around the sides) to
advise the pilot of safe flying speeds. To find out what these are, watch this
video on YouTube.

2. Magnetic compass: (noun) This is used to show the heading direction of a

plane (i.e. north, east etc...). Because of the earth's magnetic field, in
certain circumstances 'magnetic compasses' don't show the true heading in
which a plane is going. This happens when planes are either accelerating or
decelerating and when they are turning. As a result, the 'heading indicator'
is used instead for knowing in what direction a plane is heading in.

If a plane has a 'heading indicator', the 'magnetic compass' is normally

used by the pilot to make sure that their 'heading indicator' is correctly
aligned during the flight.

3. Attitude indicator: (noun) Also called an 'artificial horizon'. It is used to

show if the plane is flying level or not. It shows both the pitch of the plane
(if the nose of the plane is pointing upwards or downwards) and the
amount a plane is banking (how much the plane is turning to the left or to
the right).

On the 'attitude indicator' there is a representation of the wings of a plane

and a horizon bar (a straight line to indicate if the plane is level). The pilot
of the plane uses this to see how much the plane is pitching (either
pointing up or down) and banking (either left or right).

It doesn't show the altitude that the plane is flying at (this is shown by the
'altimeter').

26
4. Heading indicator: (noun) Also called a 'HI', a 'directional gyro' (DG) or a
'directional indicator' (DI) in the UK. This instrument is basically a compass
used to show in what direction the plane is heading in (e.g. north, east
etc...).

On the 'heading indicator' there is a representation of a plane in the

middle. Around the sides/edge of the instrument, the main four compass
headings (i.e. north(N), east(E), south(S) and west(W)) and the degrees
between (e.g. 30 degrees, 240 degrees etc...) are marked. The degrees on
a 'heading indicator' are shown in single or double digits (so, 3 represents
30 degrees, 15 represents 150 degrees and so on).

In addition to the 'heading indicator', planes will also have a separate

'magnetic compass' which can also be used to assess direction. But the
'magnetic compass' is most commonly used to make sure that the 'heading
indicator' is correctly aligned during the flight.

5. Turn coordinator: (noun) This is two instruments in one. The first thing it
shows (like the 'attitude indicator' is how much a plane is banking (or
turning) and to which side (whether left or right). This is shown by the
representation of a plane in the middle of the instrument where the wings
of the plane can move left or right. The amount it is turning is shown by
white marks on either side, which indicate up to a 30 degree turn).

The second part of the instrument shows a black ball at the bottom of the
instrument which can move from side to side. This is used to show the 'yaw
movement' of the plane. This basically means the direction of the tail of the
airplane.

When turning, the tail of an airplane may move (very much like the back
wheels of a car if it is going round a corner at high speeds). This will affect
the direction which the plane is heading in and could be dangerous (you
could lose control). So, this part of the instrument shows if this is
happening. The ball can move to the left or right to indicate if the tail of
the plane is 'skidding' (moving towards the outside of the turn) or 'slipping'
(moving towards the inside of the turn). The pilot can then make the
appropriate adjustments to stop this happening.

To find out more, watch this YouTube video to see how this instrument is
used.

6. Vertical speed indicator: (noun) Also called a 'VSI', a 'rate of climb

indicator' or a 'variometer'. This measures the speed in which a plane is
climbing or descending.

The instrument has a hand which when a plane is flying level remains
horizontal and pointing to the left. When the aircraft starts to climb, the
hand goes upwards. When the aircraft is descending, the hand goes
downwards.

27
 The speed at which the plane is climbing or descending is shown by
numbers (normally 1-20) around the edge of the instrument. For most
'vertical speed indicators', each number represents a hundred feet per
minute (so, 1 means 100 feet per minute, 2 means 200 feet per minute and
so on). For some 'vertical speed indicators', the speed is measured in
thousands of feet per minute (so, 1 means 1000 feet per minute, 2 means
2000 feet per minute and so on).

What scale of measurement is used will be written on the face of the

'vertical speed indicators'.

7. Altimeter: (noun) Also called an 'altitude meter'. This measures the altitude
of an airplane above sea level (by measuring the pressure of air around the
plane). This instrument looks similar to a clock (but has markings from 1 to
10, instead of 1 to 12) and measures the altitude in feet.

How the altitude is shown depends on the 'altimeter' in the plane: some
show it by the position of three hands, while others show actual altitude in
numbers (like with a digital watch) and have one hand to show rate of
change.

The basic 'altimeter' (fitted in most small planes) has three hands. The long
thick hand measures in hundreds of feet, the short thick (or fat) hand
measures in thousands of feet and the long fine hands measures in tens of
thousands of feet. By adding this altogether, a pilot can know what their
altitude is.

Because it uses pressure to measure altitude, there is a problem: there is

no constant pressure level. The pressure levels are different between areas
of low air pressure and high air pressure and whether it is a hot or a cold
day. As a consequence, the 'altimeter' can give the pilot the wrong altitude
for the plane, which is very dangerous.

To solve this problem, on 'altimeters' you can change the base level of
pressure to get a true measure of your actual altitude (called the 'true
altitude'). You would do this by changing the pressure level in the 'setting
window' in the 'altimeter' (the level is shown in a rectangular box on the
right side of the 'altimeter').

8. Tachometer: (noun) Like the 'revolution counter' in a car, this shows the
level of power coming from the engine. Exactly like the 'revolution counter'
in a car, the 'tachometer' measures the number of revolutions per minute
(RPM) which the engines are making.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.

28
 Aviation English vocabulary: Instructions when
landing exercise
This online exercise on 'aviation English' looks at and explains the vocabulary
used between air traffic control and pilots when planes are both approaching and
landing at airports. The main focus here is on the instructions which are used in
these situations.

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
by some controllers/pilots. 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.

Exercise: Landing a plane

Read the following conversation between Juan (a Spanish trainee pilot) and Peter (a
professional pilot), while Juan is practicing to fly a plane on a simulator. Peter is explaining
to Juan the meaning of the aviation English vocabulary used for instructions when landing
a plane.
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.

Peter: ‘So now you are approaching the airport. You'll be given instructions by the air
traffic control on the simulator what you need to do to successfully land the plane. Ok?'

Juan: ‘Fine. It says that 'United 2667, turn left heading two eight zero'. So I suppose I
have to move the plane left until I reach 280 degrees on the compass/heading indicator?'

Peter: ‘That’s right, 'United 2667' is your plane's call sign (the name of your plane) and
heading is used to say what exact compass direction you need to fly in. There's another
instruction as well, slow to 200 knots. You know what that means?'

Juan: ‘Yes, decrease speed to 200 knots. The opposite of this is increase speed to when
you are instructed to fly faster.'

Peter: ‘That’s right. Now carry out the instructions.'

20 seconds later
Juan: ‘Done. Can I change the plane's altitude? We're getting close to the airport.'

Peter: ‘No. Maintain altitude until you are instructed to do change your altitude by the
air traffic control. There may be planes above or below you. Maintain the same speed and
heading as well. Don't change anything until instructed to do so.'

Juan: ‘There’s another message from air traffic control (ATC), 'United 2667, descend
to 3000, maintain heading two eight zero'. So, I go down to 3000 feet and nothing else,
right?'

29
Peter: ‘Yes.'

2 minutes later
Juan: ‘Now, ATC are saying 'cleared for the approach'. What do I have to do?'

Peter: ‘It just means that you are at the correct altitude, speed and direction (heading)
to land at the airport and we should start to follow the landing instructions for this airport.
I have them here.'

Juan: 'Ok. It also says 'contact Heathrow tower change frequency to 121.45'.'

Peter: ‘It basically means that you are being switched to another air traffic controller at a
different air traffic control centre (at the actual airport). They will guide you to actually
land the plane. Change frequency means that you have to change the radio frequency so
you can actually talk to them. So, change your radio's frequency to 121.45.'

Juan: ‘Done.'

2 minutes later
Peter: ‘I think you are flying too low. You need to climb to 1500 feet.'

Juan: ‘Will do.'

3 minutes later
Peter: ‘Now you've got the message 'cleared to land'. You know what that means?'

Juan: ‘Of course, the ATC has given me permission to land.'

Peter: ‘When you are in an actual plane, you might tell the ATC first that you are ready
to land the plane by saying 'United 2667, ready to land'. Then wait for their permission
(by them telling you 'cleared to land').'

3 minutes later
Peter: ‘Perfect landing Juan. Now apply the brakes and wait for the instructions from ATC
on which taxiway you need to take to leave the runway from.'

Juan: ‘Taxiway is the name for an exit from a runway?'

Peter: ‘Basically, yes. Now you have the instruction of where to go, 'United 2667, turn
left on taxiway 4 left, taxi to runway 2 via Lima and Echo'.'

Juan: ‘So, taxi means to move the plane on the wheels?'

Peter: ‘Yes.'

Juan: ‘So, when I reach taxiway number 4 I turn left on to it. I then go to runway 2
following the markers/signs L and E?'

Peter: ‘Yes. Also, at the end of the instructions it says 'maintain this frequency'. This
means that you don't change the frequency of the radio you are communicating on.'

30
Juan: ‘That makes sense.'
Quiz: Aviation English vocabulary - Instructions when landing

Below is a definition/description of each of the words/phrases in bold from the above text.

Now choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers
each question. Only use one word/phrase once.

01. Heading 08. Change frequency to

02. Call sign 09. Climb to
03. Slow to 10. Cleared to land
04. Increase speed to 11. Ready to land
05. Maintain altitude 12. Taxiway
06. Descend to 13. Taxi
07. Cleared for the approach 14. Maintain this frequency

01. When air traffic control wants a pilot to decrease their speed, they will say

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

02. A command given to a pilot which means they are now lined up for landing and can
start to follow the procedures for landing their plane at the airport, is

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

03. When a plane moves on its wheels around the airport (after landing and before take-
offs), this movement is called

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

04. What a pilot says to air traffic control when they want final permission to actually land
the plane on the runway they have been assigned, is

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

05. The name both air traffic controllers and pilots call/refer to planes (e.g. Iberia 7329)
when communicating between each other, is called the

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

06. The instruction used to tell a pilot to stay on the same radio channel they are using to
communicate with air traffic control, is

31
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

07. When you are given permission to actually land your plane at an airport, air traffic
control will tell you

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

08. When air traffic control wants a pilot to increase the altitude their plane is flying at,
they will say

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

09. The instruction used to tell a pilot to change the radio channel they are using to
communicate with air traffic control, is

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

10. In an airport, the name for the roads for planes which connect the runways and
terminals together, is

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

11. When air traffic control wants a pilot to raise their speed (travel quicker), they will say

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

12. The direction in which a plane is flying in, is called the

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

13. When air traffic control wants a pilot to decrease the altitude their plane is flying at,
they will say

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14. When air traffic control wants a pilot to continue to fly at the same altitude they
currently are, they will say

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

32
01. Slow to: (verb) This is the common way used to instruct pilots to decrease/reduce
the speed they are flying at. After 'slow to', the controller will say the new speed the
pilot should be traveling at. For example, 'Iberia 3427, slow to 230 knots'.

02. Cleared for the approach: (phrase) The airspace around each airport is looked
after by two distinct air traffic control centres, the airport's control tower (normally
called the 'tower') and the 'Terminal Radar Approach Control' (normally called
'TRACON'). Each is responsible for both different airspace (the 'tower' for the
airspace within 10 miles or so around the airport and 'TRACON' from 10 miles up to
80 or so miles) and different roles when a plane is arriving at an airport (the 'tower'
for landing planes and 'TRACON' for organising/lining up the planes so they can both
safely and quickly be landed at the airport).

Once the air traffic controller at TRACON has lined up the plane towards the airport
at the correct speed and altitude, the plane is ready to enter the stage before
actually landing, which is called 'approach'. When this happens, the controller at
TRACON informs the pilot that they are 'cleared for the approach'.

At this point, the controller at TRACON hands the airplane over to the responsibility
of a controller at the 'tower' (they inform the pilot to change the frequency of their
radio, so they are in contact with a controller at the 'tower'). After this, in
combination with direct instructions with a controller in the 'tower', the pilot will
follow the approach and landing instructions (which are normally set and on a
document they have with them).

03. Taxi: (verb) 'taxi' is the name for the movement that a plane makes by itself on its
wheels whilst on the ground. Normally, 'taxi' is used in instructions given by the air
traffic control to a pilot to tell them where they should go whilst on the ground. For
example, 'United 2667, taxi to terminal 1 via foxtrot(F)'.

04. Ready to land: (phrase) This phrase is used when a pilot informs air traffic control
that they are both ready and want to receive permission to actually land their plane.
If permission is given, air traffic control would respond by saying 'cleared to land'.

Often before a pilot has the need to say 'ready to land', air traffic control will inform
them that they are 'cleared to land'. So, there is no need to say 'ready to land'
(because they already have clearance to do so).

05. Call sign: (noun) The 'call sign' is a naming convention used for planes which air
traffic control and pilots use when communicating (to make sure instructions are
given to the right plane etc...). The 'call sign' is often the first thing said when any
communication is made between a plane and air traffic control (e.g. 'Iberia 7329,
turn right to heading 145').

The 'call sign' is made up of a combination of letters and numbers (with letters
starting first). Normally for commercial airlines the 'call sign' begins with the
company name (e.g. United) or an abbreviation (e.g. 'AWI' for 'Air Wisconsin'). For
non-commercial planes, the call sign will probably start with the type of plane it is
(e.g. 'cessna' ). After this for both, it is followed by four or five numbers (e.g.
'United 7749').

33
06. Maintain this frequency: (phrase) During a flight, a plane will be looked after by
various different air traffic control centres (the airports' control towers (normally
called the 'tower'), the 'Terminal Radar Approach Control' (normally called 'TRACON')
associated to the airports and various different Area Control Centres (ACC) during
the main part of the flight). As a result, a pilot will be in radio contact with numerous
different air traffic controllers.

When the monitoring of a flight is transferred to a new air traffic controller, the pilot
will be instructed to 'change frequency to'. The pilot will then change the frequency
of their communication radio to the one they have been given (for example, 'United
4531, change frequency to 121.45').

If no change is necessary, air traffic control may tell the pilot 'maintain this
frequency'. This command is commonly used when a plane is on the ground at an
airport (where different controllers often perform different roles, e.g. one for moving
the planes along the ground and another for take-offs and landings).

07. Cleared to land: (phrase) This instruction is used by air traffic control to tell the
pilot of a plane that they have been given clearance/permission to land it on the
assigned runway. Once a pilot has received this permission, they follow the final
procedures for landing the plane from where they are (like reducing speed and
altitude, lining up with the runway, lowering landing gear etc...).

Although this instruction is normally given when the plane is very close to the
airport, it can be given at any time during the approach to the airport.

08. Climb to: (verb) This is the commonly used way to instruct a pilot to increase the
altitude that they are flying at. After 'climb to', the air traffic controller will say the
new altitude the pilot should be traveling at. For example, 'Iberia 3427, climb to
8,000'.

09. Change frequency to: (phrase) During a flight, a plane will be looked after by
various different air traffic control centres (the airports' control towers (normally
called the 'tower'), the 'Terminal Radar Approach Control' (normally called 'TRACON')
associated to the airports and various different Area Control Centres (ACC) during
the main part of the flight). As a result, a pilot will be in radio contact with numerous
different air traffic controllers.

The instruction 'change frequency to' is used to inform a pilot that they are being
transferred to another air traffic controller. The pilot will then change the frequency
of their communication radio to the one they have been given (for example, 'United
4531, change frequency to 121.45'). They will continue on that radio frequency until
instructed to change by the new air traffic controller.

10. Taxiway: (noun) A 'taxiway' is the name for the roads/paths used by planes in an
airport to move between the runways, ramps, hangars, terminals and other facilities.
To help pilots move their planes around the airport, 'taxiways' have different
marking (e.g. a yellow line) from other parts of the airport (e.g. runways). They also
have signs to indicate both what 'taxiway' it is and to help with directions (e.g. to go
to a specific terminal or gate).

34
11. Increase speed to: (phrase) This is the commonly used way to instruct a pilot to
increase/raise the speed they are flying at. After 'increase speed to', the air traffic
controller will say the new speed the pilot should be traveling at. For example,
'Iberia 3427, increase speed to 230 knots'.

'increase your speed to' is often used by air traffic control instead.

12. Heading: (noun) 'heading' is the term used for the compass direction which a plane
is flying in. When air traffic control wants a plane to change direction, it will first say
what direction it wants the plane to turn (e.g. 'turn left'), then say 'heading' followed
by the numerical compass direction (e.g. 180 for south, 090 for east etc...) that it
wants the plane to fly on. For example, 'Iberia 3427, turn right heading 260'.

13. Descend to: (verb) This is the commonly used way to instruct a pilot to decrease
the altitude that they are flying at. After 'descend to', the air traffic controller will
say the new altitude the pilot should be traveling at. For example, 'Iberia 3427,
descend to 10,000'.

14. Maintain altitude: (phrase) 'maintain' is the command used by air traffic control to
tell a pilot not change something (i.e. do something the same as they are currently
doing). 'maintain' is commonly used with 'altitude', 'speed' and 'heading'. For
example, 'United 7749, maintain heading'.

Sometimes, air traffic control will clarify at what speed, altitude or heading they
want the pilot to continue on at the end of sentence. For example, 'United 7749,
maintain heading at 260'.

Practice:
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.

35
 Airport pilot instruction vocabulary exercise part 1:
Leaving the terminal gate

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.

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.

Exercise: Leaving the terminal gate

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.

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 pre-flight check first?'

Peter: ‘Yes.'

36
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.'

37
Jeans’.'

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.'

38
Quiz: Airport pilot instruction vocabulary part 1

Below is a definition/description of each of the words in bold from the above text. Now
choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers each
question. Only use one word/phrase once. 

1. Push back 2. Ready to push 3. Contact

4. Cleared 5. Ready to taxi 6. Taxi to
7. Read back

1. What a pilot says to a controller when they want permission to both start moving
towards the runway and receive directions/a route for getting there, is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which means they have to speak to somebody
on the radio, is

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. When a pilot has to repeat an instruction back to the controller who has given it them,
it is called a

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. The name given for a plane being moved backwards from the terminal gate by a
tractor/tug, is a

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

39
5. An instruction from a controller, which both gives permission to a pilot to start moving
their plane towards the runway and gives a route to follow, is

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. An instruction given by controllers to pilots which basically means they are

authorised/permitted to do an action (e.g. to be pushed back from the gate), is

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. What a pilot says to a controller when they want their plane pushed on to a taxiway
from a terminal gate, is

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

601. Ready to taxi: (phrase). This is a request made to ground control by a pilot after
they have, they have been pushed back from the gate on to a taxiway. It's basically
the pilot asking a controller at ground control for permission to start taxing to the
departure runway (and to which) and to be given a route to get there.

Normally, when the pilot is 'ready to tax' they will call ground control. They will give
their call sign (e.g. 'United 437'), where they are ('at taxiway A') and then say 'ready
to taxi'. For example, 'Ground control. United 437 at taxiway A, ready to taxi.'. They
will then wait for a controller to contact them.

The phrase 'requesting clearance to tax' can also be used instead.

602. Contact: (verb) When a plane is on the ground (after landing or before take-off) at
an airport, a pilot will normally have to speak to different air traffic controllers. The
reason why is that different parts of their journey from the gate at the terminal to
the runway where they take off (or vice versa) are looked after by 3 different
sections of controllers.

When planes are leaving/arriving at the ramp/apron, they receive instructions from
the ramp/apron control. When planes are moving from the ramp/apron to the
runway (or vice versa), they receive instructions from ground control. When they are
at the runway (for taking off or landing), they receive instructions from the
tower/local control.

When the responsibility of one controller has been completed (e.g. a plane has been
successfully moved to the runway for take-off) they will pass the pilot to another
controller (e.g. a controller in tower control). When this happens, the controller will
instruct the pilot that they need to change their radio frequency to be in contact with
the new controller. They will do this by saying 'contact', followed by the section of air
traffic control they need to contact (e.g. ramp, ground or tower) and the frequency
to contact them on. For example, 'United 4531, contact ground on 121.45'.

40
 The pilot will then change the frequency of their communication radio to the one
they have been given. They will continue on that radio frequency until instructed to
change by the new air traffic controller. For example, 'United 4531, contact tower on
121.95'.

You can also use 'call' with the same meaning. For example, 'United 4531, call tower
on 121.95'.

603. Readback: (noun) This is when a pilot has to repeat the instructions given to them
by a controller. Although pilots don't 'read back' all the instructions they are given by
controller they always have to repeat important instructions. For example, if they are
told to stop (called 'hold short') at a certain place on their route or when receiving
permission to line up on the runway for take-off (called 'line up and wait').

As most pilots know which types of controller instructions they have to repeat/'read
back', controllers don't normally say this phrase. They normally will only do so when
a pilot hasn't repeated to them what they are required to do. For example, 'United
521, read back instructions'.

604. Pushback: (noun) This is when a plane is moved from the terminal gate backwards
by a tractor or tug.

Normally, a plane is 'pushed back' by the tug/tractor onto a taxiway. From here, it
can start to taxi by itself to the departure runway.

When a pilot wants a 'pushback', they inform the controller at ramp control that they
are 'ready to push'.

605. Taxi to: (verb) This is an instruction given by a controller to a pilot to tell them to
both move their plane and where. After 'taxi to', the controller at ground control will
tell the pilot where they have to go (e.g. runway 15, taxiway T etc...) and by which
route (e.g. 'via taxiways K and S'). For example, 'United 624, taxi to T via K and S'.
In addition, they will also tell them where they have to stop (which is called 'hold
short').

For example, 'United 543, taxi to runway 30 via K and S, hold short of runway 14'.

The pilot is required to repeat these instructions to the controller before they start.

'taxi to' is normally used when a plane starts their journey on the ground (i.e. after
landing or after leaving the gate) to give the pilot the route.

606. Cleared: (verb) This is an instruction given by the controller to a pilot. It basically
means that they are permitted/allowed to do something. Normally, this is used for
major actions (e.g. taking off, crossing a runway, a pushback).

When used as an instruction, it is followed by 'to' and then by the action they have
been given permission to do. For example, 'United 162, cleared to cross runway
17L'.

41
 607. Ready to push: (phrase) Can also use 'request to push'. This is when the pilot
informs the controller in ramp control that they are ready for a 'pushback'. A
'pushback' is when a plane is pushed backwards by a tractor/tug from the gate on
the ramp/apron on to a taxiway. Once they have been given permission from the
controller (who'll say 'cleared for push'), the driver of the tractor/tug will be
informed and do the pushback.

In many airports, the pilot will also need to get permission to start their engines at
the same time. To do this, they will add 'and start' to the phrase. For example,
'United 435 at gate 8, ready to push and start'.

When the pilot is cleared to do this by the controller at ramp control, the controller
will tell them where they should be facing when on the taxiway and ask them to
contact ground control (with a radio frequency) once in position. Ground control is
responsible for moving aircraft up to the runways from this point.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.
Airport pilot instruction vocabulary exercise part 2:
Moving around an airport
In this second 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 are actually moving along the ground on taxiways 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.

Exercise: Moving an airplane around an airport

Read the following conversation between Juan (a Spanish trainee pilot) and Peter (a
professional pilot). In this part, Juan is practising moving his plane on taxiways and learns
how to cross a runway safely on a simulator. Peter explains 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.

Peter: ‘So you are now on taxiway S. What do you have to do when the taxiway
crosses/intersects with runway 14? What did the controller ask you to do when you reach
there?'
42
Juan: ‘I think the controller told me to 'hold short of runway 14'. So can I cross the
runway then?'

Peter: ‘No, you can't. When a controller tells you to 'hold short' of something, you have
to stop in front of it and wait until they give permission to cross or go on it.'

Juan: ‘But where should I stop?'

Peter: ‘When you arrive at the intersection, you'll see some yellow lines marked on the
taxiway just in front of the runway. This is called a holding position and this is where
you have to stop in front of.'

Jeans’. I've received a message from the controller saying state your position.'

Peter: ‘The controller is asking you to tell him where you are? Which taxiway you are on
and what taxiway or runway you are in front of. You need to reply that you are on taxiway
S and that you are approaching runway 14.'

Juan: ‘So, I say 'United 231, on S, approaching runway 14'.'

Peter: ‘That’s right. So, tell the controller.'

10 seconds after telling the controller the message

Juan: ‘The controller has said to continue your approach. Which I suppose means to
continue where I am going?'

Peter: ‘Yes it does.'

1 minute later, when stopped at the intersection with the runway

Juan: ‘Now what do I do?'

Peter: ‘You can contact the controller to tell him where you are. When you are stopped at
a holding position, to tell the controller where you are, you say short of followed by what
you are stopped in front of and then what taxiway you are on.'

Juan: ‘So, I would say 'United 231, short of runway 14 on S'?'

Peter: ‘That’s right.'

5 seconds after giving the controller the message

Juan: ‘So what now?'

Peter: ‘With all the runways at an airport, you have to wait until you get permission from
the controller to cross them. If you cross one without permission, it's called a runway
incursion. It's not only dangerous, but you'll get punished for it.'

Juan: ‘The controller has said 'cleared to cross runway 14'. That means I can cross it
now?'

43
Peter: ‘That’s right.'

Juan: ‘The controller is asking me to 'report when clear of runway 14'. I suppose I have
to tell him when I've crossed the runway. But what do I say?'

Peter: ‘I’ll tell you when you've crossed.'

Quiz: Airport pilot instruction vocabulary part 2

Below is a definition/description of each of the words in bold from the above text. Now
choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers each
question. Only use one word/phrase once.

1. Hold short of 2. Holding Position 3. State your position

4. Approaching 5. Continue your approach 6. Short of
7. Runway incursion 8. Cleared to cross runway 9. Report when

1. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which asks them to confirm by radio when
they have done something or reached somewhere, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. The name of the places on taxiways (marked with yellow lines) where pilots are
required to stop in front of if a controller instructs them to, is a

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. When a plane goes on to a runway when they have not been given permission to do so
by a controller, it is called a

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
44
4. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which tells the pilot to carry on going in the
direction they are moving, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. A phrase used by a pilot to give their location to a controller when they have stopped
and are waiting at a holding position, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which gives the pilot permission to move their
aircraft across a runway, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. What a controller asks a pilot when they want to know where the pilot currently is
(i.e. which taxiway they are on etc...), is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. A word used by a pilot to give their location to a controller when they are moving along
a taxiway, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. An instruction from a controller that tells a pilot to stop and wait on a taxiway in front of
an intersection, is
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
701. Report when: (phrase) This is an instruction given by air traffic control to a pilot to
confirm when they have successfully done an instruction they have been given or
reached a certain point on their route. Normally, this is only required for important
instructions (for example, with crossing an active runway etc...).

Following 'report when', the controller will say what action they want the pilot to
confirm they've done. For example, 'Delta 732, report when clear of runway 17R'.

When the action has been done, the pilot will then contact the controller to confirm
they have done the action. For example, 'Delta 732, we're clear of runway 17R'.

702. Holding position: (noun) A 'holding position' is a designated area on taxiways and
the entrances to runways where planes can be stopped and told to wait at by air
traffic control. 'holding positions' are normally located just in front of intersections
(where two taxiways meet or where a taxiway meets a runway).

To help pilots know where they are, 'holding positions' are marked on the tarmac of
the taxiway (yellow markings which go across the taxiway).

If a plane has to stop and wait at a holding position, they will be instructed to do so
by the controller telling them 'hold short of' followed by the specific 'holding position'
45
 they have to stop at (e.g. 'E'). For example, if a pilot is told to 'hold short of E', they
will have to stop at the 'holding position' which is in front of the intersection of
taxiway E with the taxiway they are currently moving on.

703. Runway incursion: (noun) Unless cleared to do so, a plane cannot be on or cross
an active runway. When this happens, it is a called a 'runway incursion'. When these
situations happen, there will often be an investigation carried out to see why it
happened and who was to blame.

704. Continue your approach: (phrase) This is when a controller gives a pilot
permission to continue moving on the route they have been given. Often a controller
will say this after they have asked a pilot to 'state their position' and the pilot
informs them that they are moving and where they are. For example, 'British
Airways 942, state your position?' 'Approaching N on F' 'continue your approach'.

705. Short of: (phrase) This is used by a pilot to tell a controller their current position.
Pilots would use this when they are stopped at a 'holding position/line' at an
intersection between two taxiways or a taxiway and a runway.

When a pilot says this, they follow 'short of' with the name of the taxiway or runway
that they are stopped in front (e.g. taxiway E). Then by the name of which taxiway
they are currently on (e.g. on taxiway V). For example, 'United 231, short of E on V'.

706. Cleared to cross runway: (phrase) 'cleared to' is an instruction given by the
controller to a pilot. It basically means that they are permitted/allowed to do
something.

Normally, this is used for major actions (e.g. taking off, crossing a runway, push
back). 'cleared to' is followed by the action they have been given permission to do.
For example, 'United 162, cleared to cross runway 17L'.

A pilot should not cross a runway unless they are 'cleared to cross' the runway by air
traffic control.

707. State your position: (phrase) This basically means 'where are you?' (which is
commonly used instead). This is an instruction which a controller will ask a pilot
when they want confirmation of where they are. For example, 'Delta 299, state your
position?' 'short of E on V.'.

You may also hear 'say your position' used for the same purpose.

708. Approaching: (verb) This is used when a pilot informs a controller where they are.
A pilot would use this when they are moving along the ground. If they have stopped,

46
 they would say 'short of' or 'facing' followed by the designated position they are at
(e.g. 'short of F' or 'facing F').

When the pilot uses 'approaching' they follow it by saying the name of taxiway or
runway intersection (which crosses the taxiway they are currently moving on) which
is in front of them. For example, 'Delta 255, state your position?' 'approaching S'.
They can add on which taxiway they are moving on at the end. For example,
'approaching S on F'.

709. Hold short of: (phrase) This basically means to 'stop in front of'. It is an
instruction given by a controller to a pilot to stop at a certain place and wait.

Along the taxiways (at entrances and exits to them and at intersections) in an
airport there are 'holding positions'. These are designated areas (with markings on
the tarmac) where planes can be stopped.

When a 'hold short' instruction is given to a pilot, it means they have to stop at a
specific one of these (it will be one which the plane is approaching). After 'hold short
of', the pilot will be told which one to stop at. For example, if the plane has to stop in
front of taxiway 'E', they will be told 'hold short of E'.

When a pilot is given a 'hold short of' instruction by a controller, they will have to
repeat (give a 'readback' of) the instruction to the controller (so the controller knows
they have understood). If a pilot doesn't do this, the controller will say to the pilot
'read back hold short instruction' to make sure they do.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.

Airport pilot instruction vocabulary exercise part 3:

Moving around an airport continued
In this third of four online exercises on aviation English vocabulary, I'll show you
and explain more vocabulary/phrases used by controllers and pilots when planes
are actually moving along the ground on taxiways 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.

Exercise: Moving an airplane around an airport continued

47
Read the following conversation between Juan (a Spanish trainee pilot) and Peter (a
professional pilot). In this part, Juan has just crossed a runway and continues to move his
plane on taxiways to the departure runway 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.

Peter: ‘So now that you've crossed the runway, you have to tell the controller (as he
asked you to do) that you've crossed the runway by saying, we're clear of runway 14.'

Juan: ‘Will do.'

20 seconds after giving the controller the message

Juan: ‘The controller has just told me to 'turn left on T'. Do I have to stop at the holding
position when taxiway T crosses the taxiway we are on?'

Peter: ‘No, he didn't give you a 'hold short' instruction. So when you reach the
intersection with the taxiway, go left (not right) and continue on taxiway T.'

1 minute later, when taxiing on taxiway T

Juan: ‘The controller has responded saying 'continue on taxiway T'. Which I suppose
means continue taxiing on the taxiway we are currently on.'

Peter: ‘It does.'

Juan: ‘Now, the controller has just told me to 'join T2'. I suppose that means I have to
take taxiway T2 when it crosses the taxiway we are on, doesn't it?'

Peter: ‘Yes. When you are instructed to join a taxiway, it means you have to taxi on it
when you see it. But controllers don't use 'join' at intersections where one taxiway crosses
another, only when one taxiway joins another taxiway on one side.'

1 minute later, when approaching the intersection with taxiway T2

Juan: ‘Peter, I can't join taxiway T2, there's a plane already on the taxiway. If I join it, I'll
crash in to it.'

Peter: ‘Stop at the holding position and contact the controller and tell them a plane is
blocking the taxiway.'

Juan: ‘What should I say?'

Peter: ‘Tell him 'T2 blocked by an Air France jet'. Tell him before where you are. So say,
'United 231, short of T2 on T'. Ok?'

Juan: ‘Fine.'

10 seconds after giving the controller the message

Juan: ‘The controller has just replied and said 'hold your position'. Which I suppose
means that I have to wait where I am?'

48
Peter: ‘That’s right.'

2 minutes later, when the Air France plane has left taxiway T2
Juan: ‘Now that the Air France plane has left the taxiway, the controller has given me
permission to join the taxiway. He has also told me to hold short on T2 of the taxiway it
joins.'

Peter: ‘So read back the message to the controller (because you've got a 'hold short'
instruction) and go to where he's told you.'

1 minutes later, when holding short on taxiway T2

Juan: ‘I’ve just received this message from the controller, 'give way to the Iberia jet off
your left at Q'.'

Peter: ‘When you are instructed to 'give way'. It means you have let it pass in front of
you.'

Juan: ‘He has also instructed me to follow the Iberia jet after it passes in front of me.
Which means I have to follow it obviously.'

Peter: ‘Yes, but at a safe distance.'

2 minutes later, when following the Iberia plane

Juan: ‘Just received a message from the controller to 'monitor tower 113.4'. What does it
mean?'

Peter: ‘Because you are getting close to the departure runway, you have to start listening
on the radio to the frequency of the controller at tower control who looks after takeoffs
and the runway for information and instructions. That's why the controller at ground
control (who's instructing you to get there) is instructing you to monitor tower 113.4.'

Juan: ‘So, I stop listening to the controller at ground control?'

Peter: ‘No, you listen to both until you are instructed to do so.'

Quiz: Airport pilot instruction vocabulary part 3

Below is a definition/description of each of the words in bold from the above text. Now
choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers each
question. Only use one word/phrase once. 

1. We’re clear of runway 2. Turn 3. Continue on

4. Join 5. Blocked 6. Hole your position
7. Give way to 8. Follow 9. Monitor tower 113,4

49
1. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which tells the pilot to not move from where
they are currently stopped at, is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. An instruction given by a controller to a pilot which means the pilot has to take the
same route as the plane in front of them does, is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3. When a controller instructs a pilot to take a new taxiway which intersects (but on only
one side) with the taxiway they are on, they will say

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which means they have to start listening to an
additional radio frequency, is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. When a controller gives additional route instructions to a pilot, they will start by saying

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. A phrase used by a pilot to tell a controller that they have successfully crossed a
runway, is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. An instruction given by a controller to a pilot which means the pilot has to let another
plane pass or go in front of them, is

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8. When a controller instructs a pilot to take a new taxiway which crosses the taxiway they
are on, they will say

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. When a pilot can't move on a taxiway because something is stopping them (e.g. a
plane, a vehicle etc...), the taxiway is
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
801. Hold your position: (phrase) This is an instruction given by a controller to a pilot
to stay where they are (i.e. to not move from the location they are currently stopped
at).

802. Follow: (verb) This is an instruction given to a pilot to take the same route as the
plane in front of it is going.

50
 Normally, when a controller tells a pilot to do this, they will tell the pilot what aircraft
(saying either the name of the airline company the plane belongs to (e.g. Iberia jet
etc...) or the type of aircraft it is (e.g. cessna etc...) they have to follow after it. For
example, 'British Airways 452, follow the Delta jet'.

803. Join: (verb) This is an instruction given by the controller to a pilot. It is basically an
instruction to leave the taxiway they are currently on and take another one (which
the controller will specify).

Normally, 'join' is used when a taxiway doesn't cross the taxiway the pilot's plane is
traveling on, but it joins the taxiway on one of the two sides (either the left or right
side).

When a controller uses 'join', they will follow it by saying which taxiway the pilot has
to take (e.g. taxiway NT). They could also add on which side of the plane the
taxiway will be on (e.g. 'on your right/left'). For example, 'United 413, join NT on
your right'.

When a taxiway crosses another, it is more common for the controller to use 'turn'
instead of 'join'. For example, 'United 413, right on F'.

804. Monitor tower 113.4: (phrase) When a pilot is moving their plane around an
airport, they will at times be listening to more than one radio frequency for
instructions/information. This is because different controllers are responsible for
different parts of their journey along the ground.

When planes are leaving/arriving at the ramp/apron, they receive instructions from
the ramp/apron control. When planes are moving from the ramp/apron to the
runway (or vice versa), they receive instructions from ground control. When they are
at the runway (for taking off or landing), they receive instructions from the
tower/local control.

Often (e.g. when close to the runway they'll take off on), pilots will have to be
listening for instructions or information from two different controllers at the same
time. When a pilot has to do this, they will be instructed to do so by a controller.
They will tell the pilot first 'monitor', followed by who they have to be listening to
(e.g. ground, tower or ramp) and then the frequency of the radio channel. For
example, 'United 184, monitor tower 114.5'.

805. Continue on: (verb) This is used by the controller to give route instructions to a
pilot of a moving plane (although it can used for planes that have stopped). It can
be used to both make them follow the route they were given before or to add to or
modify the route they are going to take.

In either case, 'continue on' will be followed by details of the route they have to
take. For example, 'Iberia 432, continue on G, turn left on K, hold short of T'.

'taxi' and 'proceed' are also used with the same meaning as 'continue'. For example,
'Iberia 432, proceed on G, turn left on K, hold short of T'.

51
806. We're clear of runway: (phrase) When a plane has to cross a runway whilst on
the ground, the pilot is required to confirm to the controller when they have
successfully crossed it.

They do this by using the phrase 'we're clear of runway'. This is followed by the
name of the runway they have just crossed. For example, the pilot would tell the
controller 'Delta 732, we're clear of runway 17R'.

Often, pilots will shorten this phrase and say 'clear of runway' instead of 'we're clear
of runway'.

807. Give way to: (phrasal verb) An instruction from air traffic control to a pilot that
means that they have to allow another plane to go in front or pass in front of them.

When this instruction is given to a pilot, the controller will say 'give way to' followed
by the type of jet (e.g. 'the United jet'), then on which side of them the aircraft is
(e.g. 'off/on your left') and/or where to do it (e.g. at an intersection, 'at E'. For
example, 'Delta 299, give way to the Iberia jet off your right at E'.

808. Turn: (verb) This is an instruction given by a controller to a pilot. It is basically an

instruction to leave the taxiway they are currently on and take another one (which
the controller will specify). They use 'turn' when the taxiway they have to take,
crosses/intersects the one they are currently on. This is to ensure that the pilot goes
in the right direction (either 'left' or 'right').

The controller will always follow 'turn' by which direction ('left' or 'right') and by
which taxiway they have to turn on to (e.g. 'on B'). For example, 'United 413, turn
right on F'.

Often, controllers will omit 'turn' and just say the direction (left or right) and where.
For example, 'United 413, right on F'.

809. Blocked: (adjective) This means that a plane is unable to continue on their
assigned route because something (often another plane) is stopping them move.

When this happen (and it can't move on a taxiway, runway, ramp etc...), either the
pilot or controller (who first sees it) will inform the other. They will say what is
blocked (e.g. taxiway K) and what is blocking it (if it's a plane, they'll say either the
name of the airline company or the type of aircraft). For example, 'K is blocked by a
Delta'.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.
Airport pilot instruction vocabulary exercise part 4:
Taking off from a runway
52
In this last of four online exercises on aviation English vocabulary, I'll show you
and explain both the process and vocabulary/phrases used by controllers and
pilots when planes are approaching the departure runway and taking off from 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.

Exercise: Taking off from an airport

Read the following conversation between Juan (a Spanish trainee pilot) and Peter (a
professional pilot). In this part, Juan is approaching the runway where he going to take off
from 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.

Peter: ‘So now we are approaching the departure runway, expect to receive more
information and instructions from the controller at tower control.'

Juan: ‘I’ve just received a message from the controller at tower control. It says 'United
231, you are number 4 for departure'. Which I suppose means I'm fourth in the queue
for planes waiting to take off.'

Peter: ‘That’s correct.'

Juan: ‘It also says 'follow departure procedure'. What does that mean?'

Peter: ‘When you are instructed to follow departure procedure, it means when you
take off you have to follow the specified direction, attitude and speed instructions that you
have been provided with earlier (before departing from the terminal gate). Do you
remember what they are?'

Juan: ‘Yes I have a copy here. The controller has also instructed me to 'hold short of
runway 17 on R'. But there are three planes waiting in front of me to take off. So I can't
stop at the holding position.'

Peter: ‘Just stop in front of the last aircraft in the queue and move when they move.
Make sure you read back that last message to the controller.'

Juan: ‘Will do.'

2 minutes later, when approaching the queue for takeoff

Peter: ‘Make sure that you stop at a safe distance before the plane in front of you in the
queue to the runway.'

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Juan: ‘I know, at least one plane's length. Got a message from the controller at tower. It
says caution wake turbulence. I suppose it means that I have to be prepared for strong
wind caused by the plane just about to take off.'

Peter: ‘Yes.'

4 minutes later, when at the holding position just in front of the runway
Juan: ‘I’ve got a message from the controller at the tower. He says 'runway 17, line up
and wait'. Do I stay here?'

Peter: ‘No you don't. When you are told 'line up and wait', it means you have
permission to taxi on to the departure runway to the takeoff position. So read back the
instruction to the controller and follow the yellow line in front of you and stop where it
ends on the runway.'

30 seconds later, when on the takeoff position on the runway

Peter: ‘Just before the controller gives you permission to take off, they will tell you about
the wind conditions, where the wind is coming from and how strong it is. They'll say wind
210 at 3 for example.'

Juan: ‘I’ve just received this message from the controller, 'United 231, wind 90 at 5,
runway 17, cleared for take-off'.'

Peter: ‘You’ve got cleared for take-off. So, you have permission to take off. But read
back the instruction (without the information about the wind) before you do.'

Juan: 'Ok.'

10 seconds later
Peter: ‘So now start rolling.'

Juan: ‘What?'

Peter: ‘Rolling means to move the aircraft along the runway when you are taking off.'

Juan: 'Ok, I'll start rolling then. Do I have to tell the controller when I'm in the air and off
the runway?'

Peter: ‘No.'

40 seconds later, when the plane is in the air

Juan: ‘Just received a message from the controller at tower control to 'contact
departure'. What does that mean?'

Peter: ‘When you leave the runway and are in the air, the responsibility of tower control
ends. The controller is instructing you to contact on the radio a controller at departure
control, who are responsible for aircraft once they have taken off and are in the air around
the airport.'

Juan: ‘I’ll contact departure control now.'

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Quiz: Airport pilot instruction vocabulary part 4

Below is a definition/description of each of the words in bold from the above text. Now
choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers each
question. Only use one word/phrase once. 

1. Number 4 for departure 2. Departure Procedure

3. Caution wake turbulence 4. Line up and wait
5. Wind 210 at 3 6. Cleared for take-off
7. Rolling 8. Contact departure

1. An instruction from a controller to a pilot which gives the pilot permission to take off
from a runway, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2. When a controller tells a pilot what their position is in the queue for take-off is, they will
say

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3. When a controller tells a pilot about the wind conditions (the direction and the speed)
on the runway, they will say

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. When a plane is moving down a runway in the process of taking off, the movement is
called

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. An instruction given by a controller to a pilot to move on to the runway and prepare for
take-off, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. A warning given by a controller to a pilot to be prepared for strong winds caused by a

plane taking off, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

7. An instruction given by a controller to a pilot which means they have to change radio
frequency to receive instructions/information from a new controller, is

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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8. The details of direction, attitude and speed that a pilot has to follow after they have
taken off from the runway, is called

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

901. Cleared for take-off: (phrase) This is an instruction given by the controller to a
pilot. It basically means that they are permitted/allowed to take off on the runway.
Once a pilot has stopped at the take-off position on a runway, they will wait for the
controller at the tower to tell them 'cleared for take-off'.

Normally, the controller will give them information about the wind conditions (e.g.
'wind 90 at 5') and confirm the runway (e.g. 'runway 17L') just before saying
'cleared for take-off'. For example, 'United 162, wind 90 at 5, runway 17L, cleared
for take-off'.

After this, the pilot has to confirm that they heard the instruction by repeating
'cleared for take-off', followed by their plane's call sign (e.g. 'United 162'). For
example, 'cleared for take-off, United 162'. After this, the pilot will start the process
of taking off.

902. Number 4 for departure: (phrase) Whilst a pilot is taxing from the terminal to
the departure runway, they will be told by the controller where they are in the queue
for planes waiting to take off. The phrase 'number 4 for departure' (the number can
be anything) is used by the controller to do this. For example, 'Iberia 564, you are
number 9 for departure'.

903. Wind 210 at 3: (phrase) Just before a pilot is given permission to take off, the
controller at the tower will inform them what the wind conditions are at the runway.

When a controller does this, they will start with 'wind' followed by the direction the
wind is coming from (e.g. 90 (which means 90 degrees or east) etc...). Then they
will say 'at' followed by the wind speed in knots (e.g. 5 etc...).

When the controller does this, they will normally just say the numbers for both the
wind direction and speed. For example, 'wind 90 at 5'. As I said above, this
information is normally given just before the pilot is cleared for take-off. For
example, 'British Airways 643, wind 90 at 5, cleared for take-off'.

904. Rolling: (verb) This means that a plane is moving along the ground on the runway
in the process of taking off.

Normally, the pilot doesn't have to inform the tower controller that this is happening.
But if they did, the pilot would say 'rolling' followed by the runway they are on. For
example, 'United 643, rolling 13'.

905. Line up and wait: (phrase) This is an instruction given by air traffic control to a
pilot. It gives permission to the pilot to move their plane onto the runway they are
leaving from and wait at the take-off position. When the controller uses this phrase,

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 they will say the name/number of the runway before it. For example, 'United 127,
runway 19, line up and wait'.

The pilot is required to repeat this instruction back to the controller. For example,
'Tower. United 127, runway 19, line up and wait'.

They will then have to wait until they are given clearance to take off.

906. Caution wake turbulence: (phrase) 'caution' is used by a controller to warn a

pilot(s) of a possible safety issue. In the case of 'caution wake turbulence', it's a
warning to pilots of planes queuing to take off by a runway to be prepared for strong
winds (called 'wake') produced by a plane taking off on the runway.

Normally, when the controller uses 'caution wake turbulence', they will follow it by
saying which aircraft will produce it and on which runway. For example, 'caution
wake turbulence by heavy Lockheed C5A departing runway 23'.

907. Contact departure: (phrase) Once a plane has taken off from the runway, the
responsibility for looking after the plane changes from tower control to departure
control (who are responsible for coordinating departing planes in the airspace around
the airport). The tower controller will instruct the pilot to contact a controller at
departure control on their radio when their plane has left the ground.

The controller will normally just say to the pilot 'contact departure' to do this.
Sometimes they add the name of city before 'departure'. For example, 'United 218,
contact New York departure'.

It is the responsibility of the controller at departure to make sure that the plane is
safely given directions whilst it is in the airspace around the airport.

908. Departure procedure: (noun) Also called 'Standard Instrument Departure' or

SID. Most airports have standardized departure procedures for planes to follow
directly after taking off. These 'departure procedures' detail the direction, attitude
and speed which pilots have to follow after departing from the airport’s runways.

Pilots will know about the 'departure procedure' for their flight before they start their
journey (i.e. they leave the gate at the terminal). Unless any changes have been
made to it, controllers will generally not talk to the pilots about them whilst the
pilots are on the ground at the airport.

Practice
Now that you understand the new vocabulary, practise it by creating your own
sentences with the new words/phrases.

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