Radio Telephony in Aviation: The Voice of the Skies

What is Radio Telephony?

Radio Telephony is the use of voice communication via radio waves in Aviation to:

Give and receive Flight instructions
Maintain situational awareness
Ensure safety and separation between Aircraft

It forms part of the Aeronautical Mobile Service and uses specific VHF (Very High Frequency) and HF (High Frequency) bands allocated for Aviation purposes.

Frequency Bands Used

Frequency Band	Usage
VHF (118–137 MHz)	Short-range communication (line of sight) – most common for civil Aviation
HF (3–30 MHz)	Long-range communication (used in oceanic/remote areas)
UHF (225–400 MHz)	Military Aviation

Why Is RT So Important?

Prevents mid-Air collisions
Coordinates takeoffs, landings, and taxiing
Allows Pilots to report emergencies or technical issues
Ensures smooth flow of Air traffic, especially in congested Airspaces

Roles in RT Communication

Pilot
Communicates position, intentions, and requests to ATC
Responds promptly to ATC instructions

Air Traffic Controller
Monitors Aircraft movement
Issues clearances and instructions
Manages traffic flow

Common RT Scenarios

1. Pushback and Start-Up

"Ground, JetAir 454, request pushback and start-up, stand 6."

2. Taxi Clearance

"JetAir 454, taxi to holding point runway 27 via Alpha and Bravo."

3. Takeoff Clearance

"JetAir 454, runway 27, cleared for takeoff."

4. Enroute Handover

"Contact Mumbai Radar on 127.5. Good day."

5. Emergency RT

"Mayday, Mayday, Mayday – this is Indigo 6E243 – engine failure, requesting immediate landing."

Equipment Used

Aircraft Radio Transceiver
Headsets with boom microphones
Push-to-talk (PTT) switches
Audio Control Panels
Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) – logs RT for post-Flight review or investigation

Vanshita Thakor
Aviation Operations Intern
Asiatic International Crop
vanshita.Flyincrews@gmail.com
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