Radio Communications and ATC for Student Pilots
What you'll learn: who to call, what to say and what to do if the radio fails. Source: AIM Chapter 4.
The basic call
Who you're calling, who you are, where you are, what you want.
Example: "Ogden Tower, Skyhawk 1234 Alpha, 10 miles south, 6,500, inbound for landing with information Bravo."
Key frequencies
- ATIS/AWOS/ASOS: recorded weather and airport info. Listen first.
- Ground, Tower, Approach at controlled airports.
- CTAF at non-towered airports: self-announce position and intentions.
- 121.5: emergency frequency.
Transponder codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1200 | VFR (no ATC code assigned) |
| 7500 | Hijack |
| 7600 | Lost communications |
| 7700 | Emergency |
Light gun signals (AIM 4-3-13)
| Signal | On the ground | In the air |
|---|---|---|
| Steady green | Cleared for takeoff | Cleared to land |
| Flashing green | Cleared to taxi | Return for landing |
| Steady red | Stop | Give way, continue circling |
| Flashing red | Taxi clear of runway | Airport unsafe, do not land |
| Flashing white | Return to starting point | n/a |
| Alternating red/green | Exercise extreme caution | Exercise extreme caution |
Read it in the FAA handbooks
The official chapters behind this page. Each link opens the exact chapter, free on faa.gov. See the full Study Library.
Check yourself
2 questions. Pick an answer to see why it's right or wrong.
Sources, review & change history
- Published
- Oct 16, 2026
- Last source review
- Not yet re-checked against primary sources
- Reviewer
- No independent reviewer yet. Written by Jackson, a student pilot, not a CFI.
- Scope
- U.S. VFR radio procedures.
Primary sources
Changes
- Oct 17, 2026: First published.
Something wrong or out of date? Report an error