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Test Your Aviation Vocabulary: Can You Decode These 6 Air Traffic Control Terms?

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Understanding Air Traffic Control Codes: Test Your Knowledge of These 6 Phrases
Understanding Air Traffic Control Codes: Test Your Knowledge of These 6 Phrases

Test Your Aviation Vocabulary: Can You Decode These 6 Air Traffic Control Terms?

Breaking Down ATC Phraseology 🛩️

  1. "Cleared for the option": Let's say you're performing touch-and-goes, and tower tells you're "cleared for the option". What the heck does that mean?! Here's the skinny: You can go for a touch-and-go, full stop, stop-and-go, low approach, or even a missed approach. It's a flexible clearance that saves time and streamlines communication at busy airports1.
  2. "Line up and wait": You're lined up to take off on runway 33, and you call tower to let them know you're ready. Tower then tells you to "line up and wait". What now? Simply taxi onto the runway, but don't launch until you're given the green light[2].
  3. "LAHSO" Operations: You're on your way to Salt Lake City, and the ATIS says LAHSO is in effect. No, it's not a space-themed flight language; it stands for "Land and Hold Short Operations". Basically, if ATC tells you to, you'll need to land and hold short of a runway, taxiway, or another point1.
  4. "Ident": You're departing a Class B airport, and tower tells you to "contact departure". Once you've dialed them up, they ask you to "ident". That just means you should activate your transponder ID. Most transponders have an "IDENT" button4.
  5. "Abeam the numbers": Tower tosses around terms like "abeam the numbers" in the traffic pattern. Where, exactly, does that put you? It's the position where the numbers (marking the runway threshold) are directly off your wing5.
  6. "NORDO": "NORDO" doesn't sound like a Pokemon, but it's pretty important in aviation. It means an aircraft can't communicate or isn't communicating with ATC or other aircraft6.

How'd you handle these tricky terms?

Think you've got a solid handle on ATC lingo? Put what you've learned to the test! Try this quiz to test your skills.

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  1. During touch-and-goes, when tower says "cleared for the option," you have the flexibility to choose between a touch-and-go, full stop, stop-and-go, low approach, or a missed approach.
  2. If you are on runway 33, ready to take off, and tower tells you to "line up and wait," you should taxi onto the runway but not launch until given the green light.
  3. LAHSO, mentioned in the ATIS during flight, stands for "Land and Hold Short Operations" and requires aircraft to land and hold short of a runway, taxiway, or another point if instructed by ATC.
  4. When departing a Class B airport, and tower tells you to "contact departure," you should dial them up, and once connected, they will ask you to "ident," which means activating your transponder ID.
  5. "Abeam the numbers" in the traffic pattern refers to the position where the numbers (marking the runway threshold) are directly off your wing.
  6. "NORDO" is a term used in aviation to describe an aircraft that can't communicate or isn't communicating with ATC or other aircraft.

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