1 – simulated flight

Candidates are each handed a different scenario in French. They must follow this scenario when they interact with the examiner. The latter, playing the role of the controller, initiates first contact with a radio check. Then it’s up to the pilots to kick in whenever they want, just being careful not to step on somebody else’s communication. Pilots must read back all messages to show that they have understood.

Below is a scenario in French. Study it for 5 minutes. 

C172, F-BASF en provenance de Caen à destination de Deauville.

• Appelez la tour, annoncez-vous à 5 minutes du point WG, 1300 pieds, pour un atterrissage complet.
• Faites-vous confirmer l’ATIS, vous n’avez rien reçu sur 119,175.
• Rappelez WG.
• Rappelez vent arrière.
• Annoncez que vous avez le trafic précédent en vue.
• Rappelez finale.
• Rappelez courte finale. La piste n’est pas dégagée, l’ATS vous demande de remettre les gaz.
• Rappelez vent arrière puis finale.

Then start the exercise. Remember that it’s up to the pilot to start communicating with the controller after the radio check, so pass your first message. Listen to the controller’s answer, hit the stop button at the end of his transmission, then readback his instructions. Repeat this interaction until you have reached the end of the scenario.

2 – unusual situation

Study for 90 seconds this unusual situation described in French, then relate your trouble in English to the examiner. 

De retour d’un vol local, j’ai essayé de contacter la tour 5 minutes avant l’entrée de la CTR. J’entendais le contrôleur, mais lui ne me recevait pas. J’ai affiché le code transpondeur 7600, et je me suis mis en attente sur un des points d’entrée de la CTR jusqu’à ce que la tour m’appelle. J’ai pu rejoindre le circuit et atterrir en accusant réception des messages par « ident ».

Two additional questions from the examiner:

• What kind of radio failure is this?
• What would you have done if it had been a two-way radio failure?

3 – listening comprehension

Listen to the audio recording and fill in the blanks in this text. The messages are played twice each. To allow for a little more practice, the exercise is aligned on the FCL 055 IFR, with 18 pilot-controller exchanges and 1 ATIS.

4 – the general English corner

Read this CNN article on Aéropostale, and answer these questions:

• Where is the South Atlantic’s narrowest point? 
• When did Raymond Galtié join Aéropostale?
• How long did it take Mermoz to « close the Atlantic gap » in 1930?

5 – the Fun Corner

Watch a video of unusual pilot/controller communication. It makes for easy listening, as the messages come with subtitles. Look out for a couple of Cactuses, a banana, a wallet, a big body, a pilot with a commitment issue, and a dog leg!