Getting a bearing (VDF)
A VDF (VHF Direction Finder) station fixes your bearing from your transmission. Ask: “<station>, <callsign>, request QDM, <callsign>” — repeat your callsign at the end of a VDF call. For a QTE, prefix with “true bearing, true bearing”. Each bearing comes with an accuracy class (A is best, down to D).
ATIS — listening to aerodrome information
An ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) is a continuous recorded broadcast of an aerodrome's essential information, on its own frequency, so it doesn't tie up the controller.
- The information letter (Alfa, Bravo, Charlie…), changed at each update
- Runway(s) in use
- Surface wind
- Visibility, weather and cloud
- Temperature and dew point
- QNH (and QFE where given)
- Any operationally significant remarks
Listen before your first call. On contact, tell the unit you have the current letter — e.g. “… information Bravo”. If there's no ATIS, ask the station for the current aerodrome information.
Flight Information Regions
UK airspace is divided into two Flight Information Regions (FIRs): the London FIR (south) and the Scottish FIR (north).
Within each, a Flight Information Service — London Information or Scottish Information — gives a Basic Service to en-route VFR traffic: flight information, weather, and traffic information where available. Free-call them and “request Basic Service”.
Light signals
If you can't use the radio (e.g. a radio failure), the tower can direct you with light signals. The meaning differs depending on whether you're in the air or on the ground.
| Signal | In flight | On the ground |
|---|---|---|
| Steady green | Cleared to land | Cleared for take-off |
| Steady red | Give way to other aircraft and continue circling | Stop |
| Green flashes | Return for landing (a steady green will follow) | Cleared to taxi |
| Red flashes | Aerodrome unsafe — do not land | Taxi clear of the landing area in use |
| White flashes | Land at this aerodrome and proceed to the apron (after a steady green) | Return to your starting point on the aerodrome |
A red pyrotechnic / red flare means “do not land for the time being”. Acknowledge a signal by day by rocking your wings, and by night by flashing your landing/navigation lights. These are standard signals — verify against the current UK Rules of the Air / SERA.
Finding & reading a METAR
TowerTalk's Virtual ATC pulls live METARs for you. You can also read them at aviationweather.gov, or get a UK aviation weather briefing from the Met Office.
EGSH 121350Z 25012KT 9999 FEW035 14/09 Q1013
- EGSHStation — the airfield's ICAO code (here, Norwich).
- 121350ZDate & time — 12th of the month at 1350 UTC. The Z (“Zulu”) means UTC, never local time.
- 25012KTWind — from 250° at 12 knots. “G” adds a gust (25012G24KT); “VRB” = variable; “00000KT” = calm.
- 9999Visibility — 9999 means 10 km or more. Smaller figures are metres (e.g. 4000 = 4 km). “CAVOK” = clear & good.
- FEW035Cloud — FEW (1–2 oktas) at 3,500 ft. SCT = scattered, BKN = broken, OVC = overcast.
- 14/09Temperature / dew point — 14°C, dew point 9°C. An “M” means minus (e.g. M02 = −2°C).
- Q1013QNH — 1013 hectopascals. Set this on your altimeter. (The US uses A2992 = inches of mercury.)
Weather is added when present: RA rain, SHRA showers, TS thunderstorm, BR mist, FG fog; “-” light, “+” heavy; NSC = no significant cloud, NOSIG = no significant change expected.
Decode a live METAR
Pull the current weather at a UK airfield and see it broken down.
Morse code
You don't talk in Morse, but you'll hear it: navigation aids (VOR, NDB, ILS) constantly transmit their identifier in Morse. Before using one, listen and confirm the ident matches the one on your chart — that proves you've tuned the right station and it's serviceable.