Navigate / EASA
SUBJECT 090 – COMMUNICATIONS

ED Decision 2020/018/R



Syllabus reference

BK

Syllabus details and associated Learning Objectives

Aeroplane

Helicopter

IR

CBIR(A)

BIR Exam

BIR BK

Remarks

ATPL

CPL

ATPL/IR

ATPL

CPL

090 00 00 00


COMMUNICATIONS











090 01 00 00


CONCEPTS











090 01 01 00


Associated terms











090 01 01 01


Meanings and significance











(01)


Define commonly used air traffic services (ATS) terms for stations.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(02)


Define commonly used ATS terms for communication methods.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(03)


Recognise the terms used in conjunction with the approach and holding procedures.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 01 01 02


Air traffic services (ATS) abbreviations











(01)


Define commonly used ATS abbreviations:

- flight conditions;

- airspace;

- services;

- time;

- VFR-related terms;

- IFR-related terms;

- miscellaneous.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 01 01 03


Q-code groups commonly used in radiotelephony (RT) air-ground communications











(01)


Define Q-code groups commonly used in RT air-ground communications:

- pressure settings;

- directions and bearings.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(02)


State the procedure for obtaining bearing information in flight.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 01 01 04


Categories of messages











(01)


Identify to which category of messages a type of message belongs and identify the associated priority indicator.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


090 02 00 00


GENERAL OPERATING PROCEDURES











090 02 01 00


Transmission standards











090 02 01 01


Transmission of letters











(01)


Know the phonetic alphabet used in RT.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(02)


Identify the circumstances when words should be spelt out.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


090 02 01 02


Transmission of numbers











(01)



Describe the method of transmission of numbers:

- pronunciation;

- single digits, whole hundreds and whole thousands;

- state how numbers are transmitted in different circumstances.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


090 02 01 03


Transmission of time











(01)



Describe the ways of transmitting time:

- the standard time reference is the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC);

- using only minutes, or minutes and hours, when required.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(02)


Describe the different ways in which time is to be transmitted.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




090 02 01 04


Transmission techniques











(01)


X

Explain the techniques used for making good RT transmissions.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




090 02 01 05


Standard words and phrases











(01)


Define the meaning of standard words and phrases.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(02)


Recognise, describe and use the correct standard phraseology for each phase of a VFR flight (consider communication with each type of aeronautical station):

- before taxi;

- taxi;

- departure;

- en route;

- circuit;

- final;

- landing;

- after landing.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(03)


Recognise, describe and use the correct standard phraseology for each phase of an IFR flight, including PBN operations (consider communication with each type of aeronautical station):

- before pushback or taxi;

- pushback;

- taxi;

- departure;

- en route;

- approach;

- final approach;

- landing;

- after landing.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(04)


Explain phraseology for the selective calling system (SELCAL) and aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS).

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(05)


Explain traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) phraseology.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




090 02 01 06


RT call signs for aeronautical stations including use of abbreviated call signs











(01)


Name the two parts of the call sign of an aeronautical station.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(02)


Identify the call-sign suffixes for aeronautical stations.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(03)


Explain when the call sign may be omitted or abbreviated to the use of suffix only.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 02 01 07


RT call signs for aircraft including use of abbreviated call signs











(01)


Describe the three different ways to compose an aircraft call sign.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(02)


Describe the abbreviated forms for aircraft call signs.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(03)


Explain when aircraft call signs may be abbreviated.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(04)


Explain when the suffix ‘HEAVY’ or ‘SUPER’ is used with an aircraft call sign.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


(05)


Explain the use of the phrase ‘Change your call sign to…’.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(06)


Explain the use of the phrase ‘Revert to flight plan call sign’.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 02 01 08


Transfer of communication











(01)



Describe the procedure for transfer of communication:

- by ground station;

- by aircraft.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 02 01 09


Test procedures including readability scale











(01)


Explain how to test radio transmission and reception.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


(02)


State the readability scale and explain its meaning.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


090 02 01 10


Read-back and acknowledgement requirements











(01)


Describe the requirement to read back ATC route clearances.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


(02)


Describe the requirement to read back clearances related to the runway in use.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


(03)


Describe the requirement to read back other clearances including conditional clearances.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


(04)


Describe the requirement to read back other data such as runway, secondary surveillance radar (SSR) codes, etc.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


090 02 01 11


Radar procedural phraseology











(01)



Use the correct phraseology for an aircraft receiving a radar service:

- radar identification;

- radar vectoring;

- traffic information and avoidance;

- SSR procedures.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3

2


090 02 01 12


Level changes and reports











(01)


Use the correct term to describe vertical position in relation to:

- flight level (standard pressure setting);

- altitude (metres/feet on QNH);

- height (metres/feet on QFE).

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 02 01 13


Data link messages











(01)


List the different types of messages of the controller–pilot data link communications (CPDLC) function and give examples of data link messages.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(02)


Describe a notification phase (LOG ON) and state its purpose.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(03)


Explain the phrases to be used:

- when voice communication is used to correct a CPDLC message;

- in case of single CPDLC message failure;

- when CPDLC has failed;

- when reverting from CPDLC to voice communication.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




090 03 00 00


RELEVANT WEATHER INFORMATION











090 03 01 00


Aerodrome weather











090 03 01 01


Aerodrome weather terms











(01)


List the contents of aerodrome weather reports and state units of measurement used for each item:

- wind direction and speed;

- variation of wind direction and speed;

- visibility;

- present weather;

- cloud amount and type (including the definition of cloud and visibility OK (CAVOK);

- air temperature and dew point;

- pressure values (QNH, QFE);

- supplementary information (aerodrome warnings, landing runway, runway conditions, restrictions, obstructions, wind-shear warnings, etc.).

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 03 01 02


Weather broadcast











(01)


List the sources (VOLMET and ATIS units) of weather information available for aircraft in flight, and describe situation(s) in which a pilot would normally obtain each.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(02)

X

Explain the meaning of the acronyms ‘D-ATIS’, ‘ATIS’, and ‘VOLMET’.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(03)


Explain and demonstrate how to decode ATIS messages.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(04)


Explain and demonstrate how to decode D-ATIS messages.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




090 04 00 00


VOICE COMMUNICATION FAILURE











090 04 01 00


Required action











090 04 01 01


Action required to be taken in case of communication failure











(01)



State the action to be taken in case of communication failure on a controlled VFR flight.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(02)


Identify the frequencies to be used in an attempt to establish communication.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(03)


State the additional information that should be transmitted in the event of receiver failure.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(04)


Identify the SSR code that may be used to indicate communication failure.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(05)


Explain the action to be taken by a pilot that experiences a communication failure in the aerodrome traffic pattern at controlled aerodromes.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(06)


Describe the action to be taken in case of communication failure on an IFR flight.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(07)


Describe the action to be taken in case of communication failure on an IFR flight when flying in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) and the flight will be terminated in VMC.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(08)


Describe the action to be taken in case of communication failure on an IFR flight when flying in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(09)


Explain the causes and possible safety impacts of a blocked frequency.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 05 00 00


DISTRESS AND URGENCY PROCEDURES











090 05 01 00


Signals and procedures











090 05 01 01


Distress











(01)


State the DISTRESS signal(s) and DISTRESS procedure(s).

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(02)


Define ‘DISTRESS’.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(03)


Identify the frequencies that should be used by aircraft in DISTRESS.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(04)


Specify the emergency SSR codes that may be used by aircraft, and the meaning of the codes.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(05)


Describe the action to be taken by the station which receives a DISTRESS message.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(06)


Describe the action to be taken by all other stations when a DISTRESS procedure is in progress.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(07)


List the correctly sequenced elements of a DISTRESS signal/message and describe the message content.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(08)


Describe the use of discrete frequencies (DEF) in case of distress or urgency.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(09)


State that DISTRESS messages take priority over all other messages.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 05 01 02


Urgency











(01)


State the URGENCY signal(s) and URGENCY procedure(s).

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(02)


Define ‘URGENCY’.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(03)


Identify the frequencies that should be used by aircraft in URGENCY.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(04)


Describe the action to be taken by the station which receives an URGENCY message.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(05)


Describe the action to be taken by all other stations when an URGENCY procedure is in progress.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(06)


List the correctly sequenced elements of an URGENCY signal/message and describe the message content.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(07)


State that URGENCY messages take priority over all other messages except DISTRESS.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 06 00 00


VHF PROPAGATION AND ALLOCATION OF FREQUENCIES











090 06 01 00


General principles











090 06 01 01


Spectrum, bands, range











(01)


Describe the radio-frequency spectrum with particular reference to VHF.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(02)


Describe the radio-frequency spectrum of the bands into which the radio-frequency spectrum is divided.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X


3


(03)


Identify the frequency range of the VHF band.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(04)


State the band normally used for aeronautical mobile service (AMS) voice communication.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(05)


State the frequency separation allocated between consecutive VHF frequencies.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(06)


List the factors which reduce the effective range and quality of VHF radio transmissions.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 07 00 00


Other communications











090 07 01 00


Weather observations, Morse code











090 07 01 01


Meteorological observations











(01)


Explain when aircraft routine meteorological observations should be made.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



(02)


Explain when aircraft special meteorological observations should be made.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3



090 07 01 02


Use of Morse code











(01)

X

Describe and list Morse code.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X




(02)


Find the Morse code identifiers of radio navigation aids (VHF omnidirectional radio range (VOR), distance‑measuring equipment (DME), non-directional radio beacon (NDB), instrument landing system (ILS)) using aeronautical charts.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

3