radio.training

How to copy an ATIS: what is in it and in what order

The ATIS is a recorded broadcast of the routine information you would otherwise have to ask for. It repeats continuously, so you can listen more than once. Because it follows a standard format, you can set up your kneeboard in the same order before you tune it in.

What is in it, in order

• The airport name and the message's code letter (information Alfa, Bravo and so on).
• The weather: time of observation, surface wind, visibility, weather and obstructions to vision, ceiling, sky condition, temperature, dew point, altimeter setting, and any pertinent SIGMETs, AIRMETs and PIREPs.
• The type of instrument approach in use.
• The landing runway, IFR and VFR, and the departure runway.
• Any NOTAM or pertinent serviceability information.
• An instruction to acknowledge receipt on initial contact.

What it sounds like

The TC AIM's own example opens: Toronto International information Bravo. Weather at one four zero zero Zulu: wind zero five zero at two zero, visibility five haze, ceiling three thousand overcast, temperature one eight, dew point one six, altimeter two niner four six. It closes with: inform ATC you have information Bravo.

Copying it

• Write the fields down in broadcast order, in shorthand: letter, wind, visibility, ceiling, temperature and dew point, altimeter, runway.
• Numbers are spoken digit by digit, so write the digits, not the words.
• If you miss something, wait for it to come round again.

When you call

Tell the unit on initial contact that you have it, by repeating the code letter, for example: with Bravo. That saves the controller or specialist from reading it to you.

The ATIS drill plays a broadcast in this format for a real aerodrome and checks every field you copied.

Copy an ATIS →