by Nicolas Jean, Shift Manager, Montréal ACC, SMS Coordinator, NAV CANADA
How can you increase efficiency and safety simultaneously? By simply using standard, normalized phraseology. You might have full surveillance coverage, but without communication it is worthless. Standard, normalized phraseology is valid for ground-to-air communications but also for ground-to-ground communications. The last thing you want is having an unauthorized vehicle on your landing runway! Communication is air traffic control’s (ATC’s) main tool.
The use of the standard, normalized phraseology allows for quick and efficient communication and has a positive impact on frequency congestion. Don’t forget that one unclear transmission will generate a minimum of two additional transmissions. In a world without boundaries, the use of the standard, normalized phraseology mitigates the differences associated with language and “foreign” accents. Furthermore, with its limited glossary, standard, normalized phraseology reduces the opportunities for misunderstanding and helps the “hear-back/read-back” process. A few years ago, and in collaboration with the industry,
NAV CANADA developed four phraseology guides: IFR Phraseology, RNAV Phraseology, VFR Phraseology, and Ground Traffic Phraseology. These four free guides are available on NAVCANADA.ca and can easily be found by searching “phraseology.”