Aviation Phonetic Alphabet
Aviation Terminology & Decoders · 4 specs
Direct Answer
The ICAO Radiotelephony Phonetic Alphabet (commonly known as the NATO phonetic alphabet) assigns 26 code words to the letters of the English alphabet and distinct pronunciations for numerals to eliminate miscommunication over crackling VHF/HF aircraft radio channels.
Specs
| Standard Authority | ICAO Annex 10, Volume II (Communication Procedures) |
| Adoption Year | 1956 (standardized across ICAO, NATO, FAA, and ITU) |
| Core Design Principle | Phonetically distinct words that sound completely different in heavy radio static |
| Number Pronunciation | Tree (3), Fife (5), Niner (9), Decimal/Day-see-mal (.) |
ICAO Radiotelephony Alphabet & Morse Code Directory
| Letter | Phonetic Word | Pronunciation Guide | Morse Code | Common Aviation Telephony Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Alfa | AL-fah |
• — |
ATIS Information Alfa, Taxiway Alfa |
| B | Bravo | BRAH-voh |
— • • • |
Airspace Class Bravo, Taxiway Bravo |
| C | Charlie | CHAR-lee |
— • — • |
Transponder Mode Charlie (Altitude Reporting) |
| D | Delta | DELL-tah |
— • • |
Class Delta Airspace, Taxiway Delta |
| E | Echo | ECK-oh |
• |
Oceanic FIR Entry Echo |
| F | Foxtrot | FOKS-trot |
• • — • |
Fix Foxtrot, Taxiway Foxtrot |
| G | Golf | GOLF |
— — • |
Class Golf Uncontrolled Airspace |
| H | Hotel | hoh-TELL |
• • • • |
Helipad Hotel, Holding Fix Hotel |
| I | India | IN-dee-ah |
• • |
Intermediate Approach Fix India |
| J | Juliett | JEW-lee-ETT |
• — — — |
High-speed runway exit Juliett |
| K | Kilo | KEY-loh |
— • — |
Apron Kilo, Weight Kilos |
| L | Lima | LEE-mah |
• — • • |
Runway Left (e.g. 28L / 28 Lima) |
| M | Mike | MIKE |
— — |
Mach number Mike 0.82 |
| N | November | no-VEM-ber |
— • |
US Registration Prefix (November-registered) |
| O | Oscar | OSS-cah |
— — — |
Oceanic sector Oscar |
| P | Papa | pah-PAH |
• — — • |
Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) |
| Q | Quebec | keh-BECK |
— — • — |
Q-code pressure subscale (QNH, QFE) |
| R | Romeo | ROH-me-oh |
• — • |
Runway Right (e.g. 28R / 28 Romeo) |
| S | Sierra | see-AIR-rah |
• • • |
Standard Instrument Departure (SID) |
| T | Tango | TANG-go |
— |
Terminal Transition Fix Tango |
| U | Uniform | YOU-nee-form |
• • — |
UHF Military Guard Frequency |
| V | Victor | VIK-tah |
• • • — |
Low-Altitude Victor Airway |
| W | Whiskey | WISS-key |
• — — |
Weight & Balance Whiskey Datum |
| X | X-ray | ECKS-ray |
— • • — |
Cross-wind component X-ray |
| Y | Yankee | YANG-key |
— • — — |
Oceanic Track Yankee |
| Z | Zulu | ZOO-loo |
— — • • |
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC / Zulu Time) |
Standard ICAO Number Pronunciations & Radio Phraseology
| Character / Term | Standard Voice Pronunciation | Operational Radio Definition |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | ZEE-RO |
Numeral Zero |
| 1 | WUN |
Numeral One |
| 2 | TOO |
Numeral Two |
| 3 | TREE |
Numeral Three (pronounced 'Tree' to avoid fricative confusion) |
| 4 | FOW-er |
Numeral Four (two syllables) |
| 5 | FIFE |
Numeral Five (pronounced 'Fife' to avoid confusion with Fire) |
| 6 | SIX |
Numeral Six |
| 7 | SEV-en |
Numeral Seven |
| 8 | AIT |
Numeral Eight |
| 9 | NIN-er |
Numeral Nine (pronounced 'Niner' to avoid German 'Nein') |
| . | DECIMAL / DAY-SEE-MAL |
Radio frequency separator (e.g. 118.7 = "One One Eight Decimal Seven") |
| ROGER | ROH-JER |
"I have received all of your last transmission" (does not imply compliance) |
| WILCO | WILL-CO |
"I understand your message and WILL COMPLY with it" |
| AFFIRM | AH-FIRM |
"Yes" (word 'yes' is forbidden on aviation VHF radio) |
| NEGATIVE | NEG-AH-TIV |
"No" / "Permission not granted" / "That is not correct" |
| SAY AGAIN | SAY AH-GEN |
"Repeat all, or the specified part, of your last transmission" |
| STANDBY | STAND-BY |
"Wait and I will call you" |
| READ BACK | READ-BACK |
"Repeat all, or the specified part, of this message back to me exactly" |
| HOLD SHORT | HOLD-SHORT |
Mandatory readback: Stop and hold before crossing designated taxiway/runway |
| LINE UP AND WAIT | LINE-UP-AND-WAIT |
Enter the runway and align on centerline, but do not take off |
| CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF | CLEARED-FOR-TAKEOFF |
Official air traffic authorization to apply takeoff thrust and depart |
| GO AROUND | GO-AROUND |
Discontinue approach; immediately apply climb thrust and fly missed approach |
| PAN PAN | PAN-PAN (x3) |
Urgency signal: condition concerning safety of aircraft without immediate danger |
| MAYDAY | MAYDAY (x3) |
Distress signal: grave and imminent danger, immediate assistance required |