OBJECTIVES:
- explain why to use abbreviations
- know the abbreviations
Why use Abbreviations ?
Two-way VOICE communication is what we use most on VATSIM and is highly recommended.
TEXT communication should be restricted to the minimum, particularly in busy areas.
The following decode/encode lists are meant to shorten typing for flights in the “most common” situations using simple instructions.
If you are new on VATSIM and you are still in the process of learning, if your microphone is broken or if you may not make noise by speaking, then Text-Voice communication (you type / other person speaks or vice versa) is a good alternative.
When using Text - Text or Text - Voice communications with Squawkbox, FSInn or Euroscope/VRC, you may see :
- "des 3000', clrd ils apch rwy 18 , rep fin"
- " rep fl 60 inbd MTL, sqk 6154"
The following abbreviations for text mode communications will help you understand and create such sentences.
If you can find no abbreviation for a word in the list below, then the entire word must be written.
Don’t invent abbreviations of your own !
Note : See Abbreviations for a list of common aeronautical abbreviations for general use.
Most abbreviations in the lists below are conform ICAO Document 8400.
Abbreviations in italic are not in the list of Official ICAO abbreviations.
Type your instructions and/or clearances in small caps. Use CAPITALS for navaids, waypoints, location indicators or ATC positions only.
Abbreviations List (Decode / Encode)
A
|
ACC
|
Area Control Center
|
|
ACFT
|
Aircraft
|
|
AD
|
Aerodrome
|
|
AFM
|
Affirm (yes)
|
|
ALT
|
Altitude
|
|
APCH
|
Approach procedure
|
|
APP
|
Approach Control
|
|
APV
|
Approved
|
|
ARR
|
Arrival Control
|
C
|
CLR
|
Clearance or cleared (authorized)
|
|
CMB
|
Climb to or climbing to
|
|
CNL
|
Cancel
|
|
COR
|
Correct
|
|
CRS
|
Course
|
D
|
DCT
|
Dirrect
|
|
DEL
|
Delivery
|
|
DEP
|
Departure Control / Departure
|
|
DES
|
Descend to or descending to
|
|
DIS
|
Disregard(ignore)
|
|
DNWD
|
Downwind
|
E
|
ETB
|
Established
|
|
EXP
|
Expect
|
F
|
FIC
|
Flight Information Center (Unit)
|
|
FIN
|
Final
|
|
FIS
|
Flight Information Service
|
|
FL
|
Flight level
|
|
FPL
|
Filed flightplan
|
|
FREQ
|
Frequency
|
|
FIS
|
Flight Service Station
FT or ‘ Feet (example: 3000ft or 3000' means 3000 feet)
|
G
|
GA
|
Go ahead
|
|
GD
|
Gear down
|
|
GND
|
Ground Control or ground
|
|
GO
|
Go around
|
|
GP
|
Glide path (glide slope)
|
H
|
HDG
|
Heading
|
|
HDO
|
Hand-off
|
|
HGS
|
Hold short
|
|
HLDG
|
Hold position or holding point or holding pattern (according to context)
|
I
|
IAF
|
Initial Approach Fix
|
|
ILS
|
Instrument Landing System
|
|
INBD
|
Inbound
|
|
INFO
|
Information
|
K
L
|
LDG
|
Landing
|
|
LHC
|
Lefthand circuit
|
|
LLZ
|
Localizer
|
|
LT
|
Left turn or turn left
|
|
LUW
|
Line-up and wait (taxi into position and hold in USA)
|
|
LVL
|
Level
|
M
N
|
NEG
|
Negative (no)
|
|
NM
|
Nautical Miles
|
O
|
OM
|
Outer Marker
|
|
OBD
|
Outbound
|
P
|
PAX
|
Passengers
|
|
PB
|
Push-back
|
|
POB
|
Persons On Board (number of)
|
|
PRKG
|
Parking
|
|
PSN
|
Position
|
R
|
RBASE
|
Righthand base
|
|
RDNWD
|
Righthand downwind
|
|
RDR
|
Radar
|
|
REP
|
Report
|
|
REQ
|
Request
|
|
RHC
|
Righthand circuit
|
|
RP
|
Report passing
|
|
RT
|
Right turn or Turn right
|
|
RWY
|
Runway
|
S
|
SDBY
|
Stand by
|
|
SID
|
Standard instrument departure
|
|
SM
|
Statute Miles
|
|
SQK
|
Squawk
|
|
STD
|
Standard
|
|
SU
|
Start up
|
T
|
TKOF
|
Take-off
|
|
TL
|
Till (time)
|
|
TR
|
Track
|
|
TRL
|
Transition level
|
|
TWR
|
Tower Control
|
|
TWY
|
Taxiway
|
V
|
VCTD
|
Vacate or vacated
|
|
VECT
|
Vectors
|
W
|
A
|
| Aerodrome |
AD |
| Affirm (yes) |
AFM |
|
Aircraft
|
ACFT
|
| Altitude |
ALT |
|
Approach Control
|
APP
|
|
Approach procedure
|
APCH
|
|
Approved
|
APV
|
|
Area Control Center
|
ACC
|
|
Arrival Control
|
ARR
|
|
|
C
|
|
Cancel
|
CNL
|
|
Clearance or cleared (authorized)
|
CLR
|
|
Climb to or climbing to
|
CMB
|
|
Correct
|
COR
|
|
Course
|
CRS
|
|
|
D
|
|
Delivery
|
DEL
|
|
Departure
|
DEP
|
|
Departure Control
|
DEP
|
|
Descend to or descending to
|
DES
|
|
Direct
|
DCT
|
|
Disregard(ignore)
|
DIS
|
|
Downwind
|
DNWD
|
|
|
E
|
|
Established
|
ETB
|
|
Expect
|
EXP
|
|
|
F
|
| Feet (example: 3000ft or 3000' means 3000 feet) |
FT or ‘ |
|
Filed flightplan
|
FPL
|
|
Final
|
FIN
|
|
Flight Information Center (Unit)
|
FIC
|
|
Flight Information Service
|
FIS
|
|
Flight level
|
FL
|
|
Flight Service Station
|
FSS
|
|
Frequency
|
FREQ
|
|
|
G
|
|
Gear down
|
GD
|
|
Glide path (glide slope)
|
GP
|
|
Go ahead
|
GA
|
|
Go around
|
GO
|
|
Ground Control or ground
|
GND
|
|
|
H
|
|
Hand-off
|
HDO
|
|
Heading
|
HDG
|
|
Hold position or holding point or holding pattern (according to context)
|
HLDG
|
|
Hold short
|
HGS
|
|
|
I
|
|
Inbound
|
INBD
|
|
Information
|
INFO
|
|
Initial Approach Fix
|
IAF
|
|
Instrument Landing System
|
ILS
|
|
|
K
|
|
Knots
|
KT
|
|
|
L
|
|
Landing
|
LDG
|
|
Left turn or turn left
|
LT
|
|
Lefthand circuit
|
LHC
|
|
Level
|
LVL
|
|
Line-up and wait (taxi into position and hold in USA)
|
LUW
|
|
Localizer
|
LLZ
|
|
|
M
|
|
Minimum
|
MNM
|
|
|
N
|
|
Nautical Miles
|
NM
|
|
Negative (no)
|
NEG
|
|
|
O
|
|
Outbound
|
OUBD
|
|
Outer Marker
|
OM
|
|
|
P
|
|
Parking
|
PRKG
|
|
Passengers
|
PAX
|
|
Persons On Board (number of)
|
POB
|
|
Position
|
PSN
|
|
Push-back
|
PB
|
|
|
R
|
|
Radar
|
RDR
|
|
Report
|
REP
|
|
Report passing
|
RP
|
|
Request
|
REQ
|
|
Right turn or Turn right
|
RT
|
|
Righthand base*RDR
|
RBASE
|
|
Righthand circuit
|
RHC
|
|
Righthand downwind
|
RDNWD
|
|
Runway
|
RWY
|
|
|
S
|
|
Squawk
|
SQK
|
|
Stand by
|
SDBY
|
|
Standard
|
STD
|
|
Standard instrument departure
|
SID
|
|
Start up
|
SU
|
|
Statute Miles
|
SM
|
|
|
T
|
|
Take-off
|
TKOF
|
|
Taxiway
|
TWY
|
|
Till … (time)
|
TL
|
|
Tower Control
|
TWR
|
|
Track
|
TR
|
|
Transition level
|
TRL
|
|
|
V
|
|
Vacate or vacated
|
VCTD
|
|
Vectors
|
VECT
|
|
|
W
|
|
Weather
|
WX
|