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En-route

Altitude Management to Maintain Separation

ATC Instructions to Maintain a Level Before Any Change:

  • MAINTAIN (level) [TO (significant point)]
  • MAINTAIN (level) UNTIL PASSING (significant point)
  • MAINTAIN (level) UNTIL (minutes) AFTER PASSING (significant point)
  • MAINTAIN (level) UNTIL (time)
  • MAINTAIN (level) UNTIL ADVISED BY (name of ATC unit)
  • MAINTAIN (level) UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED
  • MAINTAIN (level) WHILE IN CONTROLLED AIRSPACE
  • MAINTAIN BLOCK (level) TO (level).

Note: The term "MAINTAIN" shall not be used in lieu of "DESCEND" or "CLIMB" when instructing an aircraft to change level.

Separation Instructions

ATC Instructions to Overfly a Significant Point at a Specific Time:

  • CROSS (significant point) AT (time) [OR LATER (or OR BEFORE)]
  • ADVISE IF ABLE TO CROSS (significant point) AT (time or level)

ATC Instructions for Speed Restrictions During Cruise:

  • MAINTAIN MACH (number) [OR GREATER (or OR LESS)] [UNTIL (significant point)]
  • DO NOT EXCEED MACH (number)

ATC Instructions for Specific Track to Maintain Separation:

  • MAINTAIN TRACK BETWEEN (significant point) AND (significant point). REPORT ESTABLISHED ON THE TRACK
  • CONFIRM ESTABLISHED ON THE TRACK BETWEEN (significant point) AND (significant point) [WITH ZERO OFFSET]

Pilot Responses:

  • ESTABLISHED ON THE TRACK BETWEEN (significant point) AND (significant point) [WITH ZERO OFFSET]
  • ESTABLISHED ON THE TRACK

Used when lateral VOR/GNSS separation confirmation of zero offset is required:

  • CONFIRM ZERO OFFSET
  • AFFIRM ZERO OFFSET

Track Parallel to the Cleared Route

ATC Instructions for Parallel Track Offsets:

  • ADVISE IF ABLE TO PROCEED PARALLEL OFFSET
  • PROCEED OFFSET (distance) RIGHT/LEFT OF (route) (track) [CENTRE LINE] [AT (significant point or time)] [UNTIL (significant point or time)]
  • CANCEL OFFSET (instructions to rejoin cleared flight route or other information)

Vectoring Instructions

ATC Instructions for Vectoring:

  • FLY HEADING (three digits)
  • TURN LEFT (or RIGHT) HEADING (three digits) [reason]
  • TURN LEFT (or RIGHT) (number of degrees) DEGREES [reason]

Other ATC Instructions in Vectoring Procedures:

  • LEAVE (significant point) HEADING (three digits)
  • CONTINUE HEADING (three digits)
  • CONTINUE PRESENT HEADING
  • STOP TURN HEADING (three digits)
  • FLY HEADING (three digits), WHEN ABLE PROCEED DIRECT (name) (significant point)
  • HEADING IS GOOD

ATC Instructions to Terminate Vectoring Procedure:

  • RESUME OWN NAVIGATION (position of aircraft) (specific instructions)
  • RESUME OWN NAVIGATION [DIRECT] (significant point) [MAGNETIC TRACK (three digits) DISTANCE (number) KILOMETRES (or MILES)]

ATC Phraseology to Specify Reason for Vectoring:

  • DUE TRAFFIC
  • FOR SPACING
  • FOR DELAY
  • FOR DOWNWIND (or BASE, or FINAL)

ATC Instructions for Avoiding Action:

  • DO YOU WANT VECTORS?

Pilot Response for Vectoring Guidance:

  • REQUEST VECTORS

Holding Clearance

ATC Clearance for Holding Procedures:

  • CLEARED (or PROCEED) TO (significant point, name of facility or fix) [MAINTAIN (or CLIMB or DESCEND TO) (level)] HOLD [(direction)] AS PUBLISHED EXPECT APPROACH CLEARANCE (or FURTHER CLEARANCE) AT (time)

Pilot Request for Holding Instructions (If No Published Parameters Exist):

  • REQUEST HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS

ATC Clearance for IFR Holding Procedure (Detailed Clearance Required):

  • CLEARED (or PROCEED) TO (significant point, name of facility or fix) [MAINTAIN (or CLIMB or DESCEND TO) (level)] HOLD [(direction)] [(specified) RADIAL, COURSE, INBOUND TRACK (three digits) DEGREES] [RIGHT (or LEFT) HAND PATTERN] [OUTBOUND TIME (number) MINUTES] EXPECT APPROACH CLEARANCE (or FURTHER CLEARANCE) AT (time) (additional instructions, if necessary)
  • CLEARED TO THE (three digits) RADIAL OF THE (name) VOR AT (distance) DME FIX [MAINTAIN (or CLIMB or DESCEND TO) (level)] HOLD [(direction)] [RIGHT (or LEFT) HAND PATTERN] [OUTBOUND TIME (number) MINUTES] EXPECT APPROACH CLEARANCE (or FURTHER CLEARANCE) AT (time) (additional instructions, if necessary)
  • CLEARED TO THE (three digits) RADIAL OF THE (name) VOR AT (distance) DME FIX [MAINTAIN (or CLIMB or DESCEND TO) (level)] HOLD BETWEEN (distance) AND (distance) DME [RIGHT (or LEFT) HAND PATTERN] EXPECT APPROACH CLEARANCE (or FURTHER CLEARANCE) AT (time) (additional instructions, if necessary)
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