Phonetic Alphabet

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) phonetic alphabet is used by FAA personnel when communications conditions are such that the information cannot be readily received without their use. ATC facilities may also request pilots to use phonetic letter equivalents when aircraft with similar sounding identifications are receiving communications on the same frequency. Pilots should use the phonetic alphabet when identifying their aircraft during initial contact with air traffic control facilities. Additionally, use the phonetic equivalents for single letters and to spell out groups of letters or difficult words during adverse communications conditions. (See

TBL 4-2-2

.)

TBL 4-2-2

Phonetic Alphabet/Morse Code

Character

Morse Code

Telephony

Phonic (Pronunciation)

A

● —

Alfa

(AL-FAH)

B

— ● ● ●

Bravo

(BRAH-VOH)

C

— ● — ●

Charlie

(CHAR-LEE) or (SHAR-LEE)

D

— ● ●

Delta

(DELL-TAH)

E

●

Echo

(ECK-OH)

F

● ● — ●

Foxtrot

(FOKS-TROT)

G

— — ●

Golf

(GOLF)

H

● ● ● ●

Hotel

(HOH-TEL)

I

● ●

India

(IN-DEE-AH)

J

● — — —

Juliett

(JEW-LEE-ETT)

K

— ● —

Kilo

(KEY-LOH)

L

● — ● ●

Lima

(LEE-MAH)

M

— —

Mike

(MIKE)

N

— ●

November

(NO-VEM-BER)

O

— — —

Oscar

(OSS-CAH)

P

● — — ●

Papa

(PAH-PAH)

Q

— — ● —

Quebec

(KEH-BECK)

R

● — ●

Romeo

(ROW-ME-OH)

S

● ● ●

Sierra

(SEE-AIR-RAH)

T

—

Tango

(TANG-GO)

U

● ● —

Uniform

(YOU-NEE-FORM) or (OO-NEE-FORM)

V

● ● ● —

Victor

(VIK-TAH)

W

● — —

Whiskey

(WISS-KEY)

X

— ● ● —

Xray

(ECKS-RAY)

Y

— ● — —

Yankee

(YANG-KEY)

Z

— — ● ●

Zulu

(ZOO-LOO)

1

● — — — —

One

(WUN)

2

● ● — — —

Two

(TOO)

3

● ● ● — —

Three

(TREE)

4

● ● ● ● —

Four

(FOW-ER)

5

● ● ● ● ●

Five

(FIFE)

6

— ● ● ● ●

Six

(SIX)

7

— — ● ● ●

Seven

(SEV-EN)

8

— — — ● ●

Eight

(AIT)

9

— — — — ●

Nine

(NIN-ER)

0

— — — — —

Zero

(ZEE-RO)