2-1-17

Radio Communications

JO 7110.65BB, Change 3, effective July 9, 2026 · Official text on faa.gov

Transfer radio communications before an aircraft enters the receiving controller's area of jurisdiction unless otherwise coordinated or specified by a letter of agreement or a facility directive.
Transfer radio communications by specifying the following:
Note

Radio communications transfer procedures may be specified by a letter of agreement or contained in the route description of an MTR as published in the DoD Planning AP/1B (AP/3).
1. The facility name or location name and terminal function to be contacted. TERMINAL: Omit the location name when transferring communications to another controller within your facility, or, when the tower and TRACON share the same name (for example, Phoenix Tower and Phoenix TRACON).
  EXCEPTION. Controllers must include the name of the facility when instructing an aircraft to change frequency for final approach guidance.
2. Frequency to use except the following may be omitted:
  1. FSS frequency.
  2. Departure frequency if previously given or published on a SID chart for the procedure issued.
  3. TERMINAL:
    1. Ground or local control frequency if in your opinion the pilot knows which frequency is in use.
    2. The numbers preceding the decimal point if the ground control frequency is in the 121 MHz bandwidth.
      Example
      
      “Contact Tower.”
      “Contact Ground.”
      “Contact Ground Point Seven.”
      “Contact Ground, One Two Zero Point Eight.”
      “Contact Huntington Radio.”
      “Contact Departure.”
      “Contact Los Angeles Center, One Two Three Point Four.”
3. Time, fix, altitude, or specifically when to contact a facility. You may omit this when compliance is expected upon receipt.
  Note
  
  AIM, paragraph 5-3-1, ARTCC Communications, informs pilots that they are expected to maintain a listening watch on the transferring controller's frequency until the time, fix, or altitude specified.
  
  Phraseology
  
  CONTACT (facility name or location name and terminal function), (frequency).
  If required,
  AT (time, fix, or altitude).
Controllers must, within a reasonable amount of time, take appropriate action to establish/restore communications with all aircraft for which a communications transfer or initial contact to his/her sector is expected/required.
Note

For the purposes of this paragraph, a reasonable amount of time is considered to be 5 minutes from the time the aircraft enters the controller's area of jurisdiction or comes within range of radio/communications coverage. Communications include two-way VHF or UHF radio contact, data link, or high frequency (HF) radio through an approved third-party provider such as New York Radio or San Francisco Radio.
ERAM facilities, beginning with initial audio contact with an aircraft, must utilize the voice communication indicator to reflect the current status of voice communications.
In situations where an operational advantage will be gained, and following coordination with the receiving controller, you may instruct aircraft on the ground to monitor the receiving controller's frequency.
Example

“Monitor Tower.”
“Monitor Ground.”
“Monitor Ground Point Seven.”
“Monitor Ground, One Two Zero Point Eight.”
In situations where a sector has multiple frequencies or when sectors are combined using multiple frequencies and the aircraft will remain under your jurisdiction, transfer radio communication by specifying the following:
Phraseology

(Identification) CHANGE TO MY FREQUENCY (state frequency).

Example

“United two twenty‐two change to my frequency one two three point four.”

Reference

AIM, Para 4-2-3, Contact Procedures.
Avoid issuing a frequency change to helicopters known to be single‐piloted during air‐taxiing, hovering, or low‐level flight. Whenever possible, relay necessary control instructions until the pilot is able to change frequency.
Note

Most light helicopters are flown by one pilot and require the constant use of both hands and feet to maintain control. Although Flight Control Friction Devices assist the pilot, changing frequency near the ground could result in inadvertent ground contact and consequent loss of control. Pilots are expected to advise ATC of their single‐pilot status if unable to comply with a frequency change.

Reference

AIM, Para 4-3-14, Communications.
In situations where the controller does not want the pilot to change frequency but the pilot is expecting or may want a frequency change, use the following phraseology.
Phraseology

REMAIN THIS FREQUENCY.

Reference

FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 4-7-1, Clearance Information.
FAA Order JO 7110.65, Para 5-12-9, Communication Transfer.