TowerTalkCAP 413 revision
CAP 413 is a manual. Your exam is a conversation.
CAP 413 — the CAA's Radiotelephony Manual — defines how UK radio calls should sound. You don't need to memorise the document; you need to produce its phraseology fluently. TowerTalk distils the parts student pilots actually use, then grades every practice call against the manual.
The manual, distilled for students
CAP 413 covers everything from gliders to airline operations. The revision guide extracts what a PPL/FRTOL candidate needs: standard words and phrases, message formats, readbacks, services and emergencies.
Graded against the manual
Every call you make is assessed for CAP 413 phraseology — correct standard words, callsign discipline, readback content and message order — with feedback that explains what the standard expects.
Corrections you can check
When TowerTalk corrects a call, it shows the standard phrasing it's comparing against, so you can verify the feedback rather than take it on faith.
From page to fluency
Reading the manual tells you what's correct. Speaking to an AI controller that talks back makes it automatic — which is the difference on test day.
How it works
- 1
Revise
Cover a topic in the distilled guide.
- 2
Hear it
Listen to correct calls at real pace.
- 3
Say it
Make the calls; get CAP 413-graded feedback.
- 4
Re-test
Drill anything the grading flags as weak.
Frequently asked
What is CAP 413?
CAP 413 is the UK Civil Aviation Authority's Radiotelephony Manual — the reference for how radio communication should be conducted in UK airspace. It's the standard your FRTOL examiner assesses you against.
Do I need to memorise CAP 413?
No. You need to reliably produce the standard phraseology for the situations a pilot meets: departures, services, transits, arrivals and emergencies. That's a fluency skill, best built by spoken practice rather than memorising the document.
Where do I get the actual manual?
CAP 413 is published free by the CAA on their website. TowerTalk is a practice aid built around it — always treat the current CAA publication as the authority.
Does TowerTalk quote CAP 413?
TowerTalk grades and corrects against standard CAP 413 phraseology and shows you the standard phrasing behind each correction. For the manual itself, go to the CAA's current edition.
Turn the manual into muscle memory
Free to start — make a few calls and see how your phraseology scores against the standard.
Start practising to CAP 413Related: What is CAP 413? · CAP 413 practice · FRTOL revision · CAP 413 refresher for returning pilots