The aviation phonetic alphabet
Every letter you say on the radio uses the standard phonetic alphabet, so “G-ABCD” is spoken “Golf Alfa Bravo Charlie Delta”. Here is the full alphabet with the pronunciation, plus how numbers are spoken — then practise saying your own callsign to an AI controller that talks back.
Letters: Alfa to Zulu
Capitalised syllables are stressed.
Numbers: how pilots say them
Several numbers are deliberately pronounced differently from everyday English so they can’t be confused over a noisy radio.
Numbers are normally spoken digit by digit — e.g. 120.375 is “WUN TOO ZE-RO DAY-SEE-MAL TREE SEV-en FIFE”. Round figures may be grouped, e.g. 3000 ft as “TREE TOUSAND”.
Say it out loud, not just in your head
TowerTalk’s revision section drills the alphabet with a quiz, and the AI controller will hear your callsign in a real call — free to try.
Related
Study aid, written in our own words from TowerTalk’s revision material (based on standard CAP 413 / ICAO conventions). Last reviewed 2 July 2026; awaiting independent expert review. It does not reproduce CAP 413 and is not a substitute for it — always defer to CAP 413 and the current official publications, and to your instructor and examiner. TowerTalk is not CAA approved.