Position and level reports

A position report answers one question: where are you, and where will you be next. Said in the expected order it takes a few seconds and the controller writes it down. Said in a different order it takes three exchanges to unpick.

Why the order matters more than the words

The person receiving your report is writing while you speak. They expect the fields in a fixed sequence, so each one lands in the place they have already left for it. Change the sequence and they have to hold the whole message in their head and sort it afterwards, which is when things get read back to you as questions.

This matters most on a procedural service, where there is no radar and your report is the only thing telling the controller where you are.

The standard order

A procedural position report. Remembered as CPTANE.

C — Callsign
P — Position
T — Time
A — Altitude / level
N — Next reporting point
E — ETA at the next point

“G-ABCD, BUNGAY, 25, 2000FT, DISS, 35”

Read that back to yourself against the list. Callsign, where you are, the time, your level, where you are going next, and when you expect to get there. Nothing else.

What the service you are under expects of you

How much reporting you do depends on which UK Flight Information Service you asked for. They are not interchangeable, and the difference is what the controller is obliged to do with what you tell them.

Basic Service: General information for any phase of flight (e.g. weather, changes of serviceability). Traffic information only if the controller happens to have it. You remain entirely responsible for your own collision avoidance, terrain clearance and navigation.
Traffic Service: A surveillance (radar) service: the controller passes traffic information on relevant conflicting traffic. You decide on and take your own avoiding action — no avoiding advice is given.
Deconfliction Service: A surveillance service giving traffic information AND deconfliction advice (headings and/or levels) to keep you clear of other traffic — usually IFR/IMC. You may accept it or not, but if you don't comply you take responsibility for your own separation.
Procedural Service: A non-surveillance service: instructions are based on reported positions (no radar). Deconfliction advice is given against other procedural traffic; traffic information where possible.

Answering a traffic call

When traffic is passed to you, the controller needs to know whether you have it. There are four answers and each means a different thing. Silence is not one of them.

“Looking”: Traffic has been passed but you haven't spotted it yet — you're searching.
“Traffic in sight”: You can see the traffic that was called.
“Negative contact”: You've looked but cannot see the called traffic.
“Clear of traffic”: Passed by ATC once you're clear, often with a turn — e.g. “clear of traffic, turn left heading 340”; acknowledge with Wilco.

Acknowledge a traffic call promptly with your sighting status. Under a Traffic Service you still take your own avoiding action.

Practise this at your airfield

Reading it is the easy half. Pick your own airfield, with its real frequencies and today’s weather, and say these calls out loud until they stop being something you remember and start being something you do.

Find your airfield →

Written from the same vetted study data the app uses, and checked against it on 11 September 2026. TowerTalk is a training aid: your instructor and your examiner are the authority on whether you are ready.

Why the order matters more than the words

This matters most on a procedural service, where there is no radar and your report is the only thing telling the controller where you are.

The standard order

A procedural position report. Remembered as CPTANE.

C — Callsign

P — Position

T — Time

A — Altitude / level

N — Next reporting point

E — ETA at the next point

“G-ABCD, BUNGAY, 25, 2000FT, DISS, 35”

Read that back to yourself against the list. Callsign, where you are, the time, your level, where you are going next, and when you expect to get there. Nothing else.

What the service you are under expects of you

Basic Service

General information for any phase of flight (e.g. weather, changes of serviceability). Traffic information only if the controller happens to have it. You remain entirely responsible for your own collision avoidance, terrain clearance and navigation.

Traffic Service

A surveillance (radar) service: the controller passes traffic information on relevant conflicting traffic. You decide on and take your own avoiding action — no avoiding advice is given.

Deconfliction Service

A surveillance service giving traffic information AND deconfliction advice (headings and/or levels) to keep you clear of other traffic — usually IFR/IMC. You may accept it or not, but if you don't comply you take responsibility for your own separation.

Procedural Service

A non-surveillance service: instructions are based on reported positions (no radar). Deconfliction advice is given against other procedural traffic; traffic information where possible.

Answering a traffic call

When traffic is passed to you, the controller needs to know whether you have it. There are four answers and each means a different thing. Silence is not one of them.

“Looking”

Traffic has been passed but you haven't spotted it yet — you're searching.

“Traffic in sight”

You can see the traffic that was called.

“Negative contact”

You've looked but cannot see the called traffic.

“Clear of traffic”

Passed by ATC once you're clear, often with a turn — e.g. “clear of traffic, turn left heading 340”; acknowledge with Wilco.

Acknowledge a traffic call promptly with your sighting status. Under a Traffic Service you still take your own avoiding action.