Say Again in Aviation: ICAO Clarification Practice

We are at the holding point, and I can see a red stop bar ahead. I heard a crossing instruction, but I am not sure it was for us. I will stay where we are and ask the controller to confirm the call sign and the clearance. I will check the stop bar and the answer with the other pilot before we move. I do not want to make a wrong crossing.

The aircraft is holding in front of an illuminated red stop bar. Since I could not identify the addressee, I would remain stopped and call: “Tower, Skyline two fife one, confirm that crossing clearance was for us.” I would listen to the reply and check it with the other pilot. Before moving, we would confirm both our clearance and the status of the stop bar.

We are holding at a red stop bar, and the crossing call could have been intended for an aircraft with a similar call sign. I would keep the aircraft stationary and ask tower to confirm whether the clearance was for Skyline two fife one. Once we have a clear response, the crew can cross-check the clearance and the stop-bar indication before doing anything. The key is to settle the uncertainty, not to infer permission from a familiar-sounding call.

I can see a vehicle on the right side of the aircraft. Ground told us to hold, but I did not hear where the vehicle is. I will stay in position and say: “Ground, say again the location of the vehicle.” I can also tell the controller what I see. Maybe it is the same vehicle, but I need to make a good check before taxiing again.

There is a vehicle to the right of the aircraft, although I cannot be certain it is the one ground mentioned. I would hold position and ask: “Ground, say again the vehicle’s location.” Then I would report the vehicle we have in sight and listen for confirmation. I would not continue taxiing until the situation and the instruction were clear.

From the flight deck I can see a service vehicle off to the right, but the part of ground’s transmission giving its location was blocked. I would keep the aircraft stationary and request the location again, then tell the controller which vehicle we can see. It may be the vehicle they meant, but I would not treat that as established until we have checked. A short, specific exchange should resolve the discrepancy before we consider moving.

I can see large dark clouds ahead of the aircraft. The controller gave us a heading, but I did not hear all the numbers. I will say: “Control, say again heading, Skyline two fife one.” I will tell the controller that we have clouds ahead and ask about a different direction if needed. I cannot use a heading when the numbers are not clear.

There are significant cloud build-ups ahead, and the end of the assigned heading was blocked. I would ask control to say the heading again, using our full call sign. I would also report the weather ahead and, if we need to avoid it, request a suitable deviation. After the controller replies, I would read back the confirmed instruction and check it with the other pilot.

The aircraft appears to be approaching a line of substantial cloud build-ups. I would not fill in the missing digits from context: I would ask control to repeat the heading and identify our aircraft in full. At the same time, I would describe the weather ahead and say if we need an amended route. Once we receive a clear response, I would read it back and check that it resolves both the heading uncertainty and our weather concern.

I can see two aircraft in the mist, but they are not easy to see clearly. A pilot read back my instruction and I did not hear the full call sign. I will ask: “Station calling, say again your call sign.” When I hear the answer, I will check which aircraft is speaking. If the instruction is not clear, I will repeat it and listen to the new readback.

Two aircraft are visible through the mist, but I cannot safely identify the station from the blocked readback. I would call: “Station calling, say again your call sign.” I would compare the answer with the aircraft I addressed, then correct or repeat the instruction as necessary. I would listen carefully to the next readback so that both the identity and instruction are clear.

The mist leaves the aircraft only partly visible, and the call sign in the readback was masked. I would avoid matching the reply to an aircraft on the basis of expectation. Instead, I would ask the station to repeat its full call sign, compare that response with the instruction I issued and resolve any mismatch explicitly. If needed, I would restate the instruction to the intended aircraft and listen for a complete, correct readback.

It is raining and the airfield looks wet. The controller said the runway may change, but I did not hear the pressure setting. I will ask: “Approach, say again QNH, Fastair tree one eight.” I will listen to all the numbers and repeat them back. Then I will check the setting with the other pilot and listen for any more information about the runway.

Rain is reducing the view from the flight deck, and I missed the QNH in the transmission about a possible runway change. I would ask approach to repeat the QNH, listen to each digit and read it back with our call sign. The other pilot and I would cross-check the setting. I would also confirm the runway separately if the controller’s message left that uncertain.

The crew is looking through a rain-streaked windscreen, while the transmission mentions a possible runway change. Since the QNH was blocked, I would ask for that value specifically rather than reconstruct it from an earlier report. I would read the repeated digits back, cross-check the setting in the cockpit and clarify the runway as a separate point if necessary. A possible change is not, by itself, a confirmed new clearance.

I can see a ground handler in front of the aircraft with crossed arms. There is a tug near the aircraft. The ground message was not clear, so I will keep the aircraft stopped and ask the ground crew to say again. I will ask if there is a problem with the pushback. I will also tell ground control that we are stopped and waiting for clarification.

A ground handler is signalling ahead of the aircraft, and a tug is nearby. Because part of the ground crew’s message was blocked, I would keep the aircraft stationary and ask them to repeat the problem and confirm what they need us to do. I would advise ground control that pushback is delayed while we clarify the situation, then provide an update when we know more.

The handler ahead has crossed arms raised, with a tug alongside, but I cannot tell from the picture what prompted the signal. I would remain stopped, ask the ground crew to repeat the blocked part and confirm whether they need any action from us. I would also tell ground control that we are holding while the situation is checked, and give an update once the ground crew has explained the issue. I would not invent a cause to fill the gap.