Annotations
Here is a complete list of standard annotations controllers should be entering into FDRs or onto strips to ensure surrounding controllers are aware of aircrafts intended and/or planned movements/actions.
Times
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Four-figure time group | Expected or actual time of occurrences | 0955 |
| Two-figure time group | Expected or actual time of occurrences Note: Use when there is no possibility of confusion. |
55 |
Route and Positions
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Location indicator | Four-letter ICAO designator. Note: can be reduced if unlikely to cause confusion. |
YBBN BN |
| Waypoint name | Five-letter designator Note: can be reduced if unlikely to cause confusion. |
RIVET RIV |
| Place-brearing-distance locations | Position expressed as a bearing and distance from a datum. (place)(bearing)(distance) |
SY335045 ie: SY DME, R335, 45 NM |
| Amended route | When assigned a route that differs to that planned | AR |
| Assigned Heading | H(heading) | H350 |
| Track Extended Centreline | TEC | |
| Maintain runway heading | Surveillance environment only | MR |
Requests, Requirements and Restrictions
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Request | R(request) | R30L R370 |
| Unrestricted | Aircraft may climb to the standard assignable level | U |
| No restrictions | Changes to both lateral and vertical clearances permitted without further coordination | NR |
| No lateral restrictions | Changes to only lateral clearances permitted without further coordiantion | NLR |
| No vertical restrictions | Changes to only vertical clearance permitted without further coordination | NVR |
| No restrictions on descent | Aircraft may continue descent without further coordination | NRD |
| No restrictions on climb | Aircraft may continue climb without further coordination | NRC |
| Reach by | X(position) | X20BN |
| Reach level by | R(level)X(position or time) | R280XBANDA |
| Reach level by distance before position | R(level)X(distance)(position) | R370X20LHI Note: distance before position |
| Reach level by distance after position | R(level)X(position)(distance) | R250XSY65 Note: distance after position |
| Reach level by time | R(level)X(time) | R370X50 |
Approaches, Arrivals and Departures
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Visual approach | VSA | |
| DME arrival | DME | |
| GNSS arrival | GNSS | |
| TACAN approach | TAC | |
| NDB approach | NDB | |
| RNAV approach | RNAV | |
| RNP approach | RNP | |
| VOR approach | VOR | |
| ILS approach | ILS |
Speed Control
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sector assigned indicated airspeed | Controller-issued speed instruction | S280 |
| Pilot reported indicated airspeed | No speed instruction given | 280K |
| Sector assigned Mach number | Controller-issued speed instruction | M78 |
| Pilot reported Mach number | No speed instruction given | .78 |
| Maintain given speed or greater | (Speed)G | M78G 280G |
| Maintain given speed or less | (Speed)L | M78L 280L |
| Cruise speed | Recording cruise speed where profile speed applies for descent | M74/P |
| Cruise and descent speed | (speed on cruise)/(speed on descent) | M80/300 |
| Mach reduction on cruise | MR(difference) | MR04 |
| Mach reduction on cruise and descent speed | MR(difference)/(descent speed) | MR04/240 |
| Maintain minimum speed | MIN | |
| Maintain maximum speed | Also cancels all speed restrictions | MX |
| Cancel all speed restrictions | CSR |
Sequencing/Flow
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Feeder fix time, and 250kts from FF | F(time) | F37 |
| 250kts from FF | F | F |
| Issued instruction | (instruction)< | F< |
| Projected landing time | L(time) | L06 |
| Projected landing time with delay | L(time)/(time after delay) | L06/09 |
| Stream to Follow (10nm / 2mins) | F/(Callsign) | F/QFA462 |
| Hold at position | H/(position) | H/SHARK |
| Hold at position with stack departure time | H/(position)/(time) | H/CANTY/33 |
| Descend at minimum speed | MIN | |
| Descend at maximum speed | Also cancels all speed restrictions | MX |
| Cancel all speed restrictions | CSR |
Miscellaneous
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Surveillance Information Service | Aircraft receiving service (Flight Following) | SIS |
| Coordinated Item | C(information) | C380 |
| Information/instruction yet to be issued | Outstanding instruction/action, followed by a period. Remove period once action is completed |
MX. |
| Clearance issued to an aircraft prior to 10nm from the lateral CTA boundary | > | |
| No IFR Traffic | NIT | |
| Cancel SARWATCH | IFR aircraft cancelled SARWATCH prior to circuit area or destination ETA | CSW |
| QNH issued (en route traffic is altimeter setting region) | Q(final 2-digit value) | Q15 |
| Cancel SID/STAR level restrictions | NHR | |
| No STAR (or cancel STAR) | NS | |
| Aircraft has reported Visual | V | |
| Aircraft has reported Runway in Sight | R |
Less commonly used
| Information | Meaning and Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Not before | NB(time) | NB1035 |
| Not after | NA(time) | NA1035 |
| Distance left or right of track | (distance) [LOT/ROT] | 30 LOT |
| Enter lateral conflict | ELC/(time/position) | ELC/15 |
| Leaves lateral conflict | LLC/(time)(position) | LLC/190SY |
| Clearance limit | F/(position) | F/YMAV |
| Sight and pass | S+P/(callsign) | S+P/EDM |
| Sight and follow | S+F/(callsign) | S+F/VOZ882 |
| Calculated time of passing | TP(time) | TP0835 |
| At | @ | |
| VFR-on-top | VT | |
| Arriving at procedural tower aerodrome | Include estimate for destination navaid, track in, assigned level (if not standard assignable) and sequence number. L(time) (track) (level) (number) |
L49 038 120 3 |
| Hold at normal position with stack departure time | H/(time) | H/06 |
| LAHSO approved | LA | |
| Passive LAHSO only | PL | |
| Negative LAHSO | XX | |
| Hold at normal position | H | |
| Stream to follow by distance | F/(preceding aircraft)+(distance) | F/TFD+18 |
| Visual departure | VSD | |
| Expected approach time | EAT(time) | EAT23 |
| Expected onwards clearance time | EOC(time) | EOC46 |
| Stack departure time | SDT(time) | SDT52 |
| Latest divert time | LDT(time) | LDT56 |
| Distance between two aircraft subject to a longitudinal distance standard | Record the source of information as "D" for DME, "G" for GNSS or "R" for RNAV/SCNS. Record the time of the report. (distance)(source)@(time) |
30D@0437 |
| Distance report | (distance)(reference point) | 30LT |
| Climb straight ahead | Non-surveillance environment | CSA |
| Left turn | L(heading) | L240 |
| Right turn | R(heading) | R020 |
| Aircraft level | Two- or three-figure group Record levels of 1000ft or higher as multiples of 100ft Record levels less than 1000ft as a two-didget group beginning with zero. |
FL177 A01 (100ft) |
| Above Ground Level | (level)AGL | 200AGL |
| Maintain initial level | Departure Instructions M(level) |
M80 |
| Assigned visual level | V(level) | V70 |
| Assigned level not below DME or GNSS steps | (level)D/(level)G | 30D/30G |
| Amended level | AL350 | |
| VFR departure | (level)VD | 15VD |
| Special VFR | (level)SV | 15SV |
| VFR-on-top | (level)VT | A080 VT |
| Re-cleared | RC | |
| Flight planned route | FPR | |
| Abeam | A/(position) | A/MDG |
| Dead reckoning | DR | |
| Pilot Estimate | (position)(time) | UVUPU0702 |