How do you copy an Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearance? Be ready to copy by using the acrostic “CRAFT,” an aviator mnemonic device derived from the shortened word “aircraft.”
ATC clearance will usually give your clearance in the following order: Cleared, Route, Altitude, Frequency, Transponder.
| C | Cleared | “You are cleared to airport KXYZ . . .” |
| R | Route | “via vectors, then waypoint, or DPs and STARs . . .” |
| A | Altitude | “Maintain two-thousand, expect six-thousand one-zero minutes after departure,” |
| F | Frequency | “departure frequency – 123.8” |
| T | Transponder | “squawk 5201” |
Clearances in congested airspace can seem complex, but knowing what to expect reduces the uncertainty.
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