Are you ready to improve your pilot communication and avoid making air traffic control (ATC) cringe? In Day 6 of the 31-Day Safer Pilot Challenge, MzeroA highlights the top three mistakes pilots make over the radio. By learning these common errors, you’ll become a safer, more confident pilot while keeping air traffic controllers happy.
1. Using Mic Clicks Instead of Actual Communication
Good communication keeps the entire National Airspace System safe, and air traffic controllers rely on clear, verbal communication. One of the biggest ATC pet peeves is when pilots respond with a double mic click instead of using words. While “click-click” might feel like an easy acknowledgement, it leaves controllers guessing, and guessing is never safe. Use clear responses such as, “affirmative”, or “Wilco”, or a full read back to ensure ATC knows you understood.
2. Forgetting to State Your Call Sign
ATC may be working 10-20 aircraft at once, which means every transmission without a call sign creates confusion and wasted airtime. Failing to identify yourself makes it harder for controllers to know who’s responding or who the instruction applies to. Always include your call sign, every transmission, every time.
For Example:
“Right 070, Five One Four Papa Romeo”
3. Calling “Ready to Taxi” When You Aren’t
If you’re still running a checklist, programming your GPS, or buckling in, you are not ready to taxi. Calling too early can block traffic flow and slow down everyone on the ramp. ATC expects you to move immediately after they issue taxi clearance. Get fully prepared first, ensure a clear path to the taxiway, and then make the call.
Safer Pilot Challenge 2026
The Safer Pilot Challenge is our yearly vow to help you become a smarter, safer pilot, and it runs all month long every January, wrapping up with our big livestream finale on January 31! We’re giving away prizes throughout the month, so be sure to watch each YouTube video and leave the specific comment to enter for a chance to win. Are you committing to 31 for 31 days of the Safer Pilot Challenge? If you love our free content, just imagine what our full courses can do for you. We’d love to welcome you into our ground schools! Start today with a free 2-week trial and see if MzeroA is the right fit for your aviation journey!