If you drive on the maneuvering area, you talk to Air Traffic Services (ATS) on the radio. When they give you an instruction, you need to read it back. A quick “roger” or “wilco” is not enough.
Here is why read-back for vehicle drivers matters, and how to do it right.
“Roger” means I have received your last transmission. “Wilco” means I understand and will comply. Both tell the controller you heard something. Neither tells them what you heard.
Say the controller tells you to hold short of runway 16. You hear “cross runway 16” and answer “wilco.” The controller has no reason to think anything is wrong. You may only find out when you are already moving toward the runway.
All airport vehicle drivers must demonstrate English proficiency at an operational level, both in the use of phraseologies and plain language, with certification required by 7 January 2026 (EASA regulation ADR.OPS.B.029).
How a read-back helps
In a read-back, you repeat the important parts of the instruction. For vehicle drivers, that means the runway, the holding point, the route, or the clearance to cross or enter. Then you add your call sign.
Not enough
ATS: Sweeper one-seven-three, hold short runway one-six.
Driver: Wilco.
Correct
ATS: Sweeper one-seven-three, hold short runway one-six.
Driver: Hold short runway one-six, Sweeper one-seven-three.
Now the controller can check what you understood. If something is wrong, they can correct it right away, on the radio.
ICAO phraseology is clear on this. “Roger” is not an acceptable answer to an instruction that needs a read-back. If the controller doesn’t get a proper read-back, they will ask again.
A read-back helps in three ways:
- The controller knows you understood, not just that you heard.
- Mistakes get fixed quickly.
- You pay closer attention to the details.
The controller also has a job here. They listen to your read-back and check that it matches. This is called the hear-back. It works best when you speak clearly and not too fast.
When it matters most
Read-backs matter most for:
- Hold-short instructions
- Runway crossings
- Entering or leaving a runway
- Routes close to active runways
A runway incursion is when a vehicle, person or aircraft is on a runway without permission. Vehicles are involved in some of these events. Communication problems are a common factor, according to the Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Incursions (GAPPRI). A clear read-back is one of the simplest ways to prevent them.
Good read-backs take practice
Knowing the rules is one thing. Doing it well on a busy frequency is another. The radio can be noisy. Messages are short and fast. Accents vary. And for many drivers, English is a second language.
Under pressure, it’s easy to hear the words you expect instead of the words that were said. It’s also easy to fall back on “roger” when you’re not sure how to phrase a read-back. The fix is practice with standard phraseology until it feels natural.
Learn it step by step: our online course
Our Radio Phraseology and Communication for Airport Vehicle Drivers course covers read-back for vehicle drivers and much more. It’s for anyone who drives airside, whether you’re new or need a refresher.
You’ll learn:
- ICAO standard phraseology, the phonetic alphabet and how to say numbers
- How to use call signs for ATS units and vehicles
- When and how to read back instructions
- Real example exchanges, like requests, hold-short instructions, towing and FOD reports
- What to do in tricky situations, such as runway crossings, low visibility, radio failure and emergencies
- Practical radio use, like push-to-talk technique and active listening
The course is online and self-paced. You can do it on any device and come back to the material as often as you like for three months.