ATIS, QNH/QFE & Altimeter

What this scenario covers

1. Exchange 1

   Make your initial call to Exeter Radar. Report that you have ATIS information Delta and request a Basic Service.

   💡 Full callsign on first contact, and reporting the ATIS letter tells the controller you already have the weather and QNH. State the service you want so the controller knows the level of help to provide.

2. Exchange 2

   ATC: “Golf Papa Sierra, Exeter Radar, Basic Service, Exeter QNH one zero zero eight.”

   Read back the service and the QNH. The altimeter setting is a mandatory readback item.

   💡 QNH is a mandatory readback — always read it back in full. Set on the subscale, QNH makes your altimeter read altitude above mean sea level. At or above 1000 hPa the units ("hectopascals") may be omitted.

3. Exchange 3

   ATC: “Golf Papa Sierra, Exeter QFE nine nine five hectopascals.”

   You asked for the QFE for circuit height awareness. Read it back — and note the units.

   💡 QFE set on the subscale makes the altimeter read height above the airfield (zero on the ground). CAP 413 requires the units "hectopascals" to be spoken when the value is below 1000 — confusing QFE with QNH here would put you 300-odd feet out.

4. Exchange 4

   ATC: “Golf Papa Sierra, climb flight level six zero.”

   You are climbing above the transition altitude. Read back the climb to the flight level. The level is mandatory.

   💡 Passing the transition altitude you change the subscale to the standard pressure setting 1013 hPa and express your level as a flight level, not an altitude. Read the flight level back in full.