VFR Rejoin & Circuit to Landing

intermediateUK phraseology
✈ Cessna 152📡 Cambridge Tower⏱ ~6 minutes💬 5 exchanges

Rejoin the circuit at a Class D aerodrome, fly the standard circuit calls — downwind and final — and read back a landing clearance with the surface wind. Learn the join readback (runway and QFE), the "report final" instruction, and the safety-critical landing-clearance readback.

Briefing

You are returning to Cambridge (EGSC) in Cessna 152 G-DEFG, five miles south inbound to land, with ATIS information Bravo. Cambridge Tower is on 123.600, runway two three in use, QFE 1005. Call for joining instructions and fly the circuit to a full stop.

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What this scenario covers

  1. Exchange 1

    Call Cambridge Tower. Give your position, that you are inbound to land, and request joining instructions.

    💡 Ask for "joining instructions", not "landing" — landing clearance comes later, on final. Reporting the ATIS letter tells the controller you already have the runway and weather.

  2. Exchange 2

    ATC: “Golf Foxtrot Golf, Cambridge Tower, join left hand downwind runway two three, QFE one zero zero five, report downwind.”

    Read back the join. Runway and QFE are the mandatory readback items.

    💡 In the circuit the mandatory readback items are the runway and the pressure setting (QFE here, or QNH if passed). Note it is QFE, not QNH — read back what was actually given.

  3. Exchange 3

    You are established on the downwind leg. Make your downwind call.

    💡 Report "downwind" with your intention (to land / touch and go) as you pass abeam the upwind end. This is where the controller sequences you against other circuit traffic.

  4. Exchange 4

    ATC: “Golf Foxtrot Golf, roger, report final.”

    You have turned onto final approach. Make your final call.

    💡 "Report final" is an instruction to call when you turn final — that call prompts the controller to issue your landing clearance. Keep it to callsign and "final".

  5. Exchange 5

    ATC: “Golf Foxtrot Golf, surface wind two four zero, seven knots, runway two three, cleared to land.”

    Read back the landing clearance. This is a mandatory, safety-critical readback.

    💡 A landing clearance MUST be read back in full including the runway, so any confusion over which runway is caught before you touch down. This is a safety-critical readback.

Background reading

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