ATIS is one of the quickest ways to arrive prepared at a busy airport. Before your first call to ground, tower, or approach, it gives you the current airport picture.
For a student pilot, the goal is simple: know where to find it, copy the parts that matter, and report the current code. It is not a substitute for a real briefing or clearance.
What ATIS Is
The FAA defines ATIS as a continuous broadcast of recorded noncontrol information at selected high-activity terminal areas.
It reduces radio congestion by putting routine airport and weather information on a separate frequency.
ATIS is not a clearance and it does not replace your preflight planning.
Under 14 CFR 91.103, the pilot in command must become familiar with available information concerning the flight before beginning it.
Treat ATIS as a current airport update within that larger preparation.
Where to Find the ATIS Frequency
Start with the airport information in your EFB, chart supplement, or airport diagram.
Airports that provide ATIS list a dedicated frequency; some locations also make it available by datalink or telephone. Do not assume every towered airport has ATIS.
If you are departing, get the broadcast before you call ground when practical.
If you are arriving, listen early enough to understand the runway and airport conditions before your initial call to approach or tower.
Reception distance varies with the facility and local conditions, so do not wait until you are too close to copy it comfortably.
What to Copy From an ATIS Broadcast
An ATIS recording normally starts and ends with a phonetic information code, such as Alpha, Bravo, or Charlie.
The FAA ATIS guidance lists the usual elements, including:
- airport or facility name
- information code and observation time
- wind, visibility, weather, sky condition, temperature, dew point, and altimeter
- landing and departure runway or instrument approach in use
- NOTAMs, field conditions, braking information, or other operational remarks when pertinent
Use a kneeboard, notes app, or a cockpit worksheet. Copy the letter code first, then write the items you will need on the next radio call and during taxi or approach.
That habit protects you from remembering an old code after a busy frequency or a long checklist.
How to Report the Information Code
On your first call, include the current code in plain language. For example:
- Departure: "Scottsdale Ground, Cessna 123AB at the north ramp, VFR westbound, with Information Charlie."
- Arrival: "Scottsdale Tower, Cessna 123AB, 10 miles northeast, inbound for full stop, with Information Charlie."
You do not need to recite the whole broadcast. Reporting the code tells ATC you received the current recording.
Controllers can omit information that is still current. If the broadcast changes, the code changes too.
Listen again when instructed or whenever conditions may have shifted.
What ATIS Does Not Tell You
ATIS is valuable, but it is not your clearance, taxi route, takeoff clearance, or landing clearance.
It also does not relieve you of checking your aircraft, route, weather, NOTAMs, fuel, and alternatives before the flight.
The runway in use on ATIS is operational information, not permission to use it.
Read back and follow the clearance you actually receive. If a controller assigns something different from what you copied, follow the instruction and ask when you are unsure.
A Simple Student-Pilot ATIS Routine
Use the same short routine on every towered-airport flight:
1. Find the correct frequency before you need it.
2. Listen once without transmitting.
3. Write the information code, wind, altimeter, runway, and any operational notes.
4. Compare the report with your plan and aircraft limits.
5. State the current code on your first ATC call.
6. Listen again if ATC announces a new code or the conditions may have changed.
Repeating this process turns a fast broadcast into a calm, useful briefing. It also frees up more attention for taxi instructions, aircraft control, and good decisions.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to get ATIS before contacting ATC?
Use ATIS when it is available and practical. If you cannot receive it, tell ATC; the controller can provide the information you need.
What does the ATIS letter mean?
The letter identifies the current recording. When the operational information changes enough to require a new message, the code changes so pilots and controllers can confirm they are using the same update.
Is ATIS the same as AWOS or ASOS?
No. AWOS and ASOS are automated weather broadcasts. ATIS can include weather, but it also provides airport and operational information such as the runway or approach in use.
