REFRESHERS · RADIO · 4 MINUTES · AUSTRALIA
Radio numbers and the Mayday call.
In February 2026 CASA updated how the VFRG says runways, altimeter settings and wind, and reworded its Mayday call.
Step 1 of 4
What changed, and when
PREDICT FIRST
How does the VFRG say to transmit a QNH of 1000 hPa?
Skip the question and read on
CASA added runways and altimeter settings to the VFRG's table on transmitting numbers, and combined its wind direction and wind speed examples. Sources: VFRG v8.3 history, numbers
It also amended the Mayday radio call in two places to align with the AIP. Sources: VFRG v8.3 history, Mayday
Limits of this refresher CASA says its Mayday changes align the VFRG with the AIP. We do not hold the AIP, so this refresher quotes the VFRG only. The VFRG is a guide, not the law.
Step 2 of 4
What it means in practice
PREDICT FIRST
How do you say runway 05?
Skip the question and read on
Say a runway number digit by digit, including a leading zero: runway zero five, runway two seven. Sources: VFRG, runways
Say an altimeter setting digit by digit after QNH: QNH one zero one zero, QNH nine nine three. A setting of 1,000 is QNH one thousand. Sources: VFRG, altimeter settings
For wind, say the direction as three digits and degrees, then the speed digit by digit and knots: wind zero two zero degrees two zero knots. Sources: VFRG, wind
The VFRG gives the distress signal by radio as the word Mayday three times, followed by the aircraft's callsign. Sources: VFRG, distress signal
A full distress message has more. The VFRG lists what follows MAYDAY three times: first the station you are calling, then your aircraft identification and the nature of the distress. Your intentions, your position, level and heading, and other useful information come after that. Sources: VFRG, distress message
Its forced landing example reads: Mayday Mayday Mayday, Melbourne Centre, ZTQ, engine failure, landing in paddock, 3 NM west of Picton, 4,500 ft. Sources: VFRG, forced landing step 4
Each chip after a paragraph jumps to the words it rests on.
Step 3 of 4
The source, word for word
Quoted from the Australian sources we hold, with the date we checked them.
Chapter 5 – Radio communication procedures – Transmission of numbers Page 352 | Two new sections added to the table to address transmission of numbers relating to runways and altimeter settings. Chapter 5 – Radio communication procedures – Transmission of numbers Page 353 | Wind direction and Wind speeds sections combined with new examples.
Chapter 7 – Dealing with emergency situations – Distress signal Page 453 | First bullet point – Mayday radio call amended to align with the AIP. Chapter 7 – Dealing with emergency situations – Forced landings Page 455 | Step 4: Mayday radio call amended to align with the AIP.
Runway 27 (270 degrees) | runway two seven 30 (300 degrees) | runway three zero 05 (050 degrees) | runway zero five
Altimeter setting 1,010 | QNH one zero one zero 1,000 | QNH one thousand 993 | QNH nine nine three
Wind direction and speed 020 degrees at 20 kt | wind zero two zero degrees two zero knots 160 degrees at 18 kt | wind one six zero degrees one eight knots
› by radiotelephony: the word ‘Mayday’ repeated three times, followed by the callsign of the aircraft
Distress message | MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY followed by: ▶ station being addressed ▶ aircraft identification ▶ nature of distress ▶ intentions ▶ position level and heading ▶ other useful information details
4 Mayday call and squawk 7700 Mayday Mayday Mayday Melbourne Centre ZTQ Engine failure Landing in paddock 3 NM west of Picton 4,500 ft Plus any other useful information such as POB
Step 4 of 4
Practise this
No question in our bank tests this change yet. New questions are added only after they pass a source check and an independent review.
SOURCES FOR THIS REFRESHER
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Version history, version 8.3 (February 2026), Chapter 5
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Version history, version 8.3 (February 2026), Chapter 7
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Transmission of numbers, table
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Transmission of numbers, table
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Transmission of numbers, table
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Distress signal
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Standard phrases, Emergency – distress and urgency
- CASA Visual Flight Rules Guide v8.3 (CC BY-NC 4.0), Forced landings, Initial action, step 4
Learning only. Your instructor and the current rules come first. Sources and licences