ATIS — Automatic Terminal Information Service

At a busy controlled aerodrome, every arriving and departing aircraft needs the same basic package of information: runway in use, wind, QNH, transition level. Reading this to each aircraft individually would clog the frequency, so it is broadcast automatically and continuously as the ATIS — Automatic Terminal Information Service (ICAO Annex 11; procedures in ICAO Doc 4444 PANS-ATM). As a PPL pilot you will meet ATIS whenever you fly to a larger controlled airport, and the exam regularly tests its content, its identifier-letter system, and your obligation to report the received information on first contact.

What ATIS is and why it exists

ATIS is an automatic, continuous broadcast of the current, essential aerodrome and weather information for arriving and departing aircraft. Its purpose is to off-load the ATC frequencies: because every pilot has already received the standard information before calling, the controller does not have to transmit it individually, and the first radio contact can go straight to the operational point.

How it is transmitted

Voice-ATIS on a dedicated VHF frequency, continuously repeated (permanently active at commercial airports).
D-ATIS (Digital ATIS) via data link (ACARS/CPDLC) for suitably equipped aircraft — mainly airline traffic.

Content of an ATIS broadcast

An ATIS message follows a fixed sequence, so you know exactly where to listen for each item:

Identifier letter — "Information Alpha", "Bravo", … in sequence through the ICAO alphabet.
Time of observation (UTC).
Type of approach expected and runway in use.
Runway state (if relevant, e.g. wet, contaminated).
Transition level.
Essential operational information (e.g. ILS unserviceable, noise abatement procedures, work in progress).
Weather: surface wind (direction/speed, gusts, variations); visibility / RVR; present weather (RA, TS, FG, …); clouds; temperature and dew point; QNH (and QFE if applicable); other significant information such as wind shear or a SIGMET reference.
Trend forecast (TREND, if available).
Acknowledgement request: "Acknowledge receipt of information [Alpha] on initial contact."

Currency and identifier letters

The ATIS is renewed at least hourly, and immediately whenever a significant change occurs (e.g. runway change, significant wind shift). Each new issue receives the next letter of the alphabet. The letter is your proof of currency: if you report "with information Kilo" but "Lima" is already current, the controller will pass you the changes.

Pilot obligations

Obtain the current ATIS before initial contact with the relevant ATC unit, and confirm it on first contact with the identifier letter, e.g. "Langen Radar, D-EABC, …, with information Alpha". This tells the controller which data package you are working with. Copy at minimum: runway in use, wind, QNH, transition level.

Europe (EASA / EU)

Regulation (EU) 2017/373, Annex IV (Part-ATS) requires ATIS provision at airports with relevant traffic levels; the format follows the ICAO standard (Doc 4444).

Germany (national)

ATIS is provided by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung at the commercial airports (FRA, MUC, DUS, HAM, STR, CGN, …) and some major regional airports. The frequency for each aerodrome is published in AIP Germany AD 2.18 (communication facilities). At typical VFR airfields there is no ATIS — instead you obtain aerodrome information from AFIS or tower/INFO on the published frequency.

Exam essentials

ATIS is an automatic, continuous broadcast of essential aerodrome and weather information for arriving and departing aircraft.
Its purpose is to relieve ATC frequency congestion by removing routine information from controller transmissions.
An ATIS broadcast contains, among other items: identifier letter, observation time (UTC), runway in use, runway state, transition level, operational information, weather including QNH, and a TREND if available.
The ATIS is renewed at least hourly and immediately upon any significant change; each issue gets the next identifier letter.
The pilot must obtain the current ATIS before initial contact and report the identifier letter on first contact ("with information Alpha").
ATIS is transmitted as Voice-ATIS on a dedicated VHF frequency and, where available, as D-ATIS via data link.