Regulations last checked for updates: May 16, 2024

Title 49 - Transportation last revised: May 14, 2024
§ 220.29 - Statement of letters and numbers in radio communications.

(a) If necessary for clarity, a phonetic alphabet shall be used to pronounce any letter used as an initial, except initial letters of railroads. See appendix A of this part for the recommended phonetic alphabet.

(b) A word which needs to be spelled for clarity, such as a station name, shall first be pronounced, and then spelled. If necessary, the word shall be spelled again, using a phonetic alphabet.

(c) Numbers shall be spoken by digit, except that exact multiples of hundreds and thousands may be stated as such. A decimal point shall be indicated by the words “decimal,” “dot,” or “point.” (See appendix B to this part, for a recommended guide to the pronunciation of numbers.)

source: 63 FR 47195, Sept. 4, 1998, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 49 CFR 220.29