Definition
An ATC service activated at designated airports when field conditions warrant, in which controllers broadcast on the ATIS that braking action advisories are in effect and relay pilot reports of runway braking action (good, good to medium, medium, medium to poor, poor, or nil) along with the runway condition report. Pilots are expected to report braking action experienced after landing on a wet, snow-covered, or icy runway.
Plain English
A service where controllers warn pilots that the runway is slippery and pass along recent reports from other pilots about how well their brakes worked when landing.
Context Anchor
You may hear this from a tower controller or on the airport information broadcast before taxi, takeoff, approach, or landing.
Derivation
Braking comes from brake, meaning to slow or stop a moving vehicle. Advisory comes from advise, meaning to give information or warning. In aviation, an advisory is important safety information, even though it is not the same thing as a clearance or command.
Why Pilots Care
Helps pilots anticipate actual landing distance and decide whether conditions remain safe or warrant a diversion.
Grounding Statement
If braking action advisories are in effect, treat the runway as a changing surface, not as a normal dry runway.
Intuition Check
Do not read advisory as casual or optional information. Here it means air traffic control has a specific reason to warn pilots that runway stopping conditions may be reduced or changing.
Example Sentence 1
The ATIS stated that braking action advisories were in effect, so we briefed for a longer rollout and listened for recent pilot reports on tower frequency.
Example Sentence 2
The crew adjusted their landing distance calculation after receiving braking action advisories of nil for the last 2000 feet.