Definition
The specific radio frequencies, expressed in megahertz (MHz), used by pilots to talk with air traffic control, flight service, ground personnel, and other aircraft. Each airport, control facility, and service has its own assigned frequencies for tower, ground, approach, departure, ATIS, AWOS, CTAF, UNICOM, and similar functions.
Plain English
The radio channels a pilot tunes in to talk to controllers or other aircraft. Different airports and services use different channels, and the right one has to be selected for each situation.
Context Anchor
Seen on GPS nearest-airport and airport-information pages, where the display lists the radio numbers available for a nearby airport.
Derivation
Communication comes from a Latin word meaning “to share.” Frequency comes from a Latin word meaning “often,” and in radio use it means how fast a radio wave repeats. Together, the term points to the radio wave setting used to share information by voice.
Why Pilots Care
Tuning the correct frequency lets pilots receive instructions, traffic advisories, and weather updates needed for safe flight.
Analogy
It is like choosing the correct radio station before you can hear or speak on that station. The number matters because each service listens on its own setting.
Intuition Check
Do not read “frequencies” as how often pilots communicate. Here it means the radio numbers a pilot tunes for voice communication.
Example Sentence 1
After selecting the nearest airport on the PFD, the pilot reviewed the communication frequencies and tuned the tower frequency into the standby radio.
Example Sentence 2
Before departure, she verified the tower and ground communication frequencies listed for the destination airport.