01
Restricted Radiotelephony
Typically the first step, allowing pilots to communicate in standard, less complex airspace environments. It is required before a Private Pilot Licence is issued.
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Restricted & General Radiotelephony
Essential communication skills.
Radiotelephony training equips pilots with the essential communication skills required to operate safely and efficiently within controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
- Restricted
- Required for your PPL
- General
- Required for the Instrument Rating
- Where it starts
- A tower and ground frequency on site
- Students are exposed to radio work from the start.
Where to begin
Restricted or General?
Two certificates, taken in order. The Restricted one comes first for almost everybody.
02
General Radiotelephony
Builds on that foundation, covering more advanced communication procedures required for controlled airspace and professional operations — and it is required for the Instrument Rating.
The licence itself
What each certificate lets you do
These are qualifications a licence requires rather than privileges you add to one.
With an RT you can
- Communicate using standard aviation phraseology and correct radio procedure
- Operate in standard, less complex airspace — with the Restricted certificate
- Operate in controlled airspace and professional operations — with the General certificate
Not until you train further
- Be skipped: these qualifications are a mandatory part of pilot training
- Let you fly anything — they qualify the radio work, not the flying
These qualifications are a mandatory part of pilot training, ensuring clear, accurate and confident communication with air traffic control and other aircraft.
Knowledge, handling and judgement
What it covers
The three things the school names on its Radiotelephony page.
Communicate: The correct use of standard aviation phraseology.
- Standard aviation phraseology
- Clear communication procedures
Understand: How the radio itself works, and which frequency you should be on.
- Radio equipment
- Frequencies
Practise: Both simulated and real radio communication exercises.
- Theoretical instruction
- Simulated radio exercises
- Real radio communication
No surprises
What it takes
What each certificate needs before it, and what it is needed for.
01
Before you start
What each certificate is built on.
No flying experience needed for the Restricted certificate
Eagle Air guidanceThe Restricted certificate comes before the General one
The General certificate builds on the foundation the Restricted one provides.
Licence requirement
02
What it is required for
The licence or rating that asks for it.
The Restricted certificate is required for the Private Pilot Licence
Licence requirementA valid General Radiotelephony certificate is required for the Instrument Rating
Licence requirementHow and where each certificate is examined
Eagle Air's page describes the training but not the examination. Whether the school administers the tests, and what each one involves, is not published.
To confirm
Licence requirement is set by the regulator; Eagle Air guidance is our own advice, not a condition of entry.
Honest numbers
How long it takes
No timeframe is published for either certificate, so this page does not estimate one.
What changes it
- Which certificate
- The General certificate covers more advanced procedures than the Restricted one.
- How much radio you have already done
- Students at Wonderboom are exposed to radio work from the start, which is not true everywhere.
What it costs
What it costs
No price is published, and whether the radio course is included in a licence course is one of the things to confirm with the school.
What drives the total
Which certificate
Restricted and General are separate qualifications.
Theory and practical training
Both theoretical instruction and practical radio exercises form part of the training.
Alongside the flying
- The examination itself
Whether Eagle Air runs the General Radiotelephony course for students who arrive without it, and whether it is included, is on the list to confirm.
Common questions
- To begin the enrolment process, simply email info@eagleair.co.za, and one of our experienced team members will guide you through each step and assist you in getting started efficiently.
The horizon after this one
What the radio qualifies you for
Neither certificate is an end in itself — each one unlocks something else.
Next · 01
Private Pilot Licence (PPL)
The Restricted certificate is part of what the first licence requires.
Next · 02
Instrument Rating
Requires a valid General Radiotelephony certificate before it can be issued.
Next · 03
Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
Professional operations are where the General certificate's advanced procedures are used.
Your first step
Clear, accurate, confident communication.
Tell us which certificate you need and what you already hold, and the team will tell you what is involved.