Flight Test Brevity

A Communications Guide

Author

Nathan Cook

Published

2026-01-17

Preface

Flight Test Brevity

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License

Purpose

This guide is intended to accelerate the communications training of flight testers. The desired end state is a flight test team who can safely, securely, effectively, and efficiently communicate with each other, whether over the radio or face-to-face.

PDF

A pdf version of this guide is available for download at https://github.com/cooknl/flight-test-brevity/blob/main/pdf/Flight-Test-Brevity.pdf

Feedback

This guide is a living document. All feedback is welcomed, and the most effective means of providing it is to create an “Issue” at https://github.com/cooknl/flight-test-brevity/issues

Change Log

2026-01-17 v1.5.0
- Appendix B — Multiservice Codes Applicable to Flight Test Updates to Apr 2025 version of BREVITY (Multi-Service Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures for Multi-Service Brevity Codes 2025)
  - Adds BAT, BERETTA, BLACKOUT, BUDDY [LASE or GUIDE], CHRISTMAS TREE, DOUBLE TAP, FLOCK, GADGET, LAME DUCK, LEEROY, LIGHTS, LONG RIFLE, MATE, REMINGTON, ROOSTER, SCORPION, SPREAD, TIGER, TSUNAMI, TWEET, WAVE, WATCHING
  - Modifies or clarifies BEAM [direction], CHEAPSHOT, DRAG, ELEVATOR, FLANK [direction], HIT(S), HOT, RIFLE, ROLEX, SKATE, SPIKE, WORDS
- Appendix A — Flight Test Brevity Codes
  - Adds KILL, CANCEL, SKIP, RECOVER, PAUSE, RESUME to Flight Test Brevity
2023-06-02 v1.4.0
- Principle 3 - Standard Word Sequence Adds standard radio syntax
- Appendix D — Test Run Flow Updates “test point” to “test run”, “procedure” to “maneuver”, “recovery” to “recover”
- Appendix B — Multiservice Codes Applicable to Flight Test Updates to Mar 2023 version of BREVITY (ATP 1-02.1 et al. 2023)
  - SICK, BOGEY, DIVERT, KNOCK-IT-OFF, TERMINATE, MARSHAL, BRAA, COLD, HOT, AZIMUTH, GROUP, MARSHALLING, STACK, MERGE, STATUS, PIG, RIFLE, SPLASH, WHAT STATE, WORKING, DROP, EYEBALL, ~~NEGATIVE CONTACT~~, SOUR, CLEARED HOT, WEAPONS, VERY FAST, DECLARE, BANDIT, HOSTILE
- Appendix A — Flight Test Brevity Codes Removes “Terminate” from Flight Test Brevity, adding “CEASE TEST” to CEASE
2023-06-08 v1.3.0
- Changes “word count” to “word sequence” with reference to (Thalmann, Souza, and Oberauer 2019)
2023-04-08 v1.2.0
- Reorders appendices to have Flight Test Brevity Codes lead
- Extensive re-alignment of Multi-Service Brevity Codes Applicable to Flight Test to conform with 2020 Change 1 version of BREVITY
2023-04-02 v1.1.0
- Extends appendices
  - Moves “Comm Plan” from body to appendix
  - Adds “Test Point”
  - Adds “Unsafe Comm”
- Alters format of Flight Test Brevity Codes from tabular to paginated to improve pdf version
- Adds pdf version
2023-02-11 v.1.0.0
- Port to Quarto
- Update from 2002 to 2020 Change 1 version of BREVITY
  - (FM 3-97.18/MCRP 3-25B/NTTP 6-02.1/AFTTP(I) 3-2.5 2002)
  - (ATP 1-02.1/MCRP 3-30B.1/NTTP 6-02.1/AFTTP 3-2.5 2020)
- Table 1.1 order changed
2016-08-04 Most recent Word version