What do the terms 'Roger' and 'Wilco' mean?

• A. Roger means will comply; Wilco means message received
• B. Roger means request repetition; Wilco means standby
• C. Roger means message received; Wilco means will comply with the instruction
• D. Roger means acknowledged; Wilco means error

Answer: (C)

Roger and Wilco are standard radio shorthand for what’s been heard and what you’ll do. Roger means I have received your message; it confirms receipt but doesn’t promise any action. Wilco means I will comply with your instructions, i.e., I intend to follow what you asked.

For example, if air traffic control says climb and maintain 3000 feet, replying with Roger confirms you heard the instruction, and replying with Wilco confirms you will carry it out. The idea is that Roger stops short at acknowledgment, while Wilco indicates intended action.

Other interpretations don’t fit the actual usage: saying someone means to request repetition or standby refers to different phrases, and treating Wilco as meaning error isn’t correct in radiotelephony.