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Radio Procedures

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Alchemy said:
Here's something interesting I heard the other day, a Delta flight giving full position reports in Mexico even though the Mexican controller responded to every transmission with "RADAR CONTACT".

One last question, what's the proper way to pronounce a flight number such as 3001, 2006, etc? Three-Thousand One? Thirty Oh-One? Thirty Zero One? Three Zero Zero One?

I actually had a controller once who wouldn't accept my acknowledgements unless I responded with Thirty Zero One instead of Three Thousand One.

Was the Delta aircraft reporting compulsary reporting points? I don't think that it matters if they're in radar contact over compulsary reporting points. I'm a bit rusty on reporting procedures.

The proper terminology should be Tree Zero Zero Wun.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airspeak
Numbers aren't supposed to be combined to make ten, one hundred, one thousand, etc in standard radio terminology.
And no, I haven't used tree, fife or niner in the US. I have used those pronunciations plenty of times in Europe and the sandbox. I'd do just about anything to keep from going 'to Dityman and hold. State fuel on board and do not lie.' Ah, the joys of international flight.
 
Under ICAO standard, position reports are not required when in radar contact. Some countries, like China, expect them either way, although they seem to like abbreviated ones in radar contact.

ICAO would have you say each callsign number individually, but other countries do different things. U.S. deviates, as does the UK.

The word "level" is intrepreted as short for "flight level" everywhere in the world except U.S. The word "maintaining" means the same thing everywhere.
 
This bit is interesting to me. The AIM wants us to say "climing to FL XXX' Personally I think this is bad technique. "To" and "for" sound just like "two" and "four". In a congested environment this can get ugly (and be hard to say). Personlly, I never say "to" or "for" on the radio.

That's why down here in Texas, we say t' and fer.

"...Climbin' t' one-zero thousand."

"One-five thousand fer two-three-zero."
 
Reporting of leaving an assigned altitude.

There seem to be two types of pilots; those that report out of a discretionary altitude, and those that don't. This may not hold up in court because it is someone's interpretation. This is how it was explained to me by a Chicago Center controller-(while he was in the jumpseat) If you are told to descent to xxx altitude, you reply, "Sphincter One leaving Flight Level 280 for Flight Level 220." You are leaving your ASSIGNED altitude of FL280 for your new ASSIGNED altitude of FL 220. If you are told, "Descend at pilots discretion to FL 220." You reply, "Sphincter One discretion FL 220." You are no longer assigned FL 280. You are basically cleared for a block altitude from FL280 to FL 220. (AIM 4-4-9 (c) & (d) Once you vacate an altitude, you may not return to that altitude.) Therefore it is not required to report out of FL280. I hope I am right because I get irritated every time I have to put the paper down because the other guy says, "Tell him we are leaving 280."
 
Leaving assigned altitude

It use be a required call to ATC when leaving an assigned altitude such as a discretionary descent. Now it says "Should". Seems some controllers are a little annoyed when you call out of that altitude like it is not required.
 
Whenever I go international, I go into AceCrackshot robo pilot radio mode. Go over to PPRUNE and listen to the Limeys whinge about our radiotelephony skills.

I got into it with a Captain over the use of "decimal" instead of "point."
I was taught by TWA international guys, so decimal was big points.

As far as calling out a discretionary altitude change, I figured I didn't need to, but if the freq wasn't congested, I'd do it just as a SA thing for the controller, especially if on an arrival and not cleared to decend via.
 
AceCrackshot said:
Whenever I go international, I go into AceCrackshot robo pilot radio mode. Go over to PPRUNE and listen to the Limeys whinge about our radiotelephony skills.

I got into it with a Captain over the use of "decimal" instead of "point."
I was taught by TWA international guys, so decimal was big points.

As far as calling out a discretionary altitude change, I figured I didn't need to, but if the freq wasn't congested, I'd do it just as a SA thing for the controller, especially if on an arrival and not cleared to decend via.

It's funny, I always here how the Europeans hate our "laid back" radio techniques, but listen closely to the locals when you are over there, especially England. There are just as laid back as we are, it is just something for them to piss and moan about.
 
TR4A said:
It use be a required call to ATC when leaving an assigned altitude such as a discretionary descent. Now it says "Should". Seems some controllers are a little annoyed when you call out of that altitude like it is not required.

Duuude, but some of them controllers be diggin it when you be makin dat call, my brother from another mother, cause like their homeboy on the other frequency is working the sector like right below where you are like right now. So, dude, when you reports that you be vacatin, he be like reminded to like switch you over to the other controller dude.

That's why I always say

"Awww yeeeaaahh, SIT-RISS 123 be leaving 2-8-0 descending 2-4-0, my brother from the A-T-C mother."

I dont know why, but them peeps kinda like it.
 
Leave it to the Brits to expect a three-syllable word (decimal) when a one-syllable word (point) conveys the same message in a third of the time. :D
 
Unless I get the pleasure of hearing, "Southwest XXX, reduce to mach .74 in trail spacing..." everything else is just noise.
 

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