contacting ground tower etc.

[SSDD]

I think that was a sarcastic put down of American Eagle pilots...

 

[minitour]

I think that was a sarcastic put down of American Eagle pilots...

Haven't heard many Eagle calls like that, but I'll keep listening for 'em.

-mini

 

[dalegribble]

humble suggestion

Here's one.

Initial contact 1: (I like this one when not too busy)
CE) Houston Center, skyhawk-one-two-tree, five miles south Eagle lake VORTAC at six thousand five hundred, request VFR flight following to College Station Easterwood.
HC) november-one-two-tree, Houston center, squawk two-four-fife-two and indent.
CE) november-one-two-tree, squawk two-four-fife-two, ident
HC) november-one-two-tree, say type of aircraft
CE) Cessna 172 equipment G
HC) Skyhawk-one-two-tree, radar contact two mile south eagle lake VORTAC, maintain at or bellow eight thousand for traffic.
CE) Skyhawk-one-two-tree, at or bellow eight thousand

Initial Contact 2: (when very busy)
CE) Houston Center, Skyhawk-one-two-tree, request for flight following.
HC) "VFR traffic, stand by;" No reply at all; "Aircraft calling say again" (then I'd start the previous conversation); "Unable flight following at this time;" I even got this one "Unable flight following at this time, maintain frequency for traffic advisories." Our controllers really do everything they can for pilots out here. Likewise, I know many pilots who, when it's busy, cancel IFR well before their destination and maintain flight following, weather permitting.

What do you guys think? Are both of those initial transmissions appropriate?

Quickly, on #2 tell atc where you are altitude and position briefly. Quick concise calls get you more.

Call #1 though needs work.....Use the facility name, your call sign, then just say 5 south of Eagle Lake (he knows what it is a VOR already)then say at 6 point five, then ask for flight following(don't need to add VFR) to xyz, Here I have cut out several seconds of tx time which to a busy controller means a hell of a lot of good will. It will get you better service and may be the difference between getting service and not getting it. He will ask your type if he agrees to provide flight following. This is petty, I agree but every second of non essential speech free's up the controller's time and the frequency congestion. Also, it is not necessary to read back the ident command. ATC knows pretty quickly if you got that part by the visual on his display.

A good suggestion already mentioned, is to think about what you will say prior to saying it. It is the best way to make radio calls.

 

[Sampson]

The word over

What or who dictates if the word "Over" is required at the end of the transmission? One of the tower controllers uses it occasionally where I work if things get busy, but none of the other controllers use it.

g

The use of the word "Over" is used when communicating via HF radio or VHF to a facility such as ARINC where you have a phone patch going and are talking to the company but the third party, "the radio operator" who is listening to the conversation needs to know when one conversation ends and listens for the word 'Over" then switches the transmitter over to the other side so the other party can communicate.