Pet peeves from the ATC folks

[Hold West]

Freq switch:

'Blah, switch to my frequency ###.##'

Do you guys appreciate a call like:

'Blah has made the switch.'

Or are you assuming it has been done and any communication is redundant?

No, give me a check in on the new frequency. That way I know you haven't gotten fumble-fingered and dialed in something else, and I haven't gotten tounge-tied and given the wrong frequency. I personally will respond with my facility identification, just like a new check-in so you know you're on the right frequency.

 

[Hold West]

And now for something completely different...

And now for the most useless transmission that's heard daily:

"Who was that for?"

Come on guys, I'm working 20 or 25 aircraft, I make a transmission, and someone pipes up, "Who was that for?" What possible purpose does that serve? The extra-useless award goes to the guy who, after the aircraft I intended the transmission for has replied, chimes in "Who was that for?"

I know who I am talking to. If I don't get a reply, I will try again. If you think a transmission might have been directed at you, but you missed it, just use your callsign and ask. If it wasn't for you, I'll say so. If it was, I'll repeat.

I don't even bother to say "Who wants to know?" any more, which was my tactic for a long time. Now I just ignore it.

And a related topic: please use your callsign on every single transmission. Every single one. Thank you!

 

[Hold West]

Why is that you haven't figured out a citation X goes .92 mach. When we're cruising at 450 or 470 and we are descending into LAX

LAX... hmmm, that would be Los Angeles International, the 5th busiest airport in the world? Why is it you haven't figured out you are operating in the busiest, most complex airspace system in the world?

why is it a suprise that we are overtaking everyone? We've been following the same two united jets since they took off out of LGA an hour before. We've watched them on the tcas and can see we are about to overrun them then as soon as we start down its, "turn 40 right reduce to .75 and descend to FL230."

It ain't the two United jets from LGA. It's the USair in front of them, behind Northwest, behind Delta, behind Lufthansa, behind American, behind ATA ad infinitum. You can't pass all of them. You gotta get in line somewhere, just be glad it wasn't back over Kansas.

 

[Kream926]

Sounds like they need to learn English first, "position and hold", "hold short", "hold your position", all nice things to know if your a pilot.

i agree but, think about it "position and hold" and "hold your position"

all we're doing is replacing one word and switching them around. in the UK and europe all over i think they just made up a whole new phrase, "line up and wait"... no confusion there

 

[Say Again Over]

Hold West and other ATC folks, thanks again for providing the dialog here, we all appreciate it.:beer: