Radio Pet Peeves

[Typhoon1244]

I must give credit where credit is due: a couple days ago, MetroSheriff suggested a new thread about radio technique pet peeves. I couldn't wait for him to start it, so...

First of all, the correct phrase is "position and hold." It's not "pos. and hold," "pause and hold," or even [shudder] "on the hold." Are guys really in such a hurry that they can't say the word "position" without tripping over their tongues?

If you hear two people completely step on each other, how about a nice, crisp "blocked?" Is it really necessary to bellow "BLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCKED" for ten seconds?

And speaking of "blocked," remember when we were getting our private pilot licenses, and they told us to listen to a new frequency for a few seconds before checking in? Remember that? Why do so many people forget about that when they get their ATP's?

And finally, I heard this a while back: "Memphis Center, Delta Sixteen-Twenty-One's with you descending to two-four-oh, out of twenty-seven five on my mark. Mark! Good morning." If only I'd had a Sidewinder...

[Disclaimer: my radio technique is by no means flawless. I have been known to do things like transmit on the wrong radio and say thing like "was that for us?" These, however, are mistakes. I'm complaining about stuff I hear people do all the time.]

[Note: MetroSheriff isn't around since his three-month-old son is in the hospital. Be sure and wish him luck..!]

 

[bobbysamd]

Originally posted by Typhoon1244 And finally, I heard this a while back: "Memphis Center, Delta Sixteen-Twenty-One's with you descending to two-four-oh, out of twenty-seven five on my mark. Mark! Good morning." If only I'd had a Sidewinder...

That's a new one for me. What does "on my mark" mean?

 

[avbug]

Mark=time hack. Also something one is likely to hear on star trek.

"Whatchalahootchakoochie traffic, Chartreusse One Six Niner is taking active runway two six for immediate for the POTOR Six departure westbound. We'll be climbing straight out before turning west. This is Chartreusse one six niner, and perhaps you've heard of me in such memorable commercials as 'Chartreusse Airlines go to Mazatlan,' or "High Road to Chartreusse.' I'm too lazy to look out there myself and can't be bothered to listen to the radio before keying the mic and asking, so any inbound traffic please advise."

 

[Anne]

My pet peeve is similar to avbug's. I fly out of an airport without a control tower. There could be a dozen people in the pattern or coming in to land, announcing their position and which runway they are using, and the ASOS is working perfectly. And there is always some bozo whose initial radio call is "Podunk Airport, what is your active?" Or "Any other aircraft in the area please advise" What idiots!!

 

[bobbysamd]

Radio peeves

No matter how clear you are with students about using correct ATC phraseology, you'll always have a student who, out of the blue, cries "Tally Ho!" and "No Joy" when responding to ATC traffic callouts. Of course, the correct phraseology that CIVILIAN pilots should use is "Traffic in Sight" and "Traffic Not in Sight." It never failed to slay me how so many students want to relive the Battle of Britain on the comm.

I had some students who were AF E-3 Sentry AWACS controllers. They used "Tally Ho" and "No Joy," but that's how the AF trained them. That was okay with me. But, non-military CIVILIAN-trained pilots should be taught to use correct, AIM radio phraselogy.

One other thing that went on my nerves was pilots who made position reports on UNICOM without repeating the name of the airport. "Mustang traffic, Cessna 12345, left downwind for Runway 17" instead of "Mustang traffic, Cessna 12345, left downwind for Runway 17, Mustang." People only half-listen to the comm and pay attention only for their number. By the time the transmission ends you've missed the name of the airport and have heard only the tail number. You don't know if the traffic is at your airport. Repeat the name of the airport. Other airports are on the same UNICOM frequency.

 

[2000flyer]

One of my pet peeves is an aircraft responding to an instruction without identifying themselves. ie. "Cessna 1234, Contact Memphis center, 132.35". "132.35, SEE YA!"

Now while thats just a personal peeve, I have friends on the ATC side of our business, and this drives them nuts. They have no idea who just responded.

One last thought...when you head to Europe, there is no such beast as "position and hold". You'll scratch your head the first time you hear "N1234, runway XX, line up and wait".

Regards,
2000Flyer

 

[FL000]

"VACATING" FLxxx and 134 "DECIMAL" 5

shut the hell up

 

[Stephen]

Re: Radio peeves

Of course, the correct phraseology that CIVILIAN pilots should use is "Traffic in Sight" and "Traffic Not in Sight."

Actually, the correct phraseology is "Traffic in Sight" or "Negative Contact" (per the Pilot/Controller Glossary). "Traffic Not in Sight" could very easily be confused with "Traffic in Sight" if you don't hear the "Not," so the completely different phrase "Negative Contact" is used.

Stephen

 

[ifly4food]

I love when they add "here we go" at the end of a readback. Dork.

Of course, nobody mentioned the "windcheck", "what's our sequence" and "how long's the final" transmissions we hear so much in Atlanta.

I once heard a guy on our company frequncy say "Atlanta, Candler XXX from Tallahoochie-momma in range!". Dork.

 

[learflyer]

I agree with FL000 about that "decimal" stuff. That is a long unnecessary word that i'm sure ticks off ATC. One time, going into TEB , we were on ny approach freq and he was just busy as heck. There were airplanes going everywhere. Somebody stepped on a bunch of acft with "does anyone know if the space shuttle is going up tonight"? ATC responded "I can't believe somebody stepped on 5 acft to ask that question!"