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Talking to ATC

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WOW!! Nice site for listning to ATC!!! Great!!!

This really helps me because I'm learing at an Uncontrolled FBO. Cool!!
 
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Listening in on ATC communications

As a student pilot, I found it beneficial to purchase a scanner and listen to ATC frequenies if you live close to an airport, Tracon, or Air ARTCC. I live 30 minutes away from BWI and have parked at an observation area listening to various frequencies. I found it to be very helpful in understanding ATC chatter.
 
Thanks for all the info...I've flown 10 hours in the HS-125 so far, speed and short is the key to talking with ATC from what I've seen....oh don't say "with you" not what ATC is looking for and your capt will have a cow.
 
With you, sugar pop, checking in, fish finder, tally-ho, etc, contrary to popular belief, do not make you sound cool. They make you sound like an idiot, pure and simple. Not too long ago I was flying and heard another Cirrus check on with approach. As the controller's calling out traffic to him, he kept saying (with the usual fake southern drawl that every rich guy flying around thinks makes him sound cool) "yeah, I've got him on the TCAS." Finally, somebody had enough, and after he says it one more time an airliner jumps in and says "A real TCAS costs as much as your whole airplane, so no, you don't have him on the TCAS." I was cracking up at that.

The other thing that is TOTALLY obnoxious is the people who insist on giving only their callsign on the initial callup. Send your freakin' message already; if the controller's to busy to deal with you he'll tell you to stand by. But it's not going to make him want to approve your request if he has to make three radio calls when one would've sufficed...

MG
 
I've been working on this a lot lately.

Here's a couple pointers:
1. Know what you have to read back (altitudes, restrictions, headings, clearances, in particular), you don't necessarily have to read back things like altimeter settings, ident requests, or radar contact, but do let them know you got the message by giving them at least some response.
2. If you're talking back and forth with a controller, don't keep dragging out your transmissions with your call sign included, if they know your voice, and what you're talking about, keep things moving.
3. I've noticed my local controllers working hard not to slur words while they're talking fast, like V-O-R, it sounds funny to break between the syllables, but its effective.
4. Most of us know this, but know the routines, anticipate their needs, if you have traffic in sight, for instance, you will like likey be asked to maintain visual separation so they can relieve you or the other aircraft of an altitude or heading restriction for collision avoidance, anticipate these things.
5. Give them the information up front in a clear and concise manner (ie, don't make them play 20 questions).
 
Say "with you" whenever you contact ATC.

Hey AC I thought its only proper to say "with you" when you're handed off to the next controller. At least thats what I was told by an old instructor, I wonder if that still holds true as opposed to the standard intro for your initial contact.
 

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