Top 10 List

[Ray Double]

Zero is a number, o is what you say when you visit the proctologist.

 

[DrewBlows]

5. People who taxi like slugs (*cough*nwa*cough*)

You can thank their contract for that. I'm a Compass new hire and had a NWA captain tell me in no uncertain terms that he had better never see me taxiing as fast as the Pinnacle CRJ that was passing by. He then proceeded to taxi to the runway at a pace I could have beaten wearing hiking boots and a 40 pound pack.

 

[DrewBlows]

"Denver, N12345, FL400".....well, they know that they're Denver; they don't need to hear that. They know who and where you are; they already accepted the hand off.

Maybe, just maybe the controller wasn't paying the closest attention when you checked in. If you say "Denver Center...Crappy airline XYZ blah, blah, blah" you give them a chance to gather their wits before you tell them what you want. If you check in "Crappy Airline XYZ blah, blah, blah" the controller may miss your call sign if he's not paying the closest attention.

I've flown with a captain who never used the center's name. It was very annoying when he bitched because the controller missed his call.

 

[atl pilot]

Technically, the correct phraseology is to use the name of the facility (i.e. Atlanta or Denver) follwed by the type of facility (i.e. Tower, Approach, Center). See below for an except from the AIM:

4-2-3. Contact Procedures
a. Initial Contact.
1. The terms initial contact or initial callup means the first radio call you make to a given facility or the first call to a different controller or FSS specialist within a facility. Use the following format:
(a) Name of the facility being called;
(b) Your full aircraft identification as filed in the flight plan or as discussed in paragraph 4-2-4, Aircraft Call Signs;
(c) When operating on an airport surface, state your position.
(d) The type of message to follow or your request if it is short; and
(e) The word "Over" if required.
EXAMPLE-
1. "New York Radio, Mooney Three One One Echo."
2. "Columbia Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, south ramp, I-F-R Memphis."
3. "Miami Center, Baron Five Six Three Hotel, request V-F-R traffic advisories."
2. Many FSSs are equipped with Remote Communications Outlets (RCOs) and can transmit on the same frequency at more than one location. The frequencies available at specific locations are indicated on charts above FSS communications boxes. To enable the specialist to utilize the correct transmitter, advise the location and the frequency on which you expect a reply.

EXAMPLE-
St. Louis FSS can transmit on frequency 122.3 at either Farmington, Missouri, or Decatur, Illinois, if you are in the vicinity of Decatur, your callup should be "Saint Louis radio, Piper Six Niner Six Yankee, receiving Decatur One Two Two Point Three."
3. If radio reception is reasonably assured, inclusion of your request, your position or altitude, and the phrase "(ATIS) Information Charlie received" in the initial contact helps decrease radio frequency congestion. Use discretion; do not overload the controller with information unneeded or superfluous. If you do not get a response from the ground station, recheck your radios or use another transmitter, but keep the next contact short.
EXAMPLE-
"Atlanta Center, Duke Four One Romeo, request V-F-R traffic advisories, Twenty Northwest Rome, seven thousand five hundred, over." ​

 

[svcta]

Maybe, just maybe the controller wasn't paying the closest attention when you checked in. If you say "Denver Center...Crappy airline XYZ blah, blah, blah" you give them a chance to gather their wits before you tell them what you want. If you check in "Crappy Airline XYZ blah, blah, blah" the controller may miss your call sign if he's not paying the closest attention.

I've flown with a captain who never used the center's name. It was very annoying when he bitched because the controller missed his call.

I'm with you 100%....I was trying to set up a scenario(and a trap) with my statement, though. The anti-"with you" crowd I think is missing the spirit of why we even check in....it is solely to let the controller that we are, in fact, with him/her on the freq., right?

I mean, have you ever left someone a phone message that said "I just wanted to call and....." or said to someone "I have a question for you" and then asked a question. By the line of reasoning used by by the people who get worked up over the "with you" thing you should never tell anyone what you're doing because that's stupid and self-evident.

I really couldn't care less how people check in with or let a controller know that they're with them on the frequency, but I think that saying "Hello, XXX Center, Longjon 123 is with you at FL590" is actually one of the most literal ways to get the job done.

And if some people are so concerned with just sticking to how the AIM says to do it, then why do I never hear the word "over" on the radio?

 

[mvedepo]

For some reason it bugs the crap out of me when people ad an "s" to their call sign.

ie.

"Deltas xxxxx"
"Uniteds xxxx"

Another thing that drives me nuts is when someone comes onto a freq with their mic keyed. Switch over and LISTEN for a sec to make sure you aren't stepping all over someone.

Also the other day we followed SW through a few sectors and he was using "Good ole Southwest XXXX"

 

[twott driver]

Okay, here's another one:
Pilots who switch to ramp tower while still on the taxiways....and are simply, for my seperation needs, gone.

Fair enough, but I bet you that the number of times your seperation needs are compromised is a lot less than the delays that would be caused if pilots waited until they were at the ramp to speak to ramp tower. Yes, I know, we have two radios but most of the time we're on the other trying to verify gate assignments etc. Just saying.....

By the way, you guys do a great job on the whole, and we appreciate the work.

 

[atl pilot]

I can appreciate that espicially if it ramps 3 or 4 at ATL.
Best wishes to anyone who has to park there!

 

[twott driver]

That would be them!

 

[Hung Start]

Another annoyance...

I read a clearence to a pilot and the readback is just the XPDR. Fine no problem, I don't care, pilot readbacks arent a requirment.

But Boston/Logan tells you to ONLY read back the transponder code, unless you have a question.

So, the confusion continues,,,,


Hung

 

[dickburns]

also, when guys check on and don't restate instructions they've received from a previous controller.

if you've had a speed assigned for the past 100 miles, ok, you don't have to say it per se, but if a controller gave you a heading or turn and then shipped you, make sure to tell the next guy you check on with because it'll save him from having to ask if you're in the turn.

lately I've also heard a lot of pilot/co-pilot dual replies on the frequency, both will answer, one right after the other, readback the same clearance and answer the same call sign...what about a little CRM and paying attention to what the guy to our right or left is doing and not giving atc a readback in stereo!

 

[mvedepo]

also, when guys check on and don't restate instructions they've received from a previous controller.

if you've had a speed assigned for the past 100 miles, ok, you don't have to say it per se, but if a controller gave you a heading or turn and then shipped you, make sure to tell the next guy you check on with because it'll save him from having to ask if you're in the turn.

lately I've also heard a lot of pilot/co-pilot dual replies on the frequency, both will answer, one right after the other, readback the same clearance and answer the same call sign...what about a little CRM and paying attention to what the guy to our right or left is doing and not giving atc a readback in stereo!

I always tell them my previously assigned instructions. I have found more times then not if I was given a speed 100 miles before getting switched, the next controller will give me normal speed.

 

[EatinRamen]

As a pilot, I grit my teeth when I hear the f/o check in with "fourteen thousand" or "twenty-three thousand." I wonder to myself if they ever read the AIM or got adequate instruction.

 

[Mahi]

Mexico

I'm sure there are a thousand Mexico stories out there. A couple of things I've noticed and can't stand in Mexico are
1) Whenever transmissions are blocked in busy airspace, it's the Mexican pilots who immediately chime in (usually all together) to check in or ask a question making the problem worse. While in the US, when there are multiple transmissions, we shut up and wait for the controller to talk and sort out the confusion. Why can't the Mexicans see this as counter-productive?

2) You can never get an "expect FLxxx" from Mexican controllers. "Maintain xxx until further advised" is the norm down there. The problem occurs when the rain I'm flying through craps out my radios and I can't hear the hand off or next climb instruction to get out of the soup. Makes me nervous. Ground based wx radar would be nice.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I just had to vent. Seems you get second rate service if you don't speak Spanish. Practically NEVER do I have an issue with US controllers.

Can I get a Hell Yeah?!

 

[siucavflight]

Um, hell yeah.

 

[SRProductions]

1. Pilots stepping on each other
2. Improper read back instruction, Ex. Hold Short Rwy 24 at G read back hold short 24.
3. ayyyy's during read backs. Ex. ayyyy this is XHUEW ayyy request ayyyyyy ifr clearance ayyyyyy

 

[skydiverdriver2]

Well, sometimes sepping on each other just happens. Now if they come on freq and just start talking, well, that's another matter. And I have actually done the thing where the Capt and FO both answer. It's not a CRM thing, it's usually the case where one of them was off frequency, he heard you call and then answered, right after the other one answered. It happens because you have no time to ask the other guy if he answered, since you are trying to answer too.

My favorite is when a pilot asks for his clearance by saying, Cessna 123X, instruments to Louisville. Doesn't the controller know what flight plans are IFR? That seems pretty silly to me. I occasionally hear airlines saying that, too. Don't they always go IFR?

 

[dispatchguy]

I have a question for our ORD controller...

A. I love you guys...

Is the "double back" term in the AIM anywhere? I honestly believe the only place I hear it is ORD ground control. I'm not dogging you guys, I have heard some taxi furballs where its take a breath, issue 4 or 5 clearances, then take another breath. You guys seriously are THE shiznits.

Then Mexicana lands and has less than no clue. I once heard an ORD G/C say "everyone stop - we have Mexicana on the freq!"

I jumpseat/commute out of ORD all the time, and the taxi clearance is always "this double back taxi xxx" and so on, and I was just curious.

 

[Chuck Steak]

What about "Pos and hold" don't be lazy and just say the whole word!

 

[Dr Pokenhiemer]

I hate it when the radio call starts with, "Aaannnnnnddddd". Had a student start this several years ago. I'd slap his shoulder every time he did that. Didn't take long to break that habit. He's an airline pilot now--hope he gets a chuckle everytime he hears, "AAAAAnnnnnnndddddd Delta's 1234 is with you FL340."