What to say to ATC?

[Sniper@YourFeet]

Is there anywhere on the internet that I can find a live feed to a certain airport's tower?

Live ATC Feeds

Oh, and as long as I'm on this thread - if you're flying civilian ops in the US, you will never be issued "Fly runway heading, then contact departure".

As it has been pointed out, if you're flying single pilot fighters, or are flying internationally, then you might. 'Nough said.

 

[Lrjtcaptain]

as stated above when are you expected to be over to departure.

the 711065 states that as long as we have no reason basically, ship you all over within .5nm of the departure end.

sometimes your heald longer, sometimes we forget about you. I was working FD/GC today and ZOA called me up to tell my local to ship a plane over, when i looked at the scope the plane was a good 6 miles out. My local had his face buried into his book and forgot him.

such wonderful practices.

 

[Hawker rider]

We have made it manadory for our pilots to alway read back a take off clearance as "cleared for takeoff runwayXX (callsign)" so in this case I would read back "cleared for takeoff runway Xx runway heading departure when airborne (calsign)"

It's amazing how often we've had in the past that we got a wrong takeoff clearance and we had to abort, or even worse GO when it's after V1........ what the Heck is that cancellation about???


use standard radio terminology so that there won't be confusion. I know some of the controllers are very busy, but I'd rather check and make sure than to enter a runway without being sure that you have the appropriate clearance to do so.

Some places aren't very happy if you confirm you were cleared to cross an active runway ( after 120 minutes of taxi since your original clearance) but otherones appreciate that you do it. Since runway incusions seem to be a pretty big issue nowadays everywhere.

It would be nice if everyone was on the same pae where this stuff was concerned.

 

[wingnutt]

oh lookout, its the terminology police...

Pretty unprofessional and lame..... period.

The folks you hear that say anything else... regardless what they fly or who they fly for are wrong.

Here is a adequate, professional and proper way to your question

...spoken like a shiny new 300-hour flight instructor

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Hmmm, so I guess the controller in ATL is incorrect when he says "tootle-loo" after telling you to switch to Departure?

 

[wingnutt]

The terminology police.. huh??

...hey, you're the one berating guys because they dare say "cleared to go" instead of "cleared for takeoff" ...not me

I find your comment and cute little internet geek rolling eyes an insult not to me, but to the professional flight instructors that you belittle with your condescending words.

...so how come it is then, that you are the only one here with the attitude

As far as the specific comment about the "shiny new 300- hour flight instructor..... that does not bother me. In fact I consider it a compliment. A 300-hour flight instructor could teach you a thing or two about professionalism and discipline and how it starts with the small and easy things that manifests its way to becoming a great pilot.

...yea, like how to say "cleared for takeoff" instead of "cleared to go"

BTW - This "300-hour flight instructor" is a 757/767 captain at a major airline, has flown as a member of a Military Flight Demonstration Team, and ... yes... still knows how to talk on the radio. Do you??.

...never said you were the 300 hour instructor, simply that you sounded like one

P.S. i think you missed the point. im with you on the knuckleheads using CB lingo, but to be so offended because someone says "cleared to go" instead of "cleared for takeoff" sounds just a liiiiitle bit anal...relax man, look outside the cockpit and enjoy the view once in awhile, i know i do

 

[Kingairrick]

I was always taught, and still practice;

Read back all "cleared tos", everything else, just make sure that there is no confusion as to what will happen next.

I get "runway heading, contact departure" all the time. It is usually when runway heading has already been issued as part of my clearance received earlier, as I'm guessing is the case at ORD. Runway heading is a common part of many STARs.

In this case, I would just answer with the N number and "good day." Why? Because they expect to hear it, and that's called good communication.

As always, just my .02....

 

[Detroitpilot]

Hey Les Paul, get a life! Maybe if you ever get a chance to fly into some high density airports you might re-evaluate your position. Clearly there is what we're all taught is standard phroaseology, and then there's what works well in the field. The goal is to be concise and to the point, not a parrot.

 

[TonyC]

Clearly there is what we're all taught is standard phroaseology [sic], and then there's what works well in the field.

Standard phraseology works well.

The goal is to be concise and to the point, not a parrot.

The goal is communication - - see above comment.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

While Les Paul may be gettin a LITTLE picky, his point is well taken...

nothing worse than the stupid $hit like "tallyho" and "checkin on witcha" ...or even worse....the flipping of the switch, not even listening and stepping on everyone as you are "checkin in witcha" at FL 330 looking for your "ride reports" ---- its just as F'n bumpy as it was 45 mins ago as you decended into Chicago...


listen before you jump on the mic MAVERICK.

my rants over.

 

[Astra Guy]

I am with you G200 and Les. The whole reason for the standard terminology is for good communication between us flailing around in the sky and the boys/girls we are talking to.

In the cockpit there are a number of standard calls when in a more than single pilot situation, as well. I can just imagine a PF saying to the PM "You've got it" out of the blue. The PM may wonder what the PF really meant by that statement....bad breath, bo, the clap, the checklist, the coffee, the aircraft controls, etc.?

Nothing worse than a long winded guy coming out of an uncontrolled field trying to pick up an IFR clearance tying up the radio for 45 seconds because he does not know how to communicate.

 

[mar]

ATC is your friend

I have some friends that work Local and Approach Controls. These guys are *super* patient and understanding--but after a couple beers they've confided in me.

"Mar," they say, "why do some pilots have to read back *every single thing I say*?"

"ATC guy," I retort, "Um, I guess it's just to make sure they got it right."

Personally, I only read back the information I can get busted on: Altitudes, routing, runway crossings and of course hold short instructions.

Otherwise I think my call sign is sufficient unless I really feel the need to "speak to the tape." You ATC guys know what I mean.

 

[wingnutt]

adding to the discussion...i know a particular freight pilot who flys out of DAL every night at the same time, goes to the same place, and hence, gets the exact same clearance, but for the code, every night.

its for this reason that you will hear him read back his clearance in this manner...

"Cessna1234 squawking 4256, weve got the rest thank you sir, and we're ready to taxi"

...ive yet to hear any controller require him to read it all back word for word.

i can only imagine how irate this would make some upon hearing this readback, but not knowing the whole story

 

[Detroitpilot]

Standard phraseology does work I agree. I guess my only point in this discussion, is that if someone chooses to shorten readbacks, acknowledgements, etc. for the sake of brevity, that does not make them any less of a pilot, lame or unprofessional. There's a difference between being concise without using every word in the Pilot Controller Glossary, and being cute, the later can be annoying.

 

[Loafman]

I've actually heard the following:

"Yo, Clevey' centa. It's Jetlink XXXX keepin-it-real at two-four-oh"

 

[Detroitpilot]

Did he just use the word post 3 times in the same sentence?

 

[Detroitpilot]

Alright Les, I'm sorry this turned into a pi*&ing contest. Congradulations on having a successful career. I think I still missed your point somehow.

 

[350DRIVER]

Les,

I agree with some of what you have stated however keep in mind that there are other "safe" and "effective" ways to communicate. Just because a pilot would transmit "cleared to go 24" versus "cleared for takeoff rwy 24" that does not compromise the safety of the flight, it is nothing more than one person's view over the other person's. If this was such a safety issue or better yet an issue of doing something "illegal" then someone is surely not doing there job correctly since I have yet to hear of a single pilot ever being violated due to his radio techinque.

3 5 0

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

We could list a million ways to answer the call, but for the love of mankind, please know what your are going to say before keying the mike.

 

[speedbird1974]

In Europe you can't say "clear to go", "ready to go", "ready at the end"... You can only say it "ready for take off" and "clear for take off"...
A captain told me once that if you say "ready to go" ATC could respond "clear to go". They take that stuff pretty serious in many countries.