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ATC

The signs of a pilot who is a radio hog

The Blue Side Up blog has an interesting post outlining the signs of a pilot radio hog. To start with, the author of the post apparently works in an airline environment where there are no doubt more than a few radio hogs or pilots who are just a little bit too much into talking on the radio. Moreover, it was written:

Out there somewhere is the silver tongued airline pilot that has a voice that is the gift for radio. His voice is deep and he has great diction. He is the master of clarity, his voice beckons for you to get to know him. We have all heard him at some point in our careers. He may not even be alive today but chances are good you have heard him too.

Unfortunately, most people don’t have a smooth sounding voice that makes them fit to be a radio announcer. Moreover, the following are a few tell tale signs of a radio hog:

  1. Love to hear themselves talk. Radio hogs are pilots who hog the radio with unnecessary chatter about unnecessary things.
  2. Attempt to have a cool airline pilot voice that’s actually not the least bit cool.  In fact, the voice may come across the radio as being too nasal.   
  3. Calls with just the call sign. A radio hogs don’t state what they want during the initial transmission just so they can make extra transmissions to so that everyone can hear their voice – again.  
  4. Answers the “disregard” call by saying “disregarding” etc. When ATC begins a command then changes their mind by saying “disregard,” there is no point in not ignoring something that someone telling you to ignore.
  5. Asks ATC on every sector how the rides are. Waiting a few minutes and listening to other pilots and radio hogs should answer that question. 

Finally and according to the author of the post, a radio hog in the airline industry tend to be the same pilots that wear their sunglasses when they come out of the cockpit to use the bathroom.

Are there any other signs of a pilot radio hog that were left out from the above list – especially in the world of general aviation?

The standard way to ask ATC to repeat something

A pilot under the pseudonym Voocfi has posted an interesting question on the Ask a Flight Instructor website that is well worth repeating:

What’s the standard way to ask an ATC to repeat what they said over the radio? And if I still don’t understand, how to ask to say in different words?

CFI and commercial pilot Jay responded by writing that “say again” is the standard phraseology to get ATC to repeat their last transmission. Likewise and if ATC is speaking too fast, saying “speak slower” will get them to slow down. However, Jay also added that if you are completely at a loss for what ATC might want from you, just ask them in plain language plus telling them that you are a student pilot will also help. After all and as Jay pointed out, its better to ensure that you understand what ATC wants than to stick to any published script and then end up having a problem. 

On the other hand, Andy Hawkins responded by writing that he remembers the standard phrase being “words twice” which will ask ATC to say every word twice.

Meanwhile, withanh pointed out that there is a reason you don’t ask ATC to “repeat” something because under military radio protocol, the word “repeat” can have multiple meanings e.g. drop more ordinance on the same place you just did. Hence and to avoid having ATC  dropping more bombs or confusing terms on you again, telling them “say again” will work better.

Finally, Paul Tocknell sarcastically posted that the next time he misses a radio call, he wonders how ATC would respond if he said:

“Sorry, I was on a land line” (which is ATC’s standard response when they miss your call).

A good question indeed!

How far behind me is that 737…?

Posted on BusinessBalls from R Dillon:

A controller at the Nashville, Tennessee airport told me about an incident from several years ago when he cleared a Cessna 172 (4 seater small aircraft) for landing.

As the Cessna turned to final approach, an airliner called in ‘over the marker’ (5 miles from the airport). The Cessna was about a half mile from the runway, and the controller knew he could land and clear the runway well before the airliner would land, so he cleared the airliner to land as well.

A few seconds later, the Cessna pilot asked the controller: "How far behind me is that 737?"

Before the controller could respond, the airline pilot keyed his mike, and in a deep bass voice said: "Don’t look back!…"

A pilot should never make assumptions about airports….

Allegedly overheard by a pilot while waiting for passengers to board his island-hopper, July 2010, Penzance field, UK:

Visiting light aircraft (in a posh English accent): "Penzance tower, Cessna Light G123 request approach instruction and landing?"

Penzance tower (in a broad Scottish accent): "G123, Penzance tower welcome to my airspace, sadly we are not accepting your class, divert on heading and contact approach on Lands End."

Visiting light aircraft: "Penzance tower, negative, request approach instructions, my landing approved earlier, I’m with my partner and will be landing for the day."

Penzance tower: "G123, that is still a negative. Penzance field is a heliport. I strongly suggest diverting to Lands End airfield."

Visiting Aircraft: "Penzance tower, please confirm heading to Lands End…."

VFR communication tips for new pilots

If you are a new pilot, Jason Schappert, the pilot blogger behind MzeroA.com, has recently written a great short post for Let’s Go Flying with a couple of useful tips for communicating with ATC. Jason began his post by noting that one big stumbling block for most new student pilots is how to communicate on the radio with ATC as well as with other pilots in an uncontrolled environment.

Jason then noted the following tips for communicating over the radio:

  1. Be Clear and Concise. Radio time is valuable and limited. Hence, you need to know what to say before you say it and you need to say what you want to say as concisely as possible.
  2. Listen to Others. Just because ATC might be watching and listening does not mean that you do not have to listen to the radio to find out where all of the other aircraft are and how they intend to enter a traffic pattern.
  3. Pause Before Speaking. When two pilots get on the mic and start speaking at the same time, all that will be heard is a screeching noise and no message will be conveyed. In other words, pause and listen first before speaking over the radio.

If you are looking for further tips about how to effectively communicate with ATC or how to communicate over the radio in general, check out this lengthy video that Jason put together which focuses on Class D airspace radio communications.