Acknowledging ATC

troopernflight

Well-Known Member
As a police officer I'm used to dispatch calling me and then I'll acknowledge them, and they will go ahead with their traffic. Whereas ATC just calls out your sign and goes ahead with the transmission. Do you guys get really pissed off when we ask you to repeat the transmission? As a new pilot I am often doing something (writing down checkpoint info, looking at the sectional, computing different things, etc.), and I sometimes will catch the end of the transmission, but realize that I don't remember what they started out saying. (Not to mention that you guys have learned to talk faster than the guys that blurt the legal jargon at the end of an auto sales commercial) I assume I'll learn to deal with it, but it's tough to pilot solo and deal with ATC. I guess I shouldn't talk to you controllers about multitasking, considering you can probably eat with one hand, type with the other, key the mic with your toes, and argue with your significant other on the blue tooth....:D
 
As a police officer I'm used to dispatch calling me and then I'll acknowledge them, and they will go ahead with their traffic. Whereas ATC just calls out your sign and goes ahead with the transmission. Do you guys get really pissed off when we ask you to repeat the transmission? As a new pilot I am often doing something (writing down checkpoint info, looking at the sectional, computing different things, etc.), and I sometimes will catch the end of the transmission, but realize that I don't remember what they started out saying. (Not to mention that you guys have learned to talk faster than the guys that blurt the legal jargon at the end of an auto sales commercial) I assume I'll learn to deal with it, but it's tough to pilot solo and deal with ATC. I guess I shouldn't talk to you controllers about multitasking, considering you can probably eat with one hand, type with the other, key the mic with your toes, and argue with your significant other on the blue tooth....:D

If I'm busy and have to repeat myself it can be frustrating because I already know the next five transmissions I have to make and now by repeating myself I'm that much further behind. However, just today a pilot called off a satellite airport with a laundry list of things and I turned to the data guy next to me and said, "You didn't happen to catch what his intentions were did you?".:laff: I got everything he said except his intentions, go figure. So I told him to, "say again". It happens and it goes both ways.:)

HD
 
It's tough when you're new to talking to ATC, I understand that BUT ...

if you're on a busy frequency you need to listen up the best you can. When it's busy and I'm talking to you I'm 3 or 4 moves ahead and to stop and repeat my instruction costs me time. Over time you'll start to multi task, like I tell other people, if a controller snaps at you for not listening it's not really personal... it's business.
 
Good question...I try to teach my developmentals to "chunk" information in certain amounts and to speak clearly if speaking quickly. As stated before, while transmitting to you we're already preparing the next order of sentences for the next few a/c.

"say again" comes up sometimes and when I know I'm speaking quickly I don't mind too much because I know how it is on the other end to catch instructions while you're in the mix of the cockpit.

Better to have said again then to copy down a phone number.
 
A question along the same lines. When calling approach for flight following or even tower when planning on entering airspace is it better to call "Tower Cessna 1234" and wait for a reply? A few times I have called with my full intentions "Approach, Cessna 1234, just departed airport, climbing through 1,500 going to 4,500 landing airport request flight following" and pretty much every time was greeted with aircraft calling approach say again?
 
This one comes up now and then and it's more a matter of opinion, in my opinion :buck:

Smaller VFR class D towers would probably appreciate the full request on initial call-up UNLESS you notice heavy traffic on the frequency. If there's a busy freq. I SUGGEST a preemptive "hello" first.

In the latter case, a quick "Bigtall tower, cessna12345." would then put your name on the list inside the controller's brain. Most of the time, full request on initial call-up is quickest and the entire transaction of inbound instructions can be completed in 2 sentences, one from each side of the mic.
 
i prefer to call up approach with a hello. " so and so approach, N12345 with request"
 
A question along the same lines. When calling approach for flight following or even tower when planning on entering airspace is it better to call "Tower Cessna 1234" and wait for a reply? A few times I have called with my full intentions "Approach, Cessna 1234, just departed airport, climbing through 1,500 going to 4,500 landing airport request flight following" and pretty much every time was greeted with aircraft calling approach say again?

Calling any facility that is even moderately busy I would use thesoonerkid's method... state callsign and the word "request". This gives me (or anyone) a chance to grab a strip, write down your call sign, and clear up anything pending before I work your request.
 
Calling any facility that is even moderately busy I would use thesoonerkid's method... state callsign and the word "request". This gives me (or anyone) a chance to grab a strip, write down your call sign, and clear up anything pending before I work your request.

Thanks.
 
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