PD down to...

Douglas

Old School KSUX
We all know that a pilots needs to notify a controller when leaving an assigned altitude but what about when they give you P.D. down to a lower altitude.

example: if I'm at 9,000 and you give me P.D. down to 4,000, but I want to wait 10 minutes until starting my descent, do I need to notify you I'm leaving 9,000 ten minutes later when I start down?

It just seems like a place of limbo.
 
It's the same for PD as any descent, you're supposed to notify us when vacating a previously assigned altitude. I would say maybe 20% at most of pilots do it. I don't really care either way, but it is a nice reminder that descent was given.
 
It's the same for PD as any descent, you're supposed to notify us when vacating a previously assigned altitude. I would say maybe 20% at most of pilots do it. I don't really care either way, but it is a nice reminder that descent was given.

I do it! What do I win? :D
 
Thanks man.
images
 
It's the same for PD as any descent, you're supposed to notify us when vacating a previously assigned altitude. I would say maybe 20% at most of pilots do it. I don't really care either way, but it is a nice reminder that descent was given.

On a related note, wouldn't a proper readback for ANY altitude change be "Leaving flight level two five zero descending to flight level one eight zero Air Carrier 123"?
 
I'm pretty sure you're supposed to say it like this: 4000 for 5000, XXX.

Reference AIM 5-3-1 (this is for initial contact, but I'd imagine it's the same for everything else):

2. (Name) CENTER, (aircraft identification), LEAVING
(exact altitude or flight level), CLIMBING TO OR
DESCENDING TO (altitude of flight level).


I'm not 100% orthodox on phraseology either, but just so everybody is on the same page.

I usually drop the "to," myself. "XXXX, leaving 4000 climbing 5000." The official way seems a little awkward to say, but that's how they want it.
 
Reference AIM 5-3-1 (this is for initial contact, but I'd imagine it's the same for everything else):

2. (Name) CENTER, (aircraft identification), LEAVING
(exact altitude or flight level), CLIMBING TO OR
DESCENDING TO (altitude of flight level).


I'm not 100% orthodox on phraseology either, but just so everybody is on the same page.

I usually drop the "to," myself. "XXXX, leaving 4000 climbing 5000." The official way seems a little awkward to say, but that's how they want it.

Sorry forgot the sarcasm tag. I hear that all the time, and I have to chuckle a little bit when it's a cessna or something. They say 4000 for 5000 Cessna XXX, but it sounds like "four thousand four five thousand(as in FL450)." It's really bad when it's climbing for(four) five thousand.
 
I've heard those.

Flew with a "Delta 123 WITH YOU at...." on the last Atlantic crossing too.

"Please.... STOP. I'll fly AND do the radio man. It's not that big a deal".
 
I've heard those.

Flew with a "Delta 123 WITH YOU at...." on the last Atlantic crossing too.

"Please.... STOP. I'll fly AND do the radio man. It's not that big a deal".

Just make him Plot, that's a fair trade. HF and moving the heading bug vice plotting. It all comes out in the wash.

I'm sure everyone's seen Flying Tigers KL accident, so no need to repeat the importance of communicating properly on the radio, especially when ATC English is all that is spoken.
 
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