NINER or NINE over the UK?!

[despegue]

Can any ATCO in the UK tell me why you most of you don't use the standard ICAO "NINER", but use "NINE"?
Is this a UK practice? If so, could you please explain the reasoning behind this? Should I also use "NINE" over UK aerospace?

Thnks in advance

[LXGB]

Hi Takeoff,
You are perfectly correct in using the ICAO "NINER" as it is the standard phraseology in use in the UK. Don't know why people wouldn't use it really. I always do on the Radio and for any handovers, coordination, etc.

Cheers,
LXGB

[Gargleblaster]

And what on earth is "finals" ? :-)

Seriously, do professional pilots say "finals" in the UK, e.g. at Heathrow ?

[point5]

Depends! Some will, some won't. Its quite common to hear someone call up 10 miles out... "Tower, Speedbird ???, final 27L"

[LXGB]

UK Civil phraseology is "Final". However, UK Military phraseology is "Finals".
Different stroke(s) for different folk(s). :rolleyes:
Cheers,
LXGB

[Dances with Boffins]

"tree" anybody? Thought not.;)

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Tree, fower, knock at the dower...

[frostbite]

...fife, six (this is 'finish the sentence thread', isn't it?)

[Sean Dell]

pick up stix

[floydie]

to answwer the first question, the reason for this is the fact that the UK controllers are by far the worst as far as using standard phraseology is concerned. This can be explained by the fact that English is their native language and hence they have quite a bigger vocabulary and they do not always realise that this may cause difficulties for those who do not speak English as "well" as they do.

[fly bhoy]

"the fact that the UK controllers are by far the worst as far as using standard phraseology is concerned"

Don't you just love sweeping generalisations?!?:}

Maybe because it is our native tongue, we sometimes accidentally use the native "nine" as opposed to "niner", and just maybe its got nothing do with bad use of standard phraseology!!! Ever think of that?!?:mad: :confused:

FB:ok:

[point5]

I agree. Don't generalise... we all know the Scots are by far the worst!

[fly bhoy]

I agree. Don't generalise... we all know the Scots are by far the worst!

Ai Ai, calm down, calm down!!!!!!;)

[SATCO]

Oh no! Here we go again with the dreaded "radar heading" idiom! And whilst we're at it why don't we throw in "route direct to" and "further with the glide"... need I go on?

[LXGB]

DAY SEE MAL!!! :D

[foghorn]

dreaded "radar heading"

heard from an ATCO in French airspace a couple of days ago. The British disease spreading ;)?

[2 sheds]

The whole point of the published phonetic pronunciation of numbers, letters etc seems to escape most people.

The pronunciation in the UK RTF Manual is copied directly from ICAO and surely the reason for its publication by that latter body is to indicate to non-native English speakers an approximation of the correct, normal pronunciation of the various English words but without resorting to phonetic symbols such as those that you will find in a dictionary.

For example, if the pronunciation of the figure 1 is not spelt out as WUN, a reader of Spanish or Italian origin would pronounce it as "oh-nay". Similarly, how would a non-native English speaker pronounce "two" if it were not spelt out phonetically? Yes, there are potential misunderstandings of 2 and 3 and of 5 and 9, but it is fatuous to pronounce "nine" as two completely separate syllables - far more to the point to speak clearly at a measured rate, giving emphasis to the hard ending to differentiate from a "five" - and the nearest way of representing this phonetically is "NINE-ER".

As for "finals", this is merely sloppy, military illiteracy - q.v. Deans Cross, Cliff Richards etc.

[Workisfun]

If the military were sloppy and illiterate wouldn't it be, upwinds, downwinds, base legs, finals, landings, rollings, take-offs.

I think you'll find its just a difference in phraseology!!!

[2 sheds]

So how do you get "finals" out of one final approach? It is, after all, a position report.

[BALIX]

q.v. Deans Cross, Cliff Richards etc.

Quite right. It always annoys me when I clear someone direct to Dean Cross and they come back and say 'roger, direct to Cliff Richards' :} ;)

[Workisfun]

Does Cliff Richards live at Deans Cross????

[The Sad ATCO]

Don't be silly. Everyone knows that he lives near St. Rumble. :}

[I'm not joking sir]

FoxTROT!!!

[LXGB]

OSS CAH! :}