ATC IssuesA place where pilots may enter the 'lions den' that is Air Traffic Control in complete safety and find out the answers to all those obscure topics which you always wanted to know the answer to but were afraid to ask.
Sorry to be the odd one out, but I think the OP has a point. if you are flying at a flight level, the QNH is not a mandatory item, as it's not an altimeter setting in that case. When ATC descend you to an altitude, they will give you a QNH and then it becomes a mandatory readback item. So IMHO when inbound at a flight level, the ATIS code is sufficient, no need for QNH. Whatever the company SOPs decide to do with their standby altimeter, it's got nothing to do with ATC mandatory readbacks.
LEGAL TENDER: since you are so economical with your profile, I have to assume you're in the UK and don't realise the OP is in the USA where TA is 18,000ft, thus negating your response.
It's an extra check, to be fair, but exactly why under those circumstances do we read back QNH? Personally I usually listen to it twice to check the figures anyhow, and I assume most other pilots do as well.
Does anybody ever read back an incorrect QNH off the ATIS that warrants the tiny bit of extra time on the RT? Or is it a mechanism for ensuring that we're not so lazy we don't listen to the ATIS properly?
Not a big deal, but a fair question.
Assuming that actually was the OP's question.
G
N.B.
Quote:
So IMHO when inbound at a flight level, the ATIS code is sufficient, no need for QNH.
- negative, ICAO standard is code and QNH, as is the UK standard and I *think* the USA.
A controller passing the QNH always makes me (and all those I've flown with) look straight at the altimeter.....
It is a way of making a pilot actually look and see (and confirm by readback) that he really does have the correct setting dialled in, rather than just having copied the numbers.
That reminds me, really must get the altimeter converted to read those Euroland Hectopascals / Hectopasc-alls / Hectopaz-calls / Hector Pasquales (Joes brother?)
Rather than Millie Barrs, who apparently can't make altimeters work any more, although she did a perfectly good job for many, many years.
I've been told off for not checking in with the ATIS code! It seems superfluous when : Pilot spends time listening to the ATIS. Pilot says: xx Approach ...... Information Quebec / I have the numbers. ATC then says: Altimeter/QNH xxxx. Runway in use xx.
Pilot then has to read back the altimeter and runway in use again .......
Last edited by soaringhigh650; 20th Aug 2012 at 09:43.
On dep from LHR, I can understand QNH to delivery on start...Its the only time QNH is said (unless the crew states it wrong..). No issues!
On arr to LHR, from initial call to APP to actually setting QNH can be many, many minutes. 2 hours is my worst in LVP's During that time, the QNH can generally change so I do not understand the advantage of doing it - Frequency congestion and all...
The original post doesn't state whether he is referring to procedures whilst arriving or departing (although he appears we have assumed it is when inbound) or indeed if he refers to what happens in the USA (as his profile puts his location as there), I don't know what they do in the USA or any other part of the world so my 2p's worth is UK specific.
As we all know, when the pilot of an aircraft requests start-up or taxi clearance the following information shall be given:
Runway in use, surface wind direction and speed (including significant variations), QNH, outside air temperature, significant meteorological conditions, e.g. RVR or marked temperature inversion.
What oftern gets forgotten is the very next sentence of the relevant page in the MATS Part 1 which is:
Those items which are known to have been received by the pilot may be omitted.
My MATS Part 2 also says that if the correct ATIS code and QNH has been readback by the pilot then I don't need to give these again unlike the procedure taught at the ATC College which seemed like to give everything about 4 times!
During that time, the QNH can generally change so I do not understand the advantage of doing it - Frequency congestion and all...
