'standby'
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'standby'
Pretty sure this may have been covered already, but when ATC tells us pilots to 'standby', you want us to shut up and keep the frequency clear. You don't need us to acknowledge you've told us to shut up. Right ?
I've had disagreements with a couple of instructors about this, with them saying I should reply with my call sign at the very least. So I was hoping there a reference specifying this in any ICAO manual. I cannot seem to find explicit instructions to this effect if ICAO Doc 4932 or the UK CAP 413.
Any help greatly appreciated.
I've had disagreements with a couple of instructors about this, with them saying I should reply with my call sign at the very least. So I was hoping there a reference specifying this in any ICAO manual. I cannot seem to find explicit instructions to this effect if ICAO Doc 4932 or the UK CAP 413.
Any help greatly appreciated.
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Standby is defined as "wait and I will call you back.' If you reply, you haven't waited. I have just retired after 42 years mostly in towers and never wanted and usually didn't get a reply.
If instructed to standby, it is because the ATC is busy with something else and does not want to be interrupted. He/she will call you when able. ATCs have a number of prompts to remind them you have called, e.g. cocking the strip, so you won't be forgotten.
If instructed to standby, it is because the ATC is busy with something else and does not want to be interrupted. He/she will call you when able. ATCs have a number of prompts to remind them you have called, e.g. cocking the strip, so you won't be forgotten.
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'standby'
You would be well within your rights to tell your instructor that he/she is being anal and needs a social life.
Clearances need to be read back in order to confirm understanding. Standby is not a clearance. If an ATC said "ABC, you are cleared to beat the snot out of the analy retentive moron next to you and standby for a new instructor" - you'd have to read that back....😜
Clearances need to be read back in order to confirm understanding. Standby is not a clearance. If an ATC said "ABC, you are cleared to beat the snot out of the analy retentive moron next to you and standby for a new instructor" - you'd have to read that back....😜
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'stand by' in reality means 'Im in the middle of something right now, probably involving talking to someone you don't know about. Hang on a sec and then I'll talk to you.'
If you decide to reply to that, I may have to decide to make you priority number LAST.
Thank you.
If you decide to reply to that, I may have to decide to make you priority number LAST.
Thank you.
Looking at it another way, if ATC offered you a clearance while you were taxiing and it were not convenient for you to copy it and you replied "standby", would you really want a readback of that or any acknowledgement at all from ATC?
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It means I'll call you back so stay off frequency.
Not as half our tug crews do which is to reply 'roger tower, tugxxx standing by on xxx.xx'
All the while I'm trying to do something urgent.
Not as half our tug crews do which is to reply 'roger tower, tugxxx standing by on xxx.xx'
All the while I'm trying to do something urgent.
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From 4444, with exceptions, likely the same everywhere
For everything else a readback is not mandatory.
That said, it depends by the situation if it's appropriate or not to reply after a "standby", pilots should be able to judge if it's the case where they are asked to shut up or instead just to wait for ( a request they made or such as)
2.5 ATC route clearances shall always be read back unless
otherwise authorized by the appropriate ATS authority, in which
case they shall be acknowledged in a positive manner.
2.6 All clearances to enter, land on, take off on, cross and
backtrack on the runway-in-use shall be read back.
2.7 Other clearances or instructions, including conditional
clearances, shall be read back or acknowledged in a manner to
clearly indicate that they have been understood and will be
complied with.
2.8 Runway-in-use, altimeter settings, SSR Codes, level
instructions, heading and speed instructions and, where so
required by the appropriate ATS authority, transition levels,
shall always be read back,
otherwise authorized by the appropriate ATS authority, in which
case they shall be acknowledged in a positive manner.
2.6 All clearances to enter, land on, take off on, cross and
backtrack on the runway-in-use shall be read back.
2.7 Other clearances or instructions, including conditional
clearances, shall be read back or acknowledged in a manner to
clearly indicate that they have been understood and will be
complied with.
2.8 Runway-in-use, altimeter settings, SSR Codes, level
instructions, heading and speed instructions and, where so
required by the appropriate ATS authority, transition levels,
shall always be read back,
That said, it depends by the situation if it's appropriate or not to reply after a "standby", pilots should be able to judge if it's the case where they are asked to shut up or instead just to wait for ( a request they made or such as)
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My reply would be "Standing-by, ZOOKER 1", or "Wilco, ZOOKER 1".
As one of my trusted mentors, (who was also an ATS examiner), once told me...."A message which has not been acknowledged has not been passed".
As one of my trusted mentors, (who was also an ATS examiner), once told me...."A message which has not been acknowledged has not been passed".
ZOOKER, you've asked a question and I've acknowledged it with "standby" so your message has been passed. You not saying anything is sufficient to indicate you've understood. When do you stop acknowledging the acknowledgements? "Roger your roger" 
It might be appropriate under difficult comms conditions to acknowledge a "standby", but under normal clear VHF comms there's no point. You shut up, you've understood, you keep talking then clearly not.
I've always used "standby" to mean "wait and I'll answer you shortly" (maybe I'm busy or maybe I need to involve the guy next door). "Will advise" to mean expect an answer some time in the future.
It might be appropriate under difficult comms conditions to acknowledge a "standby", but under normal clear VHF comms there's no point. You shut up, you've understood, you keep talking then clearly not.
I've always used "standby" to mean "wait and I'll answer you shortly" (maybe I'm busy or maybe I need to involve the guy next door). "Will advise" to mean expect an answer some time in the future.
An acknowledgement is undesirable, sometimes very undesirable.
Your acquiescent silence is sufficient for us to know that the request has been understood.
ANY reply means that it hasn't been understood.
Your acquiescent silence is sufficient for us to know that the request has been understood.
ANY reply means that it hasn't been understood.
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Heathrow GMC: "(Callsign), Monitor Tower 118.5"
Numpty Pilot: "Monitor 118.5, (Callsign)"
Typical response from Numpty Pilot: "Tower Good Morning this is (Numpty Pilot in...) (Callsign) monitoring 118.5, we're just leaving the Charlies, we'll hold on the left until you call us, but we are ready and can take Block 17 if available…"
Heathrow AIR: "(Callsign), just Monitor Tower 118.5"
Typical response from Numpty Pilot: "Roger Tower, monitoring 118.5, Standing by…"
Heathrow AIR: …throws his headset on the desk and screams STFU...
Numpty Pilot: "Monitor 118.5, (Callsign)"
Typical response from Numpty Pilot: "Tower Good Morning this is (Numpty Pilot in...) (Callsign) monitoring 118.5, we're just leaving the Charlies, we'll hold on the left until you call us, but we are ready and can take Block 17 if available…"
Heathrow AIR: "(Callsign), just Monitor Tower 118.5"
Typical response from Numpty Pilot: "Roger Tower, monitoring 118.5, Standing by…"
Heathrow AIR: …throws his headset on the desk and screams STFU...
Avoid imitations
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Some pilots are like some wives.
Always have to have the final word...
Always have to have the final word...
Yes, "standby" is just polite RT for STFU. Ask those instructors what purpose is served by giving a response.
- ABC, standby
- (no response from ABC)
- ABC, standby, acknowledge!
- ABC, standby
- (no response from ABC)
- ABC, standby, acknowledge!
Saying 'standby' to a pilot usually means I am currently on a hotline to another controller... Or I need to call another controller to gain approval for your request.
Nothing worse than telling an aircraft to standby, telling your colleague on the hotline to go ahead and then as they give you a vital piece of information you hear a voice in your deadset saying 'roger, ABC standing by'
Nothing worse than telling an aircraft to standby, telling your colleague on the hotline to go ahead and then as they give you a vital piece of information you hear a voice in your deadset saying 'roger, ABC standing by'
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It bugs me when people I fly with reply "standing by" as I always think 'No you're not'. The only time I ever say anything when told to standby is if there was something that needed read back before it ie. "xyz maintain 2000' stand by for higher" I will read back "maintain 2000' xyz".