Heard a couple of days ago. Fritzlar NDB has been renamed as waypoint NATSU, remaining at the same spot -same coordinates-. We all wonder why they couldn't choose some like FRITZ, for instance, but we guess that was just too easy for everyone, right? Anyway. There was some delay on some companies to update the A/C's databases and still a week after the supposed change some crews were using the old name. One controller on the previous sector was bitchin' a bit one of the pilots -not the guy's fault after all if the company doesn't do their homework-. They went chatting on for a while NATSU this NATSU that. Eventually the pilot is instructed to fly DCT NATSU and to contact me. Then he calls in :
"NATSU, hello..."
Not even him could stop laughing on the open micke.
And one from today which kinda scares a bit too. We get an AFLxxx on the freq at an odd level and he calls in reminding us that he's so. He's at FL370 in RVSM airspace. My colleague remarks me : see, that's how initial calls should be done!
After a while we get a call from the previous sector asking wether tha mentioned AFL TCAS was working and if we could check the RVSM status too. I was a bit confused at the request -he had past their sector already after all- but anyway, if there's a doubt; so we ask:
ground : AFLxxx we have a strange request here, could you confirm your RVSM status and if your TCAS is working?
AFLxxx : TCAs is working, we just had an RA to climb because opposite TFC some minutes ago!
From then on we knew why he reminded us he was Opposite Direction Lvl!!!
A.