The VHF is NOT! a bloody telephone without wires. The way some folk (ATCers and pilots) use it, it's plain they've forgotten that (unlike the 'phone) we only have a simplex net to work with.
For example, and I know its small beer but it happens 100 times a day where i'm based:
a/c going ground to Twr
a/c "Twr, good afternoon ABC123 taxiing A1 to hold"
Twr " ABC123 hold at A1" (what else were they planning? )
a/c " Hold at A1, ABC123"
Whats wrong with "ABC123 roger" on line 2 and no line 3?
or. Airways "ABC 123, maintain present heading"
a/c "maintain present heading thats ahh ahh radar heading 327 degrees ABC 123"
Why not "Wilco, ABC123" thus saving loads of chat?
Or how about this simple tactic. When you change freq listen out for about 5 seconds before you open your trap and talk right over someone else whos already transmitting? Or more likely launch into your message just after an instruction has been passed but not yet read back! Happens all the time. Listen out before you speak! It's only good manners after all
Also that awful prase beloved of some pilots. "roger, we have him on TCAS" really. providing our own seperation now or are we just proud of our equipment.
Another dreadful practice is unneccessary "offering" of messages. for example.
a/c "London ABC123"
airways "ABC123 pass your message"
a/c "ABC123 request (whatever it bloody is!)"
Airways "(grants it or not)"
By all means offer a msg if you suspect no sods listening ie talking to BA ops at EDI. It's not neccesary on ATC freqs most of the time and just takes up 'airtime'.
Comments welcome!
