ANSA I see your point entirely. There is nothing worse than a guy giving their whole life story bar mother’s maiden name on first contact. However the pilots need to know what you want. Most people who work through this airspace regularly, understand the reason for contacting UAE 10 minutes prior to the boundary but it would help the non regulars and yourselves if there was perhaps a NOTAM or something to the effect: CONTACT UAE CENTER 120.7 10 MINS BEFORE ORSAR STATING CALLSIGN AND FLIGHT LEVEL. I think you will find something like this will have a positive effect.
P. Jack thanks for the ICAO reference. With the number of different nationalities, backgrounds and experience levels we have joining our pilot workforce lately as an instructor I increasingly find myself having to go right back to basics with things which we took for granted in the past, such as RT. Until recently there has been no need to spell things out hence company documentation has no guidance on the subject. I have found that if you can point someone to a written word and official publication their receptiveness is a lot better rather than asking them to take your word on something. I shall be hunting down the manual and suggesting its use as a reference to the training department as a whole.
It is good to see this forum stimulating some useful dialogue rather than the usual bitching and slagging. We can all gain something from this sort of stuff. I am wholeheartedly in favor of ATC liaison jump seat rides and understand that we are almost back to having them approved once more. I only hope ATC can spare the staff to take advantage of the offer.