wdn: What I am saying is that the departure instruction read back by the tower controller to the departures controller is exactly what is transmitted to the aircraft. It is a fact. The tower cannot change it.
With regards to reading back 'VISUAL' I said that I thought it should be read back as it forms part of both a level and heading instruction. Clearly this is not the opinion of some other people. All I was getting at is that it seem that it is not whether one is military or civil, it is whether one thinks that it is required as a readback. One of those grey areas I'm guessing. I'm not saying at all that it over rides MATS, quite the opposite, that as it is not explicity stated that it is read back, do people want it read back?
As I said, AIP/MATS says that headings and levels must be read back. If there is a condition to that heading or level (VISUAL, not below the DME steps etc) should that also form part of the read back? I think yes. Others think no. Some don't care. Where do you sit?
Cheers,
NFR.