Civvy RT

[BEagle]

"yes there are some civvies & mil who waffle - but why do mil ATC refuse to come in line with ICAO phraseology?"

Well said! After a particular incident (pilot under test was a RW Staneval bloke doing his PPL), I put in a CHIRP. Basically the tower controller had cleared a 4-jet to line up after having cleared us to land - even though we were still airborne at 200 ft on the approach. Fortunately the 4-jet mate said 'Negative'.

The response to the CHIRP was dismal. All they were interested in was 'hanging the guilty barsteward'. Whereas the reason we put the CHIRP in was to highlight the limitations of military ATC procedures - in the civil world it would have been "After landing PA28, line up and wait" or somesuch - but spotty Plt Off ATCOs aren't allowed such flexibility with conditional clearances. I rang Farnborough - who stated that they thought that feedback from the military had gone really downhill "Ever since IFS folded and we now have to deal with Army helicopter pilots who haven't a clue about what they're talking about" as they put it.

Don't forget that lots of civvie pilots are amateurs, not professional pilots. If they only fly a few hours per year, it's hardly surprising that their R/T seemingly isn't as good as that of the professionals! But at least they've all taken R/T exams!

But then we have the gashness of much military R/T. Poor clearance readbacks, abysmal understanding of Air Traffic Services Outside Regulated Airspace...shall I go on? Funnily enough, when I was a ME QFI I found that it was often easier to correct the R/T procedures of ex-MELIN co-piglets than that of chopped FJ AFTS students - or 'experienced' RW pilots... 'nuff said?

The standard of many (though not all, I hasten to add) military tower ATCOs is not really that good, I find. All of them should be made to attend a few sessions at a basic FISO aerodrome to learn how pilots can make their own judgements in the circuit. Even amateur PPL spamcan drivers... Then attend a few sessions at a really busy place which copes with civil FIS, approach control etc all on the same frequency. By 'busy' I don't mean one TriStar on 20 mile final and a VC10 in the visual circuit, plus a Herc due in 20 minutes.....

Any of you who end up in civvie street will soon learn how good UK civil ATCOs are!

Remember - "Who you are, where you are, what you want". Anything else the air traffickers can always ask you for!