Appauling Farnborough RTF
I've jost got back from a quick bimble down to the IOW. I always use Farnborough radar because of their good service, it helps me and I believe it helps them with their 'corporate' clients whizzing about in their BBJs etc.
However, I was really appauled at my fellow pilots RT performance this afternoon. I know that when its busy on frequency, two or more of us can start to transmit at once in order to get a call in, I don't know how that can be avoided.
What is avoidable is people coming on frequency and just transmitting without listening out first. This happened all too frequently today when the radar controller was already halfway through a sentance.
Please, please, please listen out first. I know I'm not perfect, but one thing I do is once I change to Farnborough for example is listen out. Whilst I'm doing that I'm dialling in the next frequency I think I'm going to need. By the time that's done I have a clue as to what's going on.
Secondly, there are times when its quiet and there are times when its busy. For those of you that think we want to hear your life story, punctuated with more 'ums' and 'ers' than useful info, think again. When its busy, THINK about what is ESSENTIAL and say it in a business like manner. I'm sure the controllers are not offended by brevity when they are busy.
I know that with the recent bad weather soem people may not have been flying for a few weeks but I can't believe that you had forgotten ALL of CAP413.
I'm sure somedays, these professional controllers wonder why they bother come to work to help us when we can't even help ourselves.
RANT OVER