aluminium persuader says it all regarding the checks.
But... as much as I would love to tailor my phraseology for the person I am addressig on the RT, my LEO & SATCO would have a dim view of it and probably invite me for a interview without coffee.
The other question which gets asked which takes a bit of getting used to is "are you familular"
To expand on this we mean, are you familiar with the airfield - as published. This is because in the past we have had people turn up and do all sorts of weird and wacky things.
What can we expect from the van and what actions are we expected to perform if it fires a red burger at you?
The runway caravan (where established) conducts last look checks on all departing aircraft. So he/she is looking for Leaks/blans/plugs/open panels or doors (you'd be supprised) anything that looks wrong. you mainly find them at training or the sharp & pointy stations. For aircraft on approach they again act as a last look checker - making sure that the gear appears in the right position.
If you see the caravan firing red flare then your action (as a pilot) is to break off the approach and go-around. It superseeds all other ATC instructions. It may be that he/she has noticed that one of your wheels looks out of place, or indeed they are not down (i've fired at a 737 without gear before!). Or it may be because there is an obstruction on the rwy. The same applies to you if you are lined up - red means do not take off as something is/appears wrong.
On the other hand, if it fires a green at you, it means "Cleared to land" or "Clear take off"
There are quite a few "what the hell are they are on about" ..... They have different limits to the civi controllers
We do, and sometimes it can be confusing. If you are not sure about something ask, if it's too busy on the RT to do so (and it's not an immediate flight safety issue) then when you land call the controller concerned, they will be more than happy to let you know what they've done and why. You mentioned that we can take 500' seperation between aircraft under our control (subject to special criteria being met), but the biggest thing with that is we must have your agreement before doing it - if you're not happy then please say no.
I don't want to appear as if i'm being a t*t, I honestly hope what I've written is of some use.
Please contact your nearest Mil ATC unit and arrange a visit. It works both ways, you see what we do things the way we do, and also we learn why you do/want to do things the way you do.
