morno,
I appreciate your view as a 'professional IFR driver'. As a fellow 'professional IFR driver (i prefer the term dirty ole motor plane driver in the soup)'. I accept your position, However I will KISS when asked (that sounds rather suspect) But I will not take it to the lowest common denominator every broadcast as my calls would have to be twice as long is respect to the speed ot the delivery and detail, if we are taking the first solo student
Flyer,
If we were aiming at the lowest common denominator then our calls would be twice as long (as mentioned above). A single pilot VFR single having a greater workload than IFR? Ummmmm NO. I have been in both positions (VFR + IFR) No way in the coldest part of hell does a VFR pilot have a greater workload than an IFR pilot, single or mulit crew (exception skydiving). That just simply does not happen, unless the VFR bloke is out in wx he/she should not be.
Tim Tam,
I am not asking you to carry the plates for every single airport between ballina and melbourne. I am asking you to download and study/print the plates for the airports you intend to stop at, assuming you aren't asking an IFR/RPT crew to clarify thier position.
Ok, assuming that your call went unheard. Why did you not repeat it? Running checklists or a call from centre could have been over the top of you. If you aren't going to continue to request clarification until you are answered, then that is as much your downfall as theirs. On occassions it has taken me up to 3 attempts to raise Sunstate/
VB/RFDS aircraft. Did I stop at one or two and throw my hands up and want the organisations number? NO!!! I kept trying until I established contact with the crew.
Whether or not some (and only some) VFR drivers give less than adequate calls is not the point - I expect the professional aircrew to behave in a manner that mitigates risk and I expect their training department to train them in mitigating risk. Communicating position in a clear manner that is intelligible to all in the CTAF is a risk mitigator.
So you're happy for amatuers to be amatuers then hey???? Awful high pedestal you're standing on there, make sure you've got a firm footing, it's a looooong way down.
And finally, before you are super positively sure of what you heard, talk to the caretaker, pull the tapes or the CTAF, get a copy and have a really close listen to them, it's amazing what you miss when you're stressed, not being condescending, just have been in a similar situation (or so I thought).
BUT at the end of the day, it comes down to communication, if you're not happy with separation, GET ON THE RADIO. If you don't know where the RNAV is then GET ON THE RADIO. AND STAY ON THE RADIO UNTIL YOU GET A RESPONSE YOU ARE HAPPY WITH.
j3