I have been reading through this thread with interest and as a lowly trainee controller, I would like to ask our pilot friends to spare a thought for the trainee when using non standard rubbish RT. As a trainee we are held responsible for your every mistake and will face a grilling for not challenging you, here are a few examples:
Lowly trainee: ***123, Contact *****, 123.45
Pilot: Roger over to ******, See ya.
(Now I have to either get you to read back the frequency before you flick the switch, or waste my time and the next sector controllers time by making a phone call to ensure you went to the correct sector)
Lowly trainee: ***123, taxi via A and B to stand **
Pilot: Roger, stand **
(Now I have to read the whole clearance again to get you to read it back, wasting 2 transmissions in the process)
After being told to hold short of a link or apron Pilot: ***123 approaching ***
(Whilst I understand why this is done, and sometimes it can be useful, if the frequency is busy then it just clogs up valuable RT time. It also seems to spread like a virus, as after 1 or 2 of these transmissions every pilot feels the need to say it)
One final bugbear is pilots stepping on each other. Why not select the frequency and listen for 10-15 secs before transmitting. That way you dont request your clearance in the middle of someone else's, or ask for taxi while your colleague on another flight is reading his instructions back.
I know you guys are under pressure to achieve on time departures and cram in multi sector days, but no-one gets anywhere any faster when i have to say everything twice.
So please spare a thought for us trainees. We dont have years of experience to fall back on, may not always give you what you want straight away, but we are trying hard.
Rant over
P.S all donations to the lowly trainee controller fund are greatly appreciated, we accept cash, cheque, alcohol or even pizza as we dont get paid much.
