Quote:
is perfectly acceptable R/T and means what it says.
No it isn't. Contact means precisely that - contact the one ahead ie: call the one ahead. Aircraft changing frequency to another ATZ/FIR are usually told "Contact (eg)Scottish on ..." Use of the word "contact" to convey anything else is grossly misleading.
Have to say I was so use to hearing and being taught to say 'contact 1 ahead' in the circuit that the scenario of a solo student pilot, in front getting very confused by 'contact 1 ahead' had not occurred to me.
Having said that is it really confusing? The call does not originate from a ground operator, G-XX contact 1 ahead' originates from another aircraft so, surely cannot be misconstrued as meaning 'aircraft ahead of me contact (call) the 1 ahead of you' which is an instruction and could only originate from an ATC unit. In fact someone who didn't understand it wouldn't even know they are the 'contact' being referred to. (Unless the receiving station misheard the G-XX as their own callsign - which is a another argument for another day!)
Perhaps a strong case for the CAA to clarify 'contact 1 ahead' in CAP 413, either that it is an alternative meaning for 'contact' as no ambiguity exists, or a statement that the wording should not be used in this context. It's clearly a topic that is causing some polarisation here on PPruNe and clearly the term is in common use in the context of 'visual contact with another aircraft in the circuit'.