Chuck
>One thing I could never figure out about you guys in Britian and that is the use of "on finals" seems strange to make a plural out of a singular. <
We don't have a call "on finals" in the UK. There is a call "Long Final" if ATC ask for it (4 to 8 miles from the runway).
The civil term is "Final" (singular), the military "Finals" (plural) for reasons best known to the powers that be!