Further climb

[All day breakfast]

An aircraft approaching cleared level (well below filed level) in the climb, does not particularly want to level off but would obviously prefer to continue climb. However further climb is not given by ATC so the aircraft maintains it's cleared level, only to be cleared to a higher level once requested by pilot, with no obvious conflicting traffic being in the area.
Do ATC object to prompts for further climb or are they welcome reminders (obviously you are very busy people)?

[Not Long Now]

Obviously if we're very busy, best keep quiet, unless you really do think we've forgotten you (not unheard of), but even if you can't see any obvious traffic (on TCAS presumably), the reason could well be traffic way ahead in the next sector, or further climb will take you into another controller's airspace.
If this is so, it needs a phone call to coordinate further climb, maybe that's what the controller is doing while you're levelling. Generally I, and everyone I know, believe in getting you to the outbound agreed level, and getting rid of you to someone else as soon as possible, as this makes our lives so much easier.(not talking to any aircraft, it's very difficult to have an Airprox!)
If you're going to try a gentle prompt, please be polite, we're easily offended, and our radar, and situational awareness, is better than yours!(usually).

[niteflite01]

I know from chatting to aircrew on fam flights etc (thanks Danny by the way!) that if we try to keep crews informed as to what's and indeed who's going on around them and just why it is we're holding tham at 5,000ft - it can actually reduce R/T load for us (in the long run) and help to keep everyone "up there" so to speak, fully informed.

A nice idea I thought - a good one too ;)

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"Go around..I say again...go around"

[get'em to heaven & back]

I usually try to pre-empt a pilot prompt with "expect further climb/ descent in ? miles" so as to a) keep the guys informed & b) control the R/T so that the calls are made when I want them, not have someone call up at just the moment I want to turn no 1 onto the localiser. It also helps the pilots adjust the rate of climb/ descent to hope fully avoid a level-off.

[identnospeed]

All Day Brek,

There can be many reasons why you don't get further climb. I imagine that if you see traffic (visual or on TCAS) that you think may be affecting your further climb then that almost certainly IS the reason for not getting higher.

Main reasons for not getting higher / lower :

1) Conflicting Traffic

2) Your flight is operating under the terms of a "standing agreement" and you are not yet "CLEAN" for transfer to the next sector (a variation on (1) above).


3) Airspace restrictions. (e.g. Some sectors have military-crossing corridors, which can be "sterilised" by the military controller. This means that regardless of whether there is any military crossing traffic to affect, the civvy controller may not allow any of the a/c under their control to enter the corridor. So you may be kept level for longer than usual for no apparent reason.)


4) As Not Long said we may have forgotten about you. This happens rarely, BUT it DOES happen


The best way to approach the subject is to NOT mention the words "looking for higher / lower", a simple "XYZ 123, level FL170" is sufficient, we are aware that you do want higher / lower.

The only time you need to mention "looking for higher" is if you want more than your flight planned cruising level.

Cheers

INS

[10W]

I'm happy for pilots to call 'approaching' their cleared level.

But if it's busy and there's a reason for the level off all you'll get back is a curt 'Roger' !! If that won't offend you, then please ask. It might just be that I've forgotten about you.

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10 West
UK ATC'er
[email protected]

[All day breakfast]

Many thanks for the information. It seems as though there are alot of unnecessary RT calls blocking already overstretched frequencies, and this insight will certainly reduce them to a small extent.
Cheers.