Why 'niner' and 'fower'?

[babyboeing400]

why do the 2 numbers 9 and 4 have to be pronounced as 'niner' and 'fower' respectively on R/T?

:confused:

been thinking about this for a while...anyone can clarify me?

[Gargleblaster]

Fower I think is obvious, if pronounced normally, it can be mistaken for "for". Niner I dunno about.

[bellend]

9 could be mistaken for the german equivalent No!

[babyboeing400]

bellend,that true?or is it just a joke?

[Fernando_Covas]

9 could be mistaken for the german equivalent No

So how do the irish manage with 3 and tree:confused:

[Gargleblaster]

I guess not a problem since "tree" isn't a common word in aviation R/T.

"G-SANTA, cleared direct to Christmas Tree"

or

"G-XXX, after departure, left turn around the large oak tree then direct to ..."

:D

[redsnail]

Nine can sound like five over the radio.

[No_Speed_Restriction]

If you say so:confused:

[FlightDetent]

Is not "3" in fact properly pronounced TREE?

[babyboeing400]

this thread is getting nowhere :rolleyes:

[No_Speed_Restriction]

Finally, an appropriate comment.

[nurjio]

A lot of this pronunciation malarky is to do with the poor quality of radio wave propagation, especially HF. The way niner and fower comes over the HF networks ether is quite discernable if you remember to so do. Nine and four less so. That's my story and I'm sticking to it

'Day-ce-mal' v 'decimal', now that drives me nuts, especially the way the Aussies always make the point of over pronouncing.

'Contact Approach wun wun niner day-ce-mal niner'....all this on VHF as pure as freshly driven snow

nurj

[Piltdown Man]

"Wun, too, tree, fower, fife, six, seven, ate, niner day-ce-mal zero. Out"

[Old Smokey]

redsnail said -
Nine can sound like five over the radio.
Which is exactly correct, and the historical reason why nine became "niner" and five became "fife".

......and none of the above explains the Kiwi's preference for constantly referring to "sex" when they really meant six.

Regards,

Old Smokey

[reynoldsno1]

....eer I think that's "sux" actually, ....... like in "fush & chups"....
"seex' in Oz like in "feesh & cheeps"...

[click]

Is not "3" in fact properly pronounced TREE?

Only in Prague.... where we have other exotic things like essential traffic and essential clouds.
Essentially click
:E

[bellend]

babyboeing, twas a feeble attempt at humour!

[FlightDetent]

I had that one actually looked up in PANS-ATM and it exists. :\ Something along the lines that you are not provided proper separation because the APP and TWR has no control over the visual traffic so they cannot assume full responsibility.
Funny is, that visitors have no real possbility of knowing where those aerodromes really are as they are not charted anywhere in Jepps.

To get back on track, I believe it is the same as with "affirm". Heard "Mr. Affirmative" the other day again, missed him for some time.

FD.
(the un-real) effermahdeeph.

[Jerricho]

As much as I cop crap for it from the guys sitting around me when they hear it, I have found I have to say "tree" here in Canada as many of the local operators seem to have a problem with my antipodean twang. A couple of Northern Ireland types I was on course with in the UK had to do the same.

[FlightDetent]

Were they a nice couple? :ooh:

I understand that much of these come from the HF days but still it is clarity focused. I couldn't care less if company wouldnt buy ACARS and something gets lost on HF way to OPS, but there are numerous benefits in single avaition language. I like to think that as long as everybody speaks aviation english, all is fine. And with a pinch (or was it pichet?) of salty humor, problems arise as soon as local language starts to kick in. In Europe which is most diversified and hence more prone to this namely: France, Spain, UK, :rolleyes: and Russia. In that order. And you sound to prove my point. :E


FD.

[click]

FD, of course you're right. Group hug everyone.

[Bratko]

I have to agree with click, and as a response to mr. flight detent as follows:
As an all too frequent visitor to PRG and its easterly relative, I in my very humble opinion have never found out what the hell was an essaintial cloud, is that like the proverbial cumolo granite? For those of you that have a problem with the word affirmative, then look it up in the AIM ( i know dumb ameican regs), and there you will find that you can use the whole word or the shortened. So when you hear a legacy carrier saying that, pipping off to your buddy in the LEFT seat about how they are dumb Americans has little or no value.
Dont make rocket science out of speaking.
If you think that making words like tree and afrim will mask poor english skills your WRONG!!!!! Why do you think ICAO is making everyone raise the bar, becuase as frequent visitor in European skis, we have a BIG problem not with the Lufty, and likes but with companies like CHEE S A, Pulkovo, LOT Air China.............and the like!!!!!!! Think I.m full of it, ask around, but not in the company crew roon dude!!!!

[Old Smokey]

In modern times of good VHF, and CPDLC for long overwater operations, perhaps niner, fife, etc. has had it's day, although the 'old-timers' will continue to use it.

I fly to a lot of countries where English is not a first language, and although the controller's use of English is often not too good, I've seen little problem with nine, five, etc. in lieu of niner, fife, etc. What DOES cause great confusion are the turkeys who insist on saying 'twenty-seven', 'eighteen', etc. instead of 'two seven', 'one eight', etc. For starters, Thailand and China - confusion guaranteed.:\

Regards,

Old Smokey

[beamer]

Yep -its in the manuals but don't the zealots drive you nuts ? In any event our American colonial cousins have never done an RT course in their lives apart from acquiring that deep South Carolina drawl when they wake up at 15W first thing in the morning !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now you do have a sense of humour boys - unlike your colleagues in immigration and customs - don't you ?