Non-standard Calls

[doobedoo]

Hi All,

I was just wondering if you could clear up a few questions for me on non-standard call procedures. Many pilots add on a G'day or Good afternoon onto initial and/or final calls to frequencies. As a CPL student, I have been told not to do this, as it increases controllers workloads. However, more and more often I hear controllers initiating the friendliness and am wondering what you all had to say about it?

Much apprecitated

Doobs

[the hunted one]

Hi All,
I was just wondering if you could clear up a few questions for me on non-standard call procedures. Many pilots add on a G'day or Good afternoon onto initial and/or final calls to frequencies. As a CPL student, I have been told not to do this, as it increases controllers workloads. However, more and more often I hear controllers initiating the friendliness and am wondering what you all had to say about it?
Much apprecitated
Doobs

No problem with a quick hello or goodbye. If it's tacked onto the beginning or end of a transmission, it takes up no extra time. Just don't get excessive! :)

"Good manners are the lubricant of society"

[Spodman]

When flat-knackers busy it can be debilitatingly irritating getting salutations and farewells from everybody, I'm not being rude (really) when I fail to return the greeting.

When quieter I understand it is just human nature & I will be polite and grunt a "g'day" when greeted but am perfectly happy with those that are more professional and don't. I don't initiate it unless it is somebody I know (and like), and then only if it is real quiet.

If ATC give you an effusive greeting feel free to reply pleasantly with your callsign!

[Dan Dare]

While I agree with what was said by the hunted one, you are a CPL student and expected to follow instructions (SOPs) from your instructor, so how about you leave the niceties and stick to standard until you have left that school and then become a human being again (until your next course). No ATCO is going to take offence that you did not reply to their "G'day" with a friendly, non-standard response.

[the hunted one]

While I agree with what was said by the hunted one, you are a CPL student and expected to follow instructions (SOPs) from your instructor, so how about you leave the niceties and stick to standard until you have left that school and then become a human being again (until your next course). No ATCO is going to take offence that you did not reply to their "G'day" with a friendly, non-standard response.

Yes, good point! I was offering a general opinion about the question in relation to ATC Ops, not suggesting that you (whilst under training) contradict the training given to you by your instructor!

As Spodman says, if ATC are busy, they may not respond in kind, and they won't be offended if you don't say "hello" either. But they're unlikely to tell you off for doing it! However, your instructor is a different matter......

[Pierre Argh]

As an "old and bold" once told me... "there's no such thing as Non-standard RT... Just Standard RT and all the rest of the things you have to say!"

[RAC/OPS]

I try not to use pleasantries to an EXM or T callsign. If I do and the student replies with one, a particularly grouchy examiner may fail him/her, so I won't put them in the position in the first place.

[doobedoo]

thanks for your input guys, much appreciated! It is interesting to see things from an ATC perspective, something I was always interested in persuing as a career.

Doobs

[despegue]

Sorry guys,

ALWAYS say hello/goodbye to ATC.
Teach this in flight training, as you need to teach students the "real life" situation, not only what is said in the book.
Keep the "strictly to the rules" in the classroom please and teach your pupil to be flexible, adaptive and indeed, a pilot ready to be released in professional aviation world.
Any examiner who fails a student for that is not suited to fly, let alone examine as he clearly has no idea of what the word " professionalism" should mean as an airline pilot.
Why oh why are some people still focussing on unimportant little details in flight training (like this ATC call) but at the same time disregarding a students ability to improvise, think and make logical decisions. This is what airmanship is all about.