Approach to Tower Checking In

[hotmetal]

According to CAP413 [if I haven't missed something] when I am transferred from approach to tower I check in with something like 'Wrayton Tower, Fastair 345'.

However most people check in with runway and dme distance. Is this useful? Or has it just become a tradition. When I was in the tower at LHR a few years ago the guy I spoke to said just callsign only was fine. The rest was just unnecessary clutter.

Any comments?

[JustaFew]

Important you use the unit name and position on first contact. There are units
in close proximity to each other, with similar unit names and frequencies close
enough to be misdialled.

[choclit runway]

Callsign only is fine unless specified otherwise by radar on hand off.

[judge11]

Checking in with callsign and range; latter serves as a good cross check from the tower that you have got the ILS DME (if provided) selected and not someother navaid. I've always quoted range since once I called 8 miles, tower replied negative 4 miles - yours T still had VOR 4 miles t'other side of airport selected - was a visiual approach but I learnt about checking in with tower from that - and pressure setting check doesn't go amiss, either.

[TinPusher]

I disagree judge.
I don't know about the UK but I imagine it's much the same as here in NZ where it is APP's responsibility to ensure you are established on the LLZ or final of an approach. You shouldn't be handed off to the TWR unless you are established and have reported so. C/S only and use of the TWR name is all, the rest is clutter. :)

[Lifes2good]

Hotmetal
You are right AFAIK CAP Ch2 page 8
"When establishing communications an aircraft shall use the full callsigns of both stations." However as already stated extra info can help individual units
however it is a pity that a more definitive all round answer can't be given.
L2G

[JazzyKex]

It is without doubt correct that the details that are needed to be passed are just callsign and an aknowledgment of the agency you are transferring to. I think the other info can be useful though, but not necessarily for the tower controller. It is very helpful for improving overall situation awareness of other aircraft, those ahead know exactly where you are (I have often made more of an effort of vacate the runway quickly knowing there is another aircraft very short final). TCAS displays or not, sometimes this extra info is extremely useful. I accept in the steady stream of uniformly spaced aircraft operating into somewhere like LHR this is not necessary, but those gentle nudges and hints to those around you are very handy in some of the aviation worlds less organised airfields!

[discountinvestigator]

PANS-ATM Chapter 12 does not yield the results.
ICAO Annex 11 is not giving up its dark secrets.
Nothing leaps out of Annex 2 or 6 either, or at least as far as I can see tonight.

The exact requirements will be defined in agreed procedures between the two units, subjected to risk assessment, and published in the AD 2 section of the AIP. Well, that is where it should be, unless I have missed the correct answer in a scan of the Annexes and PANS ATM. Of course, it is not, but that is where the lawyers and investigators come in and tear it all apart afterwards.

Does anybody else remember the call of Frankfurt tower to the Brussels Tower controller etc...

[hangten]

callsign only is all i need to hear unless otherwise instructed. my reply to you will include the runway in use (eg. continue approach 'runway in use') and you can read it back then. so long as my atm is serviceable i know your dme (and groundspeed) so this isn't required. if it's u/s then either director will ask you to report your dme to tower or i'll ask on first contact (they'll also have called already with a 10 mile range check).

the problem with giving lots of information on first call to a busy tower is that instructions can be very time critical - even though the frequency may be quiet for a period beforehand. i'm sure you've called on final and been ignored by the controller to make a different call. well the more information you give the longer it is before the controller can make that call.