Speed bird check in

[clonecity1]

Is there any reason why some speedbird upon check in with London tell them which arrival they are expecting? Eg Speedbird XXX ............expecting the Ockham 2 Fox

[Spitoon]

Perhaps so as to have as much time as possible to re-brief and set the aircraft up if they're going to have to fly another arrival?????

[wiggy]

It's to reduce R/T traffic.

Under the "old" system:

1. You'd check in with London,

2. They would acknowledge and issue the STAR ( the arrival, which was almost inevitably the one you'd have on your flight plan and already loaded in the FMC).

3. You'd read back the STAR to ATC.

4. They'd confirm the readback was correct.

Under the current system:

1. You check in with London and tell them your flight planned STAR in one transmission.

2. They acknowledge with one transmission.

[clonecity1]

Ok,
Notwithstanding the theory behind this, there is invariably a third transmission anyway after you are given a direct eg Numpo then Bedek...
and thereby obfuscate the cunning tactics of Nigel.

[Doug E Style]

It's not just BA, Midland callsigns have to do it too.

[billybuds]

I do it, and I'm with EZY. You know with 99% certainty what arrival you are going to get and it just reduces the RT.

[choppercopper 99]

Flybe (Jersey) do it as well. We have been doing this for about 2 years.

[wiggy]

there is invariably a third transmission anyway after you are given a direct eg Numpo then Bedek...
and thereby obfuscate the cunning tactics of Nigel.

That might be true but just to be clear this is not a tactic or non-standard procedure that the Nigels at BA made up.

The inclusion of the flight planned STAR in the initial call to London was requested by ATC for all traffic inbound to the LTMA a couple of years back, AFAIR promulgated by NOTAM.

Any of our ATC colleagues at London able to provide current chapter and verse on this?

[5milesbaby]

Ongoing trial in an attempt to reduce RTF loading, STAR is to be reported on initial check in with London.

Thomson are also involved and I think Lufthansa may be too. I believe it is only for routes into a London TMA airfield and Southampton and Bournemouth.

IMHO, works quite well!!

[Conspiracy Theories]

absolutely 5 miles.....when sector is busy, it helps immensely when the aircraft that calls on gives you all the information required so that you get on with something else and you only have to give a STAR if it is different from that expected which is very rare.
There are more and more airlines doing this so please keep up the good work. it is appreciated.

[Human Factor]

How about this for reducing RT loading. Don't check in at all and wait for ATC to call you. They know you're coming.

Seems to work inbound to Logan at certain times of the day..... :ok:

[5milesbaby]

HF, ATC have no idea that you are actually listening out and that the previous control have transferred you. There are occasions where "blind calling" happens and can work, but not always. Give it another 10 years or so though, and there won't be any RTF unless its an emergency......!

[250 kts]

This "trial " has been going on now for around 5 years. More airlines and STARS have been introduced but I now think it is time that it is either stopped completely :uhoh: or adopted as a procedure. :D

I understand it was SRG that was the barrier to full introduction hiding behind NATSs failure to provide accurate information on the success of the trial.

I agree with "conspiracy" and would urge all of the operators to tell us your STAR and give us the momentum to get it formalised quickly.

The only real issue is if there is en-route holding before you get to the end of the STAR eg BRASO and we are pretty good at picking those events up-in fact I don't think there have been any issues with a/c going beyond the outer hold because it was missed on first contact.

[babotika]

Does anyone know where this NOTAM is hiding? I remember seeing it issued and I always report STAR on contact, but never hear any company traffic doing it.

S.

[ZOOKER]

NOTAM? Never seen one of those for years.

[PT6A]

Afrim its Lufthansa SOP and right there on the charts to remind you!

[hawker750]

Not checking in with London ATC

Sometimes it is just not possible. I know you are busy people but please tell me why there seems to be a competition between London controllers (mainly women) to see who can make the longest ATC transmission without a break or breath. I think I counted 20 different calls once and I just gave up and sure enough the 21st call was "is XXX 125 on frequency" made with a slightly annoyed tone of voice.