Personalities over the radio

[Jwscud]

Having been based at the same UK airport for a while, one gets to know the "personalities" of different controllers on the various approach sectors - who doesn't mind a bit of humour on the radio, who is a bit more "SOP"; whose voice you are glad to hear on the sector when the weather's awful and so on.

I imagine it's harder for controllers as call signs change all the time but do you pick up on particular pilots' voices and characteristics and remember them or not?

[Dan Dare]

Oh yes, we know who you are :}

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Yes.... and we know where you live too!

I have a good ear for voices and often used to exchange pleasantries with pilots. I hope it still goes on.

There was a chap with a very distinctive voice who flew Vanguards out of Heathrow back in the 70s. He vanished for a while and then came back on Tridents. On my first contact (on 121.9) with him on his return I asked: "What's it like on Tridents then?" "Oh... much better class of people on here" he replied!!

Happy days

[ShyTorque]

Some years ago I changed jobs (completely different role and type).

The first time I checked in on approach frequency at the local international airport, correctly using the new company callsign, the controller replied to my call using my old one!

[The Fat Controller]

I recognise quite a few Loganair and Midland voices who fly through Westcoast (127.275) and Tay (124.5)

I always give the Twin Otters and Saab 340s a block of levels when the mountain waves set in and direct routes when possible.

I'll probably get my wrists slapped one day, especially as I suggested to a Ryanair pilot who thanked me for a direct route from one end of Scottish airspace to the other day, that he should let MOL know what we do for them on a daily basis !

[Skipness One Echo]

"Oh... much better class of people on here" he replied!! Happy days

I so agree with you.
Ahhhh for the days when the only people allowed on aircraft were us upper middle class or our fellow elite. Blessed memories of flying home from boarding school in <insert country> on a BOAC VC10 with all the fellows and nanny waiting at the airport. Captain was a friend of daddy from his war time days.
#sarcasm
OK sorry that's harsh but COME ONE, it's 2014.

[Talkdownman]

At Heathrow we had the regulars back and forth all day long, usually the shuttle crews. There was the transatlantic voice on BA seven fives who wore the cowboy boots. Then there was the BA 75/76 gent who suffixed everything with "again" eg. Leave BOV again heading.." "Established on the Right again…" "Eighteen Seven again". Another, which amused me, was the 'Jack Dee voice' of BA Domestic, known internally as Marvin. Then there was distinctive voice Ian Whotsit on the Midland nines. It all oiled the wheels…

[eastern wiseguy]

There was an Air UK F27 pilot who sounded all the world like the bloke from "One man and his dog" (a show about working sheep dogs for our younger/non UK readers. )Always had the idea of him in a flat cap. Locally based crews became very well known to the extent that I recognised a voice in a supermarket without ever having met the lady before. :ok:

[John R81]

After getting my PPL(H) and flying exclusively talking to Redhill, Farn W&E, Biggin Hill and Shoreham, my first long distance (relatively, it is a SP unstabalised helicopter) trip to Cheshire to fly-in to a car/bike/aircraft show. Making contact at the VRP, I was surprised to recognise the voice :- Phil from Readhill! It turned out he had the ATC job for the show weekend.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Then there was "Norah Batty" on BA 757s...

[Rule3]

Unfortunately most has been lost. The wet behind the Ears Systems Managers who Masquerade as Pilots have enough problems trying to catch up to the Aircraft that any attempt at Humour goes "WAY over their heads.:ok:

[Jwscud]

There's a chap on the N Sea sector immediately before getting handed to Essex Radar who would be an excellent teacher I reckon - he has one of those voices that just demands obedience.

Rule3 - we do also occasionally try flight path and air-ground interface management too :}

[fisbangwollop]

I very made many good friends from just giving them a service over the radio :cool: though I guess the FIR sector at times a wee bit more relaxed :p.....the down side is when those friends succumb to the inherent dangers of a General Aviation......sadly this has happened now on a few occasions! :(

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Know the feeling FBW... it'll stay with you for ever.

[DC10RealMan]

How about JC and his Northern Irish brogue known at LHR in the 1980s.

Lovely bloke!


"Staterkater" BA tug driver who towed the State of Qatar B707 around LHR.

[WorkInProgress]

JC, was one of my instructors at Hurn if its the same Irish JC. Top bloke. Liked golf and the turf accountants!!

[PDF]

JC the instructor that loved big turns and dj'd on Forest FM?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

That's him. I trained him at Heathrow and I still have the grey wig to prove it!!

[chevvron]

Trouble is it's always in the back of a controllers mind that whatever they say over the RTF is recorded and the recordings are kept for at least 30 days, so if an incident occurs and the tapes are 'pulled', your 'innocent quip' could come back to haunt you.
Now I'm FISOing and the RTF is not recorded, I can have much more fun!!

[Vercingetorix]

JC
Top controller for peeling them off from LAM on a busy TMA NE day.
Great to work with. :ok:

[Minesthechevy]

TDM, HD, and everyone ex-LL

I asked recently on another forum about Marvin and apparently he was pulled over the coals bigtime for it, so he isn't heard as much as before.

He was like Marmite - either love him or hate him, but he amused me.

[Vercingetorix]

There ceratainly were many personalities. i.e. A BA Skipper on transfer from DTY to TMA NW (EGLL on Easterlies) asked on first call "Any chance of a quick snatch this Morning, London" to which my reply was "Well I haven't had one but by all means you're welcome".

:ok:

In technical ATC terms a "Quick Snatch" in this case meant fly from WOG to just west of Windsor for a turn onto finals for 09, thus missing out BNN, etc.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Then there was Captain French in 1-11s for BEA. Always cheerful. First call inbound to the Tower was always "Morning all..."

[Reflex]

From the other side of the "fence" for want of a better expression.
I've been flying rotary out of STN for 20 years and have recently moved to pasture new. At the start, Essex and Anglia were in the portakabin and the HAP was outside Inflite - how times change!
Many thanks to all at STN, Essex and Heathrow Special/Thames. No more trips to Battersea for me.
Reflex

[Jwscud]

I have always thought from the way they do their radar vectors actually that Essex Radar are keen basketball players :E

[3 Point]

Not quite the same with CPDLC is it??:oh::oh:

3 Point

[LostThePicture]

What's CPDLC?

[Foxy Loxy]

Controller pilot data link comms.

[LEGAL TENDER]

Let me google that for you (http://lmgtfy.com/?q=CPDLC)

;)

[ex-EGLL]

What's CPDLC?

Text/SMS for pilots

[Talkdownman]

Perhaps WhatsApp should be used then everybody will know what's going on...

[LostThePicture]

Controller pilot data link comms.

Let me google that for you

Text/SMS for pilots

Oh, thanks. Always nice to see that irony is not lost here.... ;)