Standby for how long?

[bookworm]

On a flight outside controlled airspace yesterday I was asked to standby and remain clear of controlled aispace on initial call to a LARS unit. A few minutes later, when no invitation to pass my message seemed to be forthcoming, and when the frequency appeared to be quiet, I called again and was immediately given a squawk and a radar service. I think I had been forgotten. The radar services was very welcome, as I was in IMC in an AIAA.

What's the etiquette, in terms of timing, for a gentle reminder? One minute, two minutes, five minutes, ten minutes of standing by?

Please note that I'm not complaining about being asked to stand by, nor about the delay itself. I don't doubt the controller was doing her best, and had other things that needed attending to when I first called. I just want to get a picture where the balance lies between pestering a controller and failing to use a valuable resource by taking a standby to be for all eternity.

[Essential Traffic]

Women eh?;)

I thought they were meant to be able to do more than one thing at a time... ...my @rse!!

[professor yaffle]

how helpful et!!
possibly you may have been - er -overlooked a little bit!!
if the freq has gone a bit quiet then feel free to call again, can't put a time on it for ya though i'm afraid, as you know she may have been on the phone, or intercom, and just about to get back to you ( honest!!)

know it hasn't helped, but i tried!!

prof

[Spitoon]

Bookworm, to try and give you a helpful answer to a difficult question - it all depends.

You obviously realise that just because a frequency is quiet doesn't mean that the controller isn't busy. On the other hand, you also understand that controllers are human and can forget to respond to a call. The best solution is to try and apply common sense. Try and take a cue from the controller's tone of voice, are they rushed and under stress - if so, give it a bit longer. If a pilot has asked for a clearance that might need to be agreed with another ATC unit the controller will probably be on the phone - so give it a bit longer. If you're heading for airspace that needs a clearance - go in a bit quicker (but obviously don't enter the airspace).

Bear in mind that the controller may still be busy so make your follow up call brief, "GCD still standing by" should be enough.

As for time - a minute's a long time. If the controller isn't obviously rushed I would say that was quite long enough.

Oh, and if another aircraft has called after your first call and got a reply (rather than just a "standby"), that's probably a good hint that you've been overlooked! :)

[professor yaffle]

spitoon,
everything i wanted to say, far more eloquently!!!!

prof

[bookworm]

Thanks for the advice folks -- broadly as I thought but it was helpful to have confirmation that I wasn't doing anything too wicked :)

Oh, and if another aircraft has called after your first call and got a reply (rather than just a "standby"), that's probably a good hint that you've been overlooked!

Yes I took that as my cue at the time!

[squibbler]

From MATS 1 (or CAP 493 if you prefer):

STAND BY is defined as: Wait, I will call you

The caller would normally re-establish contact if the delay is lengthy. STANDBY is not an approval or denial.

Everybody, I'm sure, will have a different view on what constitutes a 'lengthy' delay! Just use a bit of common sense. If you go back on freq. and the controller isn't ready for you then you'll get told to 'Standby' again..............usually in a slight irritated tone;)

If you state your request on first contact eg: "XXX this is G-ABCD for RIS/RAS/inbound/transit etc......" the controller, if having told you and possibly others, to standby will then be able to prioritise and you may be dealt with quicker than you had been otherwise.

Just one more thing, if you are requesting a transit of controlled airspace and are told to standby do not keep going towards the boundary in the hope of getting your clearance before you cross. Inevitably you will end up inside controlled airspace without a clearance :mad: and this will not be good for you.......;) (sorry, this is a pet peeve of mine......)

Hope this helps

[canberra]

am i the only person who thinks that instead of standby we should go back to using wait?

[Spitoon]

Probably

[Chilli Monster]

Wait - one syllable that can get lost in a clipped or crossed transmission.

Standby, I will call you back - several syllables the meaning of which cannot be misinterepreted, thereby giving the pilot the bigger clue that you want him to keep quiet.

So you probably are the only person ;)

(ps - when were you at EDUO as was?)

CM