Phraseology advice

[double_barrel]

I would be grateful for your thoughts on how best to phrase the message "I do not have the traffic in sight"

Sometimes I am warned of potentially conflicting traffic, I don't see it and respond with 'looking out for traffic'. Then a little later I update my position and want to remind ATC that I still don't have the traffic in sight, and I am getting a trifle anxious about it because I can hear calls to/from it suggesting we must be getting close to each other.

"callsign overhead reporting point, negative traffic in sight" ? Sounds very clumsy and not especially clear.

What do the professionals think?

[mike current]

Much of it depends on type of airspace and/or level of service.
Are you referring to UK airspace? We do things quite differently from rest of Europe/World that it would be hard to comment on procedures elsewhere.

[double_barrel]

This was talking to tower in African class C airspace when arriving overhead the point at which I would turn onto finals. I actually said "callsign overhead reporting point, traffic not in sight" and the response was 'continue approach'.

[TWR]

“Negative contact”

[harrryw]

I hope so.

[Doody2007]

"Overhead xxx, Request an update on the traffic."

[PPRuNeUser0130]

"negative traffic in sight"

This one is risky, because if the ATCO misses the word "negative" that changes the meaning of the sentence completely.....

When I give someone traffic info due to a potential conflict, I will keep updating the involved flights frequently as long as they are getting closer. If the controller is not updating you, it could be that the situation is no longer escalating, but he is just waiting for you to actually pass each other before he lets you know you are clear. So by all means keep looking, but if the controller does not give you new info, it probably means that the situation is not critical.

[Kooim00]

We use

"callsign overhead reporting point, traffic looking" ?

works pretty well, and then advise when you do get the traffic in sight.

K