Read-Backs of ATC transmissions
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Read-Backs of ATC transmissions
RTF in Europe is bedlam at times. Perhaps 40 percent of total traffic transmissions are read backs by pilots. Another 5 percent are superfluous greetings by pilots of Good morning Sir, afternoon Sir, evening, goodbye Sir, Byeee, See youse later, cheerio etc in different accents and languages. All very friendly but verbal graffiti. Modern radios are high tech and don't screech, warble, garble. If radio reception is crystal clear,which it usually is, and the pilot understands an ATC transmission, then why read everything back just like in the old movies Roger, Dodger. Over and Out sort of thing. If an ATC transmission is not understood, then pilots should ask for clarification rather than blindly make a read back and hope for the best. Frequency congestion is a known problem. The fix is to cut back on unnecessary read backs. Authorities need to have a hard look at culling read back requirements to absolute essentials. Where ATC feel a read back is vital due complex instructions, clearances etc, then the phrase READ BACK should be used. Normally a callsign acknowledgement from the pilot would then be sufficient to cover all other ATC transmissions. Roger dodger, over and out!!!
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Batwings, you cannot be serious. With the number of level busts in Euro airspace caused by pilots and controllers hearing/saying/understanding incorrectly there must continue to be read-backs of level/heading/altimeter settings etc.
It might be OK for Ozmates but it sure aint for us who live/work in the upright position - north of the equator!
It might be OK for Ozmates but it sure aint for us who live/work in the upright position - north of the equator!
PPRuNe Bashaholic
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batwings,
I think the requirments are pretty much culled to the minimum acceptable. In the UK these are:
Climb/descent instructions
Vectoring instructions
Airways/Route clearances
Runway in use
Runway occupancy instructions (crossing/line up, etc)
SSR instructions
Altimeter settings
VDF information
Frequency change instructions
Type of radar service
These are all important elements which need to be verified by both parites to ensure that an incident does not arise which could put people in danger. Unfortunately the RT is NOT always crystal clear and there is no hard and fast guarantee that pilots/controllers will pick things up right first time. They may think they have, but the philosophy of assuming that someone has it right without a verification is fraught with danger. Perhaps for the future, datalink clearances will reduce much of the clutter but that's not going to happen overnight.
U B Nadd makes the important point about Level Busts. In the UK over the last 5 years traffic has risen by around 32%. Level Busts have risen by 260% (in part due to increased reporting and awareness I'm sure) in the same period. Of these Level Busts 8% were down to ATC missing an incorrect readback, 4% were caused by pilots taking the instructions of another aircraft and 4% were caused by pilots misinterpreting ATC instructions. So imagine how many more were caught by the use of RT, and how they might affect the figures if that safeguard is not in place in one form or another.
I think the requirments are pretty much culled to the minimum acceptable. In the UK these are:
Climb/descent instructions
Vectoring instructions
Airways/Route clearances
Runway in use
Runway occupancy instructions (crossing/line up, etc)
SSR instructions
Altimeter settings
VDF information
Frequency change instructions
Type of radar service
These are all important elements which need to be verified by both parites to ensure that an incident does not arise which could put people in danger. Unfortunately the RT is NOT always crystal clear and there is no hard and fast guarantee that pilots/controllers will pick things up right first time. They may think they have, but the philosophy of assuming that someone has it right without a verification is fraught with danger. Perhaps for the future, datalink clearances will reduce much of the clutter but that's not going to happen overnight.
U B Nadd makes the important point about Level Busts. In the UK over the last 5 years traffic has risen by around 32%. Level Busts have risen by 260% (in part due to increased reporting and awareness I'm sure) in the same period. Of these Level Busts 8% were down to ATC missing an incorrect readback, 4% were caused by pilots taking the instructions of another aircraft and 4% were caused by pilots misinterpreting ATC instructions. So imagine how many more were caught by the use of RT, and how they might affect the figures if that safeguard is not in place in one form or another.
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Batwings, I believe your post contradicts itself fundamentally.
It is because our airspace is "bedlam" as you say that readbacks become so important in that traffic volume creates potential for callsign confusion, or heading / level transposition to name but two tricky situations. It does feel a bind to us ATCO's too at times when very busy and I'm sure we'll all admit at some time to not listening as well as we should to readbacks. in truth though it creates a natural break in the thought process, to allow assimilation of each instruction by all.
Any road up, it would be a bit dull if all one ever heard was a controller continually barking out a long stream of headings, levels, frequencies etc :-( !
It is because our airspace is "bedlam" as you say that readbacks become so important in that traffic volume creates potential for callsign confusion, or heading / level transposition to name but two tricky situations. It does feel a bind to us ATCO's too at times when very busy and I'm sure we'll all admit at some time to not listening as well as we should to readbacks. in truth though it creates a natural break in the thought process, to allow assimilation of each instruction by all.
Any road up, it would be a bit dull if all one ever heard was a controller continually barking out a long stream of headings, levels, frequencies etc :-( !
