'Valley ATC' - correct addressing.

[Alex_Ford]

This from the EGCK UKAIP:

--------------

Arriving aircraft.

From the south and southeast should call Llanbedr ATC on 122.500 MHz at least 5 minutes before abeam Llanbedr
aerodrome. Unless otherwise instructed, these aircraft should subsequently call Valley ATC on 125.225 MHz at least 15 minutes before ETA
Caernarfon ATZ boundary.
All other aircraft should call Valley ATC on 125.225 MHz at least 15 minutes before ETA Caernarfon ATZ boundary.
c Departing aircraft. Unless otherwise instructed, departing aircraft should call Valley ATC on 125.225 MHz immediately after take-off.

d Circuit height: 800 ft aal. Aircraft are requested to join overhead not above 1300 ft aal. Circuit direction: Runways 02 and 26 - RH.

---------------

Now my question. If you were the aircraft and you were going to call 'Valley ATC' (as described above) would the words you use be "Valley, this is Golf Alpha etc" or "Valley ATC this is Golf Alpha etc..." ?

Many thanks

Alex Ford

[Chilli Monster]

WTF???????

What's the name of the facility on your radio card as issued with the half mil chart? Call them that.

And by the way - LLanbedr's shut and has been for at least 18 months.

[Alex_Ford]

Thank you for your reply although is has not answered my question as such - I have no radio card and the AIP that I have quoted may well be out of date as regards LLanbedr, but let me explain - we are creating a flight simulation add-on that has interactive audio ATC with 'Valley ATC' and I am trying to ensure a decent degree of accuracy with the voices side of it, so if somebody is able to give me a reply as to how they would address "Valley ATC" from the pilots perspective as I have posed in my first posting that would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Alex Ford

[bookworm]

I rarely call ATC anything except their 'first name' -- the ground station will tell you what it is: Radar, Approach, Info, whatever... No one has yet complained.

[Alex_Ford]

Bookworm, thanks for your reply - personally I concur with your reply but are keen to hear what others say.

Thanks

Alex Ford

[Chilli Monster]

"Valley Approach" would be a good starter

[BDiONU]

Originally Posted by Chilli Monster

"Valley Approach" would be a good starter

Or even just "Valley" was good enough for both civil and military when I controlled there. Although calls like "Valley this is G**** I'm overhead Wales heading 160" doesn't really help much

BD

[bri1980]

If you need up to date info call Caernarfon on 01286 830800 (I don't have a number for Valley). They deal with Valley every day and will have up to date info for you.

My charts say 'Valley Radar' for your info, and that's what they are referred to on all the paperwork I have seen around Caernarfon.

Bri

[PH-UKU]

ATIS

Some airfields have an ATIS frequency and they sometimes tell you the name of the controller.

For example - a sample Aberdeen ATIS might be

"This is Aberdeen, Information Zulu, Runway in use 36, Surface wind 030/7 kts, visibility 100m fog, TEMP +16 Dew point +16 QNH 1020, Approach is manned by Keith, advise information Zulu to Keith on 119.05"

So in that circumstance you would not need to call "Aberdeen" on 119.05, but you could call "Keith radar"

[Bob Stinger]

Its Valley radar.

[bri1980]

Originally Posted by bri1980

... My charts say 'Valley Radar' for your info...

Originally Posted by Bob Stinger

Its Valley radar.

Always a safe bet to use what it says on the chart!

[maggioneato]

Right or wrong, I've called them Valley radar for 12 years.

[Alex_Ford]

Gentlemen, many thanks for all your replies and information.

Alex Ford

[2 sheds]

Alex

First, it is very misleading and unhelpful to all that your reference states "Valley ATC" instead of the correct callsign, presumably "Valley Approach". Second, for the sake of accuracy, note that the words "this is.." in an initial contact went out with the ark!

2 s