LAx Clearance Readback Requirements

[cribble]

As with most of us, I like to do it right. As an instructor of mine once remarked "The commonest way other pilots judge your professionalism is on the RT and in the break".

Any guidance from ATCOs, especially in LAX would be appreciated (I'm away from JEPP contact)

We get PDC from LAX and the ATIS says (inter alia) ".. on receipt of your clearance, readback only initial assigned altitude unless you have any questions..."

I can't see any difference between a PDC and an aural clearance: ie I read back the assigned altitude. My Captain on this duty thinks otherwise, due to an entry in our company Route Guide that says ".. normally a readback of PDC is not required..."

Its not a big deal (and the difference in views is very good -natured) but there is a beer on it when we get back to LA from London in a couple of days. My intention is to save any replies (either way) and flash up my laptop somewhere near LAS and share with him.

LAX people: What is the official interpretation please? (An authoritative ref would ice the cake, either way).

[av8boy]

Hey cribble,

I'm not sure what you're asking...

I can't see any difference between a PDC and an aural clearance: ie I read back the assigned altitude. My Captain on this duty thinks otherwise, due to an entry in our company Route Guide that says ".. normally a readback of PDC is not required..."

Might you flesh-out the controversy a bit more? Note that some facilities employ the minimalist approach to PDCs, while others will insist upon more than the regs require.

By the way, are clearance revision numbers indicated on your PDC paperwork?

Thanks,

Dave

[cribble]

Ok. Sorry for the minimalist approach .

For example: (where ATIS is saying) "Los Angeles Intl info Charlie....blah blah...maintain 5000...on receipt of your ATC clearance, read back only your callsign and initial assigned altitude."

The readback would be "Los Angeles Clearance delivery Barnburner 55 assigned 5000 " ..(then over to Ground for push and start).

My contention is that, with receipt of a datalinked Pre Departure Clearance (PDC) which has the same altitude constriction, my readback would be exactly the same , notwithstanding the passage in my company's Route Guide - part of the Exposition, issued under the AOC but, I think, of lesser standing than instructions issued by ATC at the time.

The other view is receipt of the PDC closes the data integrity loop and no readback is required.

[No Further Requirements]

From what I have seen of PDCs in Australia, the readback is the SSR code as it will be unique to the flight and confirms the aircraft has received the correct clearance. I also think that they readback the SID too but I may be mistaken. Seems to work.

Cheers,

NFR.

[cribble]

Answer found in the JEPP while over Hudson Bay today: no readback required for PDCs in the US.

NFR
Thanks for that. It seems that SYD has to be different from the other PDC-capable ports in Aust. I wonder why that is?

ciao