English ATC Vs American ATC
 

Hey guys,

First of all, excuse, english's my second language...

I wonder one thing.

English people when you fly to USA for exemple, does it happens that sometimes you do not understand the American ATC ??

When I listen the two atc for training, it is more difficult to understand americans, it seems they do not say all the words " N405 clear' t' lan' ..nway 29 lef' " :ugh: and sometimes I doubt they use ICAO phraseology...

thanks a lot

No need to doubt, we often don't. :ok:

I assume you are talking about GA?

My main observation after spending a week flying around Florida in a C172, was to cut down a lot on what we might say in the UK.

For instance:

Here we might say......

Abacus Tower, G-ABCD, PA28, overhead Tinytown 2,500 feet 1010 squawking 7000, Routing to Needle point via your overhead, request FIS...and transit your zone.


There they might expect:

Abacus Tower, N 1234, PA28 Tinytown 2,500 feet routing Needle Point for traffic and transit

We Brits just seem to be a bit more chatty and the Americans like it more concise - to the point.

They do also tend to speak faster - but it sounds more like your reception was poor.

See what others think and have experienced.

Interesting comments.. but ATC here would appreciate the second transmission much more than the first!

An ex-colleague of mine went on an official liaison visit to a very big US airfield some years ago; the people there were anxious to swap ideas on ground control. My colleague's report suggested that the US ATC would handle ground control much better if they stuck to standard phraseology rather than garnishing transmissions with irrelevant comment. Maybe things have changed?? (This is in no way intended as disrespectful to US controllers for whom I have high regard).

"Standard" phraseology has always been a problem and always will be. U.S. controllers don't know much about ICAO much less ICAO phraseology.
Controllers (and pilots) all recognize that frequency congestion is a problem but never seem to grasp that the solution is right in front of them -- standard phraseology.
Don Brown
Atlanta Center (retired)
http://gettheflick.*************/

Oh no, Don's here, too!

I'm joining you in the ranks of the retired on 2/29!

Jim

Most (UK) pilots often find US ATC very "strange" and often glad to hear a uk voice again once they get this side of the pond.

Just a side story.

I heard of a soon to be retiring United 747 captain on leaving Sydney for the last time telling the ATC that in his opinion that the Aussies were the second best controllers in the world.

As you would expect there was silence for a time then.......

"So who are the best controllers"

ANSWER:- "The rest of the world boy"

Thats good! Bet he ended up with a long routing and stepped climb!

Bet he's still parked at the hold waiting for a take off clearance!

I find that ATC language follows local language patterns. Americans speak slang, code words and drawl a lot, Poms talk precisely, with well formed vowels and complete sentences, Aussies talk through their noses and make every statement sound like a question.

It's a wonderful world.....enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWDEI...eature=related

JFK Ground vs. Air China