First Contact
 

Can any of you ATC people help me with this one?

If there already is a thread covering this subject, my apologies.

What does ATC expect to hear from us (pilots) at handover from another sector? Call sign obviously, what about level maintaining, direct routing etc?

Thanks for your help.

Airtrafficsville Control, Callsign123

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Maintaining/Climbing/Descending....FL/Altitude/Height xyz

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Direct XYZ / Heading 360 degrees

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Any other pertinent information.


e.g. "Fastjet123 maintaining FL120 heading 030 degrees"

I cannot be 100% sure of the procedures at other units but I believe that when being passed between different centres, it may also be a requirement to say your passing level if climbing or descending. Maybe someone with more experience of this can comment. As far as the UK is concerned, you do not need to say your passing level when being passed between different sectors.

As for initial calls after departure we expect the following...

"Fastjet123, passing 2400 feet for 6000 feet, SID1Z departure"

A lot of pilots seem to leave out information on the first call after departure, probably because they are a lot busier I would imagine.

You can find out more here in CAP413:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP413.PDF

Although CAP 413 contains a lot of useful information, do bear in mind that where it differs from ICAO standard phraseology it only applies in the UK.

The ACC I work at here in the Middle East requires that we identify the aircraft and verify the level if coming from another unit.
It would help if on first contact you said:
C/S
Passing level
Cleared level
Squawk
Any other pertinent info.

That would save me alot of air time!!

Well done those who already do so, especially you Russians out there:ok:

Thanks for your help....

In terms of standard phraseology, shouldn't this read:

Fastair123, passing altitude 2400 feet climbing altitude 6000 feet, SID1Z

Yes, that's correct. It's not what one expects to hear nowadays though!:E

Valid point! :D

I must admint, I do try to keep it standard, but sometimes these little non-standard phrases do creep in.