Qatar Airways....Listening watch
 

Could I make a plea to anyone in a training function to pass on a message from Muscat and I'm sure it applies to other Gulf states as I can't believe we're the only ones being hit by this problem.

Over the last couple of years, it has become increasingly obvious that many Qatar Airways pilots are guilty of not listening to the active frequency after having checked in. It may be a cruising phase thing as I'm not aware of the same problem when aircraft are in the departure/arrival phases of flight but the fact remains, we spend so much time hunting down guys who initially check in and then disappear. Our airspace is too crowded at times to put up with that so please......have at least one of you in the cockpit paying attention to the frequency.

And don't worry, we are equally aware of our own shortcomings, lest you think it's all one-way complaining. I watch a number of my colleagues who would rather keep a conversation going in the centre rather than answer a call from a pilot

Thanks in advance.

ATCO1962,

and may I add that a lot of aviators, regardless of which airline, listen in on the frequency after tuning in to avoid stepping in on a transmission between ATC and another aircraft.

seems to happen a lot in this part of the world and is very frustrating. especially considering it is a very crowded airspace, a little bit of RT discipline and airmanship go a long way.

Could it be an Airbus and/or widebody thing? We never go of the headset on the 737 during cruise unless you want to be deaf in 5 years time.

Any issues with other Airbus operators? Just out of interest.

HI Energy, I beg to differ; headsets on or off wont change anything in returning a call on the frequency if you are not at least a bit focused on what you are doing and where your airplane is flying. No need to "glue" the headsets to your ears and get ear skin irritation or other kind of ear inflammation to maintain good radio discipline and monitoring. I absolutely agree with the thread starter as more and more pilots from different airlines in the Gulf seem to be flying unfocused on the radio for whatever reason. Definitely a training department problem as I believe that the approach to radio comms is wrong: New joiners in the airline, second officers and captains alike are encouraged to challenge every single instruction they get from ATC, so, not hearing a call is a kind of "okay thing" which will be camouflaged by a "very good crew CRM " as they will pretend that the instruction was unclear, transmission garbled or whatever other BS and ask the Controller to repeat whatever he might have said. Many many years ago when I started flying, instructors would stop your training or would fail you on a line check if the clearance from ATC was not jotted down on a piece of paper, let alone if you would not hear a call or a clearance . Radio discipline is on the decline, especially in the region, and is as annoying to the ATC, as it is to us fellow pilots.
Safe flying.