US R/T differences
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US R/T differences
Can anyone direct me at a good source of information for the differences between UK and US radio terminology? I'm going out to Florida in a couple of weeks and all being well i'll be flying myself (under instruction I should add) out of the International Airport, so I wanted to be up to speed on the lingo. Cheers.
Ginger
Ginger
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This is a good reference site. There's also lots of other useful info on there, not all just for the US
http://www.geocities.com/cfidarren/rf-radiocomm.htm
You'll get the chance to say things like "Three in the green" and "request the option"
http://www.geocities.com/cfidarren/rf-radiocomm.htm
You'll get the chance to say things like "Three in the green" and "request the option"
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I would not worry about the differences. UK RTF will work over there. Some fo the common differences are as follows:
1) The circuit is the pattern.
2) When you are holding short ready to depart you can decalare you are ready for take off rather than departure.
3) Instead of asking for FIS ask for VFR flight following.
1) The circuit is the pattern.
2) When you are holding short ready to depart you can decalare you are ready for take off rather than departure.
3) Instead of asking for FIS ask for VFR flight following.
I got caught out by the following instruction:
Twr: N.... into position and hold
Me: didnt have a clue, I heard the word 'hold' so i did just that
Into position and hold = Line up and weight in the UK.
Also the rate of speech from some US controllers can be quite daunting and they tend to give you loads of instructions in one sentence, mainly because they simply don't have the time to break them up into 2 or 3 different instructions like you tend to get here.
Twr: N.... into position and hold
Me: didnt have a clue, I heard the word 'hold' so i did just that
Into position and hold = Line up and weight in the UK.
Also the rate of speech from some US controllers can be quite daunting and they tend to give you loads of instructions in one sentence, mainly because they simply don't have the time to break them up into 2 or 3 different instructions like you tend to get here.
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I wrote something about this as an addendum to the "JAA PPL in US" thing I wrote. It's one of the stickies in the Private Flying forum.
Position and Hold vs. Line up and Wait has been mentioned. The other things is conditional landing clearances: "You are number three behind the Warrior on base and the Cessna on short final. Cleared to land."
Read up on what "Flight Following" exactly means and how to request it. It's a bit better than a RIS. Also read up on how to make the best use of WX-BRIEF.
Position and Hold vs. Line up and Wait has been mentioned. The other things is conditional landing clearances: "You are number three behind the Warrior on base and the Cessna on short final. Cleared to land."
Read up on what "Flight Following" exactly means and how to request it. It's a bit better than a RIS. Also read up on how to make the best use of WX-BRIEF.
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Another tip - try listening to live feeds from US ATC units at
http://www.liveatc.net/
Select Class D airports where there is likely to be some GA traffic.
http://www.liveatc.net/
Select Class D airports where there is likely to be some GA traffic.
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Line up and wait, position and hold is the biggest one. Also, all transition levels are 180 assuming you have the altimeter setting to support it. Probably won't matter for your instructional flight though. Another thing I miss is the ATC ability. When you are in radar contact and switch controllers they already know who you are, where you are, what you are etc. The only thing they need from you is call sign and altitude/fl. Saves a lot of radio chatter.
Have fun and enjoy the States.
three in the green? In 25 years of flying in the States I don't think I ever said that. At some military/civilian airports the tower will say confirm gear down. I always assumed it was a requirement for military ops that was just applied to the civil aviation as well. My standard response was negative as the switch was made before gear down was called for in our op specs.
Have fun and enjoy the States.
three in the green? In 25 years of flying in the States I don't think I ever said that. At some military/civilian airports the tower will say confirm gear down. I always assumed it was a requirement for military ops that was just applied to the civil aviation as well. My standard response was negative as the switch was made before gear down was called for in our op specs.
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three in the green? In 25 years of flying in the States I don't think I ever said that. At some military/civilian airports the tower will say confirm gear down.
ATC: 'Check gear down, cleared to land 26"
Pilot: 'Three in the green, cleared to land 26" (even said it when flying fixed gear aircraft!
)also
Pilot: 'Skyhawk 1234E requests the option'
ATC: 'you have the option' or 'cleared for the option'
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So listen to ATIS as normal, but they will have a frequency for CD, who you call up next. Tell CD the usual who you are, where you are, what you want (to go somewhere VFR) etc and they will give you a clearance, basically much the same as you will get when flying IFR, without the clearance limit.
So use CRAFT (look it up) but you don't get the C. Get ready to write it down.
e.g. fly runway heading (Route), Altitude <=1000, departure Frequency xxx.xx, Transponder xxxx.
Then call ground, say you have spoken to CD, and they will give taxi instructions and clearance to somewhere. Usually you then taxi to run up area (not called a hold), do run up, contact tower then (unless told otherwise by ground/atis). Tower will clear you onto the runway, then clear you to depart. Both will already know all about you because you spoke to CD.
After taking off, fly your 'clearance'. Next you will probably hear from tower is 'Contact departure, have a nice day'. You contact Departure (who knows all about you) giving call sign and altitude only. They will have further instructions.
Smaller airports don't have this (except the very, very busy GA class D's dotted around the place)
Coming back, listen to ATIS 40 miles out, then call approach telling them you have information xxxxx where xxxx is the ATIS identifier. Then you will be just brought in under radar control. Very simple.
What everybody else said holds true too. Listen on the web.
Last edited by slim_slag; 20th Jul 2007 at 08:42.
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Originally Posted by bean_ian
Also they dont use QNH or QFE. They would say something like "Altimiter 29.92".
It is however true that you might be given the pressure setting in Inches of mercury rather than millibars or hectopascals.
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Wrong. They don't use QFE, which means they only use QNH (unless you are flying FL's)
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Altimeter will be in inches "Altimiter 29.92"
Or you may get a "Cleared to take off, cleared to land" if you're doing circuits
Clearance Delivery can be very useful - VFR and IFR. Often (when VFR) you just contact them tell them your details and they get you to contact ground for taxy and that is it, - they just want to know about you. But if you want you can call clearance and request "VFR flight following to XXXX at 5500' from runway 30" on the ground. This great as you'll get a transponder code and departure frequency on the ground before you taxy. You may get a brief clearance like "climb straight ahead to 500', left turn 200 degrees". When you take off tower will tell you to "contact departure" which you do and they radar identify you, and there you go, VFR flight following all the way to your destination from 500'. You stil navigate VFR but you're being followed.
The other things is conditional landing clearances: "You are number three behind the Warrior on base and the Cessna on short final. Cleared to land."
Clearance Delivery can be very useful - VFR and IFR. Often (when VFR) you just contact them tell them your details and they get you to contact ground for taxy and that is it, - they just want to know about you. But if you want you can call clearance and request "VFR flight following to XXXX at 5500' from runway 30" on the ground. This great as you'll get a transponder code and departure frequency on the ground before you taxy. You may get a brief clearance like "climb straight ahead to 500', left turn 200 degrees". When you take off tower will tell you to "contact departure" which you do and they radar identify you, and there you go, VFR flight following all the way to your destination from 500'. You stil navigate VFR but you're being followed.
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englishal
Whilst flying in the states I have been given altitude in Inches, millibars and hectopascals.
I have only flown in Florida and New York though. In New York I was given inches and once hectopascals. In Florida it has always been millibars.
Whilst flying in the states I have been given altitude in Inches, millibars and hectopascals.
I have only flown in Florida and New York though. In New York I was given inches and once hectopascals. In Florida it has always been millibars.
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Socal
I have only been cleared for the option whilst on Finals. I take it if you are down wind and numer 3 you will get told "Callsign you are number 3 cleared for the option" otherwise it could get very confusing and dangerous.
I have only been cleared for the option whilst on Finals. I take it if you are down wind and numer 3 you will get told "Callsign you are number 3 cleared for the option" otherwise it could get very confusing and dangerous.
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Just to clarify SoCal's point....In my experience you taxy with ground and do the run-up while on the ground frequency....I then switch over to the tower without requesting anything or waiting to be told to switch and taxy to the hold short line on the tower frequency. Sometimes I'll call ready for departure while taxying to the hold short line if I want a quick departure, it looks quiet and pre-take off checks are complete.
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Agree with Al. Should really stay on ground freq until ready to ask for permission to enter the runway, or unless instructed otherwise. No harm monitoring tower on the other radio as it gives awareness of what's going on in the air. Ground might need to talk to you at any time so you really should stay with them until ready to talk to tower.
Nothing dangerous about being cleared for the option at any stage, controllers know what they are doing, they can change your clearance if they want. If you think something is wrong then ask.
Nothing dangerous about being cleared for the option at any stage, controllers know what they are doing, they can change your clearance if they want. If you think something is wrong then ask.