Talking to ATC

[Red Four]

North Weald does NOT have an ATZ.

[Ultranomad]

Red Four, thank you, I stand corrected. It's only Stapleford that has.

[taxistaxing]

NW doesn't have an ATZ. It does have a lot of Yaks, warbirds and 250knot jet provosts though. Worth giving them a call for those reasons alone, if you're close!

[Fuji Abound]

Talkdown and Chevron - as always you raise some very good and wise points and are of course correct.

I have probably written far to much in response to the OP already. I was trying to give a simple explanation that would have made sense to me as a new PPL. Of course the problem in so doing is over simplification - there are quite a few caveats, and buts, and issues that only come with experience.

I guess I was like every other PPL, I just wanted to feel one of you helpful gentleman was on the other end of the radio and enjoyed sharing my life history!

I guess to the opening poster I would say gradually get accustom to using the radio less, take from this thread hopefully a better idea of how the system works and appreciate that not everyone wants to know your life story. In the mean time feel your way slowly. As someone else said most new PPLs probably talk to much on the radio and more to the point become obsessed with making the radio more of a priority than anything else. That has obvious dangers and the old maxim really does have merit.

[Talkdownman]

IMHO it's not just what you are doing that's important - it's what you are not having to do which is just as important. IMHO it's all about managing spare capacity and maintaining spare capacity rather than filling it with tasks for the sake of it. From both an air traffic perspective and an FI perspective I often hear and see an excess of effort for little product. I hear and see pilots giving their life stories etc. just for a Basic Service heads-down fiddling with plogs and GPSs etc. to the detriment of what is actually going on outside the aeroplane. For some, communicating seems to maximise workload and numb the aviating and the navigating, all for little gain. Yes, by all means, communicate with ATS for ATSOCA, but be discerning and selective, not simply automatons. Seek an appropriate service for the prevailing circumstances. Much of the 'Basic Service' RT traffic can actually hinder the LARS ATCO from executing his primary tasks by preventing him from using his primary tool. Similarly continuous chatter can actually prevent someone from saying something which actually happens to be important. Think 'is your transmission really necessary'.

[Red Four]

Much of the 'Basic Service' RT traffic can actually hinder the LARS ATCO from executing his primary tasks by preventing him from using his primary tool. Similarly continuous chatter can actually prevent someone from saying something which actually happens to be important. Think 'is your transmission really necessary'.

This sums it up brilliantly. If only the CAA would put this in their guidance in very big letters, and all FIs would teach students along the same lines.