Flash and snap have military origins.

oicur12.again,
Don't blame the Yanks for this one, it is one piece of nonsense where the original perpetrators are clear --- I know, I was there (flying in UK) at the time --- where an ATC transponder was a newfangled "thingie" for day to day use.
British European Airways -- BEA, see my original post.
Tootle pip!!

Once upon a time, on an airfield where XPDR code is assigned only during taxi, think it was Sheremetyevo: "AFL123, squawk 3425 coming up!" ;) Makes sense, doesn't it?

Wait for it. Wait for it....

"We're FULLY ready!"

;)

I meant to ask about that. What's with the Brits and being "fully ready" or "fully established". You're either ready, or you're not.

Cabin Pressure JNB Episode
 

ARTHUR (into cabin address): Ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, our onboard transit process today has now reached its ultimate termination.
CAROLYN: He means we’ve landed.
ARTHUR: Yes. So, as yourselves prepare for disemboarding, if I could kindly ask you to kindly ensure you retain all your personal items about your person throughout the duration of the disembarkation.
CAROLYN: He means take your stuff with you.
ARTHUR: In concluding, it’s been a privilege for ourselves to conduct yourselves through the in-flight experience today, and I do hope you’ll re-favour ourselves with the esteem of your forth-looking custom going forward.
CAROLYN: … No idea.

Oh! And Australians: QNH. Cue...Enn...Hhhhhaitch!!!!!!

arFolks,
That shows the "benefit" of a Christian Brothers or a Marist Brothers education on the other end of the mic.
Tootle pip!!

I always thought there was something odd about you, Sleed...

ATC: XYZ are you ready for takeoff?
XYZ: We're nearly ready. (are you nearly pregnant?) it's a yes/no situation, duh!

CA: the captain tells me our flight time is approximately 1hr & 39 mins.

That sounds very precise to me: so why not "about 1.40"?

Grr.. Request FLxxx if available. He's not going to give it if it aint.

These are often the ones who get cleared for takeoff and then, having lined up, spend another three minutes blocking the runway while they get fully, fully ready.

Yes ! A real pain. In some parts of the Caribbean, after every ATC instruction: We read it back and then action it and say to each other in the cockpit "Mach descent 310 blue" "check 310 blue" or whatever it is. But as we are saying that; ATC then says something else 'stepping' on us and interrupting what we are doing. "What did she say?" "xxx say again" "xxx I said correct". Oh. Well whoopy do. Right, where were we? , what were we doing?

Mind you, Gibralter do this as well - they don't say 'correct', but they do issue another instruction straight after we have read back the previous one, 'stepping' on us.

(ATC, please give us a moment to do what you previously asked before talking to us again. We don't have an extra radio operator in the cockpit !)

Unfortunately, from bitter experience controllers have found that it is not uncommon for the aircraft to climb to the level that they really wanted rather than the intermediate clearance.
If you request a climb using CPDLC in oceanic, you will normally receive a compound message with:
1. MAINTAIN LEVEL
2. AT [fix or time] CLIMB 310
3. REPORT REACHING 310

The initial MAINTAIN LEVEL is because on numerous occasions the aircraft climbs immediately rather than waiting till the position or time. Controllers are also wary of providing a clearance to climb at a time that is more than 10 minutes away as the aircraft 'forgets' to climb. Nowadays with more aircraft carrying ADS-C the automatic reports at least warn the controllers what is happening.

Must be bloody annoying I grant you.

Trouble is, if ATC keep covering for pilots' mistakes, then eventually the airwaves become saturated.

Not so much of an issue with CPDLC of course, but we already have things like "turn heading xxx to intercept the localiser. When established on the localiser, descend on the glide.", all of which we are expected to read back, instead of simply "intercept the ILS". It is up to pilots to know that they must not descend on the glide before being established on the localiser. "Climb and maintain" is another example.

ATC is all taped is it not, so any transgressence by an airplane could be proven, and a prosecution or wrist slapping issued rather than clogging up the already busy airwaves with arse covering statements?

.

You say that till you have a chat with someone who has had a 'not their fault' accident on their frequency. The controllers in those instances spend a lot of time soul searching that perhaps had they said something differently...... like adding 'and maintain'. The problem with these cautionary words is they can tend to become 'noise words' and not be listened to. Although they act as an CYA phrase when the impounded tapes are transcribed, the controller will still be thinking perhaps if they had said something differently or with more emphasis.

Much of this will disappear in a decade or so, hearing someone talk on the RT may become a relative rarity and only be in an urgent exception. RT could well be going the way of flare pistols and Aldis lamps. No - don't hold your breath - but the changes are already being made in that direction. Data link and graphical displays will be taking over.

"CLIMB AND MAINTAIN" used to be in the FAA AIM, when it was an AIRMAN's information manual.

GF

Bloggs,
Your thoughts on anything I say is hardly a surprise to anybody else on pprune, but my statement as to the mentioned pronunciation is nevertheless correct, and mentioned in more than one academic work on "English as she is spoke" in Australia, and, for one, the humorous recollections of Clive James.
Tootle pip!!

I don't know if this is just an Australian thing, but "Climb and Maintain 7000" means climb to 7000 and expect a delay at that level, whereas "Climb to 7000" means expect no delay for further climb.

Similarly, the difference between "Line up" and "Line up and Wait" - the latter implying a delay in the lined up position prior to takeoff clearance.

The continentals annoy me at times with their "Speedbird 345 maintain FL180 on reaching, traffic 1000 above". If they're suggesting you reduce your rate of climb, which is fair enough and good airmanship nonetheless, then only the "traffic 1000 above your cleared level" is required. We've already confirmed the climb clearance so I'd like to ask the controllers about all these pilots that seem to have worried them by alt busting deliberately.

(Ian W have you tried to use CPDLC recently? There's no way it's replacing Radio Transmissions within the next ten years, twenty would also be a stretch.)

I refuse to use the term "fully" ready. So I'll be "totally ready", "absolutely ready", "completely ready" or any other pointless description. I might even just say I'm "ready". The "fully" prefix is not required to describe a binary status.

PM