USA passing level requirement
 

Is anyone able to point me to the reference in AIM or anywhere else for this:

Leaving LAX on initial contact with the departure frequency, we report passing level etc. This is standard for all airports.

On first contact with LA centre, they said they want the passing level reported as well as cleared level. They said everyone should state this (passing level once again).
My question is where is this requirement written?

Try AIM 5-3-1 (b) ATC Frequency Change Procedures.
Several examples of comms, including altitude passing (climb or descent) and altitude assigned.
It's been my understanding that procedures in the AIM are considered advisory rather than regulatory. (However, if neglect or misuse of advisory procedures resulted in an incident or worse, I suppose the FAR 91.13 "careless/wreckless" clause could be used.)

Is this such a burden that you need something written to make you do it?

Yes. Say only what is required. Or do you suggest we just waffle on with whatever we think is a fair thing/would be nice to know?

There have been R/T procedures here that have been rewritten/clarified in the regs because pilots have used only the published phrases and not what some ATCO has got into the habit of demanding.

Yes, sir!

..ICAO Doc4444..(4.11.3)..

Fly safe,
B-757

Not quite (from my 2007 version :{​​​​​​​):
My bolding.

..Mine is 28 NOV 2024..I really hope you are not flying with a 17yr old manual..

​​​​​​​B-757

Obviously not. We have our own regulator's regulations to comply with. We don't fly to 4444. We do what our AIP says.

So, what does the current ICAO 4444 say at 4.11.3 and if it says similar to my copy, what does your regulator say?

Your location seems to be the UK. ICAO generic states to always, on initial contact with an ATC unit, state passing level+ cleared level (ATC is supposed to check your reported lvl vs their readout on their screen...)

However, if I am not mistaken, the UK has an exception to this requirement, hence your question? By the way, this is also why UK SID´s have a note stating that on initial contact with dep.ctrl to state passing altitude+ cleared altitude (again as this is normally not done in the UK).

Rgds,

That’s true. We have that exemption which is why I wanted to make sure I was doing it correctly in the US. I got told off climbing out of a US airfield on my third handover for not stating the passing level. Looks as if I should be doing it all the way up to cruising altitude in the US.

Thanks everyone for the info.