10 March 2008

Conflicting traffic please advise...and other useless phrases!

  "Rockcliffe Traffic Cessna 172 Bravo Romeo India five east over Orleans at one thousand five hundred in bound landing Rockcliffe. Conflicting traffic please advise..."

"Conflicting traffic please advise...", give me a break! What does this add to the system except wasted verbiage and frequency congestion. Why broadcast of your position and intentions on Rockcliffe's frequency if not to advise other pilots in the area that you are there and what you are planning to do? The whole point of making the broadcast is to coordinate your arrival with other traffic in the area. Only an idiot would not respond to your broadcast, especially if he thought there might be a conflict. I don't just want conflicting traffic to advise me. I want all traffic in the area to report their position and intentions. If I shut up and listen I will likely hear them all calling out their positions without my "please advise" request.

My normal routine is to build a mental picture of reported traffic in the area so I can decide if I will continue with my original plan or change it to ensure a smooth, safe flow of traffic. I need all traffic to broadcast their locations and intentions, not just those who think they might be in conflict.

Mr. "Please Advise" is almost as annoying as the sunny Sunday afternoon pilot who requests  an airport advisory on the ATF when there are three reported in the circuit and several others calling in bound, all broadcasting position reports. What, prey tell, is one going to find out that is not already obvious by shutting up a listening on the ATF? Nothing! Spare us the request for advisories when it is busy.

And then there is the, "Rockcliffe Traffic BRI is clear of the active..." If I am in the circuit I can see that you are clear of the active runway. On the ground, if you can't see the way is clear don't take off...We really don't need to waste frequency time with useless stuff.

For that matter, why say "Cessna 172 Bravo Romeo India." Shorten it to "172 Romeo India" or better "romeo india turning final 27 Rockcliffe, number two." I know TC expects a longer call sign but this is faster and is just as clear, as long as there is not another romeo india on the ATF.

Michael Shaw

airmail@rogers.com

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mike,

I agree with the comment re: conflicting traffic please advise, but not the clear of the active. Right now at CYRO if you're sitting on Alpha you can't see a plane sitting on the runway once they've passed the end of Alpha. If you turn onto the runway behind a lander, you'll see him until he starts to exit at Charlie, but you won't see when he's clear, ie: 200' off the runway. Once the snow gets down to less than the 10-12' that it is now of course these problems will go away.
BTW, I like at least one call from everyone saying their type. That way I know if there's a 150 or a UL in the circuit that I have to leave some space, whereas if I'm following a Mooney I don't have to worry about it.

In general I agree there's too much chatter sometimes. Radio checks are another thing, probably can't be avoided, but always seem to come just when you want to make an important call.

Terry

Anonymous said...

What about "Rockliffe traffic, Bravo-Romeo-India is taxiing from the pumps to runup on Alpha." It is common to have those who say too little and those who say too much! I am finding it is trained differently by the instructors and therefore causing some of the confusion. I catch myself now catering to the right seat pilot as much as to my own whims. If X is flying with me today, taxi calls will be made, if Y is with me, none. Another one of those things in Aviation, since there is no "right" way there will always be different ways...

Anonymous said...

Bonjour I'd like to thank you for such a terrific quality site!
Just thought this is a perfect way to make my first post!

Sincerely,
Robin Toby
if you're ever bored check out my site!
[url=http://www.partyopedia.com/articles/cat-in-the-hat-party-supplies.html]cat in the hat Party Supplies[/url].

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.