Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:44 pm
#1840823
Just been flying again today - blissful!
One thing struck me, though, and that is how few people are stating the airfield where they are flying at both the beginning and the end of the transmission.
I'd estimate that fewer than 10% of the transmissions I've heard since we began flying again in March do this (as CAP413 advises), and it was also noticeable how often people did not mention the airfield at all.
Why is it necessary? Well, one reason is that it keeps the hearts of people like me in their shirts like today when I am just about to make my own downwind call when I hear somebody else calling downwind at what sounded like the same airfield, with the same runway orientation!
I didn't catch the full name (transmission clipped) and I could not recheck at the end of the call - which is the reason CAP413 advises it as good practice.
As it happens, the other aircraft was at a strip over 50 miles away, as I found out on a subsequent unclipped call. But it got me going for a while.
So it'd be great if everyone would:
It's easy to forget, I know - but e.g. "Final 08" alone on SafetyCom is in reality completely useless to anybody hearing it.
Whilst "Much Binding traffic, Foxtrot Sierra Final 08, Much Binding" might take a bit longer to say it does ensure that people will get the info they need.
Thanks - this has been a Public Service request!
One thing struck me, though, and that is how few people are stating the airfield where they are flying at both the beginning and the end of the transmission.
I'd estimate that fewer than 10% of the transmissions I've heard since we began flying again in March do this (as CAP413 advises), and it was also noticeable how often people did not mention the airfield at all.
Why is it necessary? Well, one reason is that it keeps the hearts of people like me in their shirts like today when I am just about to make my own downwind call when I hear somebody else calling downwind at what sounded like the same airfield, with the same runway orientation!
I didn't catch the full name (transmission clipped) and I could not recheck at the end of the call - which is the reason CAP413 advises it as good practice.
As it happens, the other aircraft was at a strip over 50 miles away, as I found out on a subsequent unclipped call. But it got me going for a while.
So it'd be great if everyone would:
- Top and tail every call with the airfield name as the first and last things said.
- Take care not to clip their own transmission.
- State the airfield name every time.
It's easy to forget, I know - but e.g. "Final 08" alone on SafetyCom is in reality completely useless to anybody hearing it.
Whilst "Much Binding traffic, Foxtrot Sierra Final 08, Much Binding" might take a bit longer to say it does ensure that people will get the info they need.
Thanks - this has been a Public Service request!