Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By Trent772
#1852504
Vaguely GA as we have some erudite ATCers on the Forum.

Having just come back to airways style aviation after an 18 month 'retirement', I am astonished at the generally poor quality of English spoken and misunderstood on the radio by airliners.

Mainly from low cost operators with varied crew make ups.

It seems to take up a lot of air time and I feel vaguely embarrassed for the controllers having to spell out waypoints or instructions constantly.

Or am I just getting terminally old and intolerant :pirat:
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By JonathanB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1852505
Not just the low cost airlines, but Americans as well. They often seem completely unprepared for what they can expect to be told on first contact.

Then there is the lack of read back discipline…
User avatar
By Trent772
#1852509
They have done that for years though.....

TWA 327, cleared DIKAS.

Say what Ma'am..........

Delta India Kilo Alfa Sierra.

Oh - I'm so sorry Ma'am

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Charles Hunt liked this
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By JonathanB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1852514
Nero wrote:Is that the way point following BIGUS?


No, it’s the waypoint prior to BIG and KOK… :lol:
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By Josh
#1852552
Give anyone flying for a European loco a break. They’ve been on whatever passes for income support on their country for a year, probably barely flown the real aircraft in that time, they still don’t know if their airline is going to launch another cull or go bankrupt either and are just trying to keep it blue side up.

Hardly surprising if they miss the odd radio call or can’t remember how to spell waypoints they could previously have entered in their sleep.
T6Harvard, As I CFIT, Dave W and 3 others liked this
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By JonathanB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1852553
To be honest I can’t say that I’ve noticed much difference in standards - they were much the same as described pre-pandemic.
AlanM, Talkdownman, Ben K liked this
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By MichaelP
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1852589
This has gone on for a very long time...
Even here in England where I have to be careful to read everything back, especially at Redhill where in my history I didn’t have to speak to anyone at all.
How officious the world has become.

In Canada I have to be careful not to read everything back. You report you have ‘Information’ whatever and that is that, no telling the controller the QFE and QNH.
The objective of the ATIS is to reduce radio use, and so why do we have to repeat anything?
I do insist that students in addition to repeating back “Hold short...” also do likewise for clearances and instructions: takeoff, or line up in particular, this helps remind them not to takeoff when they have been told to line up.

There’s nothing new here.
United to Tokyo... Channel nine on the aircraft entertainment system, not entertaining for me. The Bangkok controller in clear English gave the pilot his clearance, he read it back wrong twice, and I’m jumping up and down in my seat... I can’t instruct the fool from way back in the cabin...
We’re over Vietnam, the controller has an American accent, could be the pilot’s neighbour... Again a wrong readback :|
Tokyo was easily misunderstandable...

But in all these errors there’s one very important thing, be polite, don’t get worked up, keep the temperature down.
Not like some hot headed controllers in some places around this world who bawl students out for their errors, increasing the stress, and the chance of an accident.
By A4 Pacific
#1852599
Josh wrote:Give anyone flying for a European loco a break. They’ve been on whatever passes for income support on their country for a year, probably barely flown the real aircraft in that time, they still don’t know if their airline is going to launch another cull or go bankrupt either and are just trying to keep it blue side up.

Hardly surprising if they miss the odd radio call or can’t remember how to spell waypoints they could previously have entered in their sleep.


I think you’ve just made the OP’s point for him.

If people’s ‘distraction’ is obvious even in their basic r/t. What else are they missing?

I believe our own insurance rates have gone up since the accident rate has increased due to lack of practice?

Just another good reason why I won’t be ready to fly abroad any time soon.
Trent772 liked this
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