David Wood wrote:It's a good question, @NewFlyer78 .
So, to your specific question: your first call should be:
"Tumbleweed Radio, G-ABCD, approaching from the [west] to join overhead."
Once you have joined the circuit and have turned downwind you call "G-ABCD, downwind to land".
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The correct RT call according to CAP 413 is
Seaton Radio, G-ABCD, 6 miles west of Seaton request join (yes REQUEST JOIN even with A/G)
The next call shown in CAP 413 is
G-CD, overhead joining for runway 23 (required readback of runway desgnators has been in CAP 413 since May 2016)
The next call shown in CAP 413 is
G-CD, downwind
There is no official “Deadside Descending” call in CAP 413
Many ATSU's will ask you to call “Downwind” after calling overhead.
All of our students are instructed to make the non standard call “DEADSIDE DESCENDING” regardless of how they are instructed by ATC as it duplicates important information that other pilots may have missed in the first call, that's why its not a good idea to combine the overhead and deadside descending call.
They are also instructed to make the non standard call “1000ft crosswind” with either “dead side” or” live side” added to that if they feel unsure of the traffic situation when transiting from dead side to live side.
Adding “To Land” is not a CAP413 call when you are landing at an away airfield.
The term STANDARD OVERHEAD JOIN is dated and confusing, there are very few airfields that we use(in fact none) that have a standard join. Gliders, Microlights and Helicopters on the so called deadside means realistically there is no dead side so this cannot be termed STANDARD.
The CAA don't seem to be able to decide whether the flightpath during the descent is curved or straight in their illustrated diagrams. In my opinion a straight line descent is inviting problems in that you could more easily descend onto other traffic.
The correct CAP413 prefix for a students on first contact is “Student G-ABCD”, if the student wants to continue using the Student prefix subsequent calls should be “Student CD” not “Student G-CD”.
The general standard of Instructor RT is very poor with many using and teaching non standard CAP 413 calls. There is always a place for non standard calls if they can enhance safety but the main calls should be based on CAP 413 not instructor ignorance and folklore.
The only way you can know CAP 413 is by reading it!
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