ATC communications tutorial

[Keith Smith]

I've only skimmed it, but I've loved everything I've seen so far:
http://www.learn2flymea.com/mea_downloa ... torial.pdf

[Mark Hargrove]

Excellent!

[Mark Hargrove]

I just returned to Denver from a business trip to Chicago. On the flight into ORD (on United) I was monitoring ATC as I always do when the pilot has it turned on. I now sort of understand why some pilots won't turn on ATC monitoring: some of them suck on the radio.

We're flying the YELLOWSTONE SIX DP, HANKI transition for our initial routing out of DEN. ATC has us level off at 7000' to pass under a C-172 at 7500' that's crossing our path. After the Cessna is no longer a factor, ATC gives us "proceed direct YOKES, climb and maintain FL230". Our captain says "uh, where?" As you read this you're not looking at a chart so I'll just tell you that YOKES is the first fix on the DP we're flying. The conversation continues:

ATC: "united 398 proceed direct YOKES, climb and maintain FL230"
UA398: "direct, uh, oaks, up to FL230"
ATC: "United 398 direct YOKES - that's Yankee Oscar Kilo Echo Sierra - it's on your transition". (this last said with more than a trace of 'wtf is wrong with you?' in her voice)
UA398: "right, YOKES, United 398"

About 20 seconds later we finally make a right turn towards the intersection.

Later in the flight the captain fails to check in TWICE after handoffs, the second of which was to Chicago approach when things were starting to get busy. Both times the controller had to ask "United 398 are you with me?". Both times captain says "sorry, I was on the wrong radio".

I've never heard such poor radio discipline from an airline pilot before. It honestly made me a bit nervous, particularly in the incredibly busy ORD Bravo airspace.

[arb65912]

@Keith: thank you Keith, excellent material, printed it out for study.

@Mark: I find it hard to believe that the pilot did not know the first fix of DP, make me feel better about my PE mumbling and at the same time it is scary to hear that some professionals has such a poor radio skills.

[Chanse Watson]

I've never heard such poor radio discipline from an airline pilot before.

You'd be suprised how lazy pilots are nowadays. Ok, not ALL of them but it's quite amazing considering how aviation is looked at to be highly 'professional".

I work in Airport Operations at MSY (basically we manage the airfield per FAR 139 regulations, close runways/taxiways for maintenance, issue NOTAMS, etc.) and constantly hear pilots on the radio who supposedly never check the ATIS as they will a) continue to ask which runway they can expect, b) request a runway that is under a hard closure or request our longer runway when it's closed, which requires 1 hour PPR (prior permission required) to use it and only gives a 5 minutes notice (which if that is the case, we could make them either dump fuel, if they could, or unload passengers) , and/or c) taxi into a movement area that is CLOSED. All the above information is given in the ATIS but it seems most pilots will only acquire the ATIS to get the winds and phonetic code, or listen to other pilots check in for pushback with the current ATIS.

On one occasion, I had to move barricades for a 757 (airline will be left nameless) that positioned himself in a location where they couldn't go anywhere because they failed to follow taxi instructions from ATC. The only way they could move is if i moved the barricades that were just ahead of the aircraft's position, blocking access as the area was marked, identified, and NOTAM'd CLOSED. I'd call it a pilot deviation...because some pilots either fail to check the NOTAM's, listen to the ATIS, and/or follow ATC instructions.

[Ryan Landis]

Here is another excellent website for ATC/flying help. All of these interactive courses have helped me improve communications and understanding of airspace and clearances. The best thing is they are all FREE! Gotta love AOPA.

http://www.aopa.org/asf/online_courses/

Know Before You Go: Navigating Today's Airspace
And
Say It Right: Mastering Radio Communications

Those are my favorites. The say it right also has printable quick reference guides for what to say in different airspaces and situations. You better believe I keep that handy. Also, the course explained things and bad habits I picked up from VATSIM, like reporting in to the controller with phrases like "with you at 4000" or "up to/down to" rather than saying it right like" level 4000" or "climb and maintain/descend and maintain 4000".

I highly recommend that site. There are tons of helpful courses.

[Vincent Meier]

What a great site! I did the airspace course...very informative and well presented with a plethora of information. Tips, video and powerpoint type lessons keep you very engaged.
Thanks for the link Ryan!

Vince

[Ryan Landis]

Be careful Vince, you might get hooked! The VFR and IFR challenge courses are tricky, but gets you thinking.