Any good mnemonics for ATC reporting when IFR

labbadabba

labbadabba

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labbadabba
I've got my procedural stuff down. Holds, DME Arcs, ILS,LDA,NDB,VOR,RNAV approaches, airways, unusual attitudes, instrument failures, SIDS, STARS, etc.

What I can't get to stick are what to report and when. Does anyone have a good memory device to help?
 
leaving altitude, canceling a clearance...what else to you want to report? Position? anymore they pretty much tell you what they want.

(standard disclaimer applies, I have only flown IFR in the lower 48)
 
Only thing i can think of is when below radar services the compulsory check points.
 
As in entering holding and leaving faf...
Some reports are non radar environment only.
 
When I get handed off, I call "Podunk, Skyhawk 1234 with you at 7,000". I'd get a gentle reminder to use full call sign on initial contact, which I used to have a habit of occasionally not doing. Controllers trained me out of that after a couple of instances. No one wants to be "that guy". : )

No memory aid; just who I'm calling, who I am, and the message content. . .
 
Sundancer said:
When I get handed off, I call "Podunk, Skyhawk 1234 with you at 7,000". I'd get a gentle reminder to use full call sign on initial contact, which I used to have a habit of occasionally not doing. Controllers trained me out of that after a couple of instances. No one wants to be "that guy". : )

No memory aid; just who I'm calling, who I am, and the message content. . .
Click to expand...

I'd leave out the with you. Podunk, skyhawk xxxx level 7000, climbing 7000 or descending 7000
 
Unit74 said:
Only thing i can think of is when below radar services the compulsory check points.
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Ditto. And even then, the couple times I've been in this situation they just told me "Report when you're 30 miles from XYZ" and didn't really give me a chance to use those compulsory points.
 
I guess I'm referring to non-radar environments. Entering/leaving holds, FAF, etc.

How often does this happen in real-world flying?
 
AustinPilot said:
Ditto. And even then, the couple times I've been in this situation they just told me "Report when you're 30 miles from XYZ" and didn't really give me a chance to use those compulsory points.
Click to expand...

I've gotten that several times out over the plains (eastern Colorado, western Kansas) when there have been radar outages.

For some reason ATC never seems too concerned about IFR traffic in those areas... :lol:
 
Just remember 'ABC';

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate



...on second thought, that's not very good for a mnemonic.
 
Captain said:
Just remember 'ABC';

Aviate, Navigate, Communicate



...on second thought, that's not very good for a mnemonic.
Click to expand...

I can solve that problem ...

Just remember BBB:

Be aviating, Be navigating, Be communicating :wink2:
 
I don't think mnemonics are very useful in real life but they're good for tests.

My instructor had a ton of these...

MARVELOUS for 91.183

Missed
Airspeed Change +/- 5% or 10 kts (non-radar)
Reporting points or reaching Clearance Limit (non-radar)
VFR on Top
ETA Change of +/- 3 min (non-radar)
Loss of Equipment
Outer Marker Inbound (non-radar)
Unforecasted Significan WX
Safety of Flight issues

Plus VFR 500 for 91.187

Vacating Assigned altitude
FAF inbound
Radio Failure (squawk 7600)
500 (if unable 500 fpm up or down)

TOMATOFLAMES for 91.205(b)
FLAPS for 91.205(c)
GRABCARD for 91.205(d)
66HITS for 61.57
VDMONA :D (for compass errors)
BADVAG :D (for VOR checks)
 
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labbadabba said:
How often does this happen in real-world flying?
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In the flat lands of Kansas, not so much. Actually, never had an issue with being out of radar contact out of all the hours I flew in the Midwest.

Out west where I'm at now, pretty frequently. They occasionally lose me if I'm cruising at 12,000 along V6 in NV and then they just tell me to report crossing whatever fix I'm coming up on. Nothing really to get to worried about.

Cheers,
Brian
 
Sundancer said:
Ah, will do; saves a little more bandwidth where it might be needed. . .
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Nobody who works air traffic cares if you say "with you." Here's what's important.

State your callsign, ALWAYS. Read backs, initial check in...ALWAYS

State your current altitude on initial check on to a new facility. Assigned altitude as well if different from current altitude.

State the ATIS code or that you have current weather when initially checking into the approach frequency.

PAY ATTENTION on the frequency and be prompt with read backs. If you don't know 100% what to read back, read it all back.

Follow these guidelines and you'll be fine.

You won't believe how many pilots - young, old, GA, airline, you name it - fail these basics regularly.
 
-must report (required)

-VACCUUMS
V acating assigned altitude
A ltitude changes while VFR on top
C hange in airspeed (10 knots or 5% TAS), whichever greater
C hange in ETA if > three minutes
U nable to climb/descend at 500 fpm
U pon reaching FAF or entering/leaving a hold
M issed approach
S afety of flight
-anything affecting safety
-weather, lost comms, lost gyros, etc

-when not in radar contact
-PIE
P osition reports at filled in triangles
(compulsory reporting point)
I nbound on final approach course (after FAF, usually the OM)
E TA errors if > three minutes

-position report
I PATENS
I dentification
P osition
A ltitude
T ime (current)
E TA
N ame of next reporting point
S upplemental info

-not necessary under radar
 
RE Mark's post... I listen to ATC a lot and I'm shocked at how many pilots miss those simple things on a regular basis. It irritates me, and I'm not the controller:)
 
sferguson524 said:
I'd leave out the with you. Podunk, skyhawk xxxx level 7000, climbing 7000 or descending 7000
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But doesn't "with you" convey important information? How would ATC ever know you were talking to them without saying that? :dunno: :D

My answer to the OP's question: I can't imagine having another idiotic mnemonic that I won't even recall what it stands for. I have a kneeboard* info sheet for that kind of stuff.

[* well, it used to be on my kneeboard. It's now on my tablet.]
 
MarkZ said:
Nobody who works air traffic cares if you say "with you." Here's what's important.

State your callsign, ALWAYS. Read backs, initial check in...ALWAYS

State your current altitude on initial check on to a new facility. Assigned altitude as well if different from current altitude.

State the ATIS code or that you have current weather when initially checking into the approach frequency.

PAY ATTENTION on the frequency and be prompt with read backs. If you don't know 100% what to read back, read it all back.

Follow these guidelines and you'll be fine.

You won't believe how many pilots - young, old, GA, airline, you name it - fail these basics regularly.
Click to expand...
This.:yes:
 
The secret of communicating with ATC is there is no secret. Just keep a friendly tone in your voice and tell them who you are, where you are, and what you want to do. If you want to "sound like a pro", keep doing it until you "sound like a pro". Listen to other pilots. Biggest mistake pilots make as newcomers, is not listening to what ATC says. You could record your voice and listen to what you sound like, if you wanted to go to the trouble. That wouldnt be a bad idea for some of the schools to do that with their students.
 
TITPPA at uncontrolled fields. It stands for "traffic in the pattern please advise". Pilots on here all say this and recommend it. :thumbsup: :D
 
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