odd CTAF calls
- Thread starter GeorgeC
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rrmkru
Pre-takeoff checklist
I've heard a king air do that a few times right after a cessna takes off.
MAKG1
Touchdown! Greaser!
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MAKG
"Skydivers awayyyyyy!" at KHAF (which has a lot of traffic on a VFR day and no DZ). Turns out they were at KWVI, 50 miles away, on the same CTAF frequency. Folks, this is why you say "Watsonville Traffic" during your transmission.
jpower
Cleared for Takeoff
I was getting checked out at Robertson here in CT, and on a day when the wind was favoring 2, we were busting around the pattern doing T&Gs. We were making all the requisite calls, doing everything we should, and suddenly on downwind, we hear "Robertson traffic, Cherokee 12345 taxiing runway 20." The instructor and I looked at each other and he keyed up, "Uhh, you know you have a Skyhawk in the patter for 2." He seemed a little confused, but once he finally got the picture that there was a Skyhawk in the opposite pattern as he was, he said, "Okay, no problem. We'll just depart 20 to the Southwest." So once we blasted off for another T&G he departed...the opposite way. It wasn't dangerous or anything...just really weird.
It worked as designed, nothing weird about it. There is no 'active'.
DanielH
Pre-Flight
Heard Top Gun reenacted a few weeks ago. Someone had gone so far as to broadcast the music and request a fly by only for someone else to reply "negative ghost rider, the pattern is full.". That one by far tops the charts for the most odd, obnoxious, funny CTAF call I have ever heard.
jpower
Cleared for Takeoff
Well, if the sock shows the wind favoring a runway and there's a plane blasting around its pattern, all else being equal, why be different?
Not weird but I've heard student pilots who've trained at uncontrolled fields calling turns to base and final at controlled fields tying up radio time.
Seanaldinho
Pattern Altitude
Had a guy call in as "Big Yellow Tweety Bird" when he was flying a Schweizer 2-33 
Another guy (empty field) used his captains voice "bugsmasher xxx uhhh.... entering downwind... for uhh... full stop.... uhh... runway xx... uhh..."
Another guy (empty field) used his captains voice "bugsmasher xxx uhhh.... entering downwind... for uhh... full stop.... uhh... runway xx... uhh..."
MAKG1
Touchdown! Greaser!
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MAKG
Not CTAF -- it's towered -- but....
"Palo Alto Tower Lake 123XY declaring emergency gear won't extend."
A Lake is an amphibian, and PAO is right next to this really big hunk of water called the "Bay."
"Palo Alto Tower Lake 123XY declaring emergency gear won't extend."
A Lake is an amphibian, and PAO is right next to this really big hunk of water called the "Bay."
jpower
Cleared for Takeoff
There's always the classic "Glider 12345, hold altitude." At FDK, which had just recently gotten its tower.
Got to ask him next time. His choice.
Yeah, most people will go with the flow, but a number of potential reasons to take 20 instead of 2 at Robertson:
- shorter taxi
- departing in direction of trip
- show off manly aircraft that can take off downwind
- just a bit dumb
- prefers to go into the swamp rather than the Trumpf laser plant if the engine quits
Todd Copeland
Pre-takeoff checklist
Was there someone on downwind or base? I've done this when I know I can get out if someone doesn't try to keep me from getting out by shortening their pattern. It just makes people aware and they can adjust spacing accordingly. My two cents....
comanchepilot
En-Route
Aw, c'mon, the most fun are the students on solos . . .
who forget to release the mic . . ..
and talk themselves down. . .
"ok, lets see, 80 kts the thingy on the horizon, oops, gust there, wings level, flaps now are . . . ok, checklist . .. .mmmm mmmmm mmmmm , ok final. gotta do this."
etc etc etc. Its so sweet, reminds of the day.
who forget to release the mic . . ..
and talk themselves down. . .
"ok, lets see, 80 kts the thingy on the horizon, oops, gust there, wings level, flaps now are . . . ok, checklist . .. .mmmm mmmmm mmmmm , ok final. gotta do this."
etc etc etc. Its so sweet, reminds of the day.
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Drake the Outlaw
The local flight school apparently tells students at our uncontrolled field to announce their taxi plans:
"Uh, Cartersville traffic, Cessna 12345 taxiing from the ramp to Rwy 01"
C'mon man... Until you're ready to depart, there is no reason to key the mic.
"Uh, Cartersville traffic, Cessna 12345 taxiing from the ramp to Rwy 01"
C'mon man... Until you're ready to depart, there is no reason to key the mic.
I inadvertently did that on my commercial checkride. We were the only plane in the pattern at a very sleepy class D airport and the tower controller wasn't paying real close attention to what we were doing. Without thinking I keyed the mic as I was turning final and made an position announcement like you would at an untowered field. The examiner just laughed and said that I probably could have landed, taken off, and been on the downwind again before this particular controller would have ever noticed.
The most amusing transmissions I hear are the ones announcing incorrect runway numbers. My home base airport switched from 17/35 to 18/36 nearly two years ago and you still hear transient pilots that announce that they will be landing on 17 or 35. One would think you'd update your charts occasionally plus look out the window and notice that the numbers on the runway don't match what you were expecting to see.
kgruber
Final Approach
Expediency.
ateamer
Pattern Altitude
Some guy at WVI, heard on several occasions: "...Crosswind to downwind, wing up...", "downwind to base, wing up", "wing up turning final". Weird.
DanielH
Pre-Flight
I do this and also know quite a lot of people who do this. At single runway and taxiway airports it can be nice to know if someone is taxiing to make sure you exit the runway beyond them.
jpower
Cleared for Takeoff
If he had used 2, he wouldn't have had to wait for us during our base and final legs. I'm not bitter or anything...just sayin'
John221us
En-Route
Really? It is done all the time at my field and it keeps other pilots on the look out for you while taxiing. We also talk to each other, if there are two planes at an intersection, looking to pass. I guess if you are flying out of a grass strip with two planes based there, it wouldn't be that important.
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I'll leave the why to you. Just understand that what this plane did was legal.
Sure, what is legal may not be smart, and vice-versa. But it happens. Be aware....
-Skip
moonshine
Line Up and Wait
Many fun things..
There's a few guys that I know :wink2: who will hear each other saying "N123AB on final runway 12" and will immideatly follow it by "N123AB cleared to land runway 12" - but only when there's no-one out there landing/taking off/backtaxiing.
Was flying in to a club event the other time, my buddy in the right seat announced us as "Air Russia 2 mile final runway 20", sure enough there was "Air Russia cleared to land 20" from the Pitts in the active acro box.
Might be weird, but feels warm and fuzzy
One of the flight schools we have ALWAYS says "Any traffic downwind or base please advise" - and I've been close enough to them on the runup to see that they are looking at their kneeboards while saying that.
Same place transmits their taxiing intentions.
..
The really sad thing that I heard on the radio was "Aircraft that just departed say intentions" from a Phoenix East airplane that was on final as the departing Seawind spun into a Publix store. Wanted to reply with "He just went in. Pretty sure he has no intentions at this point", but was on the phone with 911 already, watching a tower of black smoke rise.
There's a few guys that I know :wink2: who will hear each other saying "N123AB on final runway 12" and will immideatly follow it by "N123AB cleared to land runway 12" - but only when there's no-one out there landing/taking off/backtaxiing.
Was flying in to a club event the other time, my buddy in the right seat announced us as "Air Russia 2 mile final runway 20", sure enough there was "Air Russia cleared to land 20" from the Pitts in the active acro box.
Might be weird, but feels warm and fuzzy
One of the flight schools we have ALWAYS says "Any traffic downwind or base please advise" - and I've been close enough to them on the runup to see that they are looking at their kneeboards while saying that.
Same place transmits their taxiing intentions.
..
The really sad thing that I heard on the radio was "Aircraft that just departed say intentions" from a Phoenix East airplane that was on final as the departing Seawind spun into a Publix store. Wanted to reply with "He just went in. Pretty sure he has no intentions at this point", but was on the phone with 911 already, watching a tower of black smoke rise.
joycem137
Pre-takeoff checklist
I've heard that one a few times out here in the Bay. Think I even heard it at KHAF as well.
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Drake the Outlaw
I use my eyeballs to figure out who is taxiing where. It ain't hard.
They are probably telling it to their students because it is in the AIM chapter 4-1-9
Eeach 'outbound' box in the recommended communications procedures table (Tbl 4-1-1) states:
[SIZE=-1]Before taxiing and before taxiing on the runway for departure
[/SIZE]
Last week I heard a regional jet report "Ten south for runway eleven...any aircraft in the area please advise." I replied, "I'd advise reading up on proper radio communications."
bflynn
Final Approach
Not really weird, you know what he was doing, right? Mission accomplished. Not what I'd do, but if they want to wait on the runway, so be it. I'm looking at it on final and will sidestep and go around/get annoyed if they just sit there.
Probably because all else is never equal. If the wind is just a couple of knots, I'll probably take off from the close end of the runway even if it techincally favors the other end. Unless I don't feel like it. But I'll make sure the other plane knows where and when I am and vice versa. I've done it twice. Once they were taxiing back and I told them I was at the other end and taking off, the acknowledged. The second time, I took off right after they did.
Yes, and so did I once upon a time because that's what I was taught. Now I know it's not always necessary. I will sometimes call crosswind and always call downwind and final.
John221us
En-Route
Good for you, but there is nothing weird about announcing your position and intentions while taxiing. New pilots read this board and best practice is to announce. It is in the AIM as stated above.
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gismo
Touchdown! Greaser!
""On left final"
rottydaddy
En-Route
I've found that if you hear that at some airport new to you, it's probably because the locals know there are blind spots. Sloping terrain, trees, and buildings can be cause for some preventative taxi announcements.
Ghery
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Ghery Pettit
Had a guy make a similar announcement (position and hold) at FHR this past Sunday after I touched down. He also announced that he was rolling for his takeoff BEFORE I had cleared the runway ahead of him. Good thing I was already approaching the exit and was ready to get out of his way. And didn't have something come up like a flat tire that would have stopped me on the runway.
acrophile
Line Up and Wait
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acrophile
His takeoff could have been safe if you were far enough ahead that he could've aborted without difficulty if you'd unexpectedly slowed or stopped. But it would have been courteous for him to reassure you of that by saying something like "rolling with runway traffic in sight".
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Drake the Outlaw
I dont think that the 'before taxi' announcement makes much sense. Aircraft on taxiways move rather slowly, are constrained to the paved surface and are easy to spot visually. Aicraft in the air much less so.
There is one place in MN that I fly out of where you have a 'choke point' with obscured sight-lines between the ramp and the hangars. Knowing whether someone is going to turn that corner before you taxi into the hangar farm is actually useful.
Dr. O
Pattern Altitude
When you are at my uncontrolled field
I'm the guy using the cross wind runway.
Tends to fluster controllers at big airports when I ask for it.
But hey - someday I may have to do it for real.
I'm the guy using the cross wind runway.
Tends to fluster controllers at big airports when I ask for it.
But hey - someday I may have to do it for real.
JasonM
Pattern Altitude
I'm guilty of that. Was calling my turns early on and did that a few times before my instructor informed me not to.
"Bugsmasher 4YF....departing to the south, LAST CALL"
I always alternate between wanting to say "You promise?" or putting in a drink order.
I always alternate between wanting to say "You promise?" or putting in a drink order.
acrophile
Line Up and Wait
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acrophile
Yes, there's not much collision danger. But the purpose of the announcement is that, depending on the airport layout, you may be able to avoid a situation where two planes approach each other from opposite directions on a taxiway and one of them has to turn around and backtrack to get out of the way.