Ready in sequence

[Ravioli]

You ever say this to the tower controller while your sitting in the run-up area?

I've got a couple of friends who DO say it, and I've flown with a couple of CFII's who scoff at it.

When we're sitting there and hear it they'll giggle and say "Are you ever ready out of sequence?"

Another interesting waste of radio time discussion.

 

[JasonM]

Shouldn't you still be on the ground freq. in the run-up area?

 

[Pedals2Paddles]

That would depend where the run-up area is. If it is right at the departure end of the runway, you can be on tower, ready to go, while sitting there in the run up area very easily. Happens all the time.

 

[JimNtexas]

I think the pilot is trying to say 'I'm ready, and I see this A380 in front of me so I understand that my turn has not yet come, so don't feel like you have to apologise for making me wait'.

At least that's what I'm thinking when I say it.

 

[frfly172]

If your at an airport with a lot of training going on,ready in sequence tells the controller,you will be ready to go. As opposed to your going to be awhile for run up.

 

[Shawn]

I think the pilot is trying to say 'I'm ready, and I see this A380 in front of me so I understand that my turn has not yet come, so don't feel like you have to apologise for making me wait'.

At least that's what I'm thinking when I say it.

But that A380 may very well be on an IFR hold for release while you are ready to go VFR (just taxi under him).

Isn't it the tower's job to decide "sequence" and not the pilots?

 

[jordane93]

I never say that. I don't say anything if let's say I'm number 5 for departure until I'm number one at the hold short line.

 

[35 AoA]

I will do it if I am behind a number of other aircraft. As in "XXX takeoff in order". You don't want to be the guy pulling up to hold short marshall who doesn't say anything and then some other yahoo behind you calls for takeoff and jumps you. Just being at the hold short doesn't get you anywhere if you don't announce your intentions. For all they know, you could be waiting there indefinitely for some reason.

 

[James331]

Meh, who cares

I don't use it, just "N123 ready to go at 33 & Juilet"

CFIs who nit pick on the radio tend to be he one with little real world experience.

 

[NJP_MAN]

I will do it if I am behind a number of other aircraft. As in "XXX takeoff in order". You don't want to be the guy pulling up to hold short marshall who doesn't say anything and then some other yahoo behind you calls for takeoff and jumps you. Just being at the hold short doesn't get you anywhere if you don't announce your intentions. For all they know, you could be waiting there indefinitely for some reason.

The problem is, that other yahoo shouldn't call until he is 1st holding short. If he wasn't a yahoo, you wouldn't have to call in sequence.

 

[James331]

I've called medevac on taxi and when I knew I wasn't #1 to cut the line.

 

[35 AoA]

The problem is, that other yahoo shouldn't call until he is 1st holding short. If he wasn't a yahoo, you wouldn't have to call in sequence.

Fair, but maybe that guy doesn't know what you are doing either. Maybe you are just doing a run up or something and then taxiing back. I'm not saying it should be that way, that has just been my experience. I'm sure others in other areas differ. A common thing in my world is a guy who is holding short for an extended period of time waiting for a wingman or something that had to go back to the line to troubleshoot something.

 

[StinkBug]

The problem is, that other yahoo shouldn't call until he is 1st holding short. If he wasn't a yahoo, you wouldn't have to call in sequence.

That may be the case where you fly, but where I fly you better say something or you'll never be #1. At CRQ on busy days when there's training going on there are planes lined up on both sides of the runway, and the south side has enough room at the hold short lines for 4 172's wing tip to wing tip. Often you'll have 3 in line on Twy N, 2 or 3 on A, a jet waiting for release and a couple more pistons in the runup. "ready in sequence" means I'm ready to go whenever you decide to send me. You don't necessarily know what the order is, but if you dont say anything and someone pulls up alongside you and makes the call they will get cleared before you.

I do agree that the words "in sequence" are somewhat unnecessary, as the tower will sequence you anyways, but to me it's an easy way to say that you're ready but dont mind waiting for that jet on an IFR plan.

 

[paflyer]

That may be the case where you fly, but where I fly you better say something or you'll never be #1. At CRQ on busy days when there's training going on there are planes lined up on both sides of the runway, and the south side has enough room at the hold short lines for 4 172's wing tip to wing tip. Often you'll have 3 in line on Twy N, 2 or 3 on A, a jet waiting for release and a couple more pistons in the runup. "ready in sequence" means I'm ready to go whenever you decide to send me. You don't necessarily know what the order is, but if you dont say anything and someone pulls up alongside you and makes the call they will get cleared before you.

I do agree that the words "in sequence" are somewhat unnecessary, as the tower will sequence you anyways, but to me it's an easy way to say that you're ready but dont mind waiting for that jet on an IFR plan.

Agree.

 

[Velocity173]

Just tell them you're ready for departure. They'll set the sequence. If that means they put me in front on an IFR twin doing a long runnup when I've already done a runnup, so be it. Now if I can't get around them, I just call when everyone in front of me has departed.

 

[poadeleted20]

The problem is, that other yahoo shouldn't call until he is 1st holding short. If he wasn't a yahoo, you wouldn't have to call in sequence.

The AIM says otherwise.

4-3-14. Communications​

a. Pilots of departing aircraft should communicate with the control tower on the appropriate ground control/clearance delivery frequency prior to starting engines to receive engine start time, taxi and/or clearance information. Unless otherwise advised by the tower, remain on that frequency during taxiing and runup, then change to local control frequency when ready to request takeoff clearance.
NOTE-
Pilots are encouraged to monitor the local tower frequency as soon as practical consistent with other ATC requirements.

But if I'm not the first plane at the hold short line, I'll let them know where I am in the line.

 

[Fearless Tower]

I've seen this happen many times at MYF....two airplanes approach the hold short line. In the lead is a student who is a little slow to change freq and contact tower. Behind student, is some dude in a hurry who calls tower and reports he is holding short and ready to go before he even comes to a complete stop. Tower not realizing, clears impatient guy first to take off. Of course now you have a problem since student pilot in the lead is blocking impatient guy's path to the runway.

While it may or may not help in the above example (because impatient people often don't care about others), using the words 'in sequence' seems to let the tower know that you aren't the guy in the lead in the event you happen to be the first to checkin on the freq.

 

[Gucci Pilot]

I have heard a TON of fighter guys say that. I just say, "REACH XX, ready 13L"

I use to say, "REACH XX, ready to go, 13L" Then I had a few instructors jump on me about it saying some foreign controllers may not know what that means and that I should say, "ready for departure". To avoid having to hear a 5 minute lecture on something so minute, I just shortened it to "ready 13L". I didn't throw any new words in, just took two out. So they have no reason not to understand it.

 

[poadeleted20]

I've seen this happen many times at MYF....two airplanes approach the hold short line. In the lead is a student who is a little slow to change freq and contact tower. Behind student, is some dude in a hurry who calls tower and reports he is holding short and ready to go before he even comes to a complete stop. Tower not realizing, clears impatient guy first to take off. Of course now you have a problem since student pilot in the lead is blocking impatient guy's path to the runway.

The real lesson here is that at least when there's a run-up area available off to the side, don't pull up to the hold short and block entry to the runway until you're actually ready to go. And when folks are renting planes at $2-4/minute on the Hobbs, I don't think they're being unreasonably impatient if someone blocks runway access for 3-5 minutes without being ready when they had a way to avoid that.

 

[Fearless Tower]

The real lesson here is that at least when there's a run-up area available off to the side, don't pull up to the hold short and block entry to the runway until you're actually ready to go. And when folks are renting planes at $2-4/minute on the Hobbs, I don't think they're being unreasonably impatient if someone blocks runway access for 3-5 minutes without being ready when they had a way to avoid that.

I would agree, but in the example I gave, the student is ready to go, just a little slow (as many students are) on changing to tower and making the call.

 

[narchee]

I say it seems the polite thing to do as in "I'm ready to go but not expecting to jump the line". Useless information to the tower? Maybe.

 

[Bob Noel]

at KBED, 29 and 11 have runup areas (5 and 23 don't quite have enough room unless both aircraft are small). At busy times, I believe it helps the tower to know who is next after the first aircraft. In fact, there have been times when the tower will ask who is #2 waiting to depart.

When I've lined up behind the aircraft holding, I will take advantage of a break in the radio traffic to let the tower know my request. I won't try to squeeze the call in, if I don't have an opportunity, I'll just wait until I am #1 holding short.

 

[N801BH]

I say it almost daily..... Always on tower , never on ground...

 

[Cpt_Kirk]

But if I'm not the first plane at the hold short line, I'll let them know where I am in the line.

I do this.

It allows the controller to plan ahead. I don't know anyone who wouldn't want that.

 

[JimNtexas]

But that A380 may very well be on an IFR hold for release while you are ready to go VFR (just taxi under him).

Isn't it the tower's job to decide "sequence" and not the pilots?

You got me there! It's a dumb thing to say, and I've been guilty of it. Furthermore, I'm usually a strict minimalist when it comes to radio transmissions.

Check my stats here and you'll see a bunch of hysterical rants against the 'with you/any traffic/roger-doger/I'm at 5 point 5' crowd.

So add hypocrisy to my bad radio form.

 

[Sac Arrow]

I always say "ready to order, in sequence" when I approach the drive through menu at Burger King.

I suppose it's superfluous to say "ready to go in sequence" when calling the tower for departure but I have no problem with it.

 

[flyingron]

More than conveying information to the tower, it keeps the guys who think they're ahead of you in line from getting ****ed off for thinking you're trying to jump the line.

And whatever you do, don't dawdle on the runway after being cleared to takeoff. If you've not run most of your takeoff checklist, you're not ready to go. There should only be a few brief very checks before you roll. When Margy was a student pilot we went up to the IAD tower cab. We watched a controller clear a waiting Cessna to depart and then turn his attention back to arrivals and such and then turned back a minute later to find the Cessna still holding on the runway. He made some unkind comments about student pilots at that point.

 

[Larry in TN]

I use to say, "REACH XX, ready to go, 13L" Then I had a few instructors jump on me about it saying some foreign controllers may not know what that means and that I should say, "ready for departure".

Of course, in a lot of foreign countries the controllers want to hear that you are "fully ready". Not sure were that phraseology comes from or what the various degrees of "ready" actually are.

 

[Flying Viking]

I say it seems the polite thing to do as in "I'm ready to go but not expecting to jump the line". Useless information to the tower? Maybe.

This is what I was taught. You are acknowledging that at least one more plane is ahead of you and will get takeoff clearance before you.

 

[Stewartb]

If you're a float operator and driving in circles waiting to take-off you might say ready in sequence to inform the tower that your positioned next to a guy who's already been told he's number two or three. I don't guess there's official language to support that but I understand it like that as opposed to a guy calling for an intersection west 2000' down the waterlane. That guy won't call "in sequence" but will identify that he's someplace different from the other awaiting airplanes.

 

[StinkBug]

I would agree, but in the example I gave, the student is ready to go, just a little slow (as many students are) on changing to tower and making the call.

If the runup is directly adjacent to the hold short lines then they should have the radio set before moving forward to the hold short lines and blocking traffic. Only time they should be fumbling with frequencies is if it's an airport like SMO where you need clearance from ground control to move from the runup to the runway 50' away.

 

[denverpilot]

More than conveying information to the tower, it keeps the guys who think they're ahead of you in line from getting ****ed off for thinking you're trying to jump the line.

Why do I give a flying crap what they think? If they're too stupid to understand the Tower calls the sequence, that's really none of my problem. Idiots are about 20% of any population by the bell curve. Idiots think a lot of things that aren't true.

 

[cirrusmx]

if in line i say "number xxx ready for take off" or just "ready for take off".

 

[Hawker800]

Wow, if your number in line is 3 digits, shut it down. :wink:

 

[Fearless Tower]

If the runup is directly adjacent to the hold short lines then they should have the radio set before moving forward to the hold short lines and blocking traffic. Only time they should be fumbling with frequencies is if it's an airport like SMO where you need clearance from ground control to move from the runup to the runway 50' away.

Totally agree, but again, I'm talking about students, many if which are just a little slower to get things done. And the impatient jack wagons are just trying to bully their way through.

 

[RichNY]

At KFRG in NY, if you call to say "ready in sequence" the tower will respond with "call us when you're #1".

 

[roncachamp]

Isn't it the tower's job to decide "sequence" and not the pilots?

Probably a decision that should be made before the aircraft reach the end of the runway.

 

[Velocity173]

There's no reason why someone should be held up in the runnup area because a student is taking all day or some guy is taking his sweet time setting up the aircraft for an IFR departure. That hinders efficiency. First come first served. Call tower when you're ready.

Same as a turbine approaching the runnup area while others are holding. I don't expect them to wait for us to runnup when I know they're ready to depart. Let them depart in front of me.

 

[Fearless Tower]

There's no reason why someone should be held up in the runnup area because a student is taking all day or some guy is taking his sweet time setting up the aircraft for an IFR departure. That hinders efficiency. First come first served. Call tower when you're ready.

Several of you are missing my point. How many of us were as sharp on the radio as student pilots as we are now that we have been doing this for a long time. The students in the examples I saw were not being excessively slow. The bigger issue was always the impatient guy behind who (with no SA about other traffic) would call tower to get his takeoff clearance while he was still rolling toward the runway with other airplanes ahead of him.

 

[Velocity173]

Several of you are missing my point. How many of us were as sharp on the radio as student pilots as we are now that we have been doing this for a long time. The students in the examples I saw were not being excessively slow. The bigger issue was always the impatient guy behind who (with no SA about other traffic) would call tower to get his takeoff clearance while he was still rolling toward the runway with other airplanes ahead of him.

Well I'd agree with that.

I'm just talking about being in a run up area with multiple aircraft and there's room to get around them. It's my second flight and already done a run up. I'm VFR and basic departure checks complete. I'll pull in and stop, go up tower, listen, "N12345, holding short runway 18, ready for departure." If they hold me, fine. If they want to get as many aircraft out of their hair in the shortest amount of time, then they'll clear me for take off over the other aircraft in run up that have yet to call tower.