Redundant "traffic" and other annoyances . . .

dbahn

dbahn

Pattern Altitude
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Dave Bahnson
There's lots of verbiage that has crept into radio communications, and they seem to update and eventually go away. Two of the more recent ones that seem annoying to me are "last call" and the use of "XXX traffic" at the end of a self announce when approaching the airport. I always thought the initial use of "traffic" was a good substitute for "XXX Unicom" once Unicom was rarely monitored by the FBO and almost never used to give advisories. The last word in that transmission was just the name of the airport - as clarity for anyone listening to the transmission, but not necessarily directed to traffic there only. I tow gliders all day sometimes so I listen to a lot of self-announcements at a lot of different airports. (Fortunately some of them are in French, as we're fairly close to the Canadian border, so at least those don't bother me.) "Traffic" only uses up fractions of a second, so that's not really the issue. It's more like bad grammar can be annoying if you hear it over and over again . . .

I'm sure it's just me, but does anyone else have some favorite "annoyances" on the frequency?
 
Yes, "traffic" at the end is annoying and sounds unprofessional. Don't recall hearing it until I returned from living overseas in 2001.
 
Half Fast said:
I’m annoyed by people announcing straight-in approaches when there are multiple planes in the pattern.
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I agree, but only when the plane is similar to the rest of the planes in the pattern. I'm fine with the jets coming straight in.
 
dbahn said:
There's lots of verbiage that has crept into radio communications, and they seem to update and eventually go away. Two of the more recent ones that seem annoying to me are "last call" and the use of "XXX traffic" at the end of a self announce when approaching the airport. I always thought the initial use of "traffic" was a good substitute for "XXX Unicom" once Unicom was rarely monitored by the FBO and almost never used to give advisories. The last word in that transmission was just the name of the airport - as clarity for anyone listening to the transmission, but not necessarily directed to traffic there only. I tow gliders all day sometimes so I listen to a lot of self-announcements at a lot of different airports. (Fortunately some of them are in French, as we're fairly close to the Canadian border, so at least those don't bother me.) "Traffic" only uses up fractions of a second, so that's not really the issue. It's more like bad grammar can be annoying if you hear it over and over again . . .

I'm sure it's just me, but does anyone else have some favorite "annoyances" on the frequency?
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I don't recall hearing that, saying traffic at the end. I hear restating the airport name at the end which I think is not a bad idea.
 
The tower gets annoid when I call short final when there are 4-5 other in the right and left pattern. They always come back with the last word that I was cleared to land for the second time.....lol ;)
 
dbahn said:
I agree, but only when the plane is similar to the rest of the planes in the pattern. I'm fine with the jets coming straight in.
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But they shouldn't least come straight in using the active runway. It ticks me off when us little bugsmashers are using 16, and a jet comes in using 34 just because it can.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
But they shouldn't least come straight in using the active runway. It ticks me off when us little bugsmashers are using 16, and a jet comes in using 34 just because it can.
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That’s not a “straight in” problem. It’s a “head up the ass” problem.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
But they shouldn't least come straight in using the active runway. It ticks me off when us little bugsmashers are using 16, and a jet comes in using 34 just because it can.
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Well....how's a guy suppose to practice the RNAV 34? lol ;)
 
It annoys me when a person starts talking the keys up the mic, then unkeys before finishing the last word.


''lup traffic 345 10 east landing gal...''

Or usually more like ''lup traffic blue and white Cessna 345, we are 10 miles to the east over the interstate planning to enter left base for runway two f..''
 
Using "traffic" at the end of a position report makes me think the person is inexperienced and someone to be extra cautious about. Clearly they don't understand the basic tenents of aviation communications which makes me wary of what else they don't understand. The word at the end communicates nothing but stupidity.
 
Lndwarrior said:
Using "traffic" at the end of a position report makes me think the person is inexperienced and someone to be extra cautious about. Clearly they don't understand the basic tenents of aviation communications which makes me wary of what else they don't understand. The word at the end communicates nothing but stupidity.
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I would take out the part about inexperienced and agree with the rest.
 
IDK but recently there's been an uptick in idiots talking dumb **** on these unicom frequencies whether its..seeee yaaah ..peace or meowing. The other day, these guys for sure were making fun of some guy's indian accent
 
Chip Sylverne said:
But they shouldn't least come straight in using the active runway. It ticks me off when us little bugsmashers are using 16, and a jet comes in using 34 just because it can.
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MauleSkinner said:
That’s not a “straight in” problem. It’s a “head up the ass” problem.
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It may be, but isn't always, head up the ass. Some airports have an instrument approach only for one runway, and on some days that happens to be the opposite runway to use given the wind direction. So if they are practicing instrument approaches on a VMC day with VFR planes in the pattern, conflicts happen. But even if legal, it is disruptive and perhaps that qualifies as discourteous.
 
Funny one I heard was Cessna ## I’m 21.3 miles north by north west from podunk airport aaaaaaaaaand about 1920 feet
 
I use “Traffic” on a Unicom frequency if there is an FBO on the field. If it’s just a CTAF or I know there isn’t an FBO operating at that field, then “Traffic” is just electromagnetic drag and gets left off.
 
dbahn said:
Two of the more recent ones that seem annoying to me are "last call" and the use of "XXX traffic" at the end of a self announce when approaching the airport.
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I'm "with you." :D

"Last call" gets "two bud lights!" in reply.
"Any traffic please advise" gets "It's bumper to bumper on US 1."

(No, I don't do that when the frequency is busy.)

But really worse is the distance call that's just wrong. When you hear a 5 miles west call and you are 3 miles west, you really don't want to see them in front of you. Whatever excuse there may have been for it in the past, between onboard and casual GPS, there's really no excuse.
 
Your callsign is "November 12345" or "(Make/Type) 12345", not just the numbers.

If 12345 is on a 5-mile final i might like to know whether you're a Cessna or a LearJet.
 
dbahn said:
There's lots of verbiage that has crept into radio communications, and they seem to update and eventually go away. Two of the more recent ones that seem annoying to me are "last call" and the use of "XXX traffic" at the end of a self announce when approaching the airport. I always thought the initial use of "traffic" was a good substitute for "XXX Unicom" once Unicom was rarely monitored by the FBO and almost never used to give advisories. The last word in that transmission was just the name of the airport - as clarity for anyone listening to the transmission, but not necessarily directed to traffic there only. I tow gliders all day sometimes so I listen to a lot of self-announcements at a lot of different airports. (Fortunately some of them are in French, as we're fairly close to the Canadian border, so at least those don't bother me.) "Traffic" only uses up fractions of a second, so that's not really the issue. It's more like bad grammar can be annoying if you hear it over and over again . . .

I'm sure it's just me, but does anyone else have some favorite "annoyances" on the frequency?
Click to expand...
I'm in a similar position at an airport that a bunch of nearby schools at towered fields use for training. The amount of unnecessary words done days drives me batty. Sometimes I can't contain myself. I've been known to ask students announcing "on the RNAV 36, 3 miles south of WHOKNW," where exactly that is.
 
Chip Sylverne said:
But they shouldn't least come straight in using the active runway. It ticks me off when us little bugsmashers are using 16, and a jet comes in using 34 just because it can.
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How 'bout pilots who call the runway in use at a pilot-controlled field the "active runway?" ;)

I'm far more annoyed by those who stop mid-transmission to think about what they're going to say, while holding the PTT.

Nauga,
the wordsmith
 
dmspilot said:
If 12345 is on a 5-mile final i might like to know whether you're a Cessna or a LearJet.
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Uh huh.

And when a pilot says “Cirrus 123AB on 7 mile final” it might help to say whether it’s an SR22 or a Vision Jet. That’s happened here a time or two.
 
2-Bit Speed said:
I take it you're not a fan of the Leroy Jenkin's approach?
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That kind of is the Leroy Jenkins approach.

Tell approach your plan then switch to Unicom and don’t say another word until your shutting diwn.
 
luvflyin said:
I don't recall hearing that, saying traffic at the end. I hear restating the airport name at the end which I think is not a bad idea.
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The FAA agrees with you. From AC90-66C:
To help identify one airport from another when sharing the same frequency, the airport name should be spoken at the beginning and end of each self-announce transmission.
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Last summer I called 3 miles south then a little later a Skyhawk on the ground asked me for my "20". When I told her she replied "10-4".
 
well....at least they're not calling "podunk radio". ;)...... some of you will get that.
 
Punkinhead said:
Last summer I called 3 miles south then a little later a Skyhawk on the ground asked me for my "20". When I told her she replied "10-4".
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That’s kinda funny. I mean, for a girl.
 
Punkinhead said:
Last summer I called 3 miles south then a little later a Skyhawk on the ground asked me for my "20". When I told her she replied "10-4".
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Been a long time since I’ve heard CB language on the radio. I guess some things just never die.
 
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