Saying 2.5 instead of 2500, etc?

Always? Never!

The US diverges significantly from ICAO. We're not even close in many areas.
That’s what I thought. Further more I do not remember “fife” in my earlier days of flight training. I could be wrong. I’m talking mid 80’s.

So just because it was ICAO.....
 
In the "jet jock" world I don't think its done "that way" to try and be cool. In my experience it is for one or more reasons -
  • "2.5 climbing 6" you are climbing at 3k fpm and trying to very quickly get your next altitude clearance before you have to throttle way back to avoid busting 250 kts, capture altitude, then reset AP to new clearance, carefully balance climb mode on AP with application of throttle so you don't bust 250 kts... etc, etc - none of that is a big deal by any means until you consider passenger comfort, doing it 10 times per leg, etc, etc its just easier all the way around to keep the climb (or descent) going...
  • "2.5 climbing 6" you are saying this or a variation of this for the 100th time today... talking takes effort, not weight lifting effort by any means but effort, mouth gets dry, etc, etc - as long as communication is clear per AIM Section 2 4-2-1 "Since concise phraseology may not always be adequate, use whatever words are necessary to get your message across" then whats the problem ?
Meh, I was going to throw some more examples out but its not like I'll change anyone's minds. IMHO you do what needs to be done to get the job done safely and efficiently. If you can still be safe while being efficient than the rest of all the jibber jabber is all just chest thumping ego stroking. If there is any doubt as to what was just communicated I've asked for clarification, slowly deliberately and in perfect phraseology many times and that is the key - again IMHO.
 
Me neither, but lately I noticed that I've been saying "kay-beck." Not sure why, but it confused the heck out of a new fuel truck driver when I tried to tell him I was parked in space Q-15. As soon as I pronounced it "kwe-beck" he understood what I was saying.

I used to think the ICAO pronunciation of "KAY-beck" was for radio clarity. Everyone I know always pronounced it "kwe-BECK". In the plane and out of it. So...the natural assumption was it was like fife, niner, and tree...for the radio.

Felt like an idiot when I finally met real Québécois who definitely pronounced their own home "KE-beck", which is much closer to "KAY-beck" than the fake foreign sounding "kwe-BECK". Ooops, learn something every day! I've switched pronunciation myself to the correct one.

OK, you posted this in February, but whatever...I saw it and had a comment...
 
I hear quite a few folks using 2.5,3.5,4.5, etc instead of saying the full 2500,3500,etc for altitude.

What do you guys think about this? Bad habit? Doesn’t matter?

Everyone does it but it’s not standard phraseology. Yes it matters on the general principle that non-standard phraseology is still a very significant factor in most ATC incidents.

tex
 
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