Things/Sayings You Hate Hearing On The Radio!

[MassPilot]

Beginning a transmission with "and", "um", "like", or whatever: "I'm beginning to speak and want you to be aware of it."

I think this is generally people pressing the transmit button before they've thought through what they want to say.

"Any traffic please advise": "I don't see any traffic, but I'd sure like to know if there is someone in the pattern that I overlooked."

The AIM specifically recommends not using this phrase. You should be listening to the CTAF for some time before you reach the pattern. If someone's there and on the radio, you'll hear their call-outs and know they're there. If they're not on the radio, then asking them to advise is useless. I generally ignore this request when I'm in the pattern. I figure they'll hear my next call-out within 30 seconds anyway.

"Tally ho": "Traffic sighted visually."

It really means that you have your weapon sights aimed at the enemy aircraft. Civilians that use this phrase sound like posers. Stick with "traffic in sight"

"With you": "I'm just changing to your frequency, not asking for any request."

I've heard people use this in place of "request" on their initial call up for flight following.

"Checking in": Same as "with you"

That's what I use after a hand-off.

"Over": "Your turn to respond."

Not used in aviation.

"Roger": "I heard you say something."

It also implies that you understood what they said, or at least think you did.

"Roger wilco": "I heard you say something and will do whatever I think you said."

Redundant. Wilco implies roger.

"Out": "Don't bother responding, I'm no longer listening."

Not used in aviation.

"Taking the active": "Preparing to take off. Watch out for me."

What's the active? At a non-towered airport, there technically is no active. Why not just give the runway number?

"Flight level 08": "Altitude 8,000, level"

FL080 is 8000 feet. This implies that the altimeter setting is 29.92. You generally don't start referring to flight levels until FL180

 

[1600vw]

For several minutes. Makes you wonder if your radios are still working, or if you did something like turn the volume down by accident.

Bravo 123 you copy last transmission.....then nothing...that kind of silence....its then I think all of us would be happy just to hear...yep good buddy I am right hear.....

 

[Bill]

Hearing beeping on 121.5. Then ATC asking the various planes in their sector who can hear it and how loud. And then hearing ATC asking planes to look. And then flying out of the sector not knowing...

 

[Sac Arrow]

"Can you repeat that?": "Say again"

Technically, it means "Can you fire another artillery barrage?"

 

[wabower]

The simple way to handle these things that seem to knot your knickers is to approach the offending pilot on the ramp or in the FBO and express your annoyance and then read the correct terminology aloud from the AIM you conveniently have tucked under your arm.

Try to do it in as high and squeaky a voice as possible.

 

[Ted]

"With you" is also annoyingly redundant to me as well.

However, that opinion has become tempered somewhat. Many, many times while IFR or VFR flight following, I'll have the following exchange:

ATC facility doesn't matter, let's say it's Indy Center:

Indy Center: Cessna 123, contact Indy Center on 123.45.
Me: Indy Center on 123.45, Cessna 123.
(change frequencies)
Me: Indy Center, Cessna 123 (that's all I'm required and expected to say. Altitude confirmation isn't needed since it's the same facility.)
Indy Center: Cessna 123, Indy Center, go ahead.
Me (awkwardly): Um, just checking in, Cessna 123.
Indy Center: Roger, altimeter 30.17.
Me: 30.17, Cessna 123.

So, I'm not required or expected to say anything else other than my callsign when changing frequencies within the same facility. The next controller took the handoff, and should know about me, but it often seems as if it's a surprise, or he thinks I have a request. When you change facilities, you're expected to say your current altitude for Mode C verification, but not with the same facility.

To avoid this, I've just started saying my altitude on ANY handoff between radar controllers. It's redundant and unnecessary, but it seems to help reduce transmissions.

So although I don't like "with you", I could see a similar benefit to saying that instead.

That's rather interesting. Whenever handed off to a new controller (not to be confused with "Change to my frequency" I was taught to check in with my altitude. I didn't realize you didn't need to, and based on your experience, I'll probably keep doing it my way.

 

[wsuffa]

for me the two things that annoy the heck out of me is when pilots always start off their transmissions with and. Example: AND cessna 123 left downwind runway 18. you don't need to start off with and, just say your numbers!

The "ah" or "and" serves a couple of legit purposes. If someone has a voice-operated transmit switch (not real common, but there are some around), the word serves to get the transmitter keyed up & operating before the important words come out. As noted by others, it also serves to break squelch (same kind of mechanism).

 

[ChrisK]

I carefully explained to them what this frequency they had locked up was actually being used for in the San Diego area, as in students reporting their intentions. I suggested they switch to another frequency that is less used, like 121.5 hoping they would be dumb enough to use it for their chatter. They did get off the frequency, but then it seemed like all the students got on at the same time, I still had to wait to announce my intentions.

122.75 is the designated air-to-air frequency in the continental US. Using another frequency to talk to each other would have been illegal (as I suspect you know given your jab about 121.5). I see your point though - if they wanted to jabber, they probably should have landed

 

[flyingcheesehead]

The frequency used in the San Diego area for air to air traffic is 122.75, that is the frequency that students use to let people know what their next shenanigan is going to be, along with their wild guess as to where they are going to attempt doing it. For some reason, being able to tell others what you are up to gives a student a little comfort, along with a false sense of security

When I was a student flying solo out to the NE practice area, when I tuned into 122.75 there were a couple of pilots from the Los Angeles area dominating the frequency like it was their own personal intercom.

John,

That's what 122.75 is actually for. If they use it for a practice area somewhere because there's really that much traffic, they should get the FAA to assign a CTAF, not just use the air-to-air. Then, it'll also be published on a chart so that transient traffic can know about it as well. Just having a bunch of students self-announce on 122.75, as you noted, isn't good for much besides giving them a false sense of security.

So, there's nothing wrong with what those LA guys were doing - That's what 122.75 is for.

 

[Monpilot]

my peave is when I call control and they don't answer me. they talk to everyone else but not me.. and I've changed frequencies to verify my radio is working speaking to other aircraft yet control ignores me until I get to the next sector and switch to their frequency.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

The first word break squelch and makes the second work understandable. As for the fish finder comment, it lets ATC know you have active traffic detection equipment aboard. It's not like /G where they know you have GPS.

The "Fish finder" comment is useless, ATC is asking if you have the traffic because they want you to do something that requires visual contact. To ATC, it doesn't matter if you say "We've got 'em on the fish finder" or "negative contact" - They have to treat you as if you don't have them in sight. So the fish finder thing is useless.

 

[stratobee]

I've never understood why people get their undies in a twist over "Any traffic please advise" on CTAF. I think it's a perfectly sensible and useful question. The sooner I know the traffic situation coming into a pattern, the better and safer we all are. And if someone asks me, I'll tell them where I am and what I'm doing.

What phrase would be better? And how is just listening out and waiting for someone to transmit their position safer than volunteering that info?

 

[jtheune]

The "Fish finder" comment is useless, ATC is asking if you have the traffic because they want you to do something that requires visual contact. To ATC, it doesn't matter if you say "We've got 'em on the fish finder" or "negative contact" - They have to treat you as if you don't have them in sight. So the fish finder thing is useless.

I think that in actuality ATC is asking you to do something that requires you know where the other plane is exactly in relationship to you. Normally that is visual but it does not have to be. Letting ATC know what equipment you have on board is not useless.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I've never understood why people get their undies in a twist over "Any traffic please advise" on CTAF. I think it's a perfectly sensible and useful question. The sooner I know the traffic situation coming into a pattern, the better and safer we all are. And if someone asks me, I'll tell them where I am and what I'm doing.

What phrase would be better? And how is just listening out and waiting for someone to transmit their position safer than volunteering that info?

It's like saying "Hey everybody, talk at once and stop on each other so that nobody can hear anything!"

Report your position. Any prudent pilot on the frequency will report their position without the ATITAPA request. In fact, there are many pilots so sick of that phrase that they specifically DON'T answer when it's used. Not to mention, the FAA feels strongly enough about this issue that they added a note to the AIM specifically saying NOT to use it.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

I think that in actuality ATC is asking you to do something that requires you know where the other plane is exactly in relationship to you. Normally that is visual but it does not have to be. Letting ATC know what equipment you have on board is not useless.

They cannot give you a visual approach or "maintain visual separation from that traffic" based on your "fish finder." I haven't found it yet, but I read an article at one point written by a controller with the details of why that is a useless call to them - They need to know that you can see the traffic with your mark I eyeballs.

 

[retailguy]

I've never understood why people get their undies in a twist over "Any traffic please advise" on CTAF. I think it's a perfectly sensible and useful question. The sooner I know the traffic situation coming into a pattern, the better and safer we all are. And if someone asks me, I'll tell them where I am and what I'm doing.

What phrase would be better? And how is just listening out and waiting for someone to transmit their position safer than volunteering that info?

I take it as a warning that the pilot doing the transmission isn't paying attention. Even on an IFR approach you should be monitoring the CTAF frequency of your intended landing airport. Put that second radio to good use!

There is no reason you shouldn't KNOW who is in the pattern before you announce yourself.

 

[retailguy]

Cessna 123 is taking the active

Winner - This is the one for me.

Every single time I resist the urge to reply "Where are you taking it? I'm going to need it in a few minutes..."

 

[sdpilot]

I have two that get me and they are both responses to traffic advisories from ATC. "Tallyho" just sounds like you are trying to hard to be cool. I know it's a military response but unless you are a fighter jet pilot- leave it to those guys please!. The other is "searching for traffic." Searching??!!- it's not a word search guys, and it's not a search and rescue. How about "looking" or better yet, negative contact.

Actually "searching" is a word and is appropriate in this context. With that said I agree that I don't like it either.

search noun
: an attempt to find someone or something : the act or process of looking for someone or something

: an attempt to find information in a database, network, Web site, etc., by using a computer program

 

[danhagan]

"converging traffic 12 o'clock 3 miles type and altitude unknown"

"Converging traffic 12 o'clock 3 miles YOUR ALTITUDE" is even worse when you're looking into the sun. BTDT, and ATC wouldn't give an avoidance vector/altitude.

Also got "NXXXX, execute immediate descent to xxxx" while in California (never saw the traffic, but at least I got the warning).

Not one that I hate, but one the pilot probably did:

"U.S. Airforce xxx ... Nxxx you've been intercepted, rock your wings" ... heard that one four times nearing Tucson on last California trip (this wasn't a drill ... ATC tried to save the intercept by tranmitting 5 times before AF did on 121.5).

 

[N5922S]

Dagger 11 flight 5 mile initial for the break.

Must have been RV drivers.

 

[teethdoc]

I was on flight following in the area of Pensacola Naval Air Station. Pensacola approach says "Piper 969, squawk VFR, i can't keep up with all the traffic, you are on your own" In the next 5 minutes i saw 4 T34 Turbine Mentors, 3 OH-58's. Probably a lot I missed too. Was glad to get on the ground at Jack Edwards. Was my mother's first trip into Jack Edwards.

I did my long solo xc into Jack Edwards. Wow. My instructor had a lot of confidence. It's like the wild west.

 

[Bill]

I did my long solo xc into Jack Edwards. Wow. My instructor had a lot of confidence. It's like the wild west.

Pensacola and Destin are two of my most favorite places to fly, very busy down there with all the military activity.

 

[Velocity173]

They cannot give you a visual approach or "maintain visual separation from that traffic" based on your "fish finder." I haven't found it yet, but I read an article at one point written by a controller with the details of why that is a useless call to them - They need to know that you can see the traffic with your mark I eyeballs.

+ 2 on both the fish finder and any traffic in the area announce.

"Fish Finder" or even TCAS is a wasted transmission because it doesn't affect how the controller handles the situation. He still has to keep issuing traffic until the pilot has it in sight. Now someone reacting to an RA, that matters because you're trying to keep him from other IFR traffic you have separation responsibility for.

I agree, "any traffic in the area" is an even bigger waste of transmission. If you have 3-4 aircraft in the pattern the reply is just going to hog the freq with nonsense. That's why the AIM says not to do it. I just ignore it and continue with my normal reporting.

 

[skidoo]

ATC: "Decend and maintain blah blah... Blah blah blah xxx blah blah yyy blah." All said in microseconds.

Me: Decend and maintain what? Please say the other part again slowly...

ATC: "Decend and maintain Niner thousand. Hurry on down! Traffic 12 o'clock opposite direction!"

Holy cow. If it is urgent, please say it clearly and not too fast the first time.

 

[Vaflier]

49N. Traffic 2 miles 12 oclock same altitude west bound ( I am eastbound ) radar indicates targets likely to merge

 

[signu127]

Piper 123pg WITH YOU

The with you has become so annoying to me.

This is what I was told to say when handed off from approach to ground...could you please let me know what I should be saying??

thanks!

 

[flyingcheesehead]

This is what I was told to say when handed off from approach to ground...could you please let me know what I should be saying??

If I were handed off from Approach to Ground, I'd ask to talk to Tower first.

But "with you" is useless. They pretty much all can use some sort of information, such as what your altitude is (they need to check your mode C), what ATIS you have, what approach you're flying, etc.

If you're handed off between Approach and/or Center frequencies en route, try "Metropolis Center, Bugsmasher 12345, level four thousand five hundred."

If you're being handed off to the approach for your destination, "Podunk Approach, Bugsmasher 12345, landing with Alpha."

When Approach hands you to Tower, "Podunk Tower, Bugsmasher 12345, right base runway 35."

When Tower hands you to Ground, "Podunk Ground, Bugsmasher 12345 clear of 35 on Echo for the East ramp."

My favorite cram-lots-into-one-radio-call situation is cold-calling Approach for a VFR arrival. "Madison Approach, Mooney 97ST, Watertown four thousand five hundred, landing with Juliet." It tells them where I am (over Watertown), what altitude I'm at (they'll want to check my mode C), what I'm going to do (full stop landing at Madison), and that I have ATIS Juliet. And it gets that all across in about 5 seconds. They'll give me a squawk first, then call radar contact and assign a runway and pattern entry. Unless there's traffic or they need to vector me or change my speed for sequencing, I probably won't hear from them again 'til I get the handoff to tower.

There are *always* more useful things to say than "with you."

 

[Sac Arrow]

This is what I was told to say when handed off from approach to ground...could you please let me know what I should be saying??

thanks!

How do you get handed off from approach to ground?

(New Orleans tower, Cessna XXXX 3,000 feet....)

 

[AuntPeggy]

When handed off from approach to center or to approach, you say something like "Cincinnati Approach, BugSmasher 1 2 3 A B, level three thousand assigned." The "assigned" is only applicable if you have been assigned an altitude temporarily. If you are climbing or descending, substitute those words for "level".

When handed off from approach to tower, you say something like, "Bridgeport Tower, BugSmasher 1 2 3 A B, level three thousand, 12 miles north, with ATIS Bravo, set up for Runway 11."

 

[Sac Arrow]

When handed off from approach to center or to approach, you say something like "Cincinnati Approach, BugSmasher 1 2 3 A B, level three thousand assigned." The "assigned" is only applicable if you have been assigned an altitude temporarily. If you are climbing or descending, substitute those words for "level".

When handed off from approach to tower, you say something like, "Bridgeport Tower, BugSmasher 1 2 3 A B, level three thousand, 12 miles north, with ATIS Bravo, request full stop landing, set up for Runway 11."

Why? They already know where you are and what direction you're coming from and will assume you want to land unless you tell them otherwise. They will give you the pattern assignment and runway.

 

[JimNtexas]

My favorite cram-lots-into-one-radio-call situation is cold-calling Approach for a VFR arrival. "Madison Approach, Mooney 97ST, Watertown four thousand five hundred, landing with Juliet." It tells them where I am (over Watertown), what altitude I'm at (they'll want to check my mode C), what I'm going to do (full stop landing at Madison), and that I have ATIS Juliet. And it gets that all across in about 5 seconds. They'll give me a squawk first, then call radar contact and assign a runway and pattern entry. Unless there's traffic or they need to vector me or change my speed for sequencing, I probably won't hear from them again 'til I get the handoff to tower.

​

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BUGSMASHER 1234 WITH YOU"

"With you" is NEVER needed. If you are worried about 'breaking the squelch' just key the mic and wait .3 seconds and say 'Bugsmasher 1234, 5000 feet'. Assuming you are actually at 5000 feet. If you are supposed to be at 5000 but are really at 5200 then man up and say 'Bugsmasher 1234, five thousand two hundred feet'.

Do NOT say 'five point two'. THERE ARE NO POINTS!

Don't say 'flight level' unless you actually know what a flight level actually is, and how to tell if you are at one.

If you have an emergency and are in the United States you can say either 'MAYDAY' or 'Bugsmasher 1234 declaring an emergency'. If you are not in the United States use only 'MAYDAY' or 'PAN PAN PAN' if you need priority handling.

Never try to dance around the fact that you need priority handling (which is what 'emergency' means).

If you are in the earth's atmosphere do NOT say "Houston Center, we have a problem"! Nobody gives a rat's behind about your petty little 'problem'.

I will magnanimously grant you limited use of 'Any traffic please advise'. It's horrible, but the fact is that all the 'with you' and 'ahhhhhhhhhhhh' pilots are out there and those are the ones who may not be bright enough to take the hint when you make your initial call on the CTAF.

Just realize that 'any traffic' makes you sound like a dork.

And for heaven's sake, don't use 121.5 for air to air chit chat!!!!!!!!

 

[signu127]

If I were handed off from Approach to Ground, I'd ask to talk to Tower first.

There are *always* more useful things to say than "with you."

Yea, that is what I meant...ha!

 

[signu127]

How do you get handed off from approach to ground?

(New Orleans tower, Cessna XXXX 3,000 feet....)

I don't work and play well at the same time.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

When handed off from approach to tower, you say something like, "Bridgeport Tower, BugSmasher 1 2 3 A B, level three thousand, 12 miles north, with ATIS Bravo, set up for Runway 11."

Even that has some extraneous stuff - Handed from Approach to Tower, the tower doesn't care what your altitude is or even where you are (they know you're coming already), and "ATIS" is extraneous. "Set up for", I'd reduce to just "for" if Approach assigned a runway.

If you're cold-calling a tower, "Podunk Tower, Bugsmasher 123AB, 12 north, landing with Bravo."

 

[Clark1961]

If you are in the earth's atmosphere do NOT say "Houston Center, we have a problem"! Nobody gives a rat's behind about your petty little 'problem'.

But I was talkin' to Houston when the mag started missing...

hmmm, 'started missing' is that an oxymoron?

 

[signu127]

If you're being handed off to the approach for your destination, "Podunk Approach, Bugsmasher 12345, landing with Alpha."

What do you mean by handed to approach...from who?

and thanks for all this great info!

 

[painless]

Must have been RV drivers.

This is one of the things I get tired of seeing in this forum......



Jeff Orear
RV6A N782P
Peshtigo, WI

 

[weirdjim]

And for heaven's sake, don't use 121.5 for air to air chit chat!!!

.
.
... or 123.4 or 123.45 unless you want to be talking to The Man when (s)he finally catches up with you.

These two frequencies are reserved to manufacturers for flight test. I'm sure you can imagine what it is like to be at the end of a two hour test involving thousands of dollars of test pilot and fully instrumented and sensored aircraft when the last 15 minutes of the engineering data tape is BillyBob chatting with Goober about how much beer they drank the night before ... or other items of intense interest.
.
.
Jim (Been there, done that, listened while an airshow performer got nailed with a $10k fine for willing and malicious interference with a VERY expensive test.)
.
.

 

[maneth]

There's a difference between "Contact center at xxx.xx" and "Change to my frequency xxx.xx". If you are asked to "contact center" then that's a new controller unfamiliar with you that's getting a handoff. "Change to my frequency" keeps you with the same person but on a different transmitter location as you move across the ground. When I get a "change to my frequency" request I change and key up with "Cessna 123 with you on xxx.xx", never had a problem that way.

This is what I do, or maybe Cessna 123 up on xxx.xx, not sure where I got that... Probably someone's pet peeve!

 

[MAKG1]

Why? They already know where you are and what direction you're coming from and will assume you want to land unless you tell them otherwise. They will give you the pattern assignment and runway.

I'll say all that stuff on an initial contact, but for a handoff, it's just current altitude climb/descent if appropriate, and any restrictions (e.g., "restricted above 1500" is sometimes given when crossing Moffett Class D). The last part is to get Tower to lift the restrictions....which they almost always forget without that.

Even for a handoff to Tower. Approach has already asked me to report when I have the weather.

A typical handoff is just "Norcal Approach Spamcan 123XY at 3500."

There are a bunch of those to be done for nearly every arrival or departure out of the southern Bay Area. It's kinda nice to keep them short, or that's all you do. There are a lot of airspace sectors.