why are US commercial pilots just so cool? i mean, i am a german pilot, and when i'm listening to US-ATC, ....

Question

............ i sometimes cannot imagine what is going on out there. like nobody would ever have heard something about ATC phraseologies.
i mean, let's take this example.
ATC final approach control to the flight XX: XX, 10 miles from winni, fly heading 010, reduce to 190 kn, cross winni at or above 4000, intercept the localizer.

and the answer from that pilot was someting like: "winni at or above 4000, interecpting". i mean, he just didn't acknowledge at lot of informations. is that really normal? i mean we all know that busy airports do not have much time that like everybody repeats every ATC advice, but is that the really good way?

Answer 1

The Aeronautical Infomration manual states that pilots must read back runway assignments and hold short instructions. It states they SHOULD read back altitude assignments and vectors, but it isn't required.

Lufthansa operates a training facility in Phoenix. Their bright yellow bonanzas practice instrument approaches at Casa Grande. They are referred to as "the yellow menace" partly because they waste so much radio time at a very busy uncontrolled field.

I personally tailor my readbacks to the amount of frequency congestion. When approach is in rapid-fire mode, I may respond with a wilco and my tail number. En route when the only thing on the radio is a handoff every 20 minutes, I'll read back all assigned altitudes and vectors.

Answer 2

Really the pilot could have said "Wilco" and been fine as far as the regulations are concerned. We are probably not so readback intense in native English speaking countries because, well, we know and understand the language more.

If German was the ICAO language, I'm sure US pilots would be reading back every little detail. Really though from the controller's point of view the pilot has the crossing restriction, vector and knows why they have the vector. Only part they didn't read back was their speed restriction which a controller could easily know about if they weren't following instructions. Is it really worth the controller's and pilot's time to make the pilot confirm reciept of reduce speed to one niner zero? If it was a non radar environment sure (not that speed restrictions do much in that instance) because the controller would have no way of knowing otherwise.

Besides if the speed restriction was to 190 if the pilot botched the reduce to, the controller could make up for it with a more agressive restriction and ensure it was met a short time later.

Answer 3

i think of all of you may could desire to spend some years contained in the atmosphere of a commercial airline. Passengers are actually not effective and are often completely unreasonable. on an identical time "the customer is often proper". airplane whilst very secure, are very unforgiving of undesirable operation and abuse. that's obtainable to crash one in case you do sufficient stupid issues on an identical time. administration does not care approximately protection, passengers or workers. the only project is the base line for the present quarter. Passengers are appearing 0.5 nuts most of the time, unreasonable the the remainder of the time. administration is continuously pushing you to cut back corners, and do greater with much less. The FAA mandated "relax" sessions for flight and upkeep human beings does not evaluate shuttle time, foodstuff or extreme fatigue from rigidity. I even have marveled at how few human beings in those jobs certainly certainly lose it on the interest. maximum persons had some kind of rigidity proper issue. maximum persons have been divorced, and alcoholism became the norm. maximum of my coworkers wrecked a vehicle each and every three hundred and sixty 5 days of so. enjoyed ones violence became not uncommon. yet that is all ok, you have become there greater fee-effective than you canchronic. And on time too!

Answer 4

Many ATC instructions come in a standard format, we dont need to parrot back all the mindless drivel in the middle, just the important parts. "4000, 190 knots, join the loc" gets the job done. The freqs would be jam packed if we read back every single word in our instructions.

Answer 5

No offense is intended here but it is my experience based on three years of communicating with German Army operators on a teletype circuit that Germans are very precise and sometimes not flexible at all. Americans just aren't that precise. Why say a lot when the barest minimum will suffice? Again no offense is intended, I enjoyed my time with the Bundeswehr.

Answer 6

All very good answers from the other fellas.......very true about the frequencies in major terminal areas being very congested.....brevity is the key...accuracy, of course, but don't tie up the frequency in an area like Chicago or Kennedy........then too, if a controller WANTS exact confirmation, he'll say" "Read Back"

Answer 7

I feel yes it is a good way because then if the pilot misunderstood the atc advice then when he repeats it the ATC can correct him so he doesnt make a serious mistake and possibly kill many ppl

Answer 8

With more aviation going on in the US than in most other countries, the frequencies here would get a lot more congested than they are now if guys didn't give abbreviated readbacks. On any weekend with good flying weather, you'll hear guys stepping all over each other.

Answer 9

We dont actually have to repeat it back exactly word for word, we simply have to acknowledge it. We could just say wilco and that would be it. When we are used to a certain approach then that would be really strait forward and understood.

Answer 10

When picking up their route the US pilots tend to be as precise as anyone, but they are fairly lax for the sort of example you give. But to be fair he did hit most of the important points.