MikeDs Tech Tips 2

[MikeD]

ATC communications.

I made a post not too long ago where I gave a brief description of how I feel ATC communications should be handled. In it, I described how comms should be C3 (C-cubed), or clear/concise/correct. What I failed to mention (since it was somewhat out of the scope of that particular post) was some of the other odd items I hear on ATC freqs that particularly irk me.

A few weeks ago, I was flying a practice approach into a local joint-use (military/civilian) field. I spent a longer than usual time on local-control's (tower's ) frequency since approach control switched me to tower early and I was circling to a low approach for the perpendicular runway. During the frequency change, I decided to monitor tower on both the UHF frequency and the VHF frequency, so I could hear everything that was going on. Two F-16s were also recovering from the overhead pattern to full-stops. As they came off the perch for the final turn (military jets don't fly square patterns, hence no base turn, just downwind to final), tower cleared them to land with "Hitman 11, winds 130 at 8, check wheels down, cleared to land." The lead aircraft acknowleged his landing clearance, and both aircraft landed. Shortly thereafter, a GA Piper Seminole was cleared to land on the parallel runway. The tower transmitted "Seminole XXX, winds 130/10, check wheels down, runway 11 Right,cleared to land." To which the Seminoles' (I assume with the different voice and being a flight school craft) CFI rudely replied "XXX, cleared to land, and we're capable of taking care of our own gear tower, thank you very much." Now it's thankless arrogant jackasses like that guy that I'd love to give a good ass-kicking to. What Mr. I-know-it-all-inbreed-CFI, didn't seem to realize, was that tower controllers at military fields, are required by military reg to give a "check wheels" call to military aircraft. At military fields, tower will give this call to everybody, at joint-use fields, tower will give this call to the military aircraft. Occasionally, they'll give this call to a civilian aircraft out of habit, or if they're working both military and civilian aircraft in the pattern at the same time. I personally would appreciate a quick reminder to check-wheels one more time prior to touchdown. However, some pilots that are either arrogant, or control freaks, or both, worry that this simple reminder is ATC trying to "fly" their aircraft for them, which is far from the case. It's a military reg granted, but if a controller uses it on you, Mr. GA pilot, out of habit, there's no call for being snotty on the radio simply because you may feel intimidated and/or insecure. I'm sure this same GA pilot would raise hell if he landed gear up about "why didn't tower tell me my gear was up, weren't they paying attention to ME as I was landing?" Point is, don't get offended if you're ever told to "check gear" by tower, it may just save your bacon one of these days.

Another interesting tidbit I heard on the ATC freqs that caught my attention was an IFE (inflight emergency) in progress from a few months ago. In that instance, an aircraft declared an emergency in Class B airspace. The weather was broken CB with rain, enough-so that IFR aircraft were being vectored to instrument final, with no visual approaches being issued. The aircraft with the IFE (rough-running engine on a Cessna 421) couldn't understand why he wasn't getting immediate vectors to final to land, and whyhe was told to "stand-by" by ATC. He raised hell a few times about it to ATC. But there seemed to be, from my perspective, a few things he failed to understand about ATC and how they work. Now, I fully understand that anytime someone declares an IFE, they expect, and should receive, priority handling to the maximum extent possible. Keep in mind the last part of that sentence: "to the maximum extent possible." When someone has an IFE, their only worry is (rightfully) their aircraft and themselves, but they've got to understand why somethings may happen that may not initially go their way. When an IFE gets declared to ATC, the controller's entire scope doesn't come to a grinding halt. He still has those (possibly) 10+ MTI "blips" to sequence and separate. Once someone declares an IFE, chances are, they've now thrown a monkey wrench into the controllers sequence/separation plan; they're a pain-in-the-ass now for all intents and purposes. He still has his other traffic to work while he works to prioritize the IFE, and may very well have to have the IFE "stand by" while he coordinates with other sectors/tower for the IFE, etc; this workload being possibly multiplied ten-fold if the WX is actual IFR due to sequencing needs and the lack of visual approaches/separation available. Often times, an IFE may just have to recover within the flow that's already in place. It's a crap-sandwitch, I know, but you play the cards you're dealt.

Having an IFE isn't any fun for the crew involved, but it can be not-so-fun for ATC also, due to their responsibilities. In the heat of the moment, both sides will have to do the best they can with the situation at hand. Hopefully, reading this, pilots can understand what's going on with that voice that may be telling them to "stand by" during their IFE.

MD

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[Stone Cold]

Originally Posted by MikeD

ATC communications.

A few weeks ago, I was flying a practice approach into a local joint-use (military/civilian) field. I spent a longer than usual time on local-control's (tower's ) frequency since approach control switched me to tower early and I was circling to a low approach for the perpendicular runway. During the frequency change, I decided to monitor tower on both the UHF frequency and the VHF frequency, so I could hear everything that was going on. Two F-16s were also recovering from the overhead pattern to full-stops. As they came off the perch for the final turn (military jets don't fly square patterns, hence no base turn, just downwind to final), tower cleared them to land with "Hitman 11, winds 130 at 8, check wheels down, cleared to land." The lead aircraft acknowleged his landing clearance, and both aircraft landed. Shortly thereafter, a GA Piper Seminole was cleared to land on the parallel runway. The tower transmitted "Seminole XXX, winds 130/10, check wheels down, runway 11 Right,cleared to land." To which the Seminoles' (I assume with the different voice and being a flight school craft) CFI rudely replied "XXX, cleared to land, and we're capable of taking care of our own gear tower, thank you very much." Now it's thankless arrogant jackasses like that guy that I'd love to give a good ass-kicking to. What Mr. I-know-it-all-inbreed-CFI, didn't seem to realize, was that tower controllers at military fields, are required by military reg to give a "check wheels" call to military aircraft. At military fields, tower will give this call to everybody, at joint-use fields, tower will give this call to the military aircraft. Occasionally, they'll give this call to a civilian aircraft out of habit, or if they're working both military and civilian aircraft in the pattern at the same time. I personally would appreciate a quick reminder to check-wheels one more time prior to touchdown. However, some pilots that are either arrogant, or control freaks, or both, worry that this simple reminder is ATC trying to "fly" their aircraft for them, which is far from the case. It's a military reg granted, but if a controller uses it on you, Mr. GA pilot, out of habit, there's no call for being snotty on the radio simply because you may feel intimidated and/or insecure. I'm sure this same GA pilot would raise hell if he landed gear up about "why didn't tower tell me my gear was up, weren't they paying attention to ME as I was landing?" Point is, don't get offended if you're ever told to "check gear" by tower, it may just save your bacon one of these days.

We get this all the time at Rickenbacker airport in Ohio all the time. I have never heard anybody give the controllers a hard time, and would probably say something to them if they did over frequency (this coming from a guy who flies fixed gear only airplanes...for now. Used to be a mix.). LCK is a joint use airfield, with some great controllers to deal with Fed Ex, Kalitta, and some other big cargo guys, along with us and all of our planes buzzing around. Those guys/gals are a great example of professionalism and great to work with.

TX

[averyrm]

For sure, those guys at rick do an amazing job. Leaving on the city meet is almost awe-inspiring.

[Ian J]

Here's a funny thing about how stringent the military controllers are with the "check wheels down" requirement: They rountinely have told me to check my wheels down in a Chinook... and when I was a junior pilot and didn't understand why in the heck they'd tell me to put my wheels down in a fixed gear helicopter my PC squared me away quick-like. From then on I'd happily respond to them with "wheels down, cleared to land, Army Copter 12345."

[fish314]

They'll probably give that same call to a UH-1, and it's got skids instead of wheels, so don't feel too bad!

[BobDDuck]

We got it in Yuma (which sort of sounds like the airport in the initial story) all the time. It became such a habit to me that even in the pattern at other towered fields I would some times call "XXX left base gear down". Nothing wrong with one more check.

[Ian J]

That reminds me... I was jumpseating in a Chinook into Bagram one night after the two pilots who were flying had a bad dust landing and sheered one of the aft landing gear off. Could have used a check wheels call there too...

[Bandit_Driver]

Originally Posted by fish314

They'll probably give that same call to a UH-1, and it's got skids instead of wheels, so don't feel too bad!

So would the proper response be Down and Welded, cleared to land?