Last time I said that it turned into a cold ass night.
In years of operating single pilot GA aircraft in and out of minor and major airports all around the world I am very conscious of maintaining a live ear to ATC especially when airwaves are getting saturated. This is not easy when in an unfamiliar environment, where novel procedures and local accents may apply, and task saturation is close to being maxed out. Even when I’m PNF in an unfamiliar aircraft I take note of call sign and alert PF if I think they have missed a call, as sometimes their familiarity leads them to anticipate things, like GND taxi directions. In my own embarrassing list, I was at one time inbound from the north to a metro airport adjacent to a nearby major international with parallel runways and little terminal separation, and was cleared Visual Approach to join L base and land RW 35, “great” I thought, 35 is roughly N and I coming from N in so its a straight in, and it will keep me clear of the heavies off to that side, so realigned my track to the Left for oblique ‘base’ for the now visible runway among the lights of the freeways and the city and steepened my descent, relieved that this was well clear of the nearby traffic and was a gimme, DUH!!! when ATC pointed out that I was getting lined up on 17, and that I was to make close visual descent on downwind for a left base for 35, I had a blinding insight of clarity that although I heard and responded to all ATC directions, I had programmed myself to fly for a downwind landing 180 degrees from assigned runway because that was what I wanted. I had allowed my expectations to influence my perceptions and interpreted the clearance to suit this situation. it was end of a long day and I was a little tired perhaps, but I didn’t listen to what I heard. I was visual and didn’t self brief the approach procedure as it all seemed to be conveniently on rails. One of the dumbest of dumb elementary mistakes, but fortunately the metro domestic airport had no departing traffic, so no harm done, except for my ego. ATC was very alert at this airport due to the proximity of the nearby heavy traffic and saw my error quickly and provided the corrective directions promptly, or it could have become much more embarrassing if the runway numbers in the landing lights on short final were the wrong ones.
An international foreign heavy had lined up to land on the freeway beside the regional not long previously and ATC was very sensitive and keen to keep the heavies on their own airport on the other side of the freeway, thankfully.
An F4u just took off outside my airport based office, so I’m drawn to go and watch it, as a moth is drawn to a flame, and i will likely be unable to hear anything other than the rumble of that engine while my friend is practicing his aeros routine overhead.
PS that ZULU movie reference was great. this was one of the inspirational movies we were shown as cadets in the air force many years ago, a great movie, even if totally unrelated to daylight saving.
I have always herd that Zulu time is for Zero meridian line used to navigate with sexton
Randy, I did not know this so I googled it. Zulu Time follows an alphabetical military time zone listing.
Time zone name Other names
A Alpha Time Zone UTC +1
B Bravo Time Zone UTC +2
C Charlie Time Zone UTC +3
D Delta Time Zone UTC +4
E Echo Time Zone UTC +5
F Foxtrot Time Zone UTC +6
G Golf Time Zone UTC +7
H Hotel Time Zone UTC +8
I India Time Zone UTC +9
K Kilo Time Zone UTC +10
L Lima Time Zone UTC +11
M Mike Time Zone UTC +12
N November Time Zone UTC -1
O Oscar Time Zone UTC -2
P Papa Time Zone UTC -3
Q Quebec Time Zone UTC -4
R Romeo Time Zone UTC -5
S Sierra Time Zone UTC -6
T Tango Time Zone UTC -7
U Uniform Time Zone UTC -8
V Victor Time Zone UTC -9
W Whiskey Time Zone UTC -10
X X-ray Time Zone UTC -11
Y Yankee Time Zone UTC -12
Z Zulu Time Zone UTC +0
As instructors we need to teach (and model) the behaviors we want to see. With regard to radio discipline, make it a habit to immediately cease ALL conversation the moment you hear anyone talking on the radio. Even if that means stopping in the middle of a word. Talkative passengers in busy airspace? Explain before the engine starts the ‘Sterile Cockpit’ concept and if they do not comply, that you will be making extensive use of the ISO switch before returning to the airport to drop them off from their last flight with you.
“ATC talks, Pilots listen” Who’s heard that before?
One more retired ATC here, adding kudos to Paul for his contributions to GA history.
Well done Paul. Great article!
I use and at least monitor ATC all the time. The frequency of this kind of incident is appalling. The use of non standard phraseology by pilots, the inability to follow directions, respond correctly is appalling. These are I suspect the same pilots that go to fly ins and barge through the pattern, cut off people, land the wrong way and then wonder why everyone is so angry. Oblivious.
In my experience it is just as often that ATC doesn’t respond until the second or third call. That’s just one of the limitations of trying to communicate over radio in a busy, noisy environment. Let’s not be too critical of each other - just do our best to listen up and patient when our first call isn’t immediately answered.
Did you get a statement of charges for the truck?
Jim K. that was so funny I almost blew coffee out of my nose, and I’m still laughing! Brilliant! ?
Raf S. Talk about poking the bear in the nose! You’re a brave man! ???
Tried to teach a 20 year old about military time nearly 5 years ago at work and he just COULDN’T grasp the concept. So I told another veteran “I guess trying to explain Zulu time would be a waste?” Was Infantry in the '70’s Army Infantry and we all knew how to use Zulu.
Aircraft/ATC communications are like listening to a baseball game. To know what’s going on you need to pay attention, and be fully involved as PIC. Unlike baseball, flying can be unforgiving of mistakes and bad luck.
There have been a few of times when ATC has gently reminded me of this. Once on a night cross-country flight I checked-into ATC for flight following and gave my destination (standard practice). A few minutes later they asked me to say my destination again. I told them and they recommended a turn 20 degrees in the right direction. I thanked them and quietly realized how lucky I am to have them on my team.
Multiple missed calls has happened many times over the last 50 years, but the problem seems to be getting much worse in recent ones. I’d guess it parallels developments with cars which are rapidly turning into rolling home entertainment systems with a corresponding increase in accidents and deaths. IMO, a PIC has no business listening to tunes, phone calls, texting or otherwise messing around with doo-dads while in contact with ATC and barely any business when not.
Nonstandard phraseology is like herpes…