Squawk Ident
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, North Shore
Re: Squawk Ident
I have always just idented and teach same, never had a complaint. That doesn't mean it's correct though, maybe I'll start saying my callsign at the same time.
CpnCrunch, as long as your flight plan has been tagged up correctly with the ats unit you are dealing with then yes, they see your callsign top of your target's data block. It's fairly common however for the flight planning system in Pacific Region to drop the ball somewhere, even when you have filed a flight plan exactly the way they specify. I have many times assumed that the new controller after a handoff knew who I was and where I was going only to discover they had no info on me.
CpnCrunch, as long as your flight plan has been tagged up correctly with the ats unit you are dealing with then yes, they see your callsign top of your target's data block. It's fairly common however for the flight planning system in Pacific Region to drop the ball somewhere, even when you have filed a flight plan exactly the way they specify. I have many times assumed that the new controller after a handoff knew who I was and where I was going only to discover they had no info on me.
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Re: Squawk Ident
Helicopter guy in Calgary here. I've only squawked ident when asked, no response. After being asked to squawk, these guys are so busy talking to others that it takes a while for them to say I am identified. Maybe they get to to know me, but that's the way I handle it. Like others have said, we have our unique code, when we push that button, they know who we are!
Re: Squawk Ident
Honestly, it would depend how busy the frequency was. On a quiet day i'd acknowledge because the start of a climb may just be me staying at the same altitude but with poor altitude control. Also as someone pointed out the altitude takes a while to change on the scope. IDENT shows up PDQ, I understand.digits_ wrote:If you are instructed to climb, do you just climb or do you read back the instruction as well?AirFrame wrote:CAR's require acknowledgement of instructions. They don't require verbal acknowledgement of instructions.
On a busy day, no, I wouldn't acknowledge... I'd start my climb a little steeper to make it clear i'm in the climb, and leave the freq open for other communications.
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Re: Squawk Ident
Thought I would chime in, this seems to be different around the globe, for example, my father who is a pilot for WestJet just had the ATC in London tell him that they dont confirm ident, they just give them the instruction, the pilot complies, and if not, the controller re-confirms why the ident sqwak wasn't completed. Different practices it seems....
I love all respectful dialogue of multiple views and opinions. If you want to chat with me directly, please do send me a PM
Re: Squawk Ident
Interesting. I wouldn't mind that practice, honestly. I'm all about efficient radio use, though, whereas others treat the frequency as though they're a DJ and all you pilots are their adoring fans. The less speaking, the better. Particularly when it's busy as hell, I can focus more on my sequencing and shitty vectoring.outflying8 wrote:Thought I would chime in, this seems to be different around the globe, for example, my father who is a pilot for WestJet just had the ATC in London tell him that they dont confirm ident, they just give them the instruction, the pilot complies, and if not, the controller re-confirms why the ident sqwak wasn't completed. Different practices it seems....
Honestly, if you verbally acknowledge identing, I might actually take a second to (diplomatically) ask you not to do that in the future.
Turn right/left heading XXX, vectors for the hell of it.
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Re: Squawk Ident
If it is not busy and you are flying along with a burning question in your mind just ask the controller who is working you.
A caveat to the above. The controller may be working multiple sectors so even if your freq is not busy the controller could be, so I suggest you start the conversation with an initial short call "ABC , question"
If the controller is busy he will give you a polite brush off or tell you he will need a bit of time before he can answer your question, but usually they are happy to help you out.
Like any radio call be brief and to the point with your query
Over the years I have had numerous little points of procedure cleared up on the spot, not to mention a couple of free beers from the other guy/gal beside when I was right and they were wrong.
A caveat to the above. The controller may be working multiple sectors so even if your freq is not busy the controller could be, so I suggest you start the conversation with an initial short call "ABC , question"
If the controller is busy he will give you a polite brush off or tell you he will need a bit of time before he can answer your question, but usually they are happy to help you out.
Like any radio call be brief and to the point with your query
Over the years I have had numerous little points of procedure cleared up on the spot, not to mention a couple of free beers from the other guy/gal beside when I was right and they were wrong.
Re: Squawk Ident
This. I love answering questions, it helps that I am always right...hahaha! Just kidding, don't be shy, we mostly are nice people. Mostly.Big Pistons Forever wrote:If it is not busy and you are flying along with a burning question in your mind just ask the controller who is working you.
A caveat to the above. The controller may be working multiple sectors so even if your freq is not busy the controller could be, so I suggest you start the conversation with an initial short call "ABC , question"
If the controller is busy he will give you a polite brush off or tell you he will need a bit of time before he can answer your question, but usually they are happy to help you out.
Like any radio call be brief and to the point with your query
Over the years I have had numerous little points of procedure cleared up on the spot, not to mention a couple of free beers from the other guy/gal beside when I was right and they were wrong.
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Re: Squawk Ident
As an IFR terminal controller who also happens to have worked in the UK...when I say "squawk ident" all I want is to see the ident...don't need a read back. If the callsign/correlated code on my radar screen flashes when I ask ...that is all that is needed for me.WestJet just had the ATC in London tell him that they don't confirm ident
I also agree with cyeg66...why waste R/T time with a pointless transmission. To the person that compared it to a climb instruction....Please!!! One action makes a little flash on my radar to confirm your Mode A, and even if you don't do it...in a terminal environment you correlate anyway!....the other action is a tool to separate aircraft from other aircraft where I need to know you heard the correct altitude. Which one is more important in the basic ATC sense?
On departure from YYZ we need a passing altitude to verify your mode C...so although you don't need to ident..we will ask for an altitude if you don't say anything.