After a few flights I've generated some notes and here they are:
ATIS Weather Information Extra Characters
There are some extra characters here that I marked in red:
DEPARTURE AIRPORT INFO:
EPGD info Yankee. RW in use (TO):RW29 (LDG):RW29 Trans.Lvl: 6500 ft.
Wind: from the W (260 degrees) at 17 MPH (15 KT):0,
Visibility: greater than 7 mile(s):0, Sky Conditions: partly cloudy,
Temperature: 59 F (15 C), Pressure (altimeter): 29.83 in. Hg (1010 hPa)
ARRIVAL AIRPORT INFO:
LZKZ info Yankee. RW in use (TO):RW19 (LDG):RW19 Trans.Lvl: 10000 ft.
Wind: from the SW (230 degrees) at 12 MPH (10KT) (direction variable):0,
Visibility: greater than 7 mile(s):0,
Temperature: 71 F (22 C), Pressure (altimeter): 30.06 in. Hg (1018 hPa)
Flightplans Without Departures
The "via departure" part can be removed when there is no SID in the flightplan.
X-Life now:
Delivery: "ABC123, FIUMICINO Delivery, Cleared to SESTRI, Runway 07, via departure"
Delivery: "Initial Altitude 8000 feet, Squawk 1474"
Pilot: "Cleared to SESTRI, Runway 07, via , Initial Alt 8000, Squawk 1474, ABC123"
Corrected version without "via departure":
Delivery: "ABC123, FIUMICINO Delivery, Cleared to SESTRI, Runway 07"
Delivery: "Initial Altitude 8000 feet, Squawk 1474"
Pilot: "Cleared to SESTRI, Runway 07, Initial Alt 8000, Squawk 1474, ABC123"
Missing Readback Text
Delivery: "Readback correct. Contact Ground on 118.350 when Ready for push and start"
Pilot: <readback text is missing>
Extra Comma
Request Clearance: "ISTANBUL Delivery, ABC123, Stand K52, A306, with information Kilo,"
Readback Missing
Delivery: "ABC123, Contact LECH WALESA Ground, 118.350"
Pilot: "Roger, ABC123"
Corrected:
Delivery: "ABC123, Contact LECH WALESA Ground, 118.350"
Pilot: "Ground on 118.350, ABC123"
Runway Names as Taxiway Name
X-Life now (at LIRF, Italy):
Ground: "ABC123, FIUMICINO Ground, taxi to and hold short runway 07, via Y,Z,M,Z,25/07"
Corrected by removing "25/07":
Ground: "ABC123, FIUMICINO Ground, taxi to and hold short runway 07, via Y,Z,M,Z"
Here's another example (at LIJM, Italy) where a runway name is a taxiway name:
Tower: "ABC123, take taxiway 10/28, when vacated contact Ground 118.600"
Pilot: "Taxiway 10/28 and over to Ground 118.600, ABC123"
If "10/28" is removed then we're left with no taxiway in this case. Then maybe transmit this message if tower can't find a taxiway to vacate on:
Tower: "ABC123, vacate runway when able, when vacated contact Ground 118.600"
Pilot: "Vacate runway when able, and over to Ground 118.600, ABC123"
Extra Comma
Ground: "ABC123, LECH WALESA Ground, taxi to and hold short runway 29, via ,M,A5,A4,A3,A2,A1"
Could possibly be because an "APRON" taxiway was removed from the clearance? I think in some cases the comma is not there, not sure.
Timing On Next Altitude After Initial Altitude
When climbing to the initial altitude I often get the next altitude from ATC when I'm less than 1000 feet away from reaching the assigned altitude. At that point the auto throttle spools the engines down as the aircraft levels off at the assigned altitude. It would be nice if the next altitude from ATC could come a little earlier maybe 2000 feet before reaching target altitude. That way it would be a continuous climb without interruption.
Request Cruise Flight Level Change
X-Life now:
SAY [ 350 ] [ Request change Cruize FL: ]
Pilot: "Request Cruize Flight Level change 350, ABC123"
Center: "ABC123, Warsawa Center, Descend FL 350"
Cruize is spelled "Cruise", and there's no need for center to say who is calling at this point as the contact is already established.
Corrected version:
SAY [ 350 ] [ Request Cruise Flight Level Change: ] <- rephrased
Pilot: "Request FL 350, ABC123" <- simplified
Center: "ABC123, Descend FL 350" <- without caller "Warsawa Center"
Altitude Change Message Repeat
When requesting cruise flight level change ATC repeats the following until altitude is reached:
Center: "ABC123, Descend FL 310"
Pilot: "Descend FL 310, ABC123"
Center: "ABC123, Descend FL 310"
Pilot: "Descend FL 310, ABC123"
Center: "ABC123, Descend FL 310"
Pilot: "Descend FL 310, ABC123"
Would be nice if this message is only transmitted once.
However if the aircraft is not descending/climbing to altitude then say "ABC123, Descend FL 310"
TOD Phrase
X-Life now:
Pilot: "Ready for Descend, ABC123"
To descend is a verb, and a descent is a noun: "Ready to Descend" or "Ready for Descent".
But it's more clear to say:
Pilot: "ABC123, Requesting descent"
When Aircraft Is Flying Level At Assigned Altitude
X-Life now:
Pilot: "KOSICE Approach, ABC123, passing FL 120, descending FL 120, information Delta"
Approach: "ABC123, Identified, expect RAZE1L arrival, VOR approach Runway 19, descend FL 110"
In this case the aircraft was at the target altitude and not climbing or descending.
If the aircraft is maintaining the assigned altitude then saying "FL 120" is enough:
Pilot: "KOSICE Approach, ABC123, FL 120, information Delta"
Another example:
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, passing FL 100, descending FL 100, information Romeo"
Corrected version reporting that the aircraft is level and maintaining the altitude:
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, FL 100, information Romeo"
Reduce Speed Is Repeated
Right now this communication is repeated until aircraft speed is at or below 250 knots:
Approach: "ABC123, Reduce speed 2 5 0 knots"
Pilot: "Reduce speed 2 5 0 knots, ABC123"
Would be nice if the message is not repeated if the aircraft is decelerating (reducing speed)
Go Around Transmission
X-Life now:
Pilot: "Going Around, ABC123"
Tower: "ABC123, Climb to 2500 feet. Contact SESTRI Approach on 136.120"
Pilot: "Climbing to 2500 feet. Contact Approach 136.120, ABC123"
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, Going Around, Climbing to 2500 feet, ABC123"
Approach: "ABC123, Climb and maintain 2500 feet. Execute missed approach procedure."
Approach: "Expect Visual approach Runway 10, Request approach clearance."
Pilot: "ABC123, Climbing and maintain 2500 feet. Will request approach clearance, ABC123"
Remove "to" before altitudes in these lines:
Tower: "ABC123, Climb to 2500 feet. Contact SESTRI Approach on 136.120"
Pilot: "Climbing to 2500 feet. Contact Approach 136.120, ABC123"
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, Going Around, Climbing to 2500 feet, ABC123"
Corrected:
Tower: "ABC123, Climb 2500 feet. Contact SESTRI Approach on 136.120"
Pilot: "Climbing 2500 feet. Contact Approach 136.120, ABC123"
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, Going Around, Climbing to 2500 feet, ABC123"
On initial contact with approach remove the duplicate "ABC123":
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, Going Around, Climbing to 2500 feet, ABC123"
Corrected:
Pilot: "SESTRI Approach, ABC123, Going Around, Climbing to 2500 feet"
Remove the duplicate "ABC123":
Pilot: "ABC123, Climbing and maintain 2500 feet. Will request approach clearance, ABC123"
Corrected:
Pilot: "Climbing and maintain 2500 feet. Will request approach clearance, ABC123"
"Climbing and maintain" sounds broken. Instead say "Climb and maintain"
Vectoring Instructions
Remove brackets from headings in pilot readback:
Pilot: "Heading [095], ABC123"
Corrected:
Pilot: "Heading 095, ABC123"
No need to repeat heading instruction when:
- Aircraft is already on correct heading
- Same heading has already been given in last ATC transmission:
X-Life now:
Approach: "Fly Heading 095 to KALMO"
Pilot: "Heading [095], ABC123"
Approach: "ABC123, Fly Heading 095, climb to 16200"
Corrected:
Approach: "Fly Heading 095 to KALMO"
Pilot: "Heading 095, ABC123"
Approach: "ABC123, climb 16200"
The same goes for repeated altitude instructions.
Also note that "to" can be removed in:
Approach: "ABC123, Fly Heading 095, climb to 16200"
Corrected:
Approach: "ABC123, Fly Heading 095, climb 16200"
Currently the pilot does not read back altitude during vectoring:
Approach: "Fly Heading 095 to KALMO"
Pilot: "Heading [095], ABC123"
Approach: "ABC123, Fly Heading 095, climb to 16200"
Pilot: "Heading [095], ABC123" <- missing altitude
Corrected version with all changes applied:
Approach: "Fly Heading 095 to KALMO"
Pilot: "Heading 095, ABC123"
Approach: "ABC123, climb 16200"
Pilot: "Climb 16200, ABC123"
Tower Hand Off To Tower Bug
When on a go around and getting vectored by the tower back to the runway, I got a hand off from tower to contact tower. No need to contact tower when already communicating with the tower.
In order to contact tower I had to switch to a different controller first, and then back to tower again.
Filter Out Repeating Taxiway Names
There are repeating duplicate delta "D" taxiways in this clearance:
Ground: "ABC123, Taxi to 508 via DG,TWY,D,D,CL,C,B,N,NG,G,NW"
Also "TWY" is not a taxiway name, I doubt it ever will be a valid taxiway name.
Shortened and corrected version:
Ground: "ABC123, Taxi to 508 via DG,D,CL,C,B,N,NG,G,NW"
When Tuned To Wrong Controller Readback
Pilot: "KOSICE Tower, ABC123, runway 19 vacated"
Tower: "ABC123, Contact KOSICE Ground, 118.350"
Pilot: "Roger, ABC123"
Should've been read back instead of just saying "roger":
Pilot: "Contact KOSICE Ground, 118.350, ABC123"