Initial Contact Question

[blackboxman]

I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.

Scenario: you are receiving VFR flight following and are handed off to
another controller. You call up the new controller to make initial
contact. According to a controller I overheard yesterday, this callup
is incorrect:

"<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred."

This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
they were to state that they were VFR.

"<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."

Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
controller. Thanks.

Ethan

[Jay Maynard]

On 2008-07-20, blackboxman > wrote:
> This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
> they were to state that they were VFR.
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."
> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
> controller. Thanks.

He's full of prunes. See AIM 5-3-1(b)(2)(a).
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com
http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net
Fairmont, MN (FRM) (Yes, that's me!)
AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC (got it!)

[Mxsmanic]

blackboxman writes:

> I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.
>
> Scenario: you are receiving VFR flight following and are handed off to
> another controller. You call up the new controller to make initial
> contact. According to a controller I overheard yesterday, this callup
> is incorrect:
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred."
>
> This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
> they were to state that they were VFR.
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."
>
> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
> controller. Thanks.

If you've been handed off to him by another controller, he already knows you
are VFR. If he needs you to tell him that, he isn't on top of things.

[Marty Shapiro]

blackboxman > wrote in news:eb975830-fc1b-4727-
:

> I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.
>
> Scenario: you are receiving VFR flight following and are handed off to
> another controller. You call up the new controller to make initial
> contact. According to a controller I overheard yesterday, this callup
> is incorrect:
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred."
>
> This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
> they were to state that they were VFR.
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."
>
> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
> controller. Thanks.
>
> Ethan
>

I was taught to say <name> <facility> <aircraft> "level" <current altitude>
or <name> <facility> <aircraft> <current altitude> "climbing|descending"
<final altitude>. Once you put the "500" in your final altitude, that
should tell the controller you are VFR. I've never had a problem or been
questioned about it by ATC.

--
Marty Shapiro
Silicon Rallye Inc.

(remove SPAMNOT to email me)

[Mike[_22_]]

"blackboxman" > wrote in message
...
>I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.
>
> Scenario: you are receiving VFR flight following and are handed off to
> another controller. You call up the new controller to make initial
> contact. According to a controller I overheard yesterday, this callup
> is incorrect:
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred."
>
> This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
> they were to state that they were VFR.
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."
>
> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
> controller. Thanks.

There's no such requirement. The controller's data tag identifies you as
VFR.

I'm just speculating, but what could have happened was the data link between
facilities was down so ATC was doing manual handoffs. The controller may
have wanted verification of VFR flights just to cover his bases.

[Benjamin Dover]

Mxsmanic > wrote in
:

> blackboxman writes:
>
>> I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.
>>
>> Scenario: you are receiving VFR flight following and are handed off
>> to another controller. You call up the new controller to make
>> initial contact. According to a controller I overheard yesterday,
>> this callup is incorrect:
>>
>> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred."
>>
>> This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
>> they were to state that they were VFR.
>>
>> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."
>>
>> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
>> controller. Thanks.
>
> If you've been handed off to him by another controller, he already
> knows you are VFR. If he needs you to tell him that, he isn't on top
> of things.
>

What a ****ing idiot. You don't fly Anthony. You don't know the system.
And you don't have the slightest idea of proper radio procedure.

Go stick your head back up your ass.

[Steven P. McNicoll[_2_]]

blackboxman wrote:
>
> I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.
>
> Scenario: you are receiving VFR flight following and are handed off to
> another controller. You call up the new controller to make initial
> contact. According to a controller I overheard yesterday, this callup
> is incorrect:
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred."
>
> This controller told every single pilot who checked in this way that
> they were to state that they were VFR.
>
> "<Name> Center, Cessna 12345, five thousand five hundred, VFR."
>
> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
> controller. Thanks.
>

I've been a controller for 25 years, center and approach. He's fulla crap.

[B A R R Y[_2_]]

blackboxman wrote:
> I know this is an IFR forum but your opinion is appreciated.
>
> Is this new? It was news to everyone who got "the lesson" from this
> controller. Thanks.

It is to me.

I flew both IFR and VFR on Saturday, checking in with Center (or
app/dep) NxxxxZ, 5,000.

The only time I change it much is if I've been assigned a heading or am
climbing or descending.

- Nxxxx, 5000, heading 225

- Nxxxx, 5000 climbing to 7000

I've never had complaints.