The other day, after launching from Iowa City, Cedar Rapids Approach (CID)
gave me my squawk code, as usual.

My usual procedure is to read back the squawk code as I punch it into our
Garmin 327. (It's got keys to punch, rather than dials to twirl.) This
time, however, I punched a wrong number, and had to re-enter the whole code,
which added a second or two to my reaction time.

Before I could read it back to the CID controller, he had moved on to
another plane. The radio was solid for another minute, until he came back
with "N56993, radar contact 4 miles north of the Iowa City Airport..."

Which led me to question why I ever read the code back in the first place?
Since the controller can obviously see the code on his screen, he certainly
knows that I have complied with his instructions.

So why do we read it back?

*Does* everyone read it back?

I think it's almost more of a tradition than a real procedure. I suppose
it's possible for someone else to have heard his instruction, and for *them*
to have keyed in the code -- but reading it back doesn't really prevent this
scenario from happening.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"