Why do pilots say.......(uncontrolled)

[woodchucker]

The only time I use "active" as part of the vocab is to say I'm "clear of the active" after landing. Figure at that point it really doesn't matter. Otherwise, all my calls include the intended runway. Of course, I will listen first to determine what is being used, and check the winds to make sure that it is reasonable.

 

[poadeleted20]

The only time I use "active" as part of the vocab is to say I'm "clear of the active" after landing. Figure at that point it really doesn't matter.

It still does unless there's only one runway at that airport and you won't have to cross it again to get where you're going. And even then it can matter to others where you exit. Better to be in the habit of always using the runway number.

And I've really never seen the point of using the word "active" rather than the runway number anyway, or why people insist on using it.

 

[NJP_MAN]

I see you're a student.

But I'm not a student thought.

 

[jordane93]

It still does unless there's only one runway at that airport and you won't have to cross it again to get where you're going. And even then it can matter to others where you exit. Better to be in the habit of always using the runway number.

And I've really never seen the point of using the word "active" rather than the runway number anyway, or why people insist on using it.

Yep. By saying the runway numbers it eliminates ALL ambiguities.

 

[James331]

Heck, I use the active runway in my vocab

It's always to ground "N123 at signature, taxi to the active with Zulu"

I've also used "N123 clear the active" at uncontrolled airports.

You know what I'm saying, if you got a problem come find me in the FBO.

 

[Dav8or]

Then you're part of the problem, not the solution. Using the term "active" instead of the runway number is pointless and doesn't communicate your intentions. You might as well not say what airport you're at and let everyone guess that, too. We're not mind readers, we're not equipped with a God's eye view of every plane out there. If you're setting up for Runway 4, just say so. The extra syllable really is worth the effort in order to effectively communicate where you are and what you're doing.

Oh God dammit! Since we're being all pedantic and precise and crap like that, go back and read my post and tell me if I state anywhere that I ONLY say "active". I usually say something like- "Clear active 30" or some such. This in my mind tells people approaching the airport, which runway most people, or at least more than just me is using. I use the word "active" to indicate that numerous people at the airport are using a particular runway. If I'm the only one using the frequency, you know what? I say nothing when exiting the runway.

 

[denverpilot]

and nachos.

 

[NJP_MAN]

What if you're landing at a place like Monument Valley . Only one way to land and only one way to depart. Does it still warrant the term active when there is only one possibility ?

 

[sarangan]

"Ready to copy" is redundant. "IFR to XYZ" is all they need to know. You wouldn't have called them if you weren't ready to copy.

ATC may say "advice when ready to copy" if they initiated the call. Sometimes I've heard ATC respond with "clearance on request" which means they are waiting for a response from Center.

OK, I'll bite...is it the "on request", "ready to copy"...or both.

With ATC in my area from my uncontrolled field I learned to add the "ready to copy" to my initial call up

"Nor Cal, Skylane 123AB on the ground in Watsonville, IFR to XYZ, ready to copy"

Response is usually a "standby"

Then they blurt out the clearance.

Otherwise it is a whole nother conversation back and forth to check and see if I am ready to copy tying up radio time while I am sitting there with my pen in my hand.

 

[Shawn]

I've also used "N123 clear the active" at uncontrolled airports.

Wait...clear the active because you need it?

Clear the active cuz its active?

Clear the active cuz there is a turtle on it?

Clear the active cuz it has snow on it?

Oh...clear OF the active...wait, which runway is "active" again?

You know what I'm saying,

If I just tuned into the radio...nope, don't know what you are saying.

[why is there not a "throwing fuel on the fire" emoticon!]

 

[Shawn]

"Ready to copy" is redundant. "IFR to XYZ" is all they need to know. You wouldn't have called them if you weren't ready to copy.

This is where a one vernacular fits all does not necessarily apply...and the crux of many of these disagreements are in the nuance differences between a towered and uncontrolled field.

At a towered field...no reason for "ready to copy" on initial contact...100% agree.

At my uncontrolled field...I add it. Reason being as mentioned if not I will be guaranteed to get the controller saying "Skylane 589, have your clearance, advise when ready to copy"...then I have to respond "ready to copy"...THEN he reads it to me. Adding three words on the initial call up saves another back and forth of radio time and they really seem to appreciate that. This is an approach frequency and they are not sitting there waiting for the next aircraft to call up for their clearance like CD or ground. Theyz gots planes to move around.

 

[James331]

Wait...clear the active because you need it?

Clear the active cuz its active?

Clear the active cuz there is a turtle on it?

Clear the active cuz it has snow on it?

Oh...clear OF the active...wait, which runway is "active" again?



If I just tuned into the radio...nope, don't know what you are saying.

[why is there not a "throwing fuel on the fire" emoticon!]

...If that's the case I could care less, not many hobby pilots flying when I'm out anyways.

Like I said, come find me in the FBO if you need a education on the subject.

 

[woodchucker]

It still does unless there's only one runway at that airport and you won't have to cross it again to get where you're going. And even then it can matter to others where you exit. Better to be in the habit of always using the runway number.

Meh, be it what it may, I only use that type of verbage with one runway and a small, non-busy environment. But I can stop doing that if it bothers anybody.

 

[coloradobluesky]

Just lose the word "active". We'd all be better off.

 

[jesse]

I'll never say "clear of the active". I'll say clear of the runway I'm clear of. If I'm clear of all the runways I say "clear of all runways".

 

[cowman]

There's one uncontrolled field I frequent that shares a CTAF with many airports in the area and on your way in you frequently hear lots of uncontrolled calls with a lot of them stepping on each other and probably having no idea.

When I can't make out or miss the name of the airport(or they just don't say) but they say they're on "downwind for 22" and I know the airport I'm going to doesn't have a runway 22, that's helpful to let me know if I should worry about this guy or not.

That said, it does feel a little odd calling out "clear of 31" or "back taxiing 13" when there's only one strip of pavement for some reason.

At least I've broken myself of saying my full N number to a bunch of other pilots who don't care.... trained mostly at and still fly out of a class D towered field so I'm used to it. On one of my early cross country trips to an uncontrolled field there were two other guys in the pattern, one of them responded when I announced I was entering downwind that he was on short final and another guy was behind him so I'd be #3. I had my thumb on the mic button and damn near said "#3 cleared to land on 32, 85H".

You just get used to the speech patterns...

 

[rbridges]

"N12345 Is taking/clear of the ACTIVE (followed by rnwy #)" ?. Is there really an active runway when it's uncontrolled? What might be a good runway to me might not be so much for you, so are there multiple actives?

you just described me. That's the way my CFI taught me to say it, and I say it without thinking. Never thought much about it.

 

[DFH65]

Generally don't care what people are saying so long as they are saying something that gives me a clue to where they are. I find these discussions a bit like the grammar and spelling police on the internet.

Now if you want to talk about annoying I saw this on a video on youtube, "all traffic please be courteous and report" honestly if I heard that I would go nordo.

 

[roncachamp]

"N12345 Is taking/clear of the ACTIVE (followed by rnwy #)" ?. Is there really an active runway when it's uncontrolled? What might be a good runway to me might not be so much for you, so are there multiple actives?

"Active Runway" means any runway or runways currently being used for takeoff or landing, so yes, there really is an active runway when it's uncontrolled and there are multiple actives. Stating ACTIVE in a self-announce transmission serves no purpose. Saying active alone supplies no useful information and saying it in conjunction with a runway number is superfluous.

 

[roncachamp]

Calling any airport uncontrolled is in its self wrong.

You are the control at a non towered airport.

What are you in control of at a non-towered airport?

 

[Clark1961]

What are you in control of at a non-towered airport?

my aircraft...

 

[roncachamp]

OK, I'll bite...is it the "on request", "ready to copy"...or both.

With ATC in my area from my uncontrolled field I learned to add the "ready to copy" to my initial call up

"Nor Cal, Skylane 123AB on the ground in Watsonville, IFR to XYZ, ready to copy"

Response is usually a "standby"

Then they blurt out the clearance.

Otherwise it is a whole nother conversation back and forth to check and see if I am ready to copy tying up radio time while I am sitting there with my pen in my hand.

"Ready to copy" is implicit in the clearance request. Would you call for clearance when you weren't ready to copy?

 

[rbridges]

Generally don't care what people are saying so long as they are saying something that gives me a clue to where they are. I find these discussions a bit like the grammar and spelling police on the internet.

I kinda agree, but I enjoy these threads. Being relatively low hours, I try not to sound like an idiot on the radio.

 

[roncachamp]

What is proper?

I use...

"Just departed Tango Tango Alpha, leaving 2000, IFR to Allen County, identifier Alpha Oscar Hotel, Clearance on Request"

I'd go with something like, "three northwest of Raleigh Executive IFR to Lima Ohio."

 

[roncachamp]

my aircraft...

Just like a towered airport.

 

[Clark1961]

Just like a towered airport.

nope, at a towered airport I control my aircraft and consider the requests from ATC...

 

[EminiTrader]

I try to say as less as possible... "1CD taking RWY 7 - closed traffic" or "1CD clear rwy 22". I dont use "active"..

 

[RyanB]

What are you in control of at a non-towered airport?

You're in control of not creating a traffic confliction and creating your own spacing to the airport.

 

[Velocity173]

Proper terminology is "duty runway."

 

[Fearless Tower]

"N12345 Is taking/clear of the ACTIVE (followed by rnwy #)" ?. Is there really an active runway when it's uncontrolled? What might be a good runway to me might not be so much for you, so are there multiple actives?

Even more useless....I was approaching Fredericksburg (T82) the other day and the wind was pretty strong 90 deg x-wind to the only runway.

Some dude calls up on the CTAF and says he is taking the "active" but doesn't specificy which runway.

 

[Fearless Tower]

For that one I say, "Cessna N12345, IFR to XYZ " and nothing else. You wouldn't be calling them if you weren't ready to copy.

But then I don't get annoyed about what other people say either.

That is what you'd think, but I've learned to add the 'ready to copy' simply because many of the towered airports I fly IFR out of, if you don't specify 'ready to copy' on your initial callup, they will respond - 'advise when ready to copy'.

I have never heard an airplane use 'clearance on request though'.....that is typically used by the controller.

 

[RyanB]

Some dude calls up on the CTAF and says he is taking the "active" but doesn't specificy which runway.

Agree, if your going to use the "active" terminology at least say "taking the active 18" or "clear of the active 18" etc.

 

[NJP_MAN]

Some dude calls up on the CTAF and says he is taking the "active" but doesn't specificy which runway.

That's why "the active" doesn't need to ever be used especially here.

 

[roncachamp]

nope, at a towered airport I control my aircraft and consider the requests from ATC...

What requests does ATC make of you at towered fields?

 

[NJP_MAN]

Agree, if your going to use the "active" terminology at least say "taking the active 18" or "clear of the active 18" etc.

This makes it sound like there is another 18 available. It just doesn't happen to be the active 18 right now.

 

[roncachamp]

You're in control of not creating a traffic confliction and creating your own spacing to the airport.

Which is to say you're in control of only your own actions.

 

[Fearless Tower]

You know, it's been a good while for me, but I remember back when I was picking up IFR clearances, if you just called up clearance and simply identified yourself, they would respond by saying something like "Advise when ready to copy." By including this info in your initial call up, you would avoid unnecessary blah, blah, blah. Maybe things are different now.

I suppose it depends on the specific controller/facility more than the time. I learned it out of necessity in SoCal, but found it to be true even here in some places in the east.

 

[roncachamp]

Proper terminology is "duty runway."

Duty runway = active runway = runway in use

 

[bflynn]

"N12345 Is taking/clear of the ACTIVE (followed by rnwy #)" ?. Is there really an active runway when it's uncontrolled? What might be a good runway to me might not be so much for you, so are there multiple actives?

No, there isn't an "active" runway at a non-towered airport. As far as why people say it, I suspect it's because they mentally equate "active" with "the one being used".

Once I announced a 4kt tailwind takeoff on 3 and had someone tell me I couldn't use 3 because 21 was "active". I ignored them, stated again what I was doing, described my departure, made sure nobody was in front of me and while he was taxing to the other end of the runway, I was up and gone.

...but ya better not do that over Macho Grande...

I'll don't think I'll ever get over Macho Grande.

 

[peerlesscowboy]

What is proper?

I use...

"Just departed Tango Tango Alpha, leaving 2000, IFR to Allen County, identifier Alpha Oscar Hotel, Clearance on Request"

It's not proper for the pilot to say "clearance on request" when he's requesting IFR clearance. That's a phrase ATC uses that means he's requested your clearance and doesn't have it yet, he'll call you when he gets it.
Simply.."….off Tango Tango Alpha leaving 2000 IFR to Allen County" is sufficient.