Summary: A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from an Insider with ATCcommunication.com. Daniel wrote to me asking about a non-standard instruction given to him by a tower controller. The controller told him to fly "towards the numbers." He couldn't find that phrase anywhere in the Aeronautical Information Manual. It turns out, tower controllers say a lot of things that aren't in the manual. It's perfectly legal for them to do so. In this show, you and I will cover what, how, and why airport tower controllers give instructions that are non-standard. We'll also talk about what you can do when a tower controller says something that surprises you. Show Notes: The Air Traffic Controller's Manual allows controllers to use non-standard phraseology to ensure the safe and expeditious flow of traffic. If you feel safety has been compromised by non-standard phraseology, file a NASA report at this link:http://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/report/electronic.html If you need to talk to someone at the FAA about non-standard phraseology, you can try contacting an agent at your local Flight Standards District Office. Use this link to look up the phone number and address:http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/field_offices/fsdo/ Questions of the Week: 1. What is the difference between the departure leg and the upwind leg of a traffic pattern? 2. In the example I gave, was the tower controller phrasing correct when he said, “Continue on the upwind leg?”Answer to Radar Contact 10's Questions of the Week If you are planning to take the ICAO English Language Proficiency Test or a Radio Transmission Test, feel free to contact me with your questions at jeff@ATCcommunication.com.
