Okay, here's my pet peeve. When an inbound makes a call reporting "....over Point Hudson" or "....over the bend in the river", or ".....over Grandma Beth's house", you get the picture.

I was in Hamilton, MT two weeks ago and the glider guys were doing that in spades. I had no idea where they were and asked a couple of times. From the tone in their voices, It was clear I was an intruder bothering them with the obvious .

On the bright side self service 100LL was $3.60 and the folks at the FBO (Northstar?) are very helpful.

Sounds like an awful lot of monday morning quarter backing here....

As far as Im concerned the whole "Any traffic please advise...." deal is not that bad a line. Sure don't use it as a crutch but theres no question theres times when it can be helpful. ATC kicking you over 2 miles out in a mooney while saying theres X number in the pattern is a good one. Sure don't use it every time you get to an airport but it can be helpful.

The folks saying not to use that bacause of the NORDO's; well if theres 4 planes in the pattern none are talking and only 2 are NORDOs, Id rather know where 2 of the 4 are than know where none are. Just keep you eyes open and use any information available

The folks complaining about the "full stop" call; in a busy uncontrolled pattern it can be useful for planning purposes for the plane behind you. If he knows youll be full stop he may extend a leg a bit just to smooth things out. Nothing says he won't go around but I don't see what makes that situation such a deal breaker. And besides does the addition of those two words really clog up your headset that bad?

I'm done ranting....... quit back seat drivin

How about "clear of the active"? Unless there's a severe hump in the runway, or it's fogged in to the ground, we can all see you're clear. Don't tell us- save the freq time for the important calls. Ditto for "taxiing to parking" or "taxiing to the active". And "full stop"... I assume every landing is to a full stop unless specifically called out as a touch and go- and I don't necesarily count on those ones getting off the runway promptly.
Those local landmarks... another pet peeve. And the ones the tower controllers use are quite often not charted, at least around here. And they're hard to spot to boot. Renton's "blue water tower" faded to grey years ago, and Paine Field used to use a shipwreck as a landmark... I never did spot that one.

Eric

Towers here use the local football fields as landmarks, "Experimental Nxxxx maintain 2000, report Kyle field" is common. Also, (in my opinion) the "clear of active' call is priceless at some of the busier pilot controlled airports locally, with 5 or 6 in the pattern, some stacking up, some flying a pretty tight pattern. I know that is not proper, but it is reality. I personally will make a call if I do anything that is out of the ordinary for me, such as missing the first turnoff at my local airport. If someone happens to assume that I 'always' make the first taxiway, i'll be happy to let them know I didn't this time. I agree that mindless chatter is not appropriate, and the busier that the frequency, the more care must be taken, but the radio is for communicating.

KB

One time an instrument-rated friend of mine and I decided to go to Chicago on a whim and land at Meigs Field. I was flying, he was navigating and working the radio. Calling in to Meigs, we were told to "Report Hotels." My friend starts looking over the chart for an intersection. Eventually, he called in to Meigs saying he couldn't locate it. They said, "Look out your window - it's the big buildings on your left." Boy, did we ever feel dumb, and decided next time we'd get a VFR terminal chart before we left home.

ASW.

You guys are cracking me up. Using the radio and using your eyes to see and avoid are not mutually exclusive. With the exception of "tell me where you are?" I pretty much run the gamut of the pet peeves listed here. I do call down and clear, and appreciate it when others do (many of the airfields or beaches preclude seeing the other plane, and really it takes.... one half a second), I do invite people to my bbq over the radio, I call folks by their name on the radio, and definitely use local knowledge landmarks. The local landmarks are very useful for those of us that fly in a fairly busy area and keeps the flow going. We know exactly where another pilot is when they call the point, if you are not from the area just say 'not familiar' we will help you, that is what I've done and it worked. Oh, but admitting you don't know everything is very hard for some. Really we should be on the look out all the time just as if we don't have a radio, 'cause that is what keeps us safe especially at airports with high student traffic. Don't let little stuff like the extraneous radio calls annoy you and take your mind off of flying safely. I am now ready to feel the wrath of the righteously indignant . Headoutdaplane down and clear. And, every one is always invited to my bbqs.

be on the lookout always, especially in june in the frank church. keep your radio calls short and sweet, like"10TU is left downwind for Indian" works well...great at jc as well, u can also keep your patterns tight at jc, and radio calls short. 'this ain't the valley, and it ain't paved, and it sure ain't that crowded. save your wonderful long radio calls for the flatland. in ain't a lot of things, but it sure is fun...!be sure your slowflight is dialed...!

and one time, at band camp...............