phrasology question for Real controllers

[pegger74]

Is there such a thing as "Report when established on the localizer". Seems to me that I've never heard it actually said, and when thinking about it, I tend to believe it is a redundant waste of airtime when it's already known the a/c is going to be landing ILS. I think the pilot and controller will both be quite aware of whether or not the a/c is established!

Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks

[sykocus]

Are you going to find it in the .65? Probably not, but there are many things said that cannot be found in the book. Many people often confuse the examples with prescribed phraseology, but that's another topic. Just because it's known an aircraft is going to landing on and ILS doesn't mean it's not useful to have the aircraft report established.

In a non-radar or mixed radar/non-radar environment sometimes you have you withhold the approach clearance but don't necessarily need to have the a/c a turn in holding. So you could tell them to track inbound on the localizer and report established. The reporting established isn't mandatory but it can reduce the verbiage needed when you are able to issue the clearance.

If you suspect a problem with the equipment (your's the a/c's or the ILS) you can tell the a/c to report established and see how it compares with the video map.

Those are just two instances that come to mind.

[rpd]

I have heard it said, and said it myself.  Here are the scenarios:

1.  Where I work know, we have an airport with an ILS approach in an area with very poor radar coverage.  In fact, we lose radar contact on most aircraft flying the ILS.  After saying radar contact lost, I will ask them to report established so I can switch them CTAF.  It is a non towered airport.

2.  Where I worked long ago we had an airport with an ILS approach, but the localizer was not drawn on the video map.  In order to vector aircraft for the approach, we would give them vectors and ask them to report established.  After they reported established, we could clear them for the approach.  The alternative was to fly the entire published approach with a procedure turn.

[Ion the Sky]

Also helped me as a reminder to switch over to tower/unicom, once established, if in a busy environment.

[Casper87]

Pegger74,

Can't answer from a US point of view, however, 'Report localiser established' is a phrase used in other countries.

C

[klkm]

Also helped me as a reminder to switch over to tower/unicom, once established, if in a busy environment.

I use it for the same, we work on a 200 mile scale with a second scope on a 40 or less scale for the airport ops.  we really don't get more then 2 arrivals at once, if they are the only one and its busy everywhere else in my airspace i will tell them to report established so i remember to look back over and switch them.

[pegger74]

the use of the report from the pilot as a reminder to get back to them for a hand off never occured to me...that would be a great reason to have them report established. And I guess the scale of the display being used by the controller would be a good reason why my thoughts of the controller obviously knowing the a/c is on the localizer is not a good one. 

Thanks for reasonings behind your answers everyone. Very interesting. I will listen more closely to approach frequencies for an example.