You 'shall' report level

[Jonathan_tcu]

Just a short notice I heard on my scanner last night.  There is a new requirement in radar identified environment, where the pilots don't have to report 'level' to their assigned altitude, but 'shall' report level in a non-radar environment.

[KSYR-pjr]

Just a short notice I heard on my scanner last night.  There is a new requirement in radar identified environment, where the pilots don't have to report 'level' to their assigned altitude, but 'shall' report level in a non-radar environment.

On what country's ATC frequency did you hear this?

[davolijj]

no....this sounds reasonable.  I'm not up on my non-radar procedures, but in a radar enviroment an aircraft only needs to validate his mode C readout with ATC upon initial contact with the approach control facility (for example, climbing out of an airport).  After that he is only expected to read back any assigned altitude.

In a non-radar enviroment or when mode C is inop or unreliable, pilots are usually instructed to "report reaching" an assigned altitude since there is no mode C readout to go on.  Also during a climb or descent, a pilot may be instructed to "report leaving..." an altitude.

Ex: "Conquest niner lima charlie descend and maintain four thousand, report leaving niner thousand..."

The term "shall" indicates a mandatory procedure, and I'm not sure what the AIM says about altitude reporting in a non-radar enviroment but I'm sure it is addressed.  As far as I know though, none of this stuff is new.

[Jonathan_tcu]

Ok.  That makes sense.  So now, while listening to ATC, you will not really know when an aircraft reaches its assigned altitude, unless it has been instructed to do so.  We hear this alot in the lower altitudes in our northern Ontario airspace during holdings and it helps non-radar environment instructions.

[KSYR-pjr]

The term "shall" indicates a mandatory procedure, and I'm not sure what the AIM says about altitude reporting in a non-radar enviroment but I'm sure it is addressed.

As far as the US position reporting requirements, which most likely differs from Canada's requirements, the AIM reference can be found here:

5-3-2. Position Reporting
http://www.faa.gov/ATPubs/AIM/Chap5/aim0503.html#5-3-2

[snorcup]

Canadian ATC sounds so strange compared to US stuff, its just all the little differnces

[Jonathan_tcu]

Just a short notice I heard on my scanner last night.  There is a new requirement in radar identified environment, where the pilots don't have to report 'level' to their assigned altitude, but 'shall' report level in a non-radar environment.

On what country's ATC frequency did you hear this?

I heard this Sunday night on the northern Ontario Canada Timmins/North Bay sector which I listen to on 128.3, but the freq's 135.5 and 127.25 were combined as the Georgian flight progressed toward the Simcoe Sector.