-
All times will be communicated in a way that is unambiguous. This communication may be a local time, with a UTC offset specified.
For example:
0800 UTC+9
on a specific day is a moment in time that is unambiguous. It might be communicated on 26 April 1993 as:199304260800+09:00
which indicates the year (1993
), followed by the month (04
), the day (26
), then the local time (0800
) and then the timezone in which that time occurs (09:00
9 hours ahead of UTC).while:
0800
is ambiguous, because there are many different moments of0800
around the world. A reader, independent of their location, is unlikely to be able to determine which time you have communicated.Sometimes the UTC reference datum is called Zulu time and is specified with a suffix of the capital letter
Z
. This too, is acceptable.For example:
0800Z
is a moment in time that is unambiguous (date notwithstanding). It is0800
at zulu time, or UTC. A reader, in any location, is now able to comprehend which time you have communicated.Do not say,
0800 Fantasia time
. Since, this risks being ambiguous. Does Fantasia run daylight savings adjustments throughout the year? Are they running right now? Are they running on the date of your specified time? This specification of time is at high risk of failure. Use UTC (equivalent GMT) or zulu time, or some other, unambiguous reference datum that your reader is certain to understand, or easily able to come to understand.A simple thought experiment is to assume that the reader of your specified time is on the Moon at the time of receipt. They also see your email written on the ground in the moon dust; they have no specific software that will attempt to disambiguate (and often get it wrong!). Now ask, does this person know what time you just specified?
If not, your time is ambiguous and you need to disambiguate further.
Specific phrasing may be used within the team for efficiency and disambiguity. This phrasing is consistent with AirServices Australia Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) General (GEN) 3.4 (5) RADIOTELEPHONY PROCEDURES. The AIP General can be found here: https://law.1007036.casa/aip/aip/general.pdf Search this document for the string "RADIOTELEPHONY PROCEDURES"
, which will take you to approximately page 250, and to the following sections:
- 5.9 Phonetic Alphabet
- 5.11 Transmission of Numbers
- 6.1 Standard Words and Phrases
Other sections of the AIP GEN 3.4, such as call signs and readback requirements, are not within scope.
By order of George Wilson, a public bar must be visited on Fridays, for the duration of all Fridays in all places.
"We'd better go to the pub - it's Friday somewhere!"
Someone once said that snake encounters are dangerous. Do not believe this sentence. Believing it will kill you.
To survive a snake encounter, follow these very simple steps, in this order.
- Leave the snake alone dick head.
If you are flying an aeroplane, particularly during a critical phase, and a snake appears in the cockpit, follow these steps:
- Leave the snake alone dick head. If unable e.g. the snake won't leave you alone, then make friends with the snake.
- Continue to fly the aeroplane.
Importantly, omit these steps from the after take-off checklist:
- Open cockpit door.
- Climb onto aircraft wing in an effort to achieve Leave the snake alone dick head.
Disputes that have failed to resolve by typical methods of resolution are terminated and ultimately determined by a game of Table Tennis.
- IATA codes are for throwing exceptions. Use ICAO.
- See http://www.nohello.com/ for the protocol.
- The 2008 remake of Get Smart starring Steve Carell does not exist.
- Do not eat at the kebab shop. You might die.
- Do not take the drug Phenylephrine. It is the oil that comes out of snakes.
Don't leave everything you own at the pub, especially your own existence.
I have written a program that removes the date from URL each time the AIP is updated.
http://aip.aviation.tmorris.net/latest/nodate/aip/current/aip/general.pdf