Aussie accent and US ATC

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Tom
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Aussie accent and US ATC

Postby Tom » Wed Mar 9 2011, 01:36

There I was, coming into Delta airspace (USA) the other day on on of my solo flights working on my PPL. I'm cleared for the option by the tower, and I come into 26 for a touch and go, before joining right traffic for another practice approach. I'm slowing down in that last fifty feet, and a flock of small birds are flying erratically just above the asphalt, back and force, around and about. I pull some power and forward cyclic for a go around, and aware that there is a Cessna on a close final behind me I key the mic and blurt a simple "flock of birds, surface, mid 26" in a decent American accent. I turn right crosswind and the tower says "... errr... zero one juliet, ummm.... say again". I repeat:
"flock of birds, on the surface, mid 26"
'"err... sir, are you reporting your position?"
"zero one juliet, no, I am reporting a hazardous flock of birds, mid-field on the surface of runway 26" (In my very, very best American accent and slow clear voice)
"err... are you saying there is a dead bird on the runway?"
"TOWER. THERE WERE LIVE BIRDS ON THE RUNWAY. THEY ARE PROBABLY GONE NOW.
"err... Cessna two one papa on final, do you copy that, there is a err... dead bird, midfield. Please locate exact location if you can"

At this point I just gave up, finished my pattern and second approach (no birds) and got out of there. My aussie accent let me down (again). Next time I'll just try "hey fellas, there's a bloody rowdy pack of galahs on the black top mate, I'd tell the bloke up my a** to chuck a Harold Holt, hoo-roo". The week before I dodged a helium party balloon drifting up through the departure end of same runway. You wouldn't believe how that conversation went :?
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Helix
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Re: Aussie accent and US ATC

Postby Helix » Wed Mar 9 2011, 06:14

Yeah, they are very lost when it comes to foreigners.
Anything out of the contiguous 48 is exotic. No, not erotic. Damn.

I had to explain the difference between Australia and Austria too often.

"You speak with an accent!"
"You speak with an accent too pal."

See if you can bung on a proper upper crust Pommie accent and really have fun with them.
Then of course there is the "Outrageous French accent".

If you can't beat them, torture them.
Have fun on the solo cross country flights. "Student pilot" "WTF?!"
DragonFly
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Yakking
2nd Dan
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Re: Aussie accent and US ATC

Postby Yakking » Wed Mar 9 2011, 09:20

You can work this to your advantage; every time I was going to do a tricky photo job (ie mid down-town btn the skyscrapers) I'd take call sign "18A", every single time they're muck up my callsign and call me something ending in "Echo". As a result I never got in trouble (if they chased it up, they'd find some other aircraft! It was the perfect crime!)

It also works to your advantage when you are good at your job. I flew ENG for a while, they knew I wasn't an idiot so whenever I'd call up with a request they always let me do it because they knew they knew what I was capable of and wouldn't stuff them about.

Enjoy your time in the States, it's some of the funniest flying you'll ever do!

Yak
I wish I had a catchy saying like everyone else...

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