Originally Posted by
SoFloFlyer
You're going to type this with a straight face? Are you seriously going to say that flying a 172 prepared you to speak with the controllers from Chicago, New York, and LA with proper verbiage used while on a star? Last I checked, you don’t get a descend via clearance in a 172.
If you flew at busy airports and in busy airspace in a 172 it does prepare you. If you flew around a corn field then no. It’s an about speed and complexity. Being able to process a complex instruction quickly enables you to read it back quickly and usually correctly.
Descend via didn’t exist when I started btw but that has actually made it easier bc less comms are required.
it’s when you’re on the ground at busy airports or on departure or approach and/or with weather the newbies are really struggling like all they did was fly at an uncontrolled field for 1500hrs or worse they lied and don’t actually have 1500hrs.
I was based in EWR as my first airline job and while the jet was a big jump I can say without a doubt day one was not an issue with the radio. Knowing who to talk to when took maybe a day but what and how to say the words wasn’t. That shouldn’t have to be taught at 121 and yes I can say it with a straight face