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IFR Readback

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Instrument Rating

I'm a big fan of aviation videos on youtube. One thing has caught my attention recently which I believe is not standard phraseology. When this certain fellow reads back his squawk code he refers to the transponder as a box, like "4026 on the box." The controller just ignores it. Where did this come from?

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8 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on May 27, 2019

    It comes from the same place as “With you”, “Tally ho”, “No joy”, “Any traffic in the area, please advise”, “Out of 4.3 for 16”, “I have the traffic on the fish finder”, “Got the booze news” and other nonsense that you will hear on the air.

    Some one thinks it’s cute. Others hear it on the air (sometimes from professional crews) and wanting to sound “professional”, they repeat it.

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  2. KDS on May 27, 2019

    Allow me to add an AMEN to what Kris wrote. It could not be stated any better than that.

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  3. Gary S. on May 28, 2019

    Makes sense what you are saying. I guess nothing can be done about it. To me, using slang shows a lack of professionalism and a poor example for others coming up..

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  4. Mark Kolber on May 29, 2019

    Just today I was working with a student ant our nontowered base. A transient came in, and asked “any traffic, please advise” (I could t help responding, “we always do”). Then, leaving he announced “lining up and waiting” and ended with, “final call.”

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  5. Kris Kortokrax on May 30, 2019

    I usually hear “Last call”, to which I respond “I’ll have another beer”.

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  6. Mark Kolber on May 31, 2019

    Kris, I’ll have to use that one! 😀

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  7. Gary S. on Jun 02, 2019

    Lining up and waiting??? Last call???

    Are some cfi\’s teaching these kinds of things???

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  8. Best Answer


    Mark Kolber on Jun 02, 2019

    Gary – hopefully not.

    It’s the same thing Kris is talking about. A lot of it is coming from YouTube videos and unfortunately being picked up as the “right” way of doing things.

    I’m thinking of creating a working list of responses like the ones mentioned above. “Who’s watching your back” would be an appropriate one for “lining up and waiting” at a nontowered field.

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