Narrative:

I don't really know if this should be reported on this form or not. When I brought this situation to the attention of my supervisor, I was told to keep quiet and not include it in my fam trip report. While on a fam trip from ind to atl, I noticed as did the pilots, that several controllers from ZTL continually referred to all the flts by # only; i.e., air carrier xyz was called 'xyz, descend and maintain...'. In fact, if I recall correctly, I don't think we were ever once referred to as air carrier xyz. All the clrncs given by the controllers were addressed to the aircraft by simply using the flight's #'south 'xyz.' aside from being improper phraseology, I think you would agree that a situation like this could cause serious problems. The pilots of the flight I was on said that this was a regular occurrence. I also noticed that it was not just 1 controller, but several who addressed the aircraft in this manner. I feel that this situation needs to be addressed before something regrettable happens. I was not satisfied with the response of my supervisor and felt the matter needed to be pursued further. The pilots also mentioned that ZME used the same procedures. I did not, however, observe this myself. I might add that the pilots were very disturbed by this practice and said that it became very confusing at times. They were, however, afraid to say anything to anybody. Thanks for your help. If I can be of any further assistance, please feel free to contact me at home. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter says that crew appeared to be disturbed by ATC practice. Analyst asked if problem could be that the concerned controllers were transmitting at the same time they were keying their microphone. Reporter did not know. Reporter also was concerned that by reporting this incident, it would get back to facility. He feels that there is a possible safety issued here and did not want it getting back to him.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER CLAIMS THAT SOME CTLRS ARE DROPPING THE COMPANY NAME WHEN ADDRESSING ACFT AND ONLY USING NUMBERS.

Narrative: I DON'T REALLY KNOW IF THIS SHOULD BE RPTED ON THIS FORM OR NOT. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS SITUATION TO THE ATTN OF MY SUPVR, I WAS TOLD TO KEEP QUIET AND NOT INCLUDE IT IN MY FAM TRIP RPT. WHILE ON A FAM TRIP FROM IND TO ATL, I NOTICED AS DID THE PLTS, THAT SEVERAL CTLRS FROM ZTL CONTINUALLY REFERRED TO ALL THE FLTS BY # ONLY; I.E., ACR XYZ WAS CALLED 'XYZ, DSND AND MAINTAIN...'. IN FACT, IF I RECALL CORRECTLY, I DON'T THINK WE WERE EVER ONCE REFERRED TO AS ACR XYZ. ALL THE CLRNCS GIVEN BY THE CTLRS WERE ADDRESSED TO THE ACFT BY SIMPLY USING THE FLT'S #'S 'XYZ.' ASIDE FROM BEING IMPROPER PHRASEOLOGY, I THINK YOU WOULD AGREE THAT A SITUATION LIKE THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS PROBS. THE PLTS OF THE FLT I WAS ON SAID THAT THIS WAS A REGULAR OCCURRENCE. I ALSO NOTICED THAT IT WAS NOT JUST 1 CTLR, BUT SEVERAL WHO ADDRESSED THE ACFT IN THIS MANNER. I FEEL THAT THIS SITUATION NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMETHING REGRETTABLE HAPPENS. I WAS NOT SATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE OF MY SUPVR AND FELT THE MATTER NEEDED TO BE PURSUED FURTHER. THE PLTS ALSO MENTIONED THAT ZME USED THE SAME PROCS. I DID NOT, HOWEVER, OBSERVE THIS MYSELF. I MIGHT ADD THAT THE PLTS WERE VERY DISTURBED BY THIS PRACTICE AND SAID THAT IT BECAME VERY CONFUSING AT TIMES. THEY WERE, HOWEVER, AFRAID TO SAY ANYTHING TO ANYBODY. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. IF I CAN BE OF ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT HOME. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAYS THAT CREW APPEARED TO BE DISTURBED BY ATC PRACTICE. ANALYST ASKED IF PROB COULD BE THAT THE CONCERNED CTLRS WERE XMITTING AT THE SAME TIME THEY WERE KEYING THEIR MIC. RPTR DID NOT KNOW. RPTR ALSO WAS CONCERNED THAT BY RPTING THIS INCIDENT, IT WOULD GET BACK TO FAC. HE FEELS THAT THERE IS A POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUED HERE AND DID NOT WANT IT GETTING BACK TO HIM.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.