Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from hdc to ict on jan/xa/00. At approximately XA30, 40 mi northwest of tulsa, tul approach handed me off to ZKC, frequency 127.8. The following communication occurred: pilot -- 'ZKC, this is nxxxxx with you.' ZKC -- no answer. Pilot -- 'ZKC, this is nxxxxx on 127.8, how do you read?' -- ZKC -- 'I read you loud and clear nxxxxx. Is this your first IFR flight?' pilot -- 'no.' ZKC -- 'then you should know that you must call your altitude when you call in. You really ought to be in ground school.' (sarcastic and degrading tone.) aim 5-3-1-2A states that 'when operating in a radar environment, the pilot 'should' inform the controller of the aircraft's assigned altitude, preceded by the words 'level' or 'climbing to' or 'descending to' as appropriate.' aim 4-2-1A states 'radio communications are a critical link in the ATC system...the single most important thought in pilot/controller communications is understanding.' I believe that this controller's response to my radio call was negative and unnecessary. It went beyond professionalism and showed a complete lack of courtesy. This could have had potentially disastrous results with a less experienced pilot, by eroding confidence for the rest of the flight. I believe that this type of high-handed treatment by this particular controller is exactly why less experienced pilots may be afraid to use the radio. A little courtesy can go a long way to keeping that bond between pilot and controller strong. I think that there are only a few controllers who behave like this and they are the ones who should be idented, retrained, monitored, or reassigned. A lack of courtesy only introduces negative and unnecessary factors which can contribute to the deterioration of human performance and potentially jeopardize air safety. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter provided no additional information.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C208 PLT CONCERNED WITH ZKC CTLR'S RESPONSE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ESTABLISH 2-WAY COM.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM HDC TO ICT ON JAN/XA/00. AT APPROX XA30, 40 MI NW OF TULSA, TUL APCH HANDED ME OFF TO ZKC, FREQ 127.8. THE FOLLOWING COM OCCURRED: PLT -- 'ZKC, THIS IS NXXXXX WITH YOU.' ZKC -- NO ANSWER. PLT -- 'ZKC, THIS IS NXXXXX ON 127.8, HOW DO YOU READ?' -- ZKC -- 'I READ YOU LOUD AND CLR NXXXXX. IS THIS YOUR FIRST IFR FLT?' PLT -- 'NO.' ZKC -- 'THEN YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU MUST CALL YOUR ALT WHEN YOU CALL IN. YOU REALLY OUGHT TO BE IN GND SCHOOL.' (SARCASTIC AND DEGRADING TONE.) AIM 5-3-1-2A STATES THAT 'WHEN OPERATING IN A RADAR ENVIRONMENT, THE PLT 'SHOULD' INFORM THE CTLR OF THE ACFT'S ASSIGNED ALT, PRECEDED BY THE WORDS 'LEVEL' OR 'CLBING TO' OR 'DSNDING TO' AS APPROPRIATE.' AIM 4-2-1A STATES 'RADIO COMS ARE A CRITICAL LINK IN THE ATC SYS...THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THOUGHT IN PLT/CTLR COMS IS UNDERSTANDING.' I BELIEVE THAT THIS CTLR'S RESPONSE TO MY RADIO CALL WAS NEGATIVE AND UNNECESSARY. IT WENT BEYOND PROFESSIONALISM AND SHOWED A COMPLETE LACK OF COURTESY. THIS COULD HAVE HAD POTENTIALLY DISASTROUS RESULTS WITH A LESS EXPERIENCED PLT, BY ERODING CONFIDENCE FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. I BELIEVE THAT THIS TYPE OF HIGH-HANDED TREATMENT BY THIS PARTICULAR CTLR IS EXACTLY WHY LESS EXPERIENCED PLTS MAY BE AFRAID TO USE THE RADIO. A LITTLE COURTESY CAN GO A LONG WAY TO KEEPING THAT BOND BTWN PLT AND CTLR STRONG. I THINK THAT THERE ARE ONLY A FEW CTLRS WHO BEHAVE LIKE THIS AND THEY ARE THE ONES WHO SHOULD BE IDENTED, RETRAINED, MONITORED, OR REASSIGNED. A LACK OF COURTESY ONLY INTRODUCES NEGATIVE AND UNNECESSARY FACTORS WHICH CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE DETERIORATION OF HUMAN PERFORMANCE AND POTENTIALLY JEOPARDIZE AIR SAFETY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR PROVIDED NO ADDITIONAL INFO.

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.