Hi. I had done maybe around 10 flights on VATSIM before I stopped using it. I am using BeyondATC now and it's a great tool for learning, and I love how I can take my time on BeyondATC and go as slow as I want. Of course, I am still learning ATC phraseology (10 flights on VATSIM just makes me a newbie).  So I wanted to see the phraseology that BeyondATC was generating and if it's okay to follow. Here, I get the BeyondATC pilot/co-pilot to ask ATC to taxi to the active runway at CZBB (CZBB, Boundary Bay airport in BC, Canada, has a tower), and BeyondATC's pilot/co-pilot comes up with this phrase: "N172SB, request taxi to the active":

I do a little digging on the phraseology "<callsign>, request taxi to the active" and I come across this blog, which seems to be run by a real life pilot with a PPL and I believe he is also an instructor:

Quote

Common Mistakes

...

...

To the Active - Used to refer to the active runway. Common examples are "request taxi to the active" or "taxing to the active". I would avoid "to the active" because in untowered airports there is no "active" runway. Runway in use is determined by local traffic and winds. In towered airports, there is no need to even mention the "active" since it was tower itself that determined the active.

So according to this person with a PPL (and I believe he is also an instructor according to the "About Me" page), I shouldn't be mentioning "to the active" at a towered airport (which CZBB should be) and it's a common mistake that new pilots or student pilots make.

Perhaps this example is nitpicking.  But as I am not a real life pilot, nor a real life ATC controller, how accurate is the phraseology generated by the pilot/co-pilot in BeyondATC? If I follow the phraseology generated by the pilot/co-pilot in BeyondATC, will I be accumulating bad habits? Or is the example above just a rare issue, and the ATC phraseology generated by the pilot/co-pilot in BeyondATC is generally okay to follow and I won't be acquiring too many bad habits?

Edit: The pilot/co-pilot in BeyondATC says "Wilco, N172SB" and the instructor in that blog says that Wilco "is not standard phraseology. Usually if you're complying with something it's probably a clearance or assignment, which you have to had read back anyway."

 

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by abrams_tank

VFR is not currently catered for in BATC so "untowered" airports are not included. Try mentioning this to the devs on Discord.

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by SierraHotel

In Europe there definitely is an 'active' runway at untowered (read uncontrolled) airports. Most uncontrolled airfields have a manned radio frequency that provides aerodrome information (runway in use, wind, QNH), so there is an 'active' runway. There are of course a lot of smaller unmanned airfields where using the phrase 'active runway' doesn't make that much sense.

I’m finding BATC is pretty good with real world phraseology but we do have consider regional variations across the world. One rule doesn’t always apply everywhere. As for taxi, the preferred statement in NA is just “ready to taxi”. No need to add ‘active’. One goal of radio traffic is to keep it to a minimum. 

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by Danno

"Active" is not used in my country, the runway is positively identified.

On a perfectly calm day at a non-controlled aerodrome, which runway is "the active"?

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by DavidP

46 minutes ago, Danno said:

I’m finding BATC is pretty good with real world phraseology but we do have consider regional variations across the world. One rule doesn’t always apply everywhere. As for taxi, the preferred statement in NA is just “ready to taxi”. No need to add ‘active’. One goal of radio traffic is to keep it to a minimum. 

Thanks for this information! I will probably follow the phraseology generated by BeyondATC then, but I may double check from time to time if there is something I am suspicious about.

We use the phrase “active” or “active runway” at our uncontrolled airport. With 3 runways at Brantford (CYFD), laid out in a triangular pattern, one runway will always be the “best wind” runway and hence the “active runway”.

But then isnt it clearer to just say the runway number just to avoid any confusion?

11 minutes ago, Tva said:

But then isnt it clearer to just say the runway number just to avoid any confusion?

Absolutely! When at an uncontrolled airfield I always say the runway number when taxiing, departing or landing. Good practice.

1 hour ago, The Flight Level said:

We use the phrase “active” or “active runway” at our uncontrolled airport. With 3 runways at Brantford (CYFD), laid out in a triangular pattern, one runway will always be the “best wind” runway and hence the “active runway”.

Uncontrolled Field in the US, you announce your intentions on Unicomm, and active runway is meaningless, unless you specify which runway you are going to use. 

1 hour ago, Bobsk8 said:

Uncontrolled Field in the US, you announce your intentions on Unicomm, and active runway is meaningless, unless you specify which runway you are going to use. 

As I flew into many uncontrolled US airports in the 70's, I used the term "active" when shooting an approach into fields away from home.  Though I had a fair idea of the prevailing winds and the probable active runway, I didn't always have "local knowledge", so I would usually make the following call on Unicom:

"Wagon Wheel, Cessna 5993G to land - what are your winds and active?"

This allowed me to verify current local traffic and the active runway so I could enter the pattern properly.

When at my home field I would just announce my intentions.  When at controlled fields I would never use that term as the runway would be specified by the controller.

Edited May 12, 20242 yr by RandallR

1 minute ago, RandallR said:

As I flew into many uncontrolled US airports in the 70's, I used the term "active" when shooting an approach into fields away from home.  Though I had a fair idea of the prevailing winds and the probable active runway, I didn't always have "local knowledge", so I would usually make the following call on Unicom:

"Wagon Wheel, Cessna 5993G to land - what are your winds and active?"

This allowed me to verify current local traffic and the active runway so I could enter the pattern properly.

When at my home field I would just announce my attentions.  When at controlled fields I would never use that term as the runway would be specified by the controller.

To me that is dangerous, active could be rwy 9 or rwy 27 depending on the pilot's idea of what the wind is. 

Once in a while I use "active" but only in towered airport . It's just a silly way to abbreviate and shorten your communication if radio chatter traffic is high. However, proper way to use it actually call out runway number and even specify where you are at at hold short. For example "XXX tower, Cherokee one five tango holding short runway two four at alpha one 

43 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

To me that is dangerous, active could be rwy 9 or rwy 27 depending on the pilot's idea of what the wind is. 

Not exactly sure what you're saying here, Bob,  I'm calling for the current active on Unicom to verify the actual runway in use for this very reason - this is to mitigate danger.

'Active runway' is a hole in the Swiss cheese.