GPS waypoint pronunciation?

[N8632Y]

Didn't know where to put this, so...
Ran into this yesterday, and they had to spell it out for me.
In actual IMC, flew KDUJ, RNAV 25, was cleared to DRTHE (IAF). The controller said, and it really sounded like this everytime, cleared "JERZY", i said i do not see it on the plate,
so she spelled it out, and it was DRTHE, but it sounded like "JERZY"!! I was lost, but able to comply,,,
Now how does that happen, where do you learn the pronunciation of some of the crazy waypoints? A dictionary gives the phonetics of the english language, but aviation tongue?
And can you complain to the FAA that the spelling and pronunciation do not match?
I"m lost, where do you look?
thanks in advance,,,
i felt like going back to that airport and flying same approach and recording what they say...
steve

[Jay]

More and more GPS approaches and T routes is going to mean more and more five letter waypoints. I've run into a lot of marginally pronounceable or unpronounceable fixes myself, but looking at the KDUJ approach plates I gotta say, there are lots there that even if they were pronounceable, the chances of correctly spelling them are about nil. DAAAV?

When I do my flight planning, I always start with the approaches and work backward to the departures. Looking at the plates and knowing which approach to expect you can sometimes anticipate and, even if the pronunciation is not exact, figure out what they want and then verify by spelling it out with "roger, Nxxx direct D-R-T-H-E". If that doesn't work then it's Nxxx, can you spell that?"

Jay

[N3322G]

I also use Jay's method and laugh when there is a good one. Not funny though when you are in the air.

In south China Sea SEKSI - pronounced sexy - on that flight I really needed a smile and that got it done.

[N8632Y]

But, couldn't they be logical, and maybe anticipate people would have to say the names?
Oh, our government! sorry..guess we'll never change it.
steve

[SLIMDREDGER]

Most of my flying is in the Northwest and Northern California, and I am pretty familiar with the waypoints here. When I venture to the midwest or unfamiliar country and center throws a revised clearance, I try to copy it down, and if I feel any doubt I ask for a vector heading to the first waypoint and take my time to find the area. I tell them I am a stranger to the area and ask for a slow repeat. It seems to work.

From what I have read you East coast pilots probably won't get a slower delivery and a little hand holding. I have never been IFR on the East coast. Al Powers ICS 2978

[N8632Y]

The east coast isn't so bad, just some bigger places, philly, NY, but a lot of the NE is rural too, and the controllers are really nice, most of them,
i'm finding, more and more woman, i have no complaints...
steve

[Nick]

I am convinced that it is far easier to grasp and comprehend the end of the universe than the interworkings and thought process of a U.S. governmental bureaucracy.

[N8632Y]

i second that....

[Elliot Cannon]

When I first started flying in Chinese airspace, we were told to use the phonetic pronunciation of the three letter identifier of a fix when giving a position report. We were told that if we mis-pronounced the Chinese word, they (the Chinese) might be offended. Well excuuuuuse meeeee!!

[Steve Marcozzi]

In KY there's an intersection we hit on the way southwest from Frankfort to stay out of the Ft Knox restricted which is JBEAM....yep it's right over a group of Jim Beam whiskey warehouses. Another one I heard recently was pronounced "Bid-nez". Couldn't find it on a chart to see what the 5 letter identifier was, but several people on the freq got a chuckle.. it was with Indy Ctr. Nashville has its share of them too.

Steve

[Malcolm Dickinson]

New Haven, Connecticut has an ILS ( http://204.108.4.16/d-tpp/1104/00671IL2.PDF )
The final approach fix is SALLT. I didn't think too much about that until I noticed that the IAF is PEPER !

Out in Newton, Iowa (home to a giant Maytag appliance factory) there is a MATAG intersection (pronounced Maytag, of course).

And near Boston, home of the Red Sox, you often have to cross BOSOX intersection.

[N8632Y]

Now those waypoints are starting to get fun.
I will be looking at them with a new interest, maybe i'll find one or two to post....
steve

[bishopw]

Here is a really useful tip for avoiding unexpected in-flight changes to your filed flight plan:

When I fly somewhere new, I always look on fltplan.com for routes that were recently assigned by ATC for your planned trip. If you file the ATC-preferred route, you are much less likely to have a surprise as you approach your destination. In fltplan.com, click on the "new flight plan" button, enter the starting and destination airports, and scroll down to the bottom of the page. You will see previously filed routes and ATC-assigned routes for that pair of airports. You can then file via fltplan.com or use the information you have just obtained to file some other way. I like to file via duats.com, as I get a text message confirmation on my smartphone when the plan is actually filed with the FAA.

Warren Bishop