Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Other / Unknown; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure
I told a CRJ7 to maintain visual separation from a B737. He used the call sign in his read back but did not acknowledge the visual separation. I restated the clearance saying CRJ7 maintain visual separation from the B737. He read back his call sign and 'will do'. I am not sure if 'will do' is acceptable as a read back in this situation. I did not combine it with any other control instruction and the pilot used his call sign. I did not go back a third time and try to get the pilot to say the phrase 'will maintain visual separation'. In the future I can ask the pilot to read back the phrase 'will maintain visual separation'.
A D21 Controller reported a possible phraseology/clearance error when issuing a 'maintain visual separation' clearance and the pilot not responding with the exact phraseology required.