Pre-Solo Training Program

1. Pre-Solo Training Program Flight Briefing: Lesson 5 Radio Communications In cooperation with Mid Island Air Service, Inc. Brookhaven, NY (Michael Bellenir, CFI)

2. Lesson 5 Objectives • During this briefing, go over basic radio communication procedures, and explore use of the radio in the traffic pattern. • Upon completion of this briefing, you will practice flying in the traffic pattern. You will review and apply the basic flight maneuvers you have learned in your previous lessons, while demonstrating proper radio communications procedures.

3. Radio Communications Except in some types of controlled airspace, radio use is completely optional. They haven’t yet invented a radio that develops lift! So, if you become overwhelmed with too many tasks, forget the radio and FLY THE AIRPLANE. That said, effective use of inflight communications equipment can greatly aid in collision avoidance, especially in congested areas. So learn to use the radio correctly.

4. Radio Communications • Many pilots report their positions on the radio so that other pilots know where to look for them. This is optional at non-towered airports, but it is recommended and is a good idea. • To make a position report (or, generally, any radio call), simply state: • Who you’re calling • Who you are • Where you are • What you’re doing • What you want • And then end by repeating: Who you’re calling

5. Radio Communications • Who you’re calling: • Many airports share the same Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF), so it is important to make it clear which airport you are at. When we talk on the radio here at Lock Haven, we are addressing any traffic that might be in the local area. We start our call simply by saying, “Lock Haven Traffic,” or “Piper Traffic,” or simply “Lock Haven .”

6. Radio Communications • Who you are: • Next state who you are. This way other aircraft know what type of aircraft they are looking for and will be able to keep track of you individually. • Formally, we would say “SportStar november six six alpha victor,” our full call sign. However, to avoid radio clutter at uncontrolled fields, it is often preferable to shorten the call sign to either, “SportStar six alpha victor,” or just “SportStar.”

7. Radio Communications • Who you are: • The purpose of identifying who we are at non-towered airports is to help other traffic see and avoid us. Giving our full callsign takes up time, and contributes nothing to collision avoidance! • Maybe the other traffic doesn’t know what a SportStar is. But, they probably know an LSA is a slow, low-performance aircraft (and thus, can anticipate your behavior in the pattern). It may tell them more to merely identify as “Light Sport.”

8. Radio Communications • Who you are: • In highly congested airspace (say, flying into or out of a major fly-in or airshow), it’s especially important to keep transmissions clear and concise. • If you want to make sure other traffic knows exactly who you are, you can make it easy for them to pick you out of the crowd by identifying yourself with a physical description, such as “blue low-wing,” “silver high wing,” or “red biplane.” (Here at Lock Haven, we hear mostly “yellow Cub.”)

9. Radio Communications • Where you are/what you’re doing/what you want • In these parts of the transmission, you are just giving your position and intentions. If you are in the traffic pattern, it is understood you are going to land unless you say otherwise, so simply report which leg of the pattern you are on and for which runway, “Right downwind runway two seven right.” If you are not in the pattern or if you are doing something in the pattern other than landing, also include your intentions, “Four miles east, entering left downwind for runway nine left,” or “Upwind runway two seven, departing pattern to the west.”

10. Radio Communications • Who you are calling • At the end of your transmission, repeat who your call was intended for, in case the beginning of your transmission was not heard or was cut off. • Remember, multiple airports often share a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) and can hear each other’s transmissions. Lock Haven, Bellfonte, Bloomsburg, Wellsboro, and University Park, for example, all use 122.8 MHz, and you will often hear their traffic, and vice versa. Best to make sure there’s no confusion!

11. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • For example, while driving home from the airport, you might say out loud: • “Jersey Shore traffic, gray Pontiac eastbound on Route 220, exiting at the Main Street ramp, proceeding southbound, Jersey Shore.”

12. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • For example, when you get home from your flight lesson, you might say out loud: • “Williamsport family, student pilot returning from lesson, entering the kitchen for ham and potato dinner, Williamsport.”

13. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • For example, entering church for choir practice, you might say out loud: • “First Lutheran choir director, second tenor arriving at choir room, for practicing Handel’s Messiah, First Lutheran.”

14. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • For example, at work, you might say out loud: • “High Tech Corporation pointy-haired boss, Dilbert arriving in conference room, preparing to sleep through the staff meeting, High Tech.”

15. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • For example, at the fast food drive-through, you might say out loud: • “McDonald’s minimum wage employee, blue mini-van, holding short of the menu board, for a Big Mac, medium fries, and large sweet tea, to go, McDonald’s.”

16. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • For example, arriving at my flight school for a lesson, you might say out loud: • “AvSport flight instructor, your best student now arriving in Hangar One, preparing to impress you with my radio communications skills, AvSport.”

17. Radio Communications • Practice (and not just in the air!) • Yes, folks will look at you as though you are crazy. But, that’s part of the fun of becoming a member of this elite community of aviators!

18. Radio Communications • Common courtesies: • Don’t transmit on top of another transmission. This is called “stepping on” another pilot’s position report and will cause radio interference (unintelligible/annoying noises) and prevent either report from being heard. • Don’t interrupt important two-way dialogue. If two pilots are entering the pattern and communicating back and forth to try and find each other, don’t break in to announce that you’re on the ground crossing a runway; let important communications have priority. • Don’t carry on conversations not relevant to flight with other pilots. It is tempting to ask friends how they are doing, or to yell at another pilot for inventing a new way of doing things. DON’T DO IT! Use the frequency for its intended purpose, nothing else.

19. Radio Communications • Common courtesies: • DO: Communicate any safety related information to other pilots, i.e. let a pilot know if something appears to be wrong with his or her aircraft (airworthiness concerns, not bad paint). Or, if you see two aircraft converging on each other, try to let them know. • Safety is everyone’s responsibility - including yours!

20. Radio Communications • And, most important: • Although it aids in collision avoidance, radio communications is your lowest priority. If you become overwhelmed with too many tasks, FLY THE AIRPLANE FIRST!

21. Review Questions • List the five items included in a standard radio call (in order). • Which of these is the statement “Lock Haven Traffic”? • Which of these is “holding short, runway 9L”? • Which one is “Blue and white high-wing”? • Which is “Staying in the pattern”? • When should you say who you’re calling? Write down your answers before continuing to next slide

22. Review Answers • List the five items included in a standard radio call (in order). Who you’re calling, who you are, where you are, what you’re doing, what you want. • Which of these is the statement “Lock Haven Traffic”? Who you’re calling. • Which of these is “holding short, runway 9L”? Where you are and what you’re doing. • Which one is “Blue and white high-wing”? Who you are. • Which is “Staying in the pattern”? What you want. • When should you say who you’re calling? At beginning and end. Review any missed questions before continuing to today’s flight.

23. On Today’s Flight • Try to fly the traffic pattern correctly. • Announce your intentions before takeoff. • Make position reports with every turn in the traffic pattern. • Report when clear of the runway. • Use proper radio communications procedures. • Don’t drop the airplane to fly the microphone! Thanks to Mid Island Air Service, Inc. Brookhaven, NY (Michael Bellenir, CFI)