Communication Techniques for New Pilots

1. Chris Findley, CFI, CFII myFlightCoach.com Communication Techniquesfor New Pilots

2. Laying the Groundwork • We often begin instruction on communication with what to say on the mic • BUT good communication begins with thinkingnot speaking!

3. Thinking Before You Speak • Good Aviation Communication begins with: • Visualization • Do I understand both where I am and where am I in the ATC system? • Do I understand what I am doing? What is happening around me? How do my operations fit within the system? • Do I understand what I want to do and what I’m asking of the ATC system?

4. Thinking Before You Speak • Good Aviation Communication begins with: • Anticipation • ATC Communication is helped by understanding what should come next • As we listen we can determine probable actions of ATC • Staying ahead of the airplane helps us in our communication

5. Thinking Before You Speak • Good Aviation Communication begins with: • Adaptation • Forrest Gump “You never know whatcha gonna git!” • You may not get what you anticipate, so always be ready (and flexible) • Controllers will work with you • But don’t try to pass PIC responsibility to the controller!

6. Thinking Before You Speak • SO..good aviation communication begins with: • Visualization • Anticipation • Adaptation

7. Thinking Before You SpeakClip of flight vectoring around KBNA (Centurion 0HC) Blue: Desired Route Red: Actual Route Explanation (Listen to this first) ATC Example: Vectoring

8. Thinking Before You Speak • SO..good aviation communication begins with: • Visualization • Anticipation • Adaptation Then we can worry about how to speak and what to say!

9. Basics of Communication

10. Basics of Communication • Communication usually starts with an initial callup (specifically airborne in B,C, or D airspace) • At a non-towered airport, it’s similar, but you self-announce your position relative to the airport

11. Basics of Communication • 4 W’s for initial call up • W – Who you’re calling • W – Who you are • W – Where you are • W – What you want In controlled airspace repeat back instructions. Insures that they know that you know, what they have asked you to do!

12. Basics of Communication • Initial Call Up in busy airspace: • Tune to the freq, and listen for a minute or 2. This helps you not to “step” on someone’s transmission • Consider simply saying the first 2 Ws (Who you’re calling and who you are) and waiting for acknowledgement • This prevents you from tying up the freq and yet “establishes communication” for Class C (more on that later)

13. Basics of Communication • Initial Call Up in busy airspace: • After going through the 4 Ws, anticipate • Acknowledgement of radar contact and location • Transponder “squawk” code • Any additional instructions • Local Altimeter Setting • Repeat back squawk and instructions

14. Basics of Communication • Initial Call Up in busy airspace: • If airborne trying to enter Class C airspace, you must establish communications • This is simply an exchange which acknowledges you and your tail number • If airborne entering Class B, then you must be cleared by the controller to enter the Class B • If a student pilot, you must be trained and endorsed for the particular Class B

15. Thinking Before You SpeakClip of Cessna N6457D Initial Callup and flight to KMQY • Clip of entering Class C at KBNA Blue: Desired Route Red: Actual Route

16. Basics of Communication • Initial call up for CTAF: • If approaching a non-controlled field, begin monitoring CTAF 8-10 miles out and obtain AWOS if available • Begin announcing your location and intentions about 8 miles out • Announce again as you approach, at pattern entry and on each leg of the pattern.

17. Basics of Communication • On the Ground • Non-Towered simply use the 4 Ws to announce your taxi to the runway • Towered, Initial call up is to ground control or clearance delivery. 4Ws • Ground control will provide you with clearance to taxi (do not start taxi until cleared)

18. Basics of Communication

19. Basics of Communication • On the Ground your call up would be: “Smyrna ground, Skyhawk 6457Delta, at Corporate Flight ramp, VFR to Papa Delta Kilo, 5,500, ready to taxi with the numbers” NOTE: “with the numbers” means I have listened to the ASOS weather report and active runway info

20. Basics of Communication • On the Ground your call up would be: “Skyhawk 6457Delta, Smyrna Ground, Squawk 5472, taxi to runway 19.” Response: “6457Delta, 5472, and taxi to runway 19” NOTE: If you are going to cross a runway, get clearance to cross a runway before doing so!

21. Basics of Communication • Once you’ve taxied and runup is complete and you’re ready to depart. Go to the tower freq and say: “Smyrna tower, 6457Delta ready to go, runway 19, VFR to Papa Delta Kilo” Tower: “Skyhawk 6457Delta, Smyrna Tower, cleared for takeoff runway 19, right turn on course, cleared for take off”

22. Basics of Communication • Once airborne, the tower will turn you over to approach/departure and you just need to check in as the tower would have you in the ATC system so App/Dep would be ready for you: “Nashville Departure, Skyhawk 57Delta is with you 2000 for 5,500”

23. Basics of Communication • Now let’s listen in as someone makes a pretty big mistake…unauthorized landing at KPWM (Portland, ME) • Try to figure out what went wrong • Try to figure out what you would do and why

24. Basics of Communication Clip of Cessna’s unauthorized landing Aircraft: C-172 Skyhawk N982SK

25. Basics of Communication • Basic Principles • After you’ve established communication you can refer to yourself as your type and the last 3 of your tailnumber • If you need a moment ask the controller to “Standby” • If you need to leave the frequency, perhaps to call an FSS, you can make a request to “leave the frequency for a moment” • Set radios up as much as possible on the ground and have your next frequency in the standby section of your radio

26. Overcoming “Mic Fright” • Rehearse: Let your CFI act as controller and rehearse your callups on the ground • Walk it Through: literally walk your flight allowing you CFI to be the controller. • Build: Start out doing some of the easy calls and build your confidence

27. Basics of Communication • Basic Principles • Lots of info here! Questions? • If you want a copy of this presentation and a couple of scripts for rehearsing calls: Email: chris@myflightcoach.com Follow on Twitter: @myflightcoach Flight recordings courtesy of www.liveatc.net