Lesson 6: ATC Communications Basics

1. Lesson 6:ATC Communications Basics Prof. H. Paul Shuch, Ph.D., CFII LSRM-A/GL/WSC/PPC, iRMT Heavy Chief Flight Instructor, Director of Maintenance AvSport of Lock Haven FAA Safety Team Lead Representative Piper Memorial Airport, Lock Haven PA

2. A FAASTeam WINGS Award Seminar

3. Brought to you by: • Wings of Williamsport • Piper Memorial Airport • AvSport of Lock Haven • Your FAA Safety Team

4. OBJECTIVES:Upon successful completion of this lesson, you will: • Know the five elements of an effective radio call • Improve your collision avoidance skills through proper radio usage • Demonstrate proper radio technique in towered and non-towered environments • Understand what others are saying on the radio • Fly The Aircraft First!

5. You’re Busy!

6. So Are They!

7. Now what do I say?

8. Who you’re calling Who you are Where you are What you’re doing What you want The five basic elements of an effective radio call:

9. Tower? Ground? Unicom? Traffic? Somebody else? Who You’re Calling:

10. Callsign? Abbreviate? Make and Model? Color? Description? Something else? Who You Are:

12. Airport? Pattern Leg? Distance? Landmark? Something else? Where You Are:

13. Holding Short? Taking Off? Turning? Inbound? Something else? What You’re Doing:

14. Departing? How? Entering pattern? How? Turning? Which way? Climbing/Descending? What altitude? Something else? What You Want:

15. Now when do I say it?

16. Holding short of the runway Beginning your takeoff run In every traffic pattern turn Departing the traffic pattern Entering the traffic pattern When clear of the runway At a non-towered airport:

17. Check ATIS or other wx transmitter first Call Ground Control before taxiing Call Tower when ready for takeoff Inbound, call tower before entering Delta Outbound, report when leaving Delta Otherwise, remain quiet unless ATC requests otherwise VFR at a towered airport:

18. Entering the operating area Changing altitude or direction of flight Exiting the operating area Any time you see another aircraft Position reports every few minutes Listen carefully for other traffic When On A Mission:

19. It’s all about Collision Avoidance

20. He won’t bust you…

21. Most midairs occur in the traffic pattern

22. …at non-towered airports

23. Or, after hours

24. He probably can’t see you

25. Your hands are full…

26. So use a headset!

27. And a Push-to-Talk Switch!

28. Or better yet, a remote communicator

29. At home At work In your car At the airport Everywhere! Practice, practice, practice!

30. “Jersey Shore traffic, red Porche Cayman eastbound on Route 220, exiting at the Main Street ramp, proceeding southbound, Jersey Shore.” For example:

31. “High Tech Corporation pointy-haired boss, Dilbert arriving in conference room, preparing to sleep through the staff meeting, High Tech.” For example:

32. “Williamsport family, student pilot returning from lesson, entering the kitchen for ham and potato dinner, Williamsport.” For example:

33. “First Lutheran choir director, second tenor arriving at choir room, for practicing Handel’s Messiah, First Lutheran.” For example:

34. “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.” For example:

35. “AvSport flight instructor, your best student now arriving in Hangar One, preparing to impress you with my radio communications skills, AvSport.” For example:

36. You’ll sound like a pro!

37. It’s all about safety

38. Flight Service Station Flight Watch Flight Following Class D Class C Class B ATC Communications

39. Open and Close VFR Flight Plans Frequencies on Chart (VOR symbol) 122.1R means Listen on VOR Use your callsign and location Their callsign is “Radio” Initial: “Williamsport Radio, 123AB off Lock Haven.” Flight Service Communications

40. Enroute Flight Advisory Service Weather updates, nationwide Frequency was 122.0, below 18,000 ft Use your callsign and location Their callsign is “Flight Watch” Initial: “Flight Watch, 123AB near Philipsburg.” Flight Watch Communications

41. Enroute VFR Radar Service On workload-permitting basis Find radar facility frequency on sectional Use your callsign and request Callsign for an ARTCC is usually “Center” Initial: “New York Center, 123AB for flight following.” Flight Following

42. Get weather info first (ATIS, AWOS, ASOS) Find tower frequency on sectional Call between five and ten miles out Use your callsign and request Their callsign is “Tower” Initial: “Williamsport tower, 123AB six miles West, landing with Charlie.” Class D

43. Find RAPCON frequency on sectional Establish 2-way radio contact before entering their airspace Use your callsign, location, altitude Their callsign is usually “Approach” Initial: “Harrisburg Approach, 123AB ten North at 4500, inbound landing Middletown.” They must respond with your callsign. Class C / TRSA / ARSA

44. Find RAPCON frequency on sectional Establish 2-way radio contact before entering their airspace Use your callsign, location, altitude, ATIS Their callsign is usually “Approach” Initial: “New York Approach, 123AB, over Sparta, 5500 feet, inbound landing Teterboro, with Charlie” They must respond with “Cleared into”. Class B

45. Aviate Navigate Communicate Prioritize!

46. Fly the aircraft first!

47. They haven’t yet invented one …that develops lift!

48. Don’t drop the aircraft… To fly the microphone!

49. RESOURCES