Don’t Drop the Airplane to Fly the Microphone!

1. Don’t Drop the Airplaneto Fly the Microphone! 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 FAASTeam Representative of the Year

2. A FAASTeam WINGS Award Safety Seminar

3. Brought to you by: Sebring Regional Airport Authority Sport Aviation Expo AvSport of Lock Haven Your FAA Safety Team

4. RATIONALE: Student pilots who have mastered all the requisite flying skills often seem to forget everything they’ve learned when it comes time to make a radio call. The goal of this safety seminar is to helppilots automate the communications process, so they can concentrate on flying the aircraft.

5. OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of this seminar, 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!

7. Which of the following are you?(choose one that bestdescribes you) • Student Pilot • Rated Pilot • Flight Instructor • Air Traffic Controller • Future Aviator

8. You’re Busy!

9. So Are They!

10. Now what do I say?

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

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

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

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

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

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

17. Doh!

18. Which element of a traffic call should be made at the beginning and the end? • Who you’re calling • Who you are • Where you are • What you’re doing • What you want

19. Now when do I say it?

20. At a non-towered airport: • 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

21. VFR at a towered airport: • 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

22. When Practicing: • Entering the practice area • Changing altitude or direction of flight • Exiting the practice area • Any time you see another aircraft • Position reports every few minutes • Listen carefully for other traffic

23. It’s all about Collision Avoidance

24. He won’t bust you…

25. Quiz time!

26. When should you first call the tower if VFR inbound to a Class D airport? • When entering the traffic pattern • When descending to pattern altitude • When radar contact is established • Five to ten miles out from the airport • No radio communication is required

27. Most midairs occur in the traffic pattern

28. …at non-towered airports

29. Or, after hours

30. Your hands are full…

31. So use a headset!

32. And a Push-to-Talk Switch!

33. Another Question!

34. The tower is closed at KIPT. On what frequency should you make traffic calls? • 119.1 MHz • 121.5 MHz • 121.9 MHz • 122.95 MHz • 125.225 MHz

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

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

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

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

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

40. For example: “McDonald’sminimum 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.”

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

42. You’ll sound like a pro!

43. I know this one!

44. Why should you constantly practice radio communications procedures? • To learn proper terminology • To overcome mike fright • To master the Five Elements • To sound like a professional pilot • All of the above

45. It’s all about safety

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

47. Flight Service Communications • 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.”

48. Flight Watch Communications • 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.”

49. Flight Following • 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.”

50. Class D • 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.”