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When asking for flight following you need to give your N-Number, type of aircraft, destination, and initial altitude. These codes are the old domestic IFR flight plans. They are intended for IFR navigation so they assume that the aircraft has at least one VOR receiver. IFR flights now require FAA Flight Plan Form 7233−4 which […]

The VOR/Localizer/Glide Slope antenna is usually V-shaped and points backwards on the vertical stabilizer of the plane. On some aircraft, they point forward. They look like old-fashioned wire clothes hanger wire. Newer versions can be blade shaped. sometimes they are boomerang shaped like the old car phone antennas of the 90s.) They usually have a […]

A recent forum post asked about the correct way to contact ATC. Specifically, they had heard that pilots use their aircraft type and color. I think they were confusing communication with ATC and talking to other pilots at a non-towered airport. The AIM discusses communications with ATC in Chapter 4. 4−2−3. Contact Procedures a. Initial […]

AIM Section 4. Two-way Radio Communications Failure 6−4−1. Two-way Radio Communications Failure a. It is virtually impossible to provide regulations and procedures applicable to all possible situations associated with two-way radio communications failure. During two-way radio communications failure, when confronted by a situation not covered in the regulation, pilots are expected to exercise good judgment […]

Here are some good examples of various ways to get clearance from uncontrolled airports: On the initial contact you need to let them know who your are, where you are, that you want to pick up your IFR clearance, and when you’ll be ready to go. Not much different than picking up a clearance at […]

TRAFFIC IN SIGHT. Used by pilots to inform a controller that previously issued traffic is in sight. (See NEGATIVE CONTACT.) (See TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.) NEGATIVE CONTACT. Used by pilots to inform ATC that: a. Previously issued traffic is not in sight. It may be followed by the pilot’s request for the controller to provide assistance in […]

Say It Right! Radio Communications In Today’s Airspace (2008) Tip: When using flight following or on an IFR flight plan, when changing to another controller’s frequency, do not use “With you at…”, or “Checkin in…”. Simply state your full aircraft identification and your altitude. If climbing or descending, state your final altitude. e.g. “Centurion 59049 […]

AOPA is reminding members that the FAA will discontinue the universal Flight Watch frequency 122.0 MHz for in-flight weather services on Oct. 1, 2015. Weather services provided under the Flight Watch program En route Flight Advisory Service (EFAS) will continue to be provided via charted frequencies pilots use to obtain weather information, open and close […]

I do almost all of my flying in California, so the procedure might be different back east, but any time I am going to leave the traffic pattern, I get flight following. At Class C airports they will give you a squawk and frequency when you call ground or clearance delivery. At every Class C […]

According to the Pilot Controller Glossary: WILCO− I have received your message, understand it, and will comply with it. ROGER− I have received all of your last transmission. It should not be used to answer a question requiring a yes or a no answer. If you are a general aviation pilot, ATC wants to be […]

Tune, Identify, Twist That’s how you change to a new VOR and fly a new heading. Newer radios make the Identify part easy by displaying the identifier right on the radio. Old school pilots actually had to learn Morse Code to get their radio license. Nowadays, it’s not particularly useful. But if you want to […]

My Favorite: “In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child travelling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are travelling with more than one small child, […]

On the CPA forum there was a discussion of how crowded the air-to-air frequency, 122.75, is in certain areas. Several people suggested using 123.45 or 122.85. Neither of these are approved for air-to-air communication. I found an FAA showing frequency bands for aviation (shown below) but it doesn’t go into detail about the band we’re […]

In honor of Talk Like a Pirate day, (Sept 19th) I thought I’d put up some phrases you can use to sound like a pilot. Pilot: We’re preflighted and ready to go. We’re ready to bore some holes in the sky. Instructor: OK Let’s kick the tires and light the fires. Pilot: Barnstormer 1EE ready […]

I recently refurbished an older Cherokee with a very old radio. I’ve also been working on some older Cessnas with very old radios and I got to wondering if they were still legal for flight. I remember reading somewhere that old radios used 360 channels and are no longer legal for flight. Current radios have […]

14 CFR § 91.183 IFR communications. Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, the pilot in command of each aircraft operated under IFR in controlled airspace must ensure that a continuous watch is maintained on the appropriate frequency and must report the following as soon as possible— (a) The time and altitude of passing each designated reporting […]

Communication between ATC and aircraft is facilitated by the use of a phonetic alphabet to refer to numbers and letters. This avoids confusion between similar sounding letters (p/b, t/d, m/n) and numbers (3/t, 9/5). From the FAA site. Phonetic Alphabet Letter Pronunciation Letter Pronunciation Letter Pronunciation A Alpha J Juliett S Sierra B Bravo K […]

I’ve been listening to the JFK tower and approach on LiveATC. It is interesting to listen to the takeoffs and landings at parallel runways like JFK, Las Vegas, or LAX. Landings usually take place on the runway farthest from the terminal and then the planes taxi and hold short of the active takeoff runway. Even […]