Radio calls

[pete8862]

Hi all, Can anyone tell me where to look to find the basic radio call that I would need to fly from one airstrip to another?

 

Pete

 

 

[Guest rocketdriver]

Hi Pete

 

Your FI will be able to give you these .... its a part of yr XC endorsement to be able to make the appropriate radio calls

 

 

[motzartmerv]

G'day pete. The required calls recently changed, and CASA have issued a publication explaining the changes.

 

Section 3 of this booklet explains the required calls.

 

http://www.casa.gov.au/wcmswr/_assets/main/pilots/download/nta_booklet.pdf

 

Cheers

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Hi again Pete.

 

Sorry, that publication is quite vague. Here is a link to some tutorials regarding radio calls.

 

http://www.recreationalflying.com/tutorials/comms/procedure.html#mand_calls

 

Im not sure where your up to, but this link contains the normal format and phraseology for radio calls.

 

Its full of useful tips such as

 

Note :Don't use non-aviation English phrasing such as '(call-sign) TURNS base' instead of '(call-sign) TURNING base'. Such phrasing is confusing — particularly to students whose first language is not English — and may grate on the listeners; consequently a listener may not absorb the information and the broadcast has no value. Avoid confusion!

 

 

[Guest davidh10]

Also see the CAAP 166-1(0) and CAAP 166-2(0). The content of these is incorporated in the document that Motz linked first, but are the actual CASA interpretations of how to comply with the rules, versus the brochure which provides easier reading and reasons to support the procedures adoption. The Visual Flight Rules Guide is also a very comprehensive CASA publication (not currently in print) that you will find very useful, including a whole section on radio phraseology. Like the brochure, the VFRG is not authoritative, but is ok for most purposes.

 

You will soon find that if you start looking for shades of meaning, you need to go back to the actual legislative documents, which are numerous and sometimes hard to read. Never-the-less, if you have the need or the interest, it helps cement the information in your mind to research it a bit.

 

I made the VFRG bedtime reading while training, albeit that it is written for GA and contains a superset of information needed for RAA pilots. I felt that it didn't hurt to understand more than I needed to know.

 

Motz' comment about correct phraseology is well made. Two practical examples:-

 

• An aircraft with almost no audio level over the radio taxied and entered the runway on which I was preparing to land. Indeed, I gave my downwind call just after his entering call and added a readability "1" report plus that I had him visual and would extend downwind. Even though his radio was readability "1", I could get enough to realise which aircraft was making the call and what he was doing, based on seeing him as well. If he had not used stabndard phraseology, the readability "1" signal would have been totally unintelligible.
   
   
  
• Heard an incoming call yesterday... "Yarrawonga, <aircraft-id>, ten miles to the east at seventeen hundred feet, will be passing nearish the airfield............. soon". This was a very poor call on multiple counts:-
   
  Who is being addressed is incomplete. Should have been "Yarrawonga Traffic".
   
   
  
• The distance from the aerodrome should have been in standard phraseology. ie. "one zero miles".
   
   
  
• The altitude should have been in standard phraseology. ie. "one thousand seven hundred feet".
   
   
  
• "neerish" does not tell the listener where to look. As it transpired, after 5 minutes I spotted the aircraft flying about two miles south of the field, which is in itself an issue as it was only 300' above circuit height, if their altimeter was set correctly for the local QNH.
   
   
  
• "soon" gives no idea to anyone else when the aircraft is likely to arrive. If you know you are 10 miles out and you know your ground speed, it isn't hard to give a reasonably accurate estimate of arrival time, and it is expected that you will do so.
   
   
  
• Based on the above two points, there was a complete failure to provide a useful "intention", which must be given with every call. They could have used the standard key word "overflying" and qualified it with "two miles south of the field".
   
   
  
• The location was not appended to the call. ie. "Yarrawonga".
   
   
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, from just these examples you can see the value of standard phraseology as well as concise and useful intentions. The purpose of your calls is not just to tick the box of compliance, but to enhance the situational awareness of other pilots in the local area.

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Nice one David.

 

 

[kaz3g]

Note :Don't use non-aviation English phrasing such as '(call-sign) TURNS base' instead of '(call-sign) TURNING base'. Such phrasing is confusing

Mozartmerv just hit on one of my raw nerve ends... 'TURNS base' It doesn't happen in an instant and the call should occur before the turn if it is to really compliment safety in the circuit.

 

There are still a lot of LOTE GA students in Australia studying for their commercial tickets and comprehension is a 2-way thing. They will understand our calls and we their's if everyone sticks to the standard phraseology. Makes it safer for Kaz who would like to keep flying for many years yet.

 

kaz

 

kaz

 

 

[motzartmerv]

Yea Kaz.. It drives me nuts...Taxiis, rolls, turns, backtracks, overflys....ggrrrr...

 

 

[Tomo]

Just remember the Idea of the radio transmissions is to help with situational awareness! So long as the other person knows where you are, and what you're doing. Well you can't go wrong - just don't over do it! Short/simple, clear/concise is the best advice... ;)

 

Keep up the good work.

 

 

[turboplanner]

We did this to death a couple of years ago.

 

The biggest issue occurs with marginal transmission signals, where quite often, if correct terminolgy is used you can pick up what he is saying by the rhythm or cadence rather than the words. If the caller uses no standard phrases or words, you have to be able to identify the words.

 

 

[pete8862]

Thanks everyone this has been verry helpful

 

Pete