Bad radio

[nomis]

Think you lot are confusing looking out for listenening out. Would rather fly near someone that can look out the window with no radio than someone that thinks a CAA/CASA/ICAO style radio call is the sign of airmanship

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

2 eyes are always better than one too. "If you see something, tell the pilot".:)

 

 

[Guest Crash Lander]

Darren, if there are five Aircraft in the circuit and you all give downwind calls that should be enough. SP

I disagree. What happens if I've just stepped into my a/c, and switch my radio on just after you make your down wind call? I taxi to the holding point, and do a quick run-up. I have a look down the base and final legs, but for some reason don't see you, and puul onto the runway.

 

This is a perfect scenario as to why at least a base call is crucial.

 

If you'd called base, I'd have heard you whilst taxiing. If you'd called base before I switched my radio on, chances are you'd be on the ground before I'd reached the holding point anyway.

 

My training has been that the only mandatory calls around our airfield are taxying to rwy xx, entering runway xx, the 5 mile inbound call, joining the circuit call, and the base call. All other calls are optional. I have made a point of making a finals call when a helicopter has started manouvering since I did my base call, or if I see an a/c doing it's run-up at the holding point whilst I'm on finals. Better to be safe than sorry.

 

 

[Guest Fred Bear]

Agreed CrashLander. I am not going to argue the point any longer. Being a forum everyone has their own call and I respect that. As I mentioned before, at the end of the day it's up to the PIC as to what radio calls he/she makes.The more, the safer (in my opionion) especially at a busy field. Sometimes a/c can be very hard to see on final. I have made a radio call turning final for full-stop landing before and some clever critter below did not even have his radio on and decided to pull onto the active when I was almost over the fence. Not good.Anyway, this could go on forever.Common sense prevails. It is an excellent discussion though (as with most on here). We have the opportunity to read and interpret based on our own decisions.That's what a good forum is about!

 

 

[PaulN]

2 eyes are always better than one too. "If you see something, tell the pilot".:)

Darren, sounds like the pilot and pax might be turning a blind eye to something here .

 

On a serious note though, another thing that needs airing here is the issue of the oral quality of calls. That is, how many times have you heard a call that's spoken so fast or mumbled that it's unintelligible, and consequently totally useless? Please, think about what you need to communicate before pressing the PTT, then speak slowly (not silly slow), deliberately and clearly. Maybe I'm just a slow listener, but I especially have trouble picking up peoples call signs. It's almost the first thing that crackles through the headset, spoken by someone who's intimately familiar with their own call sign and thus rolls off their tongue quicker than a spit and it's gone before my mind registers their numbers or alphas. Pretty irritating at times.

 

Paul

 

 

[PaulN]

What happens if I've just stepped into my a/c, and switch my radio on just after you make your down wind call? I taxi to the holding point, and do a quick run-up. I have a look down the base and final legs, but for some reason don't see you, and puul onto the runway.

Crash_Lander,

 

I agree this could be a problem, IF ....

 

1. The pilot in circuit is not looking and listening as we are all trained to do, or

 

2. You don't make your taxi call as we are trained to do. The purpose of the taxi call is to alert traffic in the air, and on the surface, that someone is about to join the fray. If there is a possible conflict, or as a courtesy, traffic in circuit, or the nearby vicinity, ought to acknowledge your call to both, give you a heads-up of their presence and intentions and to let you know they're aware of your movement.

 

My understanding of what calls to make and when have been pretty much aired here already. If it's pretty obvious you're the only flyer around the strip (looking and listening) then keep the calls minimal. If you are sharing the immediate airspace with others, offer more calls to aid others' situational awareness and contribute to safety.

 

Paul