{"id":1392,"date":"2017-11-03T16:28:14","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T16:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/craftchs.com\/?p=1392"},"modified":"2018-09-05T18:37:00","modified_gmt":"2018-09-05T18:37:00","slug":"runways-and-radios","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chsflightschool.com\/runways-and-radios\/","title":{"rendered":"Runways and Radios"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” specialty=”off” background_image=”\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/topo-pat3b.jpg” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″ custom_css_main_element=”background-repeat: repeat;||background-size: auto auto;” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_fullwidth_header background_layout=”dark” text_orientation=”left” header_fullscreen=”off” header_scroll_down=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” content_orientation=”center” image_orientation=”center” custom_button_one=”off” button_one_text_size=”20″ button_one_border_width=”1″ button_one_border_radius=”0″ button_one_letter_spacing=”0″ button_one_use_icon=”default” button_one_icon_placement=”right” button_one_on_hover=”on” button_one_border_radius_hover=”0″ button_one_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ custom_button_two=”off” button_two_text_size=”20″ button_two_border_width=”1″ button_two_border_radius=”0″ button_two_letter_spacing=”0″ button_two_use_icon=”default” button_two_icon_placement=”right” button_two_on_hover=”on” button_two_border_radius_hover=”0″ button_two_letter_spacing_hover=”0″ background_overlay_color=”rgba(0,0,0,0)” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” transparent_background=”off” background_color=”#ffffff” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” gutter_width=”3″ custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”3_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.9″]<\/p>\n

Runways and Radios<\/h1>\n

One of the biggest fears that new pilots have is talking on the radio.\u00a0 I did the vast majority of my flight training at Mt. Pleasant Airport- LRO now but previously 8S5, or East Cooper Airport, a small aerodrome with an FBO and single CTAF, so I understand why people are nervous.<\/p>\n

\"\"When I started to teach in Sanford, FL, a very busy controlled field with four runways, I found that those flight students, while completely comfortable at controlled fields, were very nervous at small, non-towered airports. It just comes down to what somebody is accustomed to, which is why Charleston Flight School, with its use of a mix of towered and non-towered fields, generates pilots who are completely comfortable in either environment. Our pilots become proficient talking to ATC because\u2026well, they have to- they\u2019re not getting in or out of the Charleston International airspace otherwise.<\/p>\n

One of the keys to clear and concise communications is the realization that ATC works from a prepared script- you can pretty much predict exactly what they are going to say and when they are going to say it 90% of the time, and if you listen to the other pilots on the radio and do some common sense interpolation, you can probably improve that to 98%.<\/p>\n

For example- if you have flight following, and while listening in on other pilots on your frequency, you recognize someone else who is flying at your same general altitude and direction, you can assume that a hand-off frequency that is given to that airplane is probably in your near future as well. That\u2019s a good time to go ahead and enter that frequency as your standby, or at least write it down. By the same measure, if that other pilot is vectored for airspace, it might behoove you to mentally prepare for the same. This is called \u201cstaying ahead of the airplane\u201d, something you\u2019ve probably heard a couple of bazillion times from your CFI, and all it requires from you is to pay attention to what is going on around you.<\/p>\n

Another thing that will help is to try to figure out what the goal of ATC is and how they may intend to accomplish it. Let\u2019s say Charleston ATIS announces that aircraft are landing on Runway 33, but you are coming from the opposite direction. If you can figure out what they need to do to get you lined up on final for that runway, you can visualize how they will direct you, especially if you remember that your final intercept will probably be a 30-degree angle. If you are landing on Runway 33, look for the eventual turn to 300 or 360, depending on what direction you are approaching from. You will not be given a 180-degree turn- it will be incremental, so expect several different heading changes to get you lined up- you can actually see it long before it unfolds.<\/p>\n

When talking to Approach while approaching an airport, you will be instructed \u201cReport the field in sight.\u201d Approach really wants you to announce you can see the airport, because then they can hand you off to the Tower and get you off their plate. The closer you get, the more Approach will talk, giving you helpful hints like \u201cAirport is at twelve o\u2019clock and 5 miles\u201d, \u201cAirport is at twelve o\u2019clock and 3 miles\u201d and \u201cIt\u2019s right in front of you. Look out your windshield. There it is, see it?\u00a0 Are you blind?\u201d<\/p>\n

Ok, that last one isn\u2019t accurate, but you get my drift. They want to get rid of you- they have other traffic and they really want you to talk to someone else, Tower in this case. However, and this is important- don\u2019t tell them you have the airport in sight if you don\u2019t. Yes, you want to make them happy, and turn off the nagging, but you are the Pilot In Command, and the safety of the flight is your number one priority.<\/p>\n

ATC knows that too. They don\u2019t want any confusion up there either, because here is what\u2019s happening: recently, the FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) has advised of an increase in, \u201cWrong Surface Landing Incidents\u201d in the National Airspace System (NAS). Incidents include:<\/p>\n