Getting Information in Uncommon Ways
--How do you get your local ATC radar frequency? You could try a frequency of the same facility that you know. If you are in range it may or may not work. On the other hand you could contact the nearest tower. They will know. Be sure to give your location in your call-up.
--I have heard pilots broadcast on the incorrect UNICOM frequency and get several responses giving the correct frequency for the airport mentioned.
--Once I was beyond FSS range due to distance and altitude and wanted to close a flight plan. I searched several frequencies and finally heard someone. I got on radio and asked if he would call the FSS and close my flight plan if I gave him all the information. He agreed. I gave him the frequency to use, aircraft ID, my departure and destination and that I had my destination in sight. A couple minutes later he told me that the plan had been closed.
--Once I heard a pilot out in the middle of nowhere make repeated calls to Flight Watch on 122.0 The frequency I often monitor on cross-countries. I told him to standby and I would see what I could do. I made contact with Flight Watch and they gave me the airline high altitude frequency for him to use. I passed the frequency along and listened while he got what he wanted.
--When I am arriving at an airport and need ground transportation, I never hesitate in making contact with UNICOM and ask them to call a taxi. I do this so that it will be there when I arrive. Alternatively, I ask UNICOM if loaner cars are available. The more isolated the airport the more friendly people seem to be.
--I have found that ATC will be most helpful when you are in a situation where you need them to make a phone call. It never hurts to try. Explain the problem and hope.
Common and Uncommon Frequencies
122.5 The only time I have heard this frequency used by other than an ELT is once when a student in the practice area was given a simulated emergency and proceeded to key the radio with all the correct words for an actual emergency.
I advised the tower that I would go out to see what I could see but shortly afterwards he called in for landing clearance.
You know that you can call Flight Watch from most any place in the U.S. from altitudes above 5000 with a request regarding weather information.. In most cases 122.0 works well but when it doesn't is there something else you can do? Airlines have discrete Flight Watch frequencies that work when 122.0 won't. For the Oakland Flight Watch area the frequency is 135.7. You will be talking to the same place and to the same person as you would on 122.0. As always, your call up on the frequency requires that you give your location as the name of your closest VOR. When weather is deteriorating 122.0 is a good frequency to listen to so you can hear what other pilots are doing and seeing.
122.75 is the common aircraft to aircraft frequency. 122.85 is also an aircraft to aircraft frequency but use is restricted to those aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations.
The uncontrolled airport without a published frequency should be flown just like any other uncontrolled airport using 122.9
122.1 is a unique frequency in that it is used by aircraft only to talk to an FSS using a VOR and its land line to the FSS. The FSS cannot talk back to you on that frequency. Instead, the pilot must have the VOR frequency in his Nav radio with the volume up in order to hear the FSS specialist reply.
Several critical aspects of this communication are required of the pilot. The sectional box of the VOR must have a 122.2R above the box and below the box the name of the FSS. Secondly, you must have both 122.1 and the proper VOR frequency on your radios. A VOR frequency with a line under it will not work.
Last, you must have the volume of the VOR receiver up in order to hear the FSS.
122.2 If you want to make contact with a Flight Service Station and do not know what frequency is preferred for you situation, try 122.2. For years 122.2 has been the universal frequency for contacting the FSS. Be sure to tell every FSS what frequency you are listening on in your initial call-up.
Radio Use, Distinctions and Differences
ADF
I assume that by "The ADF is showing O degrees straight ahead," you mean
that the card is fixed in position with 000 relative at the top. Note that
this is a mechanical thing, not an electronic thing...the card is fixed in
position and does not move. The card will always have 000 at the top no
matter what you do with the airplane. In those cases, the needle (which is
responding to an electronic signal) indicates the relative bearing to the
station...you are right in your example, the station is 90 degrees to your
right. But that information alone isn't doing much for you...you need to
know the magnetic HEADING to the station in order to fly to it. So look at
your heading indicator...now look 90 degrees to the right of "straight
ahead" and see what the needle is pointing to. That is the instantaneous
magnetic heading to the station, and is the answer to the RB(90) + MH
(whatever you see) = MH or MB to the station. I say instantaneous, because
the needle is going to move as you fly, and your radius of turn will come
into play.
Now, how about the movable card? In this case (in the test booklet, not in
the airplane unless you rotate the card yourself), the number at the top of
the ADF card is the same as the airplane's heading and the needle indicates
the instantaneous magnetic heading/bearing to the station without any
intervening calculations. With an RMI, which does not figure in the private
pilot test, the ADF card is slaved to and repeats the movements of the
heading indicator...great time and effort saver.
Bob Gardner
Talking beyond ATC
Every time you give your aircraft altitude, position, and intentions to ATC you should realize that what you say is available to everyone and every aircraft on the frequency. Yes, with radar ATC can use their radar transponder readout to check the accuracy of your blind transponder encoder but other than that your altitude matters to ATC only if you are in their airspace.
It is always to give your altitude along with additional information related to whether you are level, climbing or descending. This gives additional heads-up warnings to other aircraft. Other pilots can use a correctly called position to know where to look and whether where you are going means that your flight planning will conflict with theirs. For this reason you are well advised to utilize the same kinds of information from other aircraft on the frequency.
When you arrive at a busy airport your situational awareness must extend beyond knowing where you are and telling everyone. You must be able to interpret the altitudes and flight intentions of others for your own safety. When in doubt ask ATC to verify the information you need to know about another aircraft.
Listening Options
But, if I'm not near anything, is there something I should be listening too?
Regarding what to do on the radio when kissed off by ATC. I would always recommend using a radar facility for advisories. Next choice would be to monitor 122.0 known as Flight Watch when on long flights. Keeps you informed of how other pilots are thinking about weather. I would monitor all the local AWOS frequencies on my route as well as the CTAF frequency. You can leave any ATC radar facility for a minute or so to do these things and then report back on frequency when through. You can also use the FSS to phone a far away AWOS and give you the pertinent information about your uncontrolled airport information.
Saying Numbers
Directions
--Most flying numbers are magnetic since they are based on the runway direction
--Wind numbers given at airports are also magnetic
--Wind numbers given by Flight Service Stations are based upon True North and must be adjusted for isogonic variation to obtain magnetic directions.
--First off the way you say directions best said always using three digits
--003 is three-degrees to the right of 360 or N and said as zero, zero, three
--030 is thirty-degrees to the right of north and is said as zero, three, zero
--130 is nearly southeast and is said as one, three, zero
--230 is nearly southwest and is said as two, three, zero
--330 is said as three, three, zero
Altitudes
--Altitudes can be defined as AGL (Above Ground Level) or MSL (Mean Sea Level) which is a hypothetical average of tide height. Aircraft and charts use MSL so that all aircraft can be expected to fly into a given area with the same altimeter setting or very nearly so.
--Above ground altitudes (AGL) have very specific influence on aircraft directions and visibility requirements. Within 3000 feet of the ground the east/west hemispheric altitude/directions do not apply. Flight visibility within either 1200 (blue) or 700 (magenta) feet AGL of airspace not controlled to the ground is one-mile minimum and clear of clouds.
--The word 'feet' is not said at the end of words giving numbers for altitudes.
--Standard ATC radar procedures requires the specialists to confirm your blind-encoder altimeter part of the transponder signal be verified orally to ATC. The allowable variance is plus/minus 300 feet..
--Rounding off altitude numbers to the nearer hundred of feet is standard in aviation.
--Adding the appropriate word such as level, climbing or descending helps clarify meaning.
--Above 18,000 feet altitudes are called flight levels 20,000 feet is called flight-level 20.
--16,500 feet is called one-six thousand five hundred.
--9,600 is said as niner-thousand six hundred. This avoids 'nine' meaning 'no' in German
Engine Numbers
--Revolutions per minute are measured as the number of times propeller turns in a minute.
--An odometer type device called a Hobbes meter is usually activated by an oil-pressure switch to track the total time the engine is in opereration.
--The rpm is counted in hundreds of turns per minute. Slowest ground speed is is about 5-600 rpm.
--Idle is from 700 to 1000 rpm. with low cruise about 2200 said as twenty-two hundred.
--Most aircraft cruise at close to 2400 rpm, said as twenty-four hundred.
--Maintenance scheduling for most aircraft is based upon tachometer numbers.
--Rental time is based upon hobbes time by comparing the numbers before and after the flight the difference is expressed in hours and tenths of hours such as 2.3..
Finding Airports
Finding airports will never be easy. You can help yourself by associating the airport and its location with other visual points easy to identify such as bridges, rivers, towns and lakes. You will be better off if you maintain an altitude two or three thousand feet above the airport elevation.
Do not look where your passengers look. Do not look where your instructor looks. Locate an identifiable place and get on the radio. Do not use a golf course near Palm Springs nor a oil tank farm in Oklahoma. Look for airplanes that may be departing or arriving. A little used facility is the FSS. They can take you through a process of using the VORs to find where you are and steer you as necessary. Any radar facility can give you a vector but they may not tell you when to descend. that's something you should do for yourself. Knowing how to get help is a major part of flying.
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