Chris Findley, CFI, CFII myFlightCoach.com

Laying the Groundwork

 We often begin instruction on communication with what to say on the mic  BUT good communication begins with thinking not speaking!

Thinking Before You Speak

 Good Aviation Communication begins with:  Visualization ○ Do I understand both where I am and where am I in the ATC system? ○ Do I understand what I am doing? What is happening around me? How do my operations fit within the system? ○ Do I understand what I want to do and what I’m asking of the ATC system?

Thinking Before You Speak

 Good Aviation Communication begins with:  Anticipation ○ ATC Communication is helped by understanding what should come next ○ As we listen we can determine probable actions of ATC ○ Staying ahead of the airplane helps us in our communication

Thinking Before You Speak

 Good Aviation Communication begins with:  Adaptation ○ Forrest Gump “You never know whatcha gonna git!” ○ You may not get what you anticipate, so always be ready (and flexible) ○ ○ Controllers will work with you But don’t try to pass PIC responsibility to the controller!

Thinking Before You Speak

 SO..good aviation communication begins with:  Visualization  Anticipation  Adaptation

Thinking Before You Speak

Clip of flight vectoring around KBNA (Centurion 0HC)

Blue: Desired Route Red: Actual Route Explanation (Listen to this first) ATC Example: Vectoring

Thinking Before You Speak

 SO..good aviation communication begins with:  Visualization  Anticipation  Adaptation

Then we can worry about how to speak and what to say!

Basics of Communication

DO

Speak clearly, distinctly Speak at a quick pace Speak honestly Ask for guidance if needed

DON’T

Mumble Rush it (no auctioneers!) Agree to anything you think is not safe Refuse help you need

Basics of Communication

 Communication usually starts with an initial callup (specifically airborne in B,C, or D airspace)  At a non towered airport, it’s similar, but you self-announce your position relative to the airport

Basics of Communication

 4 W’s for initial call up  W – Who you’re calling    W – Who you are W – Where you are W – What you want In controlled airspace repeat back instructions.

Insures that they know that you know, what they have asked you to do!

Basics of Communication

 Initial Call Up in busy airspace:  Tune to the freq, and listen for a minute or 2. This helps you not to “step” on someone’s transmission  Consider simply saying the first 2 Ws (Who you’re calling and who you are) and waiting for acknowledgement  This prevents you from tying up the freq and yet “establishes communication” for Class C (more on that later)

Basics of Communication

 Initial Call Up in busy airspace:  After going through the 4 Ws,

anticipate

○ ○ Acknowledgement of radar contact and location Transponder “squawk” code ○ Any additional instructions ○ Local Altimeter Setting  Repeat back squawk and instructions

Basics of Communication

 Initial Call Up in busy airspace:  If airborne trying to enter Class C airspace, you must establish communications  This is simply an exchange which acknowledges you and your tail number  If airborne entering Class B, then you must be cleared by the controller to enter the Class B  If a student pilot, you must be trained and endorsed for the particular Class B

Thinking Before You Speak

Clip of Cessna N6457D Initial Callup and flight to KMQY Clip of entering Class C at KBNA

Blue: Desired Route Red: Actual Route

Basics of Communication

 Initial call up for CTAF:  If approaching a non-controlled field, begin monitoring CTAF 8-10 miles out and obtain AWOS if available  Begin announcing your location and intentions about 8 miles out  Announce again as you approach, at pattern entry and on each leg of the pattern.

Basics of Communication

 On the Ground  Non-Towered simply use the 4 Ws to announce your taxi to the runway  Towered, Initial call up is to ground control or clearance delivery. 4Ws  Ground control will provide you with clearance to taxi (do not start taxi until cleared)

Basics of Communication

Basics of Communication

 On the Ground your call up would be:

“Smyrna ground, Skyhawk 6457Delta, at Corporate Flight ramp, VFR to Papa Delta Kilo, 5,500, ready to taxi with the numbers” NOTE: “with the numbers” means I have listened to the ASOS weather report and active runway info

Basics of Communication

 On the Ground your call up would be:

“Skyhawk 6457Delta, Smyrna Ground, Squawk 5472, taxi to runway 19.” Response: “6457Delta, 5472, and taxi to runway 19”

NOTE: If you are going to cross a runway, get clearance to cross a runway before doing so!

Basics of Communication

 Once you’ve taxied and runup is complete and you’re ready to depart. Go to the tower freq and say: “

Smyrna tower, 6457Delta ready to go, runway 19, VFR to Papa Delta Kilo” Tower: “Skyhawk 6457Delta, Smyrna Tower, cleared for takeoff runway 19, right turn on course, cleared for take off”

Basics of Communication

 Once airborne, the tower will turn you over to approach/departure and you just need to check in as the tower would have you in the ATC system so App/Dep would be ready for you:

“Nashville Departure, Skyhawk 57Delta is with you 2000 for 5,500”

Basics of Communication

 Now let’s listen in as someone makes a pretty big mistake…unauthorized landing at KPWM (Portland, ME)  Try to figure out what went wrong  Try to figure out what you would do and why

Basics of Communication

Clip of Cessna’s unauthorized landing

Aircraft: C-172 Skyhawk N982SK

Basics of Communication

 Basic Principles  After you’ve established communication you can refer to yourself as your type and the last 3 of your tailnumber  If you need a moment ask the controller to “Standby”  If you need to leave the frequency, perhaps to call an FSS, you can make a request to “leave the frequency for a moment”  Set radios up as much as possible on the ground and have your next frequency in the standby section of your radio

Overcoming “Mic Fright”

 Rehearse: Let your CFI act as controller and rehearse your callups on the ground  Walk it Through: literally walk your flight allowing you CFI to be the controller.  Build: Start out doing some of the easy calls and build your confidence

Basics of Communication

 Basic Principles  Lots of info here! Questions?

 If you want a copy of this presentation and a couple of scripts for rehearsing calls: Email: [email protected]

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Flight recordings courtesy of www.liveatc.net