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Communication Techniques for New Pilots

Chris Findley, CFI, CFII myFlightCoach.com. Communication Techniques for New Pilots. 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.

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Communication Techniques for New Pilots

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  1. Chris Findley, CFI, CFII myFlightCoach.com Communication Techniquesfor New Pilots

  2. Laying the Groundwork • We often begin instruction on communication with what to say on the mic • BUT good communication begins with thinkingnot speaking!

  3. 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?

  4. 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

  5. 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!

  6. Thinking Before You Speak • SO..good aviation communication begins with: • Visualization • Anticipation • Adaptation

  7. Thinking Before You SpeakClip of flight vectoring around KBNA (Centurion 0HC) Blue: Desired Route Red: Actual Route Explanation (Listen to this first) ATC Example: Vectoring

  8. 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!

  9. Basics of Communication

  10. 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

  11. 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!

  12. 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)

  13. 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

  14. 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

  15. Thinking Before You SpeakClip of Cessna N6457D Initial Callup and flight to KMQY • Clip of entering Class C at KBNA Blue: Desired Route Red: Actual Route

  16. 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.

  17. 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)

  18. Basics of Communication

  19. 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

  20. 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!

  21. 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”

  22. 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”

  23. 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

  24. Basics of Communication Clip of Cessna’s unauthorized landing Aircraft: C-172 Skyhawk N982SK

  25. 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

  26. 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

  27. 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: chris@myflightcoach.com Follow on Twitter: @myflightcoach Flight recordings courtesy of www.liveatc.net

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