Radio Procedures

Lesson Objective

Regulatory Requirement

• Pre-Solo: Not required.
• Private: PTS III-A.

Content

• General Radio Procedures
• Phonetic Alphabet
• Radio calls in the pattern
• Communication with the Tow Plane
• Technique for radio use
• Awareness of ATC Light signals.

Completion Standards

• Preflight radio check
• flawless announcement of each portion of the landing pattern, without stumbling, searching for words, or having to pause the landing pattern's procedures to summon the correct radio calls.
• meaningful communication with the Front Royal Unicom.
• pre-takeoff radio check with tow pilot.
• All radio communication should not be at the cost of flying the aircraft.  Flying the glider is the first and foremost priority.
  

The student must be able to:

• Recite the Aviation phonetic alphabet.
• With quizzing from the instructor, the student must demonstrate the ability to quickly convert any random letter into the appropriate phonetic alphabet equivalent.

Prerequisite Study

• §91.125 ATC Light signals. (See note above)
• AIM section 4-2-1 Radio Procedures, General.
• AIM section 4-2-2 Radio Technique.
• AIM section 4-2-3 Contact Procedures.
• AIM section 4-2-4 Aircraft Call Signs
• AIM section 4-2-7 Phonetic Alphabet
  (Please don't waste your time learning the morse code equivalents)
• AIM section 4-2-8 Figures
• AIM section 4-2-9 Altitudes and Flight Levels
• AIM section 4-2-10 Directions

Samples

Some Sample radio calls might be:

• Initial Entry ("on the 45") Leg: 

•  
  • "Front Royal Traffic. Glider 4794 echo. On the Entry Leg, Landing Runway 27. Right Hand Traffic. Glider.  Front Royal"
  • "Front Royal Traffic. Glider 4794 echo. On the 45 for Right Traffic 27. Front Royal"
• Downwind leg samples
  • "Front Royal Traffic. Glider 94 echo. Downwind Leg, Runway 27. Right Hand Traffic. Glider.  Front Royal"
  • "Front Royal Traffic. Glider 94 echo. Right Downwind 27.  Front Royal"
• Base Leg samples
  
  • "Front Royal Traffic. Glider 94 echo. Base Leg, Runway 27. Right Hand Traffic. Glider.  Front Royal"
  • [Front Royal Traffic], glider 94 Echo right base 27 Front Royal
• "Front Royal Traffic. Glider 94 echo. Final. Runway 27. Right Hand Traffic. Glider.  Front Royal"