Aircraft Radio Communications

Many pilots have trouble with the radio – and like many things in aviation it just takes a little practice.  The two most common problems are the fear of speaking in public, and not being familiar with the proper phraseology.  It can be a little daunting the first time you key the microphone, and know everybody in the world can hear you speaking.  As an instructor I can tell you that most pilots don’t pay much attention to the radio, unless they’re waiting for a reply from ATC (air traffic control).

Transmissions between pilots and controllers usually have a few basic elements of information.  On the pilot side you need to tell ATC who you are, where you are, and what you want to do.  On the controller side they will give you instructions that will allow you to proceed with your request.  Usually that will involve taxi or pattern entry instructions to a specific runway.  A lot of pilots tend to add a lot more information than is necessary, which in and of itself isn’t the end of the world.  However when in an area like Van Nuys, the skies can become congested with radio traffic.  Sometimes less is “more” - controllers are a pretty sharp bunch, and they probably know what you want better than you.  With a very brief call they’ll have all the information they need to process your request.  Something on the order of “Van Nuys ground Cessna 2257E at Mike’s Avionics with Delta” tells the ground controller that you (2257E) are ready to taxi to the runway (from Mike’s Avionics) with the ATIS information (Delta).  The controller will respond with something like, “Cessna 2257E taxi to runway 16 right.  What you’re likely to hear from students and pilots alike is more along the lines of.  “Good morning Van Nuys ground this is Cessna 2257E at Mike’s Avionics and we’re ready to taxi to runway 16 right and we have information Delta.”  The same thing generally happens with air transmissions, and can be the seed to many a pilot’s frustration while trying to find a break in the airwaves for their request.

Local landmarks can play a big part of the communications between pilots and controllers, which help to minimize the length of transmissions.  This does little however, to help the pilot who is unfamiliar with the local area.  Fortunately most pilots aren’t too macho to tell the controller that they are unfamiliar with the area and ask for guidance.  Experienced pilots know they should focus their attention on their flying and looking for traffic. 

Listening to a handheld radio can be a big help learning what the important elements of good pilot controller communication are.  Once you are familiar with the language between pilots and controllers, and what is expected of you, it is much easier to take command of your radio.  Another way is reading – a good example is The Pilot’s Radio Communications Handbook.  Check it out.