- Joined
- Oct 30, 2003
- Messages
- 18,357
- Location
- Santa Maria, California
- Aircraft
- Givens Predator
- Total Flight Time
- 2600+ in rotorcraft
This post is directed toward pilots in the USA as radio communications are managed differently in other countries.
Radio communications are not required at a non-towered airport in the USA.
In a recent post a gyroplane flight instructor in the USA described his radio communication for rotor spool up and takeoff at a non-towered field.
He used the terms “active runway” and “position and hold”.
When I mentioned that there is no active runway at a non-towered airport and position and hold is not correct radio phraseology his response was:
“Even though position and hold and active runway are not technically terminology at non-towered airports, you will hear active runway and position and hold called out many times. I certainly have. Pilots use it quite a lot.”
In my opinion the reason pilots use non-standard radio phraseology quite a lot is because their CFIs did not teach them well and did not think it was important because the CFIs themselves were taught sloppy radio phraseology.
In my opinion the reason using the runway number is important rather “than the active runway” is so people know where you are. This is one of the elements of radio communication.
At Lompoc the “active runway” could be runway 7 or runway 25 depending on what pilots decide and in my experience pilots often do not all make the same decision.
The elements of radio communication at a non-towered airport and how I would handle the phraseology:
Who am I talking to? “Lompoc area Traffic.”
Who am I? “Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf.”
Where am I? “Holding short of Runway 25.”
What am I fixing to do? “Lining up for takeoff runway 25 for a right down wind departure to the east, delay on runway for rotor spool up.”
What airport am I calling about? Lompoc.
There will be lots of different opinions about phraseology and I would be the last to suggest that mine is the only way to do it.
In my opinion the elements of radio communication are fundamental and an important part of safety at a non-towered airport.
I feel saying “the active” instead of the runway number is simply wrong and dangerous.
Position and Hold may sound cool and old school but it is not correct and in my opinion does not describe what is going on.
Position and hold was replaced with line up and wait at towered airports to indicate they wanted someone to hold in place on the runway until they received clearance. It was changed to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Radio communications are not required at a non-towered airport in the USA.
In a recent post a gyroplane flight instructor in the USA described his radio communication for rotor spool up and takeoff at a non-towered field.
He used the terms “active runway” and “position and hold”.
When I mentioned that there is no active runway at a non-towered airport and position and hold is not correct radio phraseology his response was:
“Even though position and hold and active runway are not technically terminology at non-towered airports, you will hear active runway and position and hold called out many times. I certainly have. Pilots use it quite a lot.”
In my opinion the reason pilots use non-standard radio phraseology quite a lot is because their CFIs did not teach them well and did not think it was important because the CFIs themselves were taught sloppy radio phraseology.
In my opinion the reason using the runway number is important rather “than the active runway” is so people know where you are. This is one of the elements of radio communication.
At Lompoc the “active runway” could be runway 7 or runway 25 depending on what pilots decide and in my experience pilots often do not all make the same decision.
The elements of radio communication at a non-towered airport and how I would handle the phraseology:
Who am I talking to? “Lompoc area Traffic.”
Who am I? “Experimental Gyroplane 142 Mike Golf.”
Where am I? “Holding short of Runway 25.”
What am I fixing to do? “Lining up for takeoff runway 25 for a right down wind departure to the east, delay on runway for rotor spool up.”
What airport am I calling about? Lompoc.
There will be lots of different opinions about phraseology and I would be the last to suggest that mine is the only way to do it.
In my opinion the elements of radio communication are fundamental and an important part of safety at a non-towered airport.
I feel saying “the active” instead of the runway number is simply wrong and dangerous.
Position and Hold may sound cool and old school but it is not correct and in my opinion does not describe what is going on.
Position and hold was replaced with line up and wait at towered airports to indicate they wanted someone to hold in place on the runway until they received clearance. It was changed to comply with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).