Is it safe to fly through a Military Operations Area (MOA)? It depends.

A pilot named Drew recently asked me if I had any advice about how to contact ATC to check the status of a MOA. Here’s what I told him.

Show Resources

Yankee 1 and 2 are controlled by Boston Center.

Aeronautical Information Manual

3−4−5. Military Operations Areas

c. Pilots operating under VFR should exercise extreme caution while flying within a MOA when military activity is being conducted. The activity status (active/inactive) of MOAs may change frequently. . . Prior to entering an active MOA, pilots should contact the controlling agency for traffic advisories.

d. MOAs are depicted on sectional, VFR Terminal Area, and Enroute Low Altitude charts.

Update. 11 January 2017

An Example Supporting the FAA’s Guidelines on Use of Call Sign

via email set on 5 Jan.:

“Hi Jeff,

I wanted to weigh in on the debate about whether or not to include your make and model in an abbreviated callsign. Just the other day, I was inbound to Palo Alto tower, and there was another aircraft in the pattern with a very similar sounding callsign. The only thing that saved us from getting confused was that he was in a Skyhawk and I was in a Cherokee. It’s a good thing, since at one point I was #2 for landing and he was #1. Including the model in my callsign may very well have saved me from making a bad mistake.

So my vote would be to keep the make and/or model.

Thanks, Ian”

Your Question of the Week

When flying VFR, and using ATC’s radar advisory service, otherwise known as flight following, you are free to change altitudes at will. A controller will remind you altitude changes are at your discretion as long as you advise the controller before changing altitudes. Here’s your question. Under what circumstances can a controller restrict your altitude even though you are flying VFR? When you think you know the answer to that question, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers. There you will find the answer to this question along with a complete explanation of how that answer was derived.

If you have ever felt butterflies in your stomach when faced with contacting Ground Control for taxi clearance, you have experienced something I call Taxi Clearance Anxiety. It’s a made-up term but the phenomenon has real consequences.

Some pilots go out of their way to avoid controlled airports with complicated taxiway layouts. Even high-time pro pilots feel Taxi Clearance Anxiety prior to calling for taxi instructions at the nation’s biggest baddest airports. I’m talking about places such as Chicago’s O’Hare or New York’s JFK.

If you fly long enough, sooner or later you are going to be faced with the choice of landing at or overflying a complex airport. It would be a shame to let Taxi Clearance Anxiety trip you up or prevent you from using an airport that is convenient for your route of flight.

In today’s show, I have tips and techniques to help you overcome your anxiety about contacting Ground Control for a taxi clearance.

What Happened to Expedite?

Have you heard ATC use the term “expedite” lately? I sure haven’t. There’s a good reason why most controllers don’t use the term very often, if at all. We’ll talk about what expedite really means and what you might hear instead on the radio.

All that, plus your Question of the week, which this time is a brain-crushing exercise. Fun for masochists and eager pilots alike! Onward.

Show Notes:

Taxi Clearance Anxiety

1. Before calling for taxi clearance, study the airport diagram but try to focus on that portion of the airport that lies between your parking position and the runway in use.
2. Listen to the ground frequency for a minute or 2 to get a feel for how Ground Control is handling other aircraft.
3. Get a pen or pencil and paper in hand before contacting Ground Control.
4. Write your taxi clearance using whatever shorthand notes work for you. For “hold short”, I use a “/”. I represent taxiways as uppercase letters. For example, Taxiway Lima would be written “L”. I write turn directions as lower case letters, i.e. “r” = turn right and “l” = turn left. So rR would read as “right on Taxiway Romeo”.
5. Once taxiing is underway, refer often to your notes, the airport diagram, and compare these to the taxiway signs ahead to make sure you keep on track.
6. If something doesn’t look right, ask Ground for clarification.
7. If you get lost, stop and ask ATC for help.
8. If all else fails, ask Ground for a “progressive taxi”. Don’t do this as a matter of habit when you can navigate around the airport without help.
9. I have extensive guidance and plenty of exercises for copying taxi clearances in my books Radio Mastery for VFR Pilots and in the Radio Mastery for VFR Pilots Workbook. Both are available right now at Amazon.com.*

Expedite

1. ATC rarely uses the term “expedite” anymore.
2. The move away from the term probably stems from a misinterpretation. Some incorrectly think it means “go fast”.
3. Expedite means, do something without delay.
4. These days, controllers are more likely to say “Without delay” instead of “Expedite”.

Your Question of the Week

This week’s question is more of an exercise. I’m going to give you a complicated taxi clearance and I want you to write it on paper using your own version of shorthand.

For this exercise, we are going to use the airport diagram at General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I’ve included the diagram in the show notes for this show. The ATIS sounds like this:

“Milwaukee Airport Information Zulu, 17:54 Zulu weather. Sky clear, visibility 7 miles, wind 080 at 10, altimeter 29.98. ILS or Visual Approach, Runway 7R in use. Landing and departing 7L and 7R. Bird activity in the vicinity of the airport. All departing aircraft contact Milwaukee Clearance Delivery on 120.8 prior to taxi. Advise on initial contact you have received Information Zulu.”

You are currently sitting on the airport’s South Ramp near Taxiway R3 with your engine running. You have contacted Clearance Delivery and stated you received Information Zulu. Clearance assigned a transponder code for departure and told you to contact Milwaukee Control on 121.8 for taxi clearance. You’ve switched to 121.8 and listened for a minute to get a feel for how other aircraft are being routed for taxi. Unfortunately, the only aircraft that have talked on the frequency are airliners taxiing from the airline terminal. You are in a Cessna 172 on the South Ramp, so no help there.

If you have pen and paper ready, I’m about to play that clearance. If you aren’t ready to write, pause this show and get what you need. When you are ready to copy, hit play.

When you think you have the clearance copied correctly on paper, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers. There you find a complete example of the correctly copied clearance along with a full explanation of how that copy was derived.

*Disclosure: I receive a small commission when you use links at ATCcommunication.com to make a purchase at Amazon.com.

If you can get all the aviation weather data you need online, do you really need to know how to contact Flight Service on the radio? It depends on who you ask. I say yes.

A Flight Service agent can save time and point you in the right direction. An agent can quickly sift through weather data and give you exactly what you need. You won’t need to sort the wheat from the chaff.

In this show, we’ll walk through the steps from leaving your current ATC frequency, contacting Flight Service, to returning to ATC’s frequency.

As a pilot flying VFR, you don’t really need to know IFR procedures. Or do you?

If you’ve ever mixed it up with IFR traffic at an uncontrolled airport, you might have felt frustrated by not knowing where the IFR guys are going to pop up and how they’ll fit into your traffic pattern. Not to worry. I have just what you need to know to spot those mystery airplanes before they jump into your airspace.

Show Notes:

Contacting Flight Service

Before leaving your current ATC frequency to communicate with Flight Service on another frequency, ask the controller for “off frequency”.

“Skyhawk 9130 Delta requests off frequency for 5 minutes.”

Give ATC your expected time away so the controller can look ahead in time and see what might affect your flight.

Traffic ahead in the next 5 minutes? Will you be in the next controller’s sector 5 minutes from now? A time interval gives the controller a frame of reference.

As a technique, I like to have 5 minutes for most Flight Service transactions. You can ask for more time if you think you need it.

Find the nearest Flight Service radio antenna by looking on a chart for the navaid identifier box nearest your present position.

Flight Service frequencies are in bold blue above the naviad identifier box.

The relevant Flight Service Station name is in brackets below the navaid identifier box.

When contacting Flight Service: Flight Service name and “Radio” + your full call sign + the frequency used to contact Flight Service.

“Oakland Radio, Skyhawk 9130 Delta, on 122.6.”

After Flight Service answers: Full call sign + present position + altitude + your request.

“Skyhawk 9130 Delta is a Cessna 172, three zero miles southeast of the Salinas Vortac at 6,500, request current and forecast weather for the Sonoma County Airport.”

To conclude the conversation, politely tell the agent that’s is all you need. He may ask you for a pilot report on current inflight conditions.

To return to ATC’s frequency, simply say, “Oakland Center, Skyhawk 9130 Delta, back on your frequency.”

For greater detail on communicating with Flight Service, check out my book
Radio Mastery for VFR Pilots* at Amazon.com.

Mixing it Up with IFR Traffic in an Uncontrolled Airport Pattern

The Instrument Landing System (ILS) precision approach to Runway 2 at Dekalb Taylor Muni, Illinois. Note the final approach course of 022 degrees aligns precisely with Runway 2.

The glideslope for the ILS Runway 2 is 3 degrees, which produces a standard 3 to 1 glidepath ratio, or 300 feet of descent for every mile traveled.

The VOR-A approach to the Bob Sikes Airport in Crestview Florida. This non-precision approach leads the pilot to the downwind leg or base leg for either runway.

Note this VOR-A approach begins at the Crestview VORTAC. The pilot maneuvers to final approach by following a racetrack holding pattern shown in the procedure.

Note the pilot must be at or above 2,200 feet MSL prior to passing the Crestview VORTAC when inbound on the final approach. The Crestview VORTAC is also the final approach fix (FAF) which is always denoted on a chart by an “x”.

When you hear a pilot report, “Crestview inbound on the VOR Alpha”, you’ll know that airplane is 8.3 miles west of the airport at 2,200. Expect the plane to enter the downwind for Runway 35 (note the alignment) in 2 to 3 minutes. If Runway 17 is the active, expect the IFR flight to enter base leg (again, note the alignment).

Questions? Comments? Write to me using the comment section below these notes, or tweet me at [email protected], or write to me at [email protected].

*Disclosure: I receive a small commission from Amazon.com when you use this link to make a purchase.

In this episode, we’ll talk about why you make mistakes on the radio and what it says about your performance as a pilot. I think my analysis will surprise you (in a good way).

Also, some pilots have asked interesting questions about the details of reporting your position in an uncontrolled airport pattern. Just when I think we’ve covered it all, someone brings up a question we haven’t covered before.

Show Notes:

Controller Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) A text-message based system for communicating with enroute air traffic controller centers. During ocean crossings, CPDLC messages are handled by specialized communication agencies. These agencies coordinate communication between pilots and ATC.

High-Frequency Radio (HF) A long-range radio, generally used for communication during ocean crossings.

Selective Calling (SELCAL) A system that allows a ground-based operator to remotely ring a chime in a cockpit. The chime signals the operator’s need to communicate via radio with the pilot. The process is similar to dialing a phone number, causing the phone to ring. Each SELCAL unit has a unique four-letter code that the operator dials to ring that aircraft’s chime.

Standard Position Report Format (when out of radar contact):

1. Current reporting point. (Expressed as a named navaid, intersection, GPS waypoint, or latitude/longitude, as applicable.)

2. Time over reporting point.

3. Altitude over reporting point.

4. Next mandatory reporting point and ETA at that point.

5. Succeeding reporting point.

6. Remarks. These generally include current fuel state, outside air temperature, wind direction and speed, turbulence and/or icing, as applicable.

AIM 4−2−4. Aircraft Call Signs
a. Precautions in the Use of Call Signs.

1. Improper use of call signs can result in pilots executing a clearance intended for another aircraft. Call signs should never be abbreviated on an initial contact or at any time when other aircraft call signs have similar numbers/sounds or identical letters/ number; e.g., Cessna 6132F, Cessna 1622F, Baron 123F, Cherokee 7732F, etc.

Your Question of the Week:

You are receiving VFR traffic advisories from Oakland Center. You are proceeding towards your destination of Stockton Metro Airport in California’s Central Valley. Stockton Metro is a tower-controlled airport inside Class D airspace. Here’s your first question: When would you expect your controller in Oakland Center to direct you to contact Stockton Tower? Here’s your second question. What should you do if you are nearing the boundary of Class D, the controller hasn’t switched you to Stockton Tower, and a continuous stream of radio traffic prevents you from querying the controller?

When you think you know the answers to those questions, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers. There you’ll find complete answers along with full explanations of how those answers were derived.

Note: Mahalo for your patience during the long break between Radar Contact Shows. I was in the middle of a move to the Big Island of Hawaii. I’m settled in now. That means I can resume bringing you a new show about once per month. Aloha, Jeff

“Town and Country Traffic, red and white Skyhawk, 4-mile final, Runway One Seven, Town and Country.”

“Town and Country Traffic, blue and white Warrior, turning base, Runway One Seven, Town and Country.”

“Town and Country Traffic, red and white Skyhawk, final, Runway One Seven, Town and Country.”

Do you think saying your aircraft’s color scheme in place of your aircraft’s registration when making position reports is a great idea? The truth is, this tactic has the potential to get you into deep serious trouble. I’ll explain why in this week’s show.

How to Get in Touch with ATC for VFR Flight Following

I’ve covered this topic before, but several pilots have asked me about it in the last month. A refresher, with all the radio work, coming right up.

A Good Read for IFR Pilots

My friend and highly experienced pilot, Sarah Fritts of ThinkAviation.net just published a Kindle book called The Instrument Pilot’s Survival Guide.*

This guide will help you alleviate your stress by teaching you the general flow of an instrument flight.

Mastering the rhythm of an instrument flight is the key to a worry-free experience.

This survival guide will walk you through an instrument flight from beginning to end. Each step along the way, this book will teach you what you should do every time. Sarah Fritts

More details about the book coming up at my other website, IFRflightRadio.com.
 
 
*The fine print: If you make a purchase at Amazon.com using this link, I receive a small commission.

This edition of the Radar Contact Show consolidates the previous 3 articles about using a Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) and about ATC as customer service organization. If you would rather read about CTAF, you can find the full articles using these links.

How to Select and Use the Correct Common Traffic Advisory Frequency

It’s What You Don’t Hear on the Radio that Can Get You

ATC is a Customer Service Organization

Your Question of the Week

You are preparing to depart VFR from Martha’s Vineyard Airport. It’s November 2 and the current local time is 05:30. Using the Airport Facility Directory listing of communications for Martha’s Vineyard Airport (below) describe the radio drill you would use to depart from Martha’s Vineyard, beginning from your parking position on the ramp through your departure from the traffic pattern heading northwest.

When you think you have the entire radio drill figured out, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers. There you will find a complete solution for this situation, along with a full explanation of how that answer was derived.

“Cessna 9130 Delta, Pensasoda Tower, make right closed traffic. Runway 11, cleared for takeoff.”

What has ATC just authorized you to do? More importantly, what has ATC not authorized you to do? The answers are not as straight-forward as you would think.

You have declared an emergency with ATC. Then, it occurs to you. You might not have a situation that requires emergency status.

If your emergency turns out to be a false alarm, or if you resolve the emergency before landing, are you permitted to cancel your emergency with ATC? We’ll nail down the answer to that question in this week’s show.

Cinch your seatbelt a little tighter because we are about to takeoff. The forecast for this show is a rough ride in moderate turbulence. Ready? Let’s go!

Show Notes:

Closed Traffic

AIM Pilot/Controller Glossary

CLOSED TRAFFIC− Successive operations involving takeoffs and landings or low approaches where the aircraft does not exit the traffic pattern.

CFR 91.129 Operations in Class D airspace.

(i) Takeoff, landing, taxi clearance. No person may, at any airport with an operating control tower, operate an aircraft on a runway or taxiway, or take off or land an aircraft, unless an appropriate clearance is received from ATC.

Canceling an Emergency

 

• Note how there is nothing in CFR Part 91.3 (below) that requires you to declare an emergency; or prohibits you from canceling an emergency. All the reg says is, you are the final authority as to the operation of that aircraft.

 

Note how the FAA may need a written report from you only if you deviate from Part 91 due to an emergency.

14 CFR 91.3

a. The pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft.

b. In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.

c. Each pilot in command who deviates from a rule under paragraph (b) of this section shall, upon the request of the Administrator, send a written report of that deviation to the Administrator.

A previous show that talks about the lack of consequences for declaring an emergency can be found at this link.

Your Question of the Week:

You are taxiing out to the runway for a practice session of touch-and-goes and low approaches. When you called for taxi, you said, “Rapscallian Ground, Piper 405 Echo Lima, ready to taxi from the North Ramp and we’ll remain in the pattern.” The ground controller acknowledges this and gives you taxi instructions.

Next, the tower controller says, “Piper 405 Echo Lima, Rapscallian Tower, make left traffic, Runway 7, cleared for takeoff.”

We know from our earlier discussion that you will require a separate clearance from Tower prior to each touch and go or low approach. Here’s your question. Given your initial clearance from Tower, after your first touch and go, will you need clearance from Tower to fly another circuit around the pattern?

When you think you know the answer to that question, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers. There you’ll find a complete answer along with a full explanation of how that answer was derived.

I’ve spent a lot of time at this website talking to you about how to format your call sign when transmitting on the radio. While focusing on tiny details, I failed to recognize the bigger problem. Many pilots do not even use their call sign when talking to ATC. Time to slay that dragon.

There you are, whizzing around an uncontrolled airport pattern, surrounded by who-knows-what in other aircraft. If it’s your unlucky day, someone is going to try and swap paint with you on the downwind leg. What do you do and what do you say on the common traffic advisory frequency to unravel a developing furball? I mean besides, “Oh ____, this is gonna hurt!” I have the answer in this week’s show.

All that, plus Your Question of the Week.

Show Notes:

Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) 4−2−1. General

b. The single, most important thought in pilot- controller communications is understanding. It is essential, therefore, that pilots acknowledge each radio communication with ATC by using the appropriate aircraft call sign.

CFR § 91.123 Compliance with ATC clearances and instructions.
(a) When an ATC clearance has been obtained, no pilot in command may deviate from that clearance unless an amended clearance is obtained, an emergency exists, or the deviation is in response to a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory. However, except in Class A airspace, a pilot may cancel an IFR flight plan if the operation is being conducted in VFR weather conditions. When a pilot is uncertain of an ATC clearance, that pilot shall immediately request clarification from ATC.

(b) Except in an emergency, no person may operate an aircraft contrary to an ATC instruction in an area in which air traffic control is exercised.

(c) Each pilot in command who, in an emergency, or in response to a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory, deviates from an ATC clearance or instruction shall notify ATC of that deviation as soon as possible.

(d) Each pilot in command who (though not deviating from a rule of this subpart) is given priority by ATC in an emergency, shall submit a detailed report of that emergency within 48 hours to the manager of that ATC facility, if requested by ATC.

(e) Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, no person operating an aircraft may operate that aircraft according to any clearance or instruction that has been issued to the pilot of another aircraft for radar air traffic control purposes.

AIM 4−1−9. Traffic Advisory Practices at Airports Without Operating Control Towers

g. Self-Announce Position and/or Intentions

1. General. Self-announce is a procedure whereby pilots broadcast their position or intended flight activity or ground operation on the designated CTAF.

h. UNICOM Communications Procedures

(d) Report approximately 10 miles from the airport, reporting altitude, and state your aircraft type, aircraft identification, location relative to the airport, state whether landing or overflight, and request wind information and runway in use.

(e) Report on downwind, base, and final approach.

(f) Report leaving the runway.

Your Question of the Week

You are 20 miles from an uncontrolled airport, inbound for landing. You dial up the ASOS frequency for the airport and learn the surface winds are 340 at 10 knots. The airport has 1 north-south runway with a left-hand traffic pattern, so you are obviously going to land on Runway 35.

Next, you tune the airport’s Unicom frequency and request an airport advisory. There is no answer. You report your position at 10 miles from the airport, “Town and Country Traffic, Cessna 9130 Delta, 10 miles southwest, inbound for landing.” There’s no response to this. The radio is completely silent and you are certain you have the correct frequency tuned.

Given this situation, what do you do next? When you think you know the answer to that question, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or if you prefer, Seasonally Adjusted Greetings. I come bearing gifts of good cheer, ATC tips, techniques, and other goodies.

Special Type 12X-mas de-icing fluid. 12-day holdover time before reapplication required.

Normally, I’d tell you what’s in store for this edition of Radar Contact. Instead, slip off the ribbon, tear away the wrapping paper and look inside.

Show Notes:

1. Rudolf is fully equipped and rated for IFR. Donner and Blitzen are still working on their instrument ticket. All the other reindeer are VFR-only.

 

Santa has logged over 55,000,000,000 flight hours, but he’s only typed in one aircraft model.

 

The runway next to the workshop at the North Pole has a Microwave Landing System that no one knows how to use.

 

North Pole Airport Tower was on Congress’ original sequestration list a couple of years ago. Then the D.O.T. informed them the airport was not located in the U.S. Several Congressmen insisted it was in their district.

 

As far as anyone knows, Santa has never flunked a checkride.

 

Rumors are, the max gross weight of Santa’s sleigh is somewhere around 4-million metric tons. We do know the sleigh’s publish VNE is Mach 11.

 

Another rumor: Regarding flight currency, Santa said to his reindeer, “Fly what you want. Log what you need.”

 

A link to the Headset Buyer’s Guide. Leave your own present in the form of a headset review at the Guide. Santa will mark that as a good deed on his list.

 

Oh yeah, this show contains some good-to-know information about ATC too.

 

AIM 4−3−2. Airports with an Operating Control Tower
a. When operating at an airport where traffic control is being exercised by a control tower, pilots are required to maintain two−way radio contact with the tower while operating within the Class B, Class C, and Class D surface area unless the tower authorizes otherwise. Initial callup should be made about 15 miles from the airport. . . In the interest of reducing tower frequency congestion, pilots are reminded that it is not necessary to request permission to leave the tower frequency once outside of Class B, Class C, and Class D surface areas.

We shall speak again in the new year. Until then, have a safe and pleasant holiday. Your friend, Jeff

The results of the survey about aviation headsets costing less than $400 are in. The survey asked, is there an economical headset that feels good on the head, provides good audio quality, and holds up over time? The answer in this week’s show.

Questions asked in reader and listener email

 
“Tiring of hearing “tally ho” and “no joy” on ATC [frequencies], my wife and I are on a quest to find the real word on this slang. I love that you always reference the docs –the AIM, the FARs, maybe a chart — and say when your opinion is just your opinion, and I hope that you can help us!” David T-G

“I’ve noticed in the radio simulator, the books, and podcasts you say numeral 9 as the word “nine” instead of “niner”. Is there a reason for this? While I’ve not yet heard controllers refer to numeral 3 as “tree” and 5 as “fife”, it’s been common practice for years to say the 9 as “niner” as in “Cessna seven niner quebec, Hanscom tower, cleared for takeoff runway two niner”. I’m just curious in your experience the “niner” thing is overkill for private pilots.” Andrew W.

These questions answered, plus one question I’ll ask you: Your Question of the Week.

T-minus fife, four, tree, two, one, zero. Launch Radar Contact!

Show Notes:

Survey Responses (By Headset Model)

 
ASA HS-1 (Approx. $113)

Number of Responders: 4

Comfort: Great! 0; Just okay: 4; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 1; Just Okay: 2; Unacceptable: 1
Durability: Great! 2; Just Okay: 2; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: “I bought this headset for the backseat of my Warrior. With the mic plugged in it adds a lot of extra static noise no matter who is talking.”

Gulf Coast Avionics ANR (Approx. $249)

Number of Responders: 2

Comfort: Great! 0; Just okay: 2; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 0; Just Okay: 2; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 1; Just Okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: “Pretty comfortable for awhile but once I’m over 2 hours it starts to get heavy and uncomfortable.” “This is my first headset which has been great for the money so it was excellent entry level set.”

Faro G2 Passive (Approx. $170)

Number of Responders: 2

Comfort: Great! 1; Just okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 1; Just Okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 2; Just Okay: 0; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: “This was the headset I used during training. It is a excellent value, and performed well. ” “These are probably the most comfortable passive, wired headsets you can get. The thick gel cushion makes all the difference. The gel flows around sunglasses temple pieces and never really feel like they are ‘clamping’.” “Very clear. You have dual volume control so you can turn the volume on the radio up and turn your own headset down in case your copilot has a different impedance on his set.” “The construction is solid and the mic boom feels like it’s going to last a long time even when you fiddle with it a lot. Faro offers an excellent warranty so you really don’t have to worry about it if something does break.”

Faro G2 ANR (Approx. $349)

Number of Responders: 4

Comfort: Great! 3; Just okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 3; Just Okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 3; Just Okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: “Mine has the gel ear cups and is very comfortable, even with my glasses on. When I first got the headset, I had to slightly bend the headband to relieve the clamping pressure on mine, but not my wife’s (guess I have a big head). It has been perfect ever since. I use this headset from below zero to 100+ temps and no problem with comfort, even on 5-6 hr flights.” “I have poor hearing and hearing loss. this headset has been a big step up from the DC h10 that I used before. The ANR is very effective and does not distort the audio at all. Everyone says that the transmit audio is perfect, with no background noise. Love the aux audio input that I plug my tablet into for audible alerts.” “I’ve had these for about 2 years and 150 hours. No sign of a problem.”

Flightcom Classic ANR (Approx. $345)

Number of Responders: 2

Comfort: Great! 0; Just okay: 2; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 0; Just Okay: 2; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 2; Just Okay: 0; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: None

David Clark H10-30 (Approx. $280)

Number of Responders: 8

Comfort: Great! 2; Just okay: 6; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 2; Just Okay: 6; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 7; Just Okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: “This headset felt a little heavy at first, but that abated. The comfort problem I had related to my sunglasses. Specifically, the side arms and temple piece that curves around my ears did not fit well under the ear seals.”

David Clark H10-13.4 or H10-13S (Approx. $320)

Number of Responders: 9

Comfort: Great! 5; Just okay: 4; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 5; Just Okay: 4; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 7; Just Okay: 2; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments:”They start feeling heavy and uncomfortable after about 1.5-2 hours and progressively get more uncomfortable to a point where it’s time to take them off. (Ear/side pressure and top pad).” “The fit feels secure without being tight or clamping. The ear seals (gel ) are very comfortable and seal well. The head pad is also fine I wear them for a maximum of 2 to 3 hours at a time.” “Clarity is functionally good ,they are just not as sweet as the ANR Zulus.” [The Lightspeed Zulu.2 headset costs $800.] “My David Clark 13.4s are about 20 to 25 years old and still look like they are brand new, they still have the original ear seals and head pad.”

David Clark H10-60 (Approx. $360)

Number of Responders: 7

Comfort: Great! 2; Just okay: 5; Unacceptable: 0
Clarity: Great! 3; Just Okay: 4; Unacceptable: 0
Durability: Great! 6; Just Okay: 1; Unacceptable: 0

Notable Comments: “I have been using this headset for a very long time. Comfort is excellent, sound too if you consider that this headset don’t have any ANR system.” “I’ve heard David Clark headsets called ‘David Clamps’ in regards to how they feel on your head after a while. As a sport pilot, my flights aren’t terribly long, and the H10-60 only got uncomfortable around the 1.5-2.0 hour mark. Until that point, though, they’re perfectly comfy.” “Just as clear as any other set I’ve used. One of my flight instructors noticed my set and remarked that while excellent on their own, I should visit the Headsets Inc. booth at Oshkosh and get their ANR conversion for them. Quite honestly, I haven’t felt the need!” “I bought those headset 11 years ago. My total time is about 5,000 hours only helicopter. Sent to DC for a repair only once and the customer service was just amazing. Great company DC indeed.” “I could use these things as wheel chocks or gust locks and they’d still work great! While DC has a reputation for being somewhat heavy/bulky/clunky, I regard that as a positive.”

No Response

I received no response in the survey to the following headset models.

Rugged Air RA-454 (Approx. $179)
Rugged Air RA-900 (Approx. $169)
SkyLite SL-900 (Approx. $170)
Sigtronics S-20 (Approx. $144)

If you would like me to include data about a sub-$400 headset model you’ve tried, but did not appear in the survey, please write to me at [email protected].

I was going to add Sennheiser headsets to this survey, but this announcement recently showed up at Sennheiser’s website: “Audio specialist Sennheiser is to withdraw from the pilots’ headset business from March 2016. The company will fulfill all its obligations for servicing and spare parts throughout the full guarantee period for its headsets.”

Additionally, I did not include headsets with zero or little sound reduction capability, such as the Telex Airman 750, because they are not suitable for noisy cockpits.

Headsets Costing More Than $400: What Pilots Use

Our focus in this survey was headsets costing less than $400. In a future show, we’ll look at headsets in the $400 and above range. I asked pilots to tell me which $400+ headset model they use. Here is the breakdown from 53 responses.

Your Question of the Week:

You are flying a VFR cross-country using ATC’s radar service for flight following. Your call sign is Skyhawk 9130 Delta. Your current altitude is 4,500. The air traffic controller says, “Piper 571 Romeo Charlie and Skyhawk 9130 Delta, mutual traffic, twelve o’clock and one zero miles, opposite direction, a Cessna 172 at 4,500 and a PA-28 at 5,500.” You do not see the PA-28. Here are your questions.

Question 1: Should you respond as soon as the controller finishes his transmission?

Question 2: When you do respond, what would you say on the radio?

Question 3: What does the controller mean by “opposite direction”?

Question 4: If, after reporting you do not see the traffic, are you required to advise ATC if you see the PA-28 before it passes your position.

When you think you know the answers to those questions, go to ATCcommunication.com/answers. There you’ll find complete answers along with a full explanation of how those answers were derived.

Radar Contact is back! In the first show after a months-long break, we’ll talk about when to make position reports in an uncontrolled pattern. You may think you already know the answer, but if you look at the confusing mess in the Aeronautical Information Manual, your confidence may be shaken. No matter. I’ll give you the definitive when, how, and why of position reports.
Now that’s a wing flash.
Are you in the market for an aviation headset? Do you have a headset you love, or one you hate with a passion? In this show, we are going to talk about headsets, and specifically headsets that cost less than $300. Is it possible to find a quality headset at this price? We’ll find out.

My latest book, Radio Mastery for IFR Pilots is now available at Amazon.com. I’ll tell you what you can expect to find in the book and help you decide if it’s right for you.

All this plus your Question of the Week.

As Bluto said in ‘Animal House’, “Hey! What’s all this laying around stuff?” It’s time for a brand new edition of Radar Contact! “Let’s do it!”

Show Notes:

1. If you look in Table 4-1-1 of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) it says to “report entering downwind, base, and final approach” in an uncontrolled airport traffic pattern.
2. The text in AIM 4-1-9 h. Traffic Advisory Practices at Airports Without Operating Control Towers says “Report on downwind, base, and final approach.”
3. Even though the table says to “report entering” and the text says to report “on”, I strongly recommend following the guidance in the table, not the text.
4. When you roll into a turn as you enter a leg of the traffic pattern to the next leg, the roll into a bank creates “wing flash”.
5. Wing flash happens when the tops of your wings reflect sunlight towards an observer. Wing flash draws attention to your aircraft.
6. By transmitting your position report as you flash your wings in a turn, you give other pilots in the traffic pattern the best chance of spotting your aircraft and identifying your position.
7. Example position reports:

   “Frederick Traffic, Cessna 801TF, entering downwind for Runway One Niner, touch-and-go, Frederick.”

   “Frederick Traffic, Cessna 801TF, entering base for Runway One Niner, touch-and-go, Frederick.”

   “Frederick Traffic, Cessna 801TF, entering final for Runway One Niner, touch-and-go, Frederick.”

 

If you are entering the traffic pattern at the midfield downwind entry point I recommend, as a technique, saying,

“Frederick Traffic, Cessna 801TF, entering a midfield downwind for Runway One Niner, touch-and-go, Frederick.”

 

What You’re Missing with an ADS-B In-Only Display

 

1. If you are using ADS-B In but do not have ADS-B Out installed in your aircraft, you are not getting the full display of all traffic in your area.
2. ADS-B Out transmits a separate data package that grants access to traffic data rebroadcast by ground-based ADS-B relay stations. Systems lacking ADS-B Out will not have access to traffic relayed from these stations.
3. An ADS-B In-only unit is limited to displaying traffic flying within 15 nautical miles and plus or minus 3,500 vertical feet of your aircraft. This envelope of range is called the “puck”.
4. You may be able to “borrow” traffic information from another aircraft flying within your puck if that aircraft has the full ADS-B In and Out suite.
5. Of course, your ADS-B unit will not display traffic that is not equipped with ADS-B Out.
6. All this means you cannot rely on your ADS-B In-only unit to display all of the traffic in your area. Keep your eyes outside and clear for traffic.

 

All About Aviation Headsets

 

1. Is it possible to find a quality headset for less than $300 that provides comfort, good audio quality, and durability? I’ll need your help to answer that question.
2. If you use a headset that cost you less than $300, please tell me about it.
3. Use the list of questions below to guide you as you tell me about your headset. Use the comment section below these show notes to respond.

 

Get My Latest Book

 

1. My latest book, Radio Mastery for IFR Pilots is now available at Amazon.com. *
2. The book’s content was vetted by pilots, certified flight instructors, and air traffic controllers.
3. To make it compelling and easy to understand, the content is presented in real-world scenarios. It’s a you-are-there approach to learning.

* I receive a small commission when you use this link to order from Amazon.com.

Your Question of the Week:

You are number 1, holding short of Runway 6, the active runway, at Petersburg Airport. Petersburg is an uncontrolled airport. You plan to depart VFR and your initial heading will be approximately 330 degrees. Here is your question: What would your next self-announce radio transmission be on UNICOM? Note: I’m looking for the specific words you would say, and when would you make that transmission.

When you think you know the answer to that question, go to ATCcommunication/answers. There you will find a complete answer as well as a full explanation of how that answer was derived.

Tell Me About Your Less-Than-$300 Headset

Use the comment section below to answer these questions. (Click the title of this article–top of page–to reveal the comment section.):

–What is the brand and model of your headset?

–What did your headset cost you?

–Is your headset comfortable?
(If your headset is not comfortable, where does it hurt and how long after you put it on does it start hurting?)

–Rate the audio quality of your headset?

–Has your headset held up well, or did it seem to deteriorate/break sooner than you expected?

–Does your headset have any special features–music hookup, separate audio control, etc.–that you like?

Thank you for answering these questions in the comment section below. If I get enough data from this survey, I’ll make it a permanent feature of the website.