Circuit radio calls

[Low Level]

I trained at Brakpan with - in my eyes - a very competent instructor. I was taught the following calls apply in circuits or at an airfield.

Radio check.
Taxing to holding point XY.
Entering runway XY (and back tracking if needed)
LH/RH runway XY downwind for touch and go(full stop)
Final for runway XY for touch and go(full stop)
Vacating active.

Sitting at Rhino intersection, or approaching the field, I hear:

Rolling runway 09
Rotating runway 09
Airborne runway 09
Turning for a RH downwind 09
Turning base runway 09
Turning finals runway 09

My instructor crapped his pants when someone called like this. Many times I've heard - THERE IS NO SUCH CALL AS TURNING BASE, OR TURNING FINALS.

In fact there is no such thing as finals - it is final (aproach).

His attitude was always - listen to radio calls, and you will get an idea of the guys overall airmanship.

The reason about my ranting. I spoke to some pilots, and they get instructed like this. I was taught, keep your radio calls abrupt, relevant and to the point. If you get to a busy airfield, the frequency is so busy, and someone is going to be irritated getting to get his turn to make a call. This might be someone on short final, and someone might be entering the runway.

I now see my instructors point at that stage. Sitting on holding point with only three planes in the circuit, they are so busy, rolling, rotating and turning, I can't get my entering call in. Where there should be six calls in circuit, by three planes, there is now EIGHTEEN.

The only other time you do any other calls in circuit, is when someone calls 5 miles out, inbound to your airfield. Then you can use base, late LH downwind, crosswind, rolling or whatever, to give an indication to the approaching aircraft of the activity in the circuit.

[Stephan van Tonder]

Was also taught exactly the same as you. Those other are totally uncalled for and actually distract the guy from his flying....

[IceAge]

Agree....... was also taught that way and all at our airfield do it this way. The only difference is 'sometimes' when a lot of aeries are waiting to take off then we will also call 'ABC entering and rolling 11 left/right hand out' as one call instead of 'ABC entering 11' and then 'ABC rolling 11 left/right hand out'

Keep it clear, short and to the point as my instructor said.

Regards

[LarryMcG]

Another common bad one, is that Guys call back tracking - on a runway that they are only taxiing on. You only backtrack an active runway, all others are taxied on.

LM

[Gaz]

Thanks Larry I'll know better next time.

Gaz

[Tumbleweed]

Observations from various strips- non- standard but not neccisarily bad or dangerous unless practiced elsewhere.

When a (faster- bigger radius circuit and might not have all visual) aerie announces joining overhead- often joining RH/ LH downwind (if they don't hear activity in the circuit) everyone gives a position report, entering runway 29 e.t.c.- at downwind- alongside the windsock- base and finals with intensions. This normally follows with a quick 'Hoe gaan dit Koos, or hows the wind, or "I have you visual, you can take off" e.t.c. Agree this will clutter the radio with new mutiple arrivals.

What complicates things with a single runway/ taxi is the backtrack- then powerchecks all at the thresh-hold, congesting the guys on downwind. Have noticed at certain fields- or pilots who have trained from those fields, don't use the demarcated holding point but at the thresh-hold for mag checks e.t.c. Rolling runway XX sounds more descriptive than entering runway XX in this instance for the guy who's approaching finals a mile out 300 feet agl at 80mph.

Also saw guys from base leg wander off the circuit in a figure S movements to waste time allowing for guys to take off. I only realised afterwards that extending their base leg would have put them in Waterkloof's airspace- So sorry for cutting in front of you, I though you were going jolling.

Nice to be in an organised circuit with everyone nicely spaced out, quick "number 5 on downwind ,XYZ finals 29 fullstop "e.t.c.

It's that ellaborate ZUXXX 3 on board, QNH YYY 10 miles out blah blah overhead mountain et.c. any conflicting blah blah on a congested circuit frequency

[Smiley]

Guys a lot are semantics…

I fly from probably the busiest non ATC airfield in SA.

We have 5 different flying schools operating in the circuit at any given time. Except for this traffic we have all the guys like me who just fly for fun.

We all abide to the same circuit radio work and there are no problems

From hanger to take-off:
1) Radio check
2) ABC Taxiing to runway holding point XY
3) ABC Entering and lining up XY
4) ABC rolling XY

Landing
ABC LH/RH downwind XY
ABC LH/RH base XY
ABC Finals XY (full stop)

If you call it like this you don’t need to see any aircraft to know where it is.

[Wargames]

Some more:

Trafic in the 1248, this is .... (Oh please, I just want to crap myself if I hear this. You have just given me 1 000 000 hectares of where you might be.)
Conflicting trafic, XYZ (This is unnecesary, as conflicting trafic will alert you)

[Duck Rogers]

I trained at Brakpan with - in my eyes - a very competent instructor. I was taught the following calls apply in circuits or at an airfield.

Radio check.
Taxing to holding point XY.
Entering runway XY (and back tracking if needed)
LH/RH runway XY downwind for touch and go(full stop)
Final for runway XY for touch and go(full stop)
Vacating active.

Sitting at Rhino intersection, or approaching the field, I hear:

Rolling runway 09
Rotating runway 09
Airborne runway 09
Turning for a RH downwind 09
Turning base runway 09
Turning finals runway 09

Semantics, I say...

I'd rather hear (and say) as much as possible to familiarise myself as to other traffic in/around the airfield's airspace.

I don't rally care who craps themselves about what, and when, I give a report. May just save my, or another pilot's life for that matter. This, in my opinion, says more about my airmanship than what some Instructors may want you to believe.

I do agree however....make it short and to the point, and listen out before you hit that mike button.

PS Sorry Wargames, not directed at you......just a matter of speech

[Eyes]

I agree with Duck. I have witnessed a twin engine cut straight through the active circuit of an ultralight airfield without a single radio call. This resulted in a student pilot doing circuit training having to take evasive action! Its this kind of behaviour you should be "crapping" yourself about not the poor guy who is perhaps calling too often or not accurate enough. If you dont understand the call all you have to do is ask instead of getting uptight and judging the poor guy. A bit of tolerance is all it takes. However, having said that we need to be mindful of not blocking the airwaves with unnecessary chatter.

Safe flying

[bluesmancoops]

most importantly....think about what u r going to say before pushing the button to talk!!

[Gyronaut]

I fully agree with keeping it relevant, brief and to the point. Nothing frustrates an instructor more than having to wait for some longwinded 'type, model and year of machine, number of pax, fuel duration, QNH, destination, crossing inactive runways... irrelevant stuff" while he is trying to explain an important concept while demonstrating it to a student.

I believe the "traffic on 124.8" comes from the fact that some ATC's monitor several frequencies and thus they will know which one you are calling on. Pffft, if they need to know they can ask me or look themselves. Who/Where/What is sufficient I believe. A highly respected aviator in these parts is known to say only "area traffic?" e.g. "Tulbach Traffic?". If he gets no response he shuts up, if someone else is in the area and calls then only will he state who he is, where he is and what his intentions are. Kinda makes sense to me.

The comm heli jockeys around the peninsula also have a neat manner of saying "Romeo Bravo Juliet Camps Bay 1500 ft, Llundudno next" done. You know his call sign if you need to address him, where he is and where he is going.

124.8 zone out

[Dobbs]

Agree to keep it short and to the point, in fact transmitting unecessary stuff like now airborne and will shortly be turning cross wind etc, only takes up time that the poor guy on finals or is it final number 2, which is a mandatory call, is waiting for a transmission gap to anounce his intentions.