At 17:55 30/01/2007, you wrote:
Hi all, can someone point me at the best spot for reading up on
radio procedures? Seems to be nothing on the GFA site.
Thanks, Wayne Carter
Wayne
The authoritative document is called ICAO Doc 8888 and is produced by
the International Civil Aviation Organisation. However that is a bit
hard to access and an Australianised version can be found in the
Aeronautical Information Publication produced by Airservices
Australia and available from their website
www.airservicesaustralia.com under pilot centre and pilot documents.
Unfortunately for glider pilots that is a bit long-winded as it
covers (almost) all possible situations for all kinds of aircraft in
all kinds of airspace. The GFA produced a booklet form with things
relevant to glider pilots, but it is now out of print and being
revised to cover some changes that have occurred since it was last
revised. Hence it is unavailable at this time.
I cannot recommend the material on the NAS website as it is based on
a proposal which is now being called into question for certain types
of airspace only, so is not a complete guide even if it were totally
perfect for that situation.
Your best bet is to get one of the flight radio training manuals from
the usual PPL self-help training establishments (Trevor Thom, Ruth
King - that's a Melbourne instructor and not the US "King Schools"
who do not produce Australian material - FTC and the others), or wait
until the GFA re-publishes the gliding specific material.
The syllabus for the Flight Radio Operator Licence is published in
CASA documents related to the PPL and is also OK if you have someone
to guide you through it - but make sure they are properly up to speed
- for instance the phrase "This is" went out of the normal vocabulary
about 17 years ago but a lot of people still can be heard using it.
Also grouping of numbers changed around 5 years ago and needs a
current training manual to be useful.
However, the most important things are to learn the words and
phrases, particularly the most commonly used things and the emergency
ones - and then to put the brain into gear before opening the mouth.
DO NOT try to establish contact repeatedly without giving your
message up front. Say who you are calling - who you are - and what
you want to say, in that order. (Example: Benalla Base, Glider Golf
Charlie Victor is ten miles north, four thousand, inbound for landing
runway 26 right Benalla.) Plan it first, then listen so you do not
cut anybody else off. Open the microphone, pause for half a second,
then speak clearly and deliberately to deliver your message. Don't
expect any answer to a call like the above example, so don't repeat
it if you hear no reply. Use the place name early and late in the
message (especially on commonly-used frequencies like 126.7) without
unnecessarily cumbersome things like "All Stations" or "CTAF" in the
second use of the name. The aim is to be clear and concise, use
everyday language if you don't know the "right" phrase or if there is
none for your message, and be courteous and considerate of your
audience - they will rapidly tire of hearing repetitive messages that
are not relevant to them or anyone else. The only worse sin is to say
nothing when a reply or a position report that is meaningful to
someone else is necessary for safety.
Good luck with study, and practice regularly. Listen carefully to
others and critique them to yourself, or discuss with an experienced
radio operator as a form of training.
Wombat
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