Skip navigation

Communication

All radio communications require that you memorize the standard ICAO pnemonics. The morse code is not necessary for glider pilot purposes. During a typical exchange you should identify yourself giving registration and aircraft type; locate yourself giving position and height; and state your intentions and requests. For example:

Pilot: REGINA TOWER, (THIS IS) GLIDER FOXTROT BRAVO CHARLIE DELTA (OVER).

Tower: FOXTROT BRAVO CHARLIE DELTA, REGINA TOWER.

Pilot: REGINA TOWER, FOXTROT BRAVO CHARLIE DELTA, TEN SOUTH THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FEET VFR LANDING INSTRUCTIONS

Tower: BRAVO CHARLIE DELTA, REGINA TOWER, RUNWAY TWO SIX, WIND TWO THREE ZERO AT TEN, ALTIMETER TWO NINE NINE TWO, CLEARED TO THE CIRCUIT.

Pilot: BRAVO CHARLIE DELTA.

A number of standard radio frequencies should be committed to memory.

Distress (Mayday) - 121.5 mHz, Unicom 1 and Unicom 2 - 122.8, 123.0 mHz, Soaring 123.4 mHz, Flight Services En route 126.7 mHz, Aerodrome Traffic Frequence where Unicom does not exist - 123.2 mHz, Pilot air-to-air - 122.7f mHz.

Emergency Conditions

A MAYDAY issued when in distress which reflects a condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger requiring immediate assistance, while a PAN issued when an urgent condition exists concerning the safety of the aircraft or other vehicle, or of some person on board or within sight, which does not require immediate assistance.

When issued, both signals require that:

a) issued 3 times.

b) transmit on air/ground frequency in use at the time.

c) state name to which message directed,

d) aircraft identity,

e) nature of condition, intentions,

f) present position and heading.

For example:

Example of a Distress Message from an Aircraft:

MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, THIS IS CGZXY, CGZXY, CGZXY, FIVE ZERO MILES WEST OF GUELPH AT ONE SEVEN TWO FIVE ZULU, FOUR THOUSAND, GLIDER, CONTROL SURFACE DAMAGE DUE TO BIRD STRIKE, WILL ATTEMPT LANDING, CGZXY, OVER.

Example of An Urgency Message Addressed to All Stations:

PAN, PAN, PAN, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, ALL STATIONS, THIS IS TIMMINS RADIO, TIMMINS RADIO, TIMMINS RADIO, EMERGENCY DESCENT AT TIMMINS AIRPORT, ATC INSTRUCTS ALL AIRCRAFT BELOW SIX THOUSAND FEET WITHIN RADIUS OF ONE ZERO MILES OF TIMMINS NDB LEAVE EAST AND NORTH COURSES IMMEDIATELY, THIS IS TIMMINS RADIO OUT.

Priority of Communication

  1. Distress
  2. Urgency
  3. Radio Direction Finding
  4. Flight Safety Messages
  5. Meteorological Messages
  6. Flight Regularity Messages
  7. Application of United Nations Charter
  8. Government Messages
  9. Telecommunications Service Messages
  10. All Other Aeronautical Communications

Transponder Operations

While not generally required for glider operations, they normally are used in Class A,B,C airspace, and any Class D, E airspace where specified in the Designated Airspace Handbook (TP1820E).

Phone Use During A Radio Communication Failure

Flight services may be contacted using a mobile telephone in the event of a communications failure. Before contact, transponder equipped aircraft should squawk code 7600.