Flight Forum

I just finished reading your March 2001 article, "Communicating With ATC," by Karen M. Kahn. I have been a flight instructor for six years now, and I have found that one of the most difficult things for a student to do is to talk on the radio without sounding like a "newbie" (and fly the airplane on top of that).

Granted, I teach out of a nontowered airfield and the "who you are talking to, who you are, and what you are doing" rule works well in that environment. But students become uneasy when they have to talk to ATC "professionally" on our first dual cross-country trip to a towered airport. I have them read the Aeronautical Information Manual and watch videos for reference before the flight, but real-life situations are a different story.

I emphasize that my students should think about what they want to say before they transmit and use the phrase student pilot to their advantage on the initial call since controllers will understand that they might need extra help. Ultimately, I stress that controllers are only human too and understand plain En-glish when things get a little complicated. So, in short, tell ATC what you need to do or your request, but keep it short, simple, and to the point.

Another hint for students who are flying into a towered field is to keep a sharp ear out for the make or model of airplane they are flying since more than likely when they hear their aircraft type, ATC will be talking to or about them.

Thanks for a great article, and I hope that all of the other student pilots out there with the fear of talking to ATC will benefit from the article and from my advice.

Erik Vela
Via the Internet

Watch This

Your feature on hazardous horseplay ("Bravado Gone Bad: Ostentatious Display Accidents," April 2001) brought to mind something a good friend and experienced pilot told me while I was learning to fly: What are the two most dangerous words in aviation? "Watch this!"

Dan Frisbie
Via the Internet

Flying To Help

I applaud Rick Byam ("Challenged: Flying with the Handicapped," April 2001). Very few people in the general public realize how much more there is to aviation than just commercial airliners and weekend hobbyists. Operations such as Angel Flights, Orbis Flights (a flying eye surgery unit) and AmeriCares (humanitarian aid transporters), to name a few, have made tremendous contributions in the United States and throughout the world.

Having worked overseas for many years in the humanitarian aid field I have witnessed firsthand the commitment and dedication of many pilots and crew who work under extremely difficult conditions providing humanitarian aid supplies to some of the most remote outposts in the world. Congratulations to Rick and to all those who are making a difference in our world through aviation.

Rob Andrew
Via the Internet

Knowing When Not To Go

I would like to bring up an interesting point about decision making. I was scheduled for a training flight out of McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California. We had checked the weather station at the flight school, and it was reporting a ceiling of 1,800 feet and overcast. We decided that was an acceptable ceiling, but as I was copying the ATIS a few minutes later, I found that the ceiling had descended to 1,500 feet. Then my instructor and I decided the flight was a no-go.

With people actions speak more than words. Seeing weather conditions that my instructor will not go up in sets an example that I must follow. Also, the resulting conversation on the weather taught me about what was likely to happen. In this case, the overcast layer dropped to 1,200 feet with a jagged base. That is below pattern altitude. Had we taken off, we would have found ourselves on a VFR flight in IFR conditions. That would not have been too hot an idea. It's good to know when it's time to quit.

Andre Mailloux
Via the Internet

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