GETTING READY TO FLY

Which one is correct?

• READY TO TAKE OFF?
• READY FOR TAKE OFF?
 Transmitting technique
- characteristics
• Make sure interferences with other
transmissions are avoided,
• Speak clearly and distinctly- normal
conversational tone,
• Make a slight pause BEFORE and AFTER
numbers,
• Avoid using redundant sounds, e.g.
hesitation sound such as “er”
 Actual transmission
• ICAO alphabet for letters,
• Numbers – each digit separately
• Time
• Call signs – aeronautical stations,
e.g. Tower, Approach, etc.
- aircraft
- Message (+ response/acknowledgement
of message receipt+ ICAO phraseology))
 Pre-Flight Radio Checks
• Acft: Mexico tower TWA 202 radio check
box 1 on 119.2
TWR: TWA 202 Mexico Tower readability 5.

Box= radio transmitter and receiver

Readability= quality of transmission
 PRE-FLIGHT RADIO CHECKS

Scale Readability Meaning

1 Unreadable Terrible

2 Readable now Good now and

and then again
3 Readable with Fairly good
difficulty
4 Readable Very good

5 Perfectly excellent
readable
 Test procedures
• PANS = Procedures for Air Navigation
Services
Aircraft test transmission:
a) Identification of the station being called
b) The aircraft identification (call sign)
c) The type of test requested
d) The frequency being used
e) Over (optional)
 Types of tests

- Maintenance Check – if test is a routine

ground test
- Pre-flight Check – test made when aircraft
about to depart
- Signal Check- test made while aircraft is
airborne
 Example

• Acft: Bucharest Control, this is YRIMA,

signal check on 123.9 over.
 Reply to test transmission
• Aircraft’s identification
• Identification of ATSU replying
• Information on readability
• OUT (optional)

e.g. YRIMA (this is) Bucharest Control

reading you five. Out.
 Radio Tests(1)
• How do you read?
Besides the scale given, there might be
more specific information, e.g.:

- Reading you strength five.

- Reading you loud and clear.
- Readability five but distorted.
- Your transmission is broken.
 Radio Tests (2)
- Reading you with a whistle.
- You have a background noise/whistle.
- Readability two but clear.
- Reading you very weak.
- Give me a short count for tuning.
- Readability below one.
 EXAMPLE
• A/C: Ground, Speedbird 305. Radio check
box 1 on 119.4
• ATC: Say again, calling.
• A/C: Speedbird 305. I want to do a radio
check on box 1. 119.4, please.
ATC: Sorry. You’re totally unreadable.
 Transfer of control/frequency
change

• Contact (name of unit) on (frequency)

• Cleared to leave…. Frequency….
• Stand by on (frequency) for (unit)
 Examples to practise
• Change to Constanza 125.6 immediately.
• YCB, clear to leave this frequency for 2
minutes to call Sofia Control, frequency
125.3 then revert to this frequency.
• Confirm the new frequency of Otopeni
Control.
• If radio contact is lost, change to Munich.
 Blind Transmitting

When a pilot is uncertain whether

his radio transmissions are being received,
but continues to make radio calls, this is
called
transmitting blind.
Procedures for Blind transmitting

– contact another aircraft on the same

frequency

– use a different frequency

– transmit the message twice, preceding it with

TRANSMITTING BLIND
 Pre-flight Inspection
• performed before each and every flight to
ensure safety
• Pre-flight checks of
– Airframe
– Wings
– Engine
– Fuel system
– Instruments
– Blades
Pre-flight Check
Ground movements
 GROUND MOVEMENTS (1)

• departing planes from the gate to the

runway for takeoff

• arriving planes from the runway to the gate

• SCHEDULING these operations

Typical Layout of an Airport
?
Runway designator
 Ground vehicles
• Spraying icy wings
• Delivering kerosene
• Clearing debris
• Putting out fires
• Repairing flat tyres
• Carrying cargo
• Reversing planes
• Getting rid of compacted ice
 Airport Ground Vehicles
• aircraft de-icer
• fuel tanker
• sweeper
• fire engine
• maintenance truck
• flat- bed truck
• push-back tug
• snow plough
Aircraft de-icer
Fuel tanker
Sweeper
Fire engine
Maintenance truck
Flat-bed truck
Push-back tug
Snow plough
• THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!