Post 24/11 CTAF calls

[TLAW]

Just reading this info regarding the CTAF calls post 24th November.

I question the new procedures in one regard - there are no references to giving ETA calls when inbound.

Another aircraft, a King Air call sign FEN, broadcasts that it is inbound at 25NM to the west. A King Air flies at about four miles per minute and so the pilots of both the Cessna and the Piper can calculate that the King Air will be joining the circuit in about six or seven minutes.

I was always taught to give an ETA when giving my inbound call - now it appears I have to memorise the performance characteristics of every aircraft in the register and work out for myself when someone else is turning up? Or am I reading too much into this?

:confused:

[ovum]

ETA's were never required in a CTAF inbound call.

The only required information is callsign, aircraft type, position, level and intentions. (AIP ENR 1.1-79 p.63.1 or JEPP AU-718 p.6.5.1)

The problem is, most instructors are just following the incorrect radio calls taught to them by their instructor and the issue is passed on if the student never bothers to read the AIP/JEPPS. e.g. People reporting "traffic sighted" in a GAAP and reading back sequencing numbers...WRONG!!

In any case, do you really think an ETA to the minute has that much bearing on when you start to look for traffic? Remember that ETA is their circuit time and you should be looking for them well before they join anyway. If people give their call at the correct time then it's not going to be any more than a few minutes before you start to look.

[FishHead]

For me, I have got three questions re the new procedures. Now trying to get some answers from the Help desks:

1. If I am overflying the field (or overflying near one), what altitude do I have to be at to avoid having to broadcast on the CTAF freq.

2. How do I assess wind direction when joing the 'live-side' unless I overfly the field (at fields where there is no Unicom or AWIS broadcast).

3. What circuit height do I have to be 500ft above before turning against circuit direction? My own, or the 'hihg-performance' height of 1500ft.


I belive the book answer to (1) is that I should monitor/broadcast whenever I infringe a possible RPT profile to the field (could be up to 8500ft at 35 odd miles)

[FishHead]

Answers and further discussion here:Link to Reporting Points (http://www.pprune.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=2077181#post2077181)