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Old 7th July 2007 | 00:47
  #5 (permalink)  
Tarq57
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,694
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From: Wellington,NZ
Not really enough info, but then, until you get the "hindsight effect", there usually isn't in this kind of scenario.
Possibilities: (Some of many)
-Your receiver has failed. (try another radio)
-Your rx/and tx has failed. (ditto)
-Tower radio has failed. (standby radio should be on in seconds)
-Tower frequency is jammed. (you would likely hear lots of squeal, and maybe some words)
-Tower controller has become incapacitated. (try ground)
-Something major has happened, which could be anything from an earthquake to unlawful interference. Pretty rare.

In all the above, watch for lights. Need to know where the tower is.
What I need you to do?
Will totally vary depending on the situation. Unless you see a green light (the rocking of wings in response is not expected here) there is no guarantee the runway is clear.
If the runway is clear, and the problem is with your radio, but you can't hear me saying "cleared to land", I want you to land, but am ready for you to overshoot.
You, of course, don't know this.
If the runway isn't clear, maybe there's a broken down vehicle on it, and you or I have had a comms failure, I need you to overshoot.
You, of course, won't know this. Though you might see the vehicle as you get closer. And if you look, you might see the red light, too. (It's amazing how many pilots don't look for lights, and we have comms failures regularly. Usually someone on the wrong frequency, or a jammed transmitter.)
If it's night time and I need you to overshoot, expect the runway to go dark.

So it's all a bit vague, I'm afraid, and snap decisions to be made on short notice, but the default is to overshoot.
What I expect, or hope you to do is keep transmitting your intentions, watch for lights, try other radios, try other frequencies, squawk 76, and if you have an emergency (unrelated) (how unlucky are we getting now) 7700, and if still no luck with the radios, (by now you will have landed or gone round) once you're sorted with the actual flying bit grab a hold of that most useful piece of emergency gear, the cellphone. Provided it's not going to interfere with systems on board that you might need more.

End of the day, it's your call, but, I say again, the default is to go around.
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