View Full Version : Alternative communication in case of Radio Comms failure ?
One issue that i wanted to clarify with respect to Radio Comms failure is the following :
From your perspective as ATCO , which is preferable : having an aircraft flying from A all the way till landing at B , adopting the standard ICAO procedure (or local procedure if different ) , or utilizing in a terminal area direct contact via cell phone to an appropriate ATCO facility ?
kcockayne
7th Feb 2018, 11:51
Any contact between ATC & a/c, in this context, is preferable to just relying on the pilot conforming to the Standard RCF procedure.
chevvron
7th Feb 2018, 12:28
As a controller I've had this happen. I was able to tell the pilot where he was (couldn't see him on radar, low cloud/poor vis, got him to describe an airfield he could see so I could identify it) and he was able to land safely.
Well I say safely but he forgot to lower his gear, but it was on a hard runway so he got down.
I see you are both from UK. Assuming I was a commercial airline flight inbound for UK what ATCO facility would you have advised me to try to contact by phone to coordinate further actions ? I could search for every number depending on what TMA i was planning to end up to , but it may take a lot of searching. Could there be a single facility /number i could call that would forward me in turn to the interested party ?
Many years ago the PTT circuit of one of our yokes got stuck thus transmitting continually and without being able to receive anything . Thankfully it was a short flight to a quiet destination and it occurred 20 miles from the destination. But it could have happened just after take off inbound somewhere far away in a very busy airspace .
chevvron
7th Feb 2018, 16:01
I see you are both from UK. Assuming I was a commercial airline flight inbound for UK what ATCO facility would you have advised me to try to contact by phone to coordinate further actions ? I could search for every number depending on what TMA i was planning to end up to , but it may take a lot of searching. Could there be a single facility /number i could call that would forward me in turn to the interested party ?
Many years ago the PTT circuit of one of our yokes got stuck thus transmitting continually and without being able to receive anything . Thankfully it was a short flight to a quiet destination and it occurred 20 miles from the destination. But it could have happened just after take off inbound somewhere far away in a very busy airspace .
In that scenario, I would suggest you phone the FBO or handling agent at your destination and get them to find a number to call, there being no 'centralised' number.