FRTOL Top Tips?

[vw_nutter]

Hi

I have recently passed my PPL skills test plus all ground exams so now the only hurdle in front of me is passing my RT practical! I plan to do it in the next week or so and wondering if anyone had any top tips for passing it? I'm pretty much ok with RT as I have been flying for almost two years now so quite confident using the radio. I've read as much as can CAP 413 but would maybe like some comments/tips from anyone who has been through it just to tie things up?

Much appreciated!

[moreflaps]

I'm puzzled, you've done cross country solo but do not have a radio license? I had to have radio and air law to solo...

Cheers

[vw_nutter]

You don't need an FRTOL to fly in controlled airspace when you are a student and still learning and there is no legal requirement to have an FRTOL once you pass the skills test UNLESS you want to fly in controlled airspace in which case it is mandatory.

I was going to do it before I did my skills test but I just wanted the test out of the way first.

[airpolice]

The very professional examiner I sat my test with, came highly recommended and he was everything he was said to be.

He suggested a lesson before the test and I agreed to this to get an idea of what the test format might be. We cut the lesson short as I was all over it, and went on to the test. With it being much simpler than I had anticipated, I had no issues.

I would expect that most if not all R/T examiners would also teach and that might be an excellent way for you to prepare for the test.

[cirrusdancer]

I didn't have a lesson before the test but the friendly examiner took time to explain what was going to happen and the format of the test before we did the necessary. No pressure and having passed my skills test a couple of days before I was convinced I now possessed super powers .

Make sure you know how to do a mayday and pan call and how to cancel them. You'll probably also get a MATZ penetration but there's nothing that isn't covered in CAP 413 so if you're happy with that you'll have no problems.

Good luck.

[BillieBob]

....there is no legal requirement to have an FRTOL once you pass the skills test UNLESS you want to fly in controlled airspace....

Utter nonsense! As the holder of a pilot's licence, you must hold a FRTOL to operate an aircraft radio irrespective of the airspace in which you are flying. It is true, however, that a radio is not mandatory equipment outside controlled airspace.

[Whopity]

The skills required to pass the RT Practical are part of the the same skill set required to for the PPL Skill Test and indeed to fly solo cross countries. Why are students still waiting until after the PPL Skill Test to undertake a test that would have been more useful to them if they had completed it prior to leaving the circuit solo? It takes around 16 hours to master all of the required RT calls and people still think they can do it in less than 3!

[airpolice]

BillieBob wrote:

Utter nonsense! As the holder of a pilot's licence, you must hold a FRTOL to operate an aircraft radio irrespective of the airspace in which you are flying. It is true, however, that a radio is not mandatory equipment outside controlled airspace.

That is true.....however, if the OP wants to fly an aircraft without a radio, from an airfield where the staff are happy to assist with lamp signals, then where is the requirement for him to have an FRTOL?

BillieBob's rather rash staement is akin to saying that you must hold an instument rating to fly on airways in IMC. True, but bugger all to do with what the OP and others may be intending.

Perghaps the OP should have written, "unles you want to operate a radio"

[hazholmes]

Hi,
Passed my FRTOL just today. Things that were covered include:
- MATZ penetration
- SVFR clearance
- Diversion due weather
- Relaying mayday
- Pan Pan.

Read cap 413 and your comms book and you should be fine. Any other questions feel free to PM.
Good luck.

[Jetset150]

Hello,

I took the RT Practical 2 weeks ago. I was offered either route 7a, 8a, or 9a and was then briefed by the examiner and given 25 minutes prep time. My advice is use this very wisely. There is a lot going on so make sure to have a list of frequencies, or perhaps make your own blog to make things easier.

When you're ready you will be shown how to use the computer. This is what I found most difficult to be honest. All of a sudden you are trying to use the computer, use an unusual call sign and put together all of your RT Skills all in one go.

I thought it was quite fun, if you dont know already, learn the following;

AG Radio
FISO
Class D Dep/Arr and Class Zone Transit
MATZ
QDM's
PAN and May Day Call (these must be perfect!!!!)
Diversions.

Imagine the flight from hell and you'll be close. I passed, but on reflection thought the only way I could improve would be to know how to use the computer before hand. I have my XCQ next month all exams passed.

Hope this helps :-)

[BackPacker]

or perhaps make your own blog to make things easier.

That's what I did too. Make a plog so that all the information you need (frequencies, callsigns, VRPs, whatever) is in a familiar place. You don't want to have to flip through the exam briefing papers for frequencies and such during the exam. (And put your own callsign on a prominent place in the plog!)

The other tip is that you'll be flying a mock flight. You'll be at a VRP at some point in time and be asked to report at the next VRP, or airspace boundary, or whatever. In a real flight this usually takes a few minutes. Obviously on the FRTOL your flight duration will be compressed a bit but you decide on how much compression you're going to apply. So if you need a few seconds to compose your thoughts, think ahead about the next leg/radio call, just let the examiner wait a bit and don't report over that next VRP until you're good and ready.

Obviously that's the time the examiner will throw in something unexpected, like an oil pressure warning or a mayday relay, but that's life...

In addition to the lists above, also practice the "report position" call.