Home

AC103-6

AC103-7

AC20-27F

Accident Reporting

AIM

Administration

AeroMedical

Aeronautical Decision Making (ADM)

Airport Facility Directory

Airport Security

Airport Markings

Airport Operations

Airspace

Airworthiness Certification

Annual Inspection

ASTM

 Board Members

Canopy

Congested Areas

Contact NAPPF

Currency

Density Altitude

Endorsements

Flight Parks

Flight Instruction

Flight Instruments

Flight Review

Flight Plan

Formation Flying

Fuel Management

Hints

History

Home

Insurance

Knowledge Test

LINKS

Light Sport Aircraft Process

Light Sport Aircraft Repairman

Logbooks

NAPPF UPDATE

Navigation

News

NOTAM

NPRM

Pilot Privileges & Limitations

Pilot/Instructor Requirements

Part 103

Part 103 Preamble

Part 103 Waivers

Radio

Resources

Safety Seminars

Sectional Charts

Soft Field Operations

Sport Pilot Topics

TFR

Training

Training Materials

UltraFlight Magazine

UltraFlight Radio

Visibility & Cloud Clearance

Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI)

Weather

Weather Services

Home
 

NAPPF
Radio Communications

Jim Sweeney, USUA and NAPPF Board Member
Too many people are intimidated by aviation band radios. Jim Sweeney strips away all of the fluff and tells us what we need to be able to communicate at the uncontrolled fields that many of us fly from. Great stuff for those working on their Sport Pilot rating. The Basics of Radio Use. SweeneyCorp, USUA, NAPPF (Part 1) (11/29/05)


Jim Sweeney, USUA and NAPPF Board Member
Too many people are intimidated by aviation band radios. Jim Sweeney strips away all of the fluff and tells us what we need to be able to communicate at the uncontrolled fields that many of us fly from. Great stuff for those working on their Sport Pilot rating. The Basics of Radio Use. SweeneyCorp, USUA, NAPPF (Part 2) (11/29/05)

 

Jim Sweeney, USUA and NAPPF Board Member
Jim Sweeney talks about radio frequencies, their uses, and how to find the right frequencies for the things you are trying to do. Jim has put up some information about radio frequencies for our use at the NAPPF web site. SweeneyCorp, USUA, NAPPF. (2/22/05)

Jim Sweeney, USUA and NAPPF Board Member
Jim Sweeney stays with us to talk about the FAA's signed acceptance of the first industry developed consensus standards for light-sport aircraft last week. This is getting the industry closer to being able to produce special light-sport aircraft (S-LSA) and experimental light-sport aircraft (E-LSA) kits. SweeneyCorp, USUA, NAPPF. (2/22/05)

Communication at Airports without operating Control Towers

CTAF
    COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) - A designated frequency for the purpose of carrying out
    airport advisory practices while operating to or from an airport that does not have a control tower or an airport where
    the control tower Is not operational.

    Self announce

    The CTAF is normally a UNICOM, MULTICOM, flight service station (FSS) frequency, or a tower frequency.

    CTAF will be identified in appropriate aeronautical publications.

UNICOM
    UNICOM stations may provide pilots, upon request, with weather information, wind direction, the recommended
    runway, or other necessary information.
   
    If the UNICOM frequency is designated as the CTAF, it will be identified in appropriate aeronautical publications.

FSS    (Flight Service Station)
    An FSS physically located on an airport may provide airport advisory service (AAS) at an airport that does not have a
    control tower or where a tower is operated on a part-time basis and the tower is not in operation.

    The CTAFs for FSSs which provide this service are published in appropriate aeronautical publications.

MULTICOM
    A mobile service, not open to public correspondence use, used for essential communications in the conduct of
    activities performed by or directed from private aircraft.

Airports without Operation Control Towers
 C  CTAF     (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency)
    Marked on the Sectional Chart
    Common CTAF Frequencies
        122.7
        122.725
        122.8
        122.9
        123.0
        123.05
        123.075

Airports with no frequencies published
    MULTICOM - 122.9

When to communicate
  Before taxiing and before taxiing on the runway for departure.
  10 miles out, and entering downwind, base, and final, and leaving the runway.
 
Weather Advisories at airports without operating Control Towers

AWOS, ASOS    (Automated Weather Observation System,  Automated Surface Observation System)
    Frequency marked on the Sectional Chart
 
AWOS - These real-time systems are operationally classified into four basic levels:
        (a) AWOS-A: only reports altimeter setting,
        (b) AWOS-1: usually reports altimeter setting, wind data, temperature, dew point, and density altitude,
        (c) AWOS-2: provides the information provided by AWOS-1 plus visibility, and
        (d) AWOS-3: provides the information provided by AWOS-2 plus cloud/ceiling data.
    The information is transmitted over a discrete VHF radio frequency or the voice portion of a local NAVAID.
    Receivable to a maximum of 25 NM from the AWOS site and a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet AGL.
    Most AWOS sites also have a dial-up capability so that the messages can be accessed via telephone.
    AWOS information (system level, frequency, phone number, etc.) is published, in the Airport Facility Directory

ASOS - The ASOS will provide continuous minute-by-minute observations and perform the basic observing functions necessary to generate an aviation routine weather report (METAR) and other aviation weather information.

CTAF, AWOS/ASOS on the Sectional Chart


    ASOS - 118.526
    C  CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) - 122.8


Airports with Control Towers
    Control Tower Frequency (CT)
        Control of traffic in the controlled airspace
        Frequency on the Sectional Chart
   
    ATIS - Automated Traffic Information System
        This information includes: wind, runway, and altimeter setting at the airport of intended landing.

Control Tower and ATIS Frequencies on the Sectional Chart
           
       
        CT - 118.8
        ATIS - 128.5
        Unicom - 122.95
        * Hours of Operation
        C  CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) - 118.6

Air to Air Communication Frequency
    122.75 - Official air to air
    123.45 - not so official

Reference
    AC 90-42F - TRAFFIC ADVISORY PRACTICES AT AIRPORTS WITHOUT OPERATING CONTROL TOWERS



Jim Sweeney, NAPPF
Part 1 of what you need to know about aviation band radios. Jim Sweeney chats with us about aviation band radios and how to get them to work on your ultralight aircraft. www.nappf.com (7/1/03)

Jim Sweeney, NAPPF
Part 2 of what you need to know about aviation band radios. We get into details about radio antennas and their mountings. Selecting radios and matching it to your headsets. www.nappf.com (7/1/03)


Text & Graphics for the Sound Clip

Send mail to info@nappf.com with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2001 North American Powered Parachute Federation
Last modified: 03/26/07