The founders of this great nation — I refer to the United States of America, of course — did an amazing thing when they debated and passed a Bill of Rights. These 10 amendments to a Constitution so new the ink was still wet on the page set out specific areas of freedom for individuals and, more importantly, limits for government, that continue to guide us today. First among those amendments is the freedom of speech.
What a remarkable idea. Especially when compared and contrasted with other nations of that period.
In the U.S., an individual can speak their mind. You can say what you wish, whether it’s a cogent thought or an idiotic ramble. If you feel it, you may say it. And this freedom extends beyond the citizenry of our nation. It falls to anyone who stands within our borders. Speak freely, we say. Discuss. Debate. Explore the ramblings of your mind at will.
Of course, there are limits.
As the old maxim goes, you can’t yell, ‘Fire” in a crowded theater without suffering consequences for the mayhem you create.
Similarly, pilots would do well to remember the words of Thomas Jefferson when it comes to making radio calls. Good ol’ Tom wrote, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”
This can take practice, but it’s important stuff. Be brief. Seriously. You have the right to free speech, but you also have an equally pressing responsibilty to seek brevity.
When in the cockpit, there is a time to speak, and there is a time to let go of the button and listen.
This past weekend I went flying. I got up early, checked the weather, toddled out to the airport, preflighted the airplane, checked the weather again, climbed in, fired up, and flew. It was not yet 8 a.m. when my wheels left the runway. The sky was blue, without even a hint of cloud cover. That would change in the coming hour, I knew. Florida is humid, especially so on summer mornings. Clouds would form soon enough. But for the moment, all was excellent.
As I climbed away from Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, the tower called to let me know a frequency change was approved. I responded with the last three letters of my registration and a hearty, “Thanks.” A quick stab at the flip-flop button brought up the CTAF (common traffic advisory frequency) for my destination, and a whole lot of chatter.
Like many non-towered airports, my destination makes use of a CTAF for pilots to self-announce their positions and intentions. And like many non-towered airports, my destination shares that same CTAF with a number of other airports in the region. That’s fair. That’s reasonable. However, it means that pilots using the CTAF at any airport, anywhere, must keep in mind that other pilots many miles away are hearing their calls, and waiting for a clear frequency and the opportunity to make their own calls.
“Chatty 123 is…um….about 15 miles south…no we’re more east than south…from Tampa North. Is there any traffic in the pattern at Tampa North…if there is…which runway are you using?”
Pilots all over central Florida were awaiting a chance to key the mike to report their position in the pattern, while Chatty 123 droned on. To make matters worse, Chatty made frequent calls, often asking non-existent pilots questions the pilot should have already known the answer to based on the conditions of the moment.
“Chatty 123 is 12 miles from Tampa North…we’re probably going to do a full stop landing at Tampa North…maybe a touch-and-go, then come around for a full stop after that.”
The push-to-talk button was virtually glued down, transforming the CTAF into Chatty 123’s private radio show.
The garrulous pilot called to report they were going to be entering the downwind soon, but with no particular runway included in the message. Then they announced they were really close to the downwind but hadn’t spotted any other traffic yet. When they actually got onto the downwind they announced their achievement three separate times, once when entering the downwind, again at midfield downwind, and finally abeam the numbers on downwind.
It went on like this for a while. You can imagine the joy felt by others using the frequency, at Tampa North, as well as other destinations that share the common means of communication. The infrequent spaces in between Chatty’s calls were peppered with other pilots calling out their intentions. Or at least they were attempting to call out their intentions. In each case the frequency transformed into a buzzing, clicking, mass of noise as Chatty keyed the mike yet again to make an unnecessary — and unnecessarily long — radio call, effectively blanking out the calls of other pilots.
Thankfully Class G airspace doesn’t require radio communications, and non-towered fields don’t require a clearance to land, or I might still be up there waiting. I’d have had a lot of company, too.
As luck would have it, Chatty 123 finally landed. The frequency fell quiet, save for a few brief calls from other fields, “Experimental turning right base for 15 at Apopka.” Silence. “Bonanza 789 downwind for 5,Winter Haven.” More silence. “Piper 456 left downwind for 32, Tampa North.”
The voice making that last call sounded a bit annoyed. Understandably.
Yes, you have freedom of speech. Yes, you should exercise it often, with vigor, and conviction. But you might listen now and then, too. And at least consider putting some self-imposed constraints on what you have to say, and when you choose to say it.
On behalf of all those pilots waiting patiently to make a call that really might matter — thank you.
Abe Lincoln who was well known for his taciturn demeanor was quoted as saying: “Sometimes it is best to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” That applies equally well to aviation comms.
Hmm, must have been the same guy at the last FAAST seminar. Dominated the whole two hour seminar with his personal experiences and irrelevant questions. Don’t be “that guy”.
Some of the jet jockeys heading into a non towered executive airport;
” XYZ Executive airport, Citation 123, 20 miles out, from the north, inbound for runway 18, we’ll be doing a straight in approach. XYZ Executive unicom, have Mrs. Smith and party of three on board could you have her car ready for her? I’ll also need 50 gallons of Jet A and will be spending the night so I’ll need my rental car as well. Could you have both cars meet us at the plane? Any traffic in the pattern please advise, Citation 123″.
Think I’m kidding?
No, you are not kidding, I have heard the same things in airports surrounding Palm Springs. I’ll be heading up to Big Bear from Twentynine Palms and hear someone at Bermuda Dunes saying almost identical communication.
Not kidding. I feel your pain! Me, in a 90 mph Citabria, on downwind. A corporate pilot calls in 6 mile final. Okay. I’ll extend and follow the faster airplane in. Then a C172 calls #2 on a 5 mile final just a couple minutes later. Don’t feel like making my extension into a cross country flight! And then for the mile by mile up dates on how far out each airplane is. Time to shut off the radio and look out the window. They are so often not where they say they are anyway.
Nicely done!
But you did use the word “garrulous” on a public forum.
The AIM may stipulate minimum content but a quick “Bonanza half mile final runway 5” sure does convey the most relevant info that waiting high wing.
First call. Who you are, where you are and what you want (or intentions). Follow ups are position reports. All the other times between should be spent listening for other position reports. I always play what I intend to say in my head, sometimes aloud, before hitting that button to make sure I don’t ramble.
I find it less of a problem up here in BC. But when I was in Arizona for a few months last year there was always chatter, half the time it had no relation to aviation! We don’t need to hear about what your doing at Ranch Idontcare.
I had a bit of a problem using my former military phonetics with abbreviations in the civil world. I had to retrain myself of that. However, I have encountered the cowboys who owned the sky above and called in apparently twenty north and said they were down wind for landing. I, in a Maule west bound never seen this guy until I was on the ground when he finally arrived into the pattern. I tried to get his position without any assurance he was even close, so I called # 1position to land from a mid field to down wind approach.
He wouldn’t even speak to me while I was tying down the ferried aircraft.
“…Citation xyz 18 miles west —— airport, planning straight in rwy 6, any traffic in the area please advise…”
It’s not just piston poppers and bug smashers who like the sound of their own voice.
Brevity is a virtue. Say only what is necessary. Did your Mother always address you as James Aloyious Humpersomething the Fourth, or mostly as Jim?
If you are the only Cessna on Frequency, then “Somewhere Traffic, Cessna, Left Base 16, Somewhere” is plenty good enough. If there is another Cessna at Somewhere then Cessna One Two Lima is enough. Cessna Skyhawk November Three Three One Two Lima is usually too much.
And then you have those that use the frequency for common bs as if they are the only ones out there.
Or they attempt to talk to fast that all you hear is a jumble of unconnected syllables that no one could understand.
As Rod Machado would say, “Is any of that stuff you said important?”
“Then why don’t you say it like it’s important?”
And try using some diction sometimes instead the sloppy lazy smeared together string of words.
There, I feel better.