This is an excerpt from a report made to the Aviation Safety Reporting System. The narrative is written by the pilot, rather than FAA or NTSB officials. To maintain anonymity, many details, such as aircraft model or airport, are often scrubbed from the reports.
CTAF 123.0, the common traffic advisory frequency, have not been reassigned among the many GA airports in Florida, as well as the rest of the country.
123.0 is used at Okeechobee County Airport (KOBE), Arthur Dunn Air Park (X21) in Titusville, and Arcadia Municipal Airport (X06), all of which are busy airports.
Often it is difficult to make a transmission without stepping on someone else and this is an unsatisfactory condition. And it’s a safety hazard and it’s not necessary since years ago the GA fleet was encouraged to invest in new radios capable of three decimal digit frequencies.
These expanded frequencies were not implemented at GA airports.
Frequencies 122.8 and 122.9 are also being shared by multiple GA airports all within range of each other.
To make a severely taxed communication system even worse, the FAA has refrained from advocating to GA pilots not to use the term “traffic” when broadcasting positions and intentions on the CTAF at the various airports. It is entirely clear to just use the name of the facility without the term “traffic.”
Dropping saying traffic will relieve the frequency congestion. I feel the system would be safer if my suggestions were implemented.
Primary Problem: Airport
ACN: 2172179
When you click on the link it will take you to the ASRS Online Database. Click on Report Number and put the ACN in the search box, then click Search. On that page, click on “view only the 1 most recent report.”
Another reason for use of the identifier “Traffic” is to differentiate between transmissions intended for “Unicom”.
The word traffic could still be eliminated and you could say Unicom when needing to speak to the FBO.
A little history: When script for CTAF calls was created in the 1970s, the airport name was not spoken until the END of the transmission, thus forcing everyone on the same frequency at other nearby airports to have to listen to the entire speech before realizing that this information did not apply to them.. At my suggestion, the FAA adopted the procedural use of “(Airport Name) Traffic” FIRST as a means to quickly identify the location involved. I would certainly agree that use of the word “Traffic” is normally redundant and not needed at the end of a transmission. Example:
“Smithville Traffic, Cessna 4453 Mike is entering left downwind for Smithville Runway Two Two”
It would be better to substitute the word “traffic” for the airport name. Just reverse the phrase. Instead of transmitting the name of the airport first, transmit the word “traffic” and THEN the name of the airport. It takes a moment or two for your ear to ‘tune in’ so your brain can decipher what’s being said. When pilots key their mics and immediately blurt out the airport’s name, most other pilots don’t understand what airport the dude was speaking about. If you start out with the word “traffic”, then the other pilots’ brains have that split second needed to key in on the voice quality and accent so that their ears and brains can be prepared for the airport name which will follow. So, instead of saying, “Jostler County traffic, Cessna 45454, etc. etc. etc”, you would say, “Traffic for Jostler County etc. etc. etc.” How many times have you asked yourself in frustration, “What airport did he say?”
Definite thumbs down vote on that suggestion.
Honestly the half second that it takes to say traffic is more than overshadowed by a single “ahhhhhhhh”. Mountain out of a molehill issue.
M.O.O.A.M.
Please, use the acronym, instead of mountain out of a molehill.
And never forget at a tower free airport you could encounter a non electric NORDO. Very rare now but they are still around.
Modern radios have 760 channel capability….
but FAA / FCC allocate only about 10 frequencies for CTAF use.
That needs to change.
Plus….what others have said about keeping radio calls brief.
Yes, uncontrolled airport frequencies are congested. But dropping one word is going to solve the problem? Ok 🙄
I expect that if some poor soul now says “traffic” people will start arguing correct phraseology on the radio, adding x20 the amount of words discussed in this brilliant solution.
BTW, I do fly in (very) busy uncontrolled airports and frequencies and I don’t find this problem as bad as it is stated here (of course there will be exceptions). There are times when it is REALLY bad but it is usually temporary. Just a little patience usually solves the problem. The issue I have experienced in uncontrolled airports is that if there is traffic (oops, sorry) in the pattern practicing landings people can sometimes be “not very considerate” and provide a little spacing so that any aircraft waiting to take off can depart. But also that doesn’t really happen all the time.
Chris
I fly from a class D airport where the tower is only open part time, so it is Airport Name Ground, Airport Name Tower or Airport Name Traffic. I see no problem with this but maybe I am missing something.
The non-towered airport where I got my instruction switched frequencies to avoid the clutter/clatter on 122.8 so it is not a problem.
The really annoying call out is “any traffic in the pattern, please advise”. Total waste of air time.
I dropped the word traffic years ago. Who else you talking to? I don’t announce taxiing anywhere such as to a runway or the pumps unless I’ll be taxiing around hangars where there’s a risk of conflict with other taxiing aircraft. And for crying out loud we don’t need to know about traffic flying over an airport at 7000’. Oh, and one more. Knock it off with “last call”. Rant over.
At my non towered field, apparently certain CFI’s are teaching students to announce when they are taxiing. “Taxiing from fuel pumps to runway 02”. while there is line of sight between both points. Field isn’t too busy but just think if they fly in to one of the congested frequency areas.
I also think IFR practice approaches should use VFR references (distance and direction from field) and their intent not using IRF references. I don’t carry IFR charts and haven’t flown IFR for years. Various intersections and fixes are Greek to most VFR pilots. Sure doesn’t help with situational awareness.
Actually, my airport has a University flight school now (Oh Joy!!!), and apparently the school is teaching their students to give their full taxi route outbound and inbound in each transmission. We should all be looking out our windows. If there becomes a conflict with other aircraft, then initiate a direct conversation to sort it out. Otherwise, keep it brief.
And get rid of this term “upwind leg” and “active” with reference to a runway in radio calls at non-towered airports. I guess it sounds cool to say when you’re a newbie, but it really accomplishes nothing beyond that. Your “active’ might not be my active, and if you state an actual runway number, the rest of us will have a much better chance of knowing what stretch of pavement (sorry- TARMACK”) you’re speaking of. Leave “active” to ATC.
Back in the 1970’s we were taught to use the radio sparingly and get it said with the least amount of sables. Thank ahead of time about what needs to be transmitted and get it done with the least amount of syllable.We had handheld microphones that had to be picked up used and put back on the microphone clip each time. Today we have pilots that are being taught the radio is more important than the flying. With today’s introduction of the headset and the convenience push to talk button. It is almost too convenient to push that button during maneuvers turns or whatever.
Please, let’s get back to flying airplane and transmitting with the least amount of syllables.
Fly the airplane first
I also support a ban on posting the same post twice within minutes because… You know… redundancy.
In the 1970’s GA traffic much heavier and we were taught to minimize our time with the mic keyed up. Think ahead about what needs to be transmitted and get it done with the least amount of syllables. This should still apply today, but new pilots are being taught the more you talk the better. I wander if the introduction of the aviation headsets has had some influence. In the 70’s we used a handheld microphone, which had to be picked up used and put back onto the microphone clip, each time it was used. Today with the headsets, it’s just quick push of the convenient, push to talk button. With this convenient button, the radio can be used during almost any maneuver, sometimes almost too convenient.
Please less is sometimes better just fly the damn airplane.
In the interest of brevity and better safety I would like to see tail numbers dropped and replaced with maker or model and color of aircraft. How relevant are tail numbers in the pattern. I can’t read tail numbers but I can see color of aircraft at pattern altitude. I can also see whether an aircraft is a high wing, low wing, bi-plane or twin. Visual cues matter more to me than tail numbers.
Not onboard with Jack’s comment above. By the time traffic is close enough to identify color and/or make/model it’s already too close. Trying to sort traffic based on that is counterproductive and convoluted. And since many, if not most of us are glancing at our screen we can link a radio call with an image (tail number) on the screen. Or realize that we have somebody who isn’t making appropriate calls, or thinks she’s somewhere that she isn’t, or might be on the wrong frequency and is a bigger hazard. And calling somebody back when you have a specific tail number flows much easier than trying to remember what color and type that they called themself.
Stay with the N-number. This isn’t friiggin Oshkosh arrival circus. And I’ve been identifying by tail number or authorized callsign for 54 years. Works fine till now.
op said to eliminate word traffic not airport name
Quit giving too much info repeatedly in.call after call. Ten miles out all we need to.know is direction and that you’re inbound. Save the various other details for the numerous other radio transmissions that you’re going to make as you get closer. If other traffic is an apparent conflict then you can make the necessary exchange with the other Pilot to sort it out. Mike apparent
I can confirm, two days ago going into KOBE, lots of Arcadia & KOBE transmissions mingled together lots of traffic at both. It complicated the situational awareness. The FAA really should assign separate Freqs. It is a safety issue.
I heartily agree. This is a pet peeve of mine. We are flying with 760 channel radios. Could the FAA not spare a few more frequencies for CTAF so that the channel is not crowded with 3, 4 or more airports all talking at the same time?
That would be go but when you have two air ports close together. It does help to let other pilots Know what air port they are going to.
I concur. When you have two airports within less than 5 miles of each other and the one is NOT a towered airport, not being on the same freq could lead to problems. Especially if you are departing from the one airport and turning out toward the other and climbing. Someone practicing IFR and has gone MISSED (approach) may be climbing into you. Just say’n’.
Using the full spectrum of available frequencies, even to older radios, would be much more helpful than simply dropping one word from the transmission, but your point is well taken.