Have you ever tuned in UNICOM on a busy saturday morning, and wondered how on earth you'd ever get a word in edgewise? Me too!
I think the art of the compact radio call is fading, and maybe those 5 seconds saved will someday allow that errant "mayday!" into the frequency and convey some truly useful information.
I believe that it is possible to get every call done within 10 syllables, while still being perfectly understandable by any pilot around.
For starters, I've heard this call:
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is taxiing from the fuel pit to the run-up area"
I think this one is superfluous. We have one big taxiway, and planes can't really hide from one another, so there's really no need to say "here I come!" with a taxiing call on unicom.
How about this one?
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is taking the active runway 25 for a right-crosswind departure to Big Bear Lake, Climbing to 10,000 via Chino"
Ugh. Is this guy filing a flight plan? Let's study the anatomy of a good radio call:
1. Who you are
2. Where you are
3. Where you're going
The art of this comes in when you have the opportunity to figure out what people can already assume about you. For "taking the active", we can assume that:
You are at the runup area
You are about to cross the runway hold line
You are about to take off
You'd really like to know if anyone is on final
You plan to make a standard departure (a downwind departure out of the pattern -- the opposite of the "45 degree entry"
You plan to fly the published traffic pattern for your runway
You're using the same runway everyone else is (we hope!)
So with that in mind, which of these calls wastes airtime?
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A taking the active 25, Corona"
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is taking the active runway 25, standard departure, Corona"
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A departing 25, Corona"
"Corona Traffic, Blue and White Cessna 1234A is taxiing into position for a straight-out departure and we'll be climbing to 3,500 feet, Corona"
They all communicate the same thing -- I'll take the short ones. :)
Now, "taking the active" is real a mouthful, but I think it is sacred text, and worthy of an exception -- because as soon as you say that, we all know what you're up to -- you're about to taxi across the hold line. The rest is just a detail. I don't mind lavishing those 5 syllables.. but "departing" does it in 3. Everyone knows where to look for you in either case.
==
How about returning to the airport? You're entering a place that could be chock full of planes -- it's good form to listen for a bit on your approach, but even if you haven't done that, why tie up the line with your life story? You need to communicate the same 3 things as above, to wit:
1. Who you are
2. Where you are
3. Where you're going
Nobody is recording your callsign at an untowered airport - so why give the full one? Do you remember other peoples' full callsigns? (obviously, don't do this at towered airports or with SoCal, that's a different story)
So bearing the above points in mind... How many times have you heard one of these gems?
"Corona Traffic, we're over the shopping center, landing Corona"
Hmm, that really narrows it down, doesn't it?.
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is 3 north at 2500, will set up a midfield cross, and left turn to join the downwind, then a full stop on runway 25, Corona"
not bad -- a few extra words, but it had good info for something unusual.
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is over the 91 and 15 interchange, out of 2000 for 1500, will enter base leg for runway 25, Corona"
Seems decent, but I dislike it -- aside from the nonstandard and impatient base entry (a no-no, don't do this!), not everyone knows the difference between the 91/15, the 71/91, or the 241/91. What's wrong with a simple "3 East" ?
"Corona, Cessna, Final"
Hmm... You could spend an extra 3 syllables and reassure us which runway you're about to plow into. Otherwise, I guess it works - but it does lack a certain je ne sais qua, doesn't it?
"Corona, Piper, Descending onto downwind"
Hey, fun -- I wonder if a low wing can see you below him?
"Corona, Cessna, Right Downwind"
Is he landing on 7? is he north of the runway? It's a surprise.
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is 14 South, approaching Corona"
Great heads-up. Call us when you're in the same area code, bozo.
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A, We're Three and a Half Miles South, Descending through Three Thousand Five Hundred for One Thousand Five Hundred, we will be flying over the foothills, and turning left 45 entry to the downwind, runway 25, full stop, corona traffic"
By the time this pilot has told us what he's about to do, he's already done half of it.. too much info!
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is 3 South, left 45, 25, Corona"
Yeah, that works pretty nicely.
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 1234A is 4 to the Southeast, will join the pattern over the auto center"
I'll buy this one too. While there are infinite shopping centers, car lots are really easy to spot from above.
==
Take a look at those last 3. Do you think there is a real difference between 3, 3.5, or 4 miles if you're looking for that airplane? No, not really. Are your eyes that precise? Probably not -- especially not at an unfamiliar airport. On an INITIAL call, we only need to know which direction to look -- the fact that you're calling at all tells us you're "around 3 miles".
I only declare 1 or 3 miles, regardless of what the truth really is. Super-Precision might impress the examiner on an XC plan, but it's not really needed in the pattern.
So what should you say on your triumphant return to Corona? Well, let's break it down:
Who: Cessna 34A
Where: 3 South
What are you doing: Left 45, 25, Full Stop
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A, 3 South, Left 45, Landing 25, Full Stop, Corona"
In, out, listening -- everyone knows where you are.
What if you're sneaking back from Catalina? Try this:
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A, Prado Dam, Landing 25, Full Stop, Corona"
or
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A, 3 West, Left Downwind 25, Full Stop, Corona"
From Brackett?
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A, 3 North, 2000, Midfield Cross to Left Downwind, 25, Full Stop, Corona"
==
All of these calls may not suit your situation, but notice how they are strung together like pearls -- little 3-syllable pearls that convey one specific idea.
How about this for your inbound call toolbox:
Corona Traffic
Cessna 34A
3 [South, North, East, West]
[Left 45, Runway 25] or [Right 45, Runway 7]
[Full Stop, Closed Traffic]
Corona
Now the rest are already made for you, easy!
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A Left Downwind, 25, Full Stop, Corona"
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A Left Base, 25, Full Stop, Corona"
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A, Final, 25, Full Stop Corona"
"Corona Traffic, Cessna 34A, Go-around, 25, Corona"
just kidding, obviously your call was:
"Cessna 34A Clear the Active Corona"
These are my $0.02 ... your CFI may have other thoughts, of course, and any call is better than no call at all... communicate first, then be concise second... but the real pro pilot does both and makes it a habit.
Also, I think tower and socal operations are different animals, and I'll prepare a different batch of thoughts/peeves for those... until then, Blue Skies, Quieter Radios.
- Mike
