Tripping up on the radio

[Fugawe]

Chair fly a bunch of flights from beginning to end. Simulate everything you're gonna do on a flight including actually saying the radio calls out loud to yourself.

You know basically what the other guys are gonna say to you, so respond accordingly, or make it up as you go. Use a sim program, text, or whatever you need -- but actually say the calls out loud. We've all done this kind of practice, or something similar.

Keep it simple, learn the basic calls so when you need them they come right out, then the new stuff will come easier.

Handling radio calls seems like small potatoes, but it builds your conficence when you sound professional on the radio, and makes everything else go smoother.

Fugawe

 

[av8rbama]

I remember reciting everything I should be saying on the radio on the 30 minute drive to the airport on the day of my solo. Great advice from everyone here, I did the license plate thing and listened to the scanner relentlessly (lived close enough to BHM to pick up clearance, ground, tower, and all the app freqs). I would catch a VFR on clearance and follow him all the way through and would pretend I was him.

I decided radio skills were critical when an instructor for a CAP checkout insisted on recording the entire flight and replaying parts of it for an hour after the flight. I decided then that I would do my best to never be criticized like that again.

As a survey pilot, the local app and center controllers know us by callsign and voice and being professional on the radio always works to the pilot's advantage.

 

[pgcfii2002]

Well, I'm a student pilot and today got to do some radio work. I was at a non-towered airport and my instructor decided it was time for me to work the radio, he tells me somewhat of what to say. I kept tripping up though, like I would forget to announce who I was talking to, I would forget to announce the turn to base or clear of runway, also I kept forgetting that saying "november" was not needed. What are some ways I can better better prepare myself for radio work?

Buy a scanner
Sit at home and think of all the phases of flight...ground, departure, approach, taxi and recite the types of calls and things you will need to say.

Remember:
Who you are
Where you are
What do you want to do

 

[navigator72]

hangar flying while you drive your car. On the way to a lesson or to the local coffee shop, pretend you are flying and practice the radio procedures from start to finish. Picture yourself riding in the airplane...... It's a bit freaky but it helped me back in the day (i was terrified of talking on the radio, but now I can't seem to stop talking)
It especially helps when you try to form an airfoil out of your left hand and try to fly your arm while driving. (everybody here has done it!)

 

[Ill Mitch]

Buy a scanner
Sit at home and think of all the phases of flight...ground, departure, approach, taxi and recite the types of calls and things you will need to say.

Remember:
Who you are
Where you are
What do you want to do

That is how I teach (taught) it. The only difference is, I put "Who you are talking to" on top (Ground, tower, etc).

The only other thing I can suggest is to make up cue cards with what you want to say (leaving things like positions blank). It seems to work well.

 

[epic!]

it simply just takes practice, im sure just about everyone had trouble with the radio at first. it can be very intimidating. ask your instructor to phyically write out what to say and review it.

 

[JimG]

Don't sweat it.

hangar flying while you drive your car. On the way to a lesson or to the local coffee shop, pretend you are flying and practice the radio procedures from start to finish. Picture yourself riding in the airplane...... It's a bit freaky but it helped me back in the day (i was terrified of talking on the radio, but now I can't seem to stop talking)
It especially helps when you try to form an airfoil out of your left hand and try to fly your arm while driving. (everybody here has done it!)

I learned to fly in 1982.

I still do this....well, not the hand thing anyway.

My former bonanza was "niner niner Romeo".

Say that over and over really fast....

I used to practice imaginary communications when driving, and STILL got tongue tied and twisted it up in high traffic environments when controllers were busy and barking orders.

If I did it more than twice during an approach...I'd switch to "nine Romeo" and found the controllers would do it too (they always had trouble also).