Secrets to Good Radio Calls at Non-Towered Airports

How to make good radio calls at non-towered airports: This method will jump-start your proficiency!
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"HOLD SHORT!"--New Pilots and wanna-bees! Be advised: I am neither a flight instructor nor FAA regulation guru. In making this aircraft safety-related video, my main objective was to review the subject and teach MYSELF something new. I succeeded! If YOU learn something too, we both win!

However, before you post comments below, please consider these ten additional points:

1. Yes--if you have a GoPro Camera (or other mini-cam), you can record your 50-100 radio calls on it;

2. Yes--my calls sometimes border on being too lengthy and may stretch the "one-breath" limit. I am a detail-oriented person. If you can make your calls shorter, with similar specificity, do it;

3. No--my calls are not the only "correct" answer. If you can say it better, shorter, and more concise, do so. I'm just providing one simple method that will jump-start proficiency quickly;

4. Remember, at critically-busy times, you may have to"shorthand" calls--or eliminate some altogether. Also, the higher aloft you are at busy times, the worse this problem will be;

5. Some of my example calls involve "straight-ins." While not prohibited, they should be used judiciously in consideration of conditions;

7. All information herein pertains to the USA; in other countries, consult YOUR appropriate rules and regulations;

8. When you get to the "Calls Analysis" portion of the video (last half), be prepared to stop the video and absorb; there's a lot to take in--and it comes at a fast pace;

9. My preference is always to NOT use local landmarks in calls. I prefer distance-based location statements. Local landmarks may be fine for locals--but will YOU know every landmark? It's unlikely!

10. My examples don't begin to cover all possibilities; they're the tip of the iceberg, to get you thinking about a process--of making good radio calls at non-towered airports!
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Happy & Fun Flying--Sting Flight

[benjamind]

This is the greatest radio call video ever made, period. FAA should pass a rule that all new pilots must watch this video.

[FlightChops]

Great stuff Sting!  and I definitely appreciate your "HOLD SHORT" note / disclaimer.

[fishdays]

I am a HAM radio operator and listen to towers in my car all the time. This helped a LOT while I was in training. It helps to try an visualize where the planes are relative to the airport when the calls come in.

[paulfleishersax]

Thank you for this excellent information. As a 71 yr old student pilot, I`ve been struggling with flying and talking at the same time. Now it`s all coming together.

[NOSUGREFM]

Very good post. I found very helpful to hear the wrong way followed by the correct way to make good radio calls. Thank you!

[bryceberryman]

Awesome info thx and 4:21 was a close call to that bird

[TJ-rxkd]

Very helpful. Fx were a bit much tho...

[ioanekirarahu]

I like the comments here about older student pilots. I flew somewhat in the Air Force 37 years ago. I'm 65 now, and building two planes, and just last Saturday started my flight training to get current again. You don't lose the feeling of flight control inputs and responses, but oh boy, was I ever rusty. So a young man that could possibly be my grandson is now my CFI. But he's great.

[bobbyshah]

Video is absolutely stunning.... wow.... Great tips as well. thanks...

[snook]

Great video!!!  I'm learning so much from all your videos.  It's really helping with my flight training.  Can't wait to have my own STING arrive!!!  So excited.

[mikecammarano]

He is so great it so hard to stay in focus

[michaeljohn]

Great video sir. Another great teaching aid which im sure most of you guys know is LiveATC . I put it on for my drive to work and when im walking the dog.Thanks for posting.

[lotharvonrichthofen]

Great tips...thank you...i always like to say “pilot controlled field”...i know its not technically correct, but it seems more accurate.

[TenMinuteTrips]

This video is very enjoyable for the aerial photography and quite informative for the phraseology for flights into and out of non-towered airports. Per item #9 on your "Hold Short!" list, keep in mind that some local landmarks may actually be depicted on the sectional chart. I'm learning to fly out of Hayward (KHWD), CA. "Report CAL STATE for Rwy 28R" is a local landmark and it is not on the chart. When approaching Reid-Hillview (KRHV) from the south, "...expect Rwy 31R, report UTC." UTC is an old rocket test site owned by United Technologies. (Once you see it from the air, you'll know what it is). And it is on the chart. Google Earth is a wonderful tool for checking out the lay of the land when planning a flight into uncontrolled airports. Anyway, I'm just learning here. Great video! I subscribed!  ...Bruce.

[phillipsmith]

Hey there! Where are you in the video at 7:36? I'd love to fly there!

[FlyingDeacon]

The scenery around the 7:50 mark is incredible.

[forks]

As a new pilot using the radio, I don't understand why so many pilots talk so fast that they are very hard to understand? The answer I always get is that other pilots are needing to speak over the radio. That makes no sense! By talking so fast you may cause a fatal accident because another pilot could not understand you. It makes total sense to spend an extra five seconds to speak in clear, concise, words that everyone can understand.

[StingFlight]

Folks: Please start by reading the HOLD SHORT statement above.--SF

[RVpilot]

Great video as usual,  very informative.  You do a nice job editing and using the scenery  

[pilot]

I work at an FBO and we have a dry-erase board full of "strange" radio calls.
"Malibu 123 taking the ramp/taxiway for takeoff"
"Meridian crossing mid-base... ...for full stop landing"
(Local college): "Diamond Star 1234A 12 miles North of the field, setting up for vor/dme RW 36 afterwards we will be executing a hold at 3, 000 ft on the 270 radial after which we will... *insert entire far/aim here* .... Uh... Yeah.. 1234A."

That's just to name a few.
The last one is actually one we hear a lot. Numerous people will land within one transmission. It's ridiculous but we are not allowed to say anything. Other pilots will and that makes for a good chuckle here and there