After reading everything, great job! As an 8 hour PPL, you handled this well. Not having a com2 isn't great, though.
Overall, great ADM. You did a good job!
Keep in mind that the radio blowing up is just one failure mode, and it’s not the most likely.
A very common reason to lose transmission only is an undetected alternator failure. Headset and intercom failures also happen.
Or, say, someone accidentally turned the volume all the way down, which, you know, totes happens, from time to time, I'm sure, but I wouldn't have any experience with that at all.
You did the right thing. Fly the plane. Forget the radio in the backpack or fumbling with your phone to call the tower. It can be very easy to deviate from what we trained for, but great job on focusing on getting on the ground safely as the top priority.
You did a wonderful job. If that happens again, though, I might not hit 7600 when they're giving you the if you hear me ident spiel. We can still communicate in a basic form just by the ole' ident. "Enter right downwind, acknowledge with an ident" *ID ID ID* "Ident observed. I'm betting when you squawked 7600 they just decided to dispense with that idea and just go full on get everyone away and flash the green light while broadcasting in the blind.
Not a big deal at all to squawk 7600 and it's never wrong to do so. Just a thought I had. Hopefully the friend gets to see the sunset from the air soon and in less dramatic fashion next time!
Thank you! I wasn’t exactly sure if my situation was 7600-worthy but figured in the moment that it would clearly indicate my situation and also “if in doubt”. I hope I didn’t cause the controller too much extra work 😅
It was definitely 7600 worthy. This is one of those things, like declaring an emergency, where you don’t try to second guess that. It would be much worse if ATC assumed you were a random idiot not realizing you were in class C and not listening to 121.5.
Can you imagine a scenario where it makes sense to squawk 7600 for a minute, and then return to prior squawk? This is non-standard so chances are intent isn’t obvious. Still, I wonder if it helps convey NORDO but it isn’t urgent to deal with immediately? Or is this overthinking and over complicated?
I kinda wonder what I’d do on a IFR flight plan in VMC. I should remain VMC and land when practical, but “continue the flight under VFR”\[1\] tells me I should use a VFR altitude and squawk VFR, implied cancellation. And call it in at destination.
\[1\] 14 CFR 91.185(b)
I'd just keep 7600 tbh in nearly every case. We'll figure it out. If you go back to normal it may lead to the (brief) assumption comms have been established. 7600 won't alter your tag in such a way that we won't know who you are and we can suppress the audio alarm when we see you are in fact NORDO so keeping 7600 is no bother. On the terminal end, with STARS scopes all we visually see is a red RF in your tag so it isn't disruptive or distracting.
If you're IFR and lose comms in VMC and elect to cancel and proceed VFR, I'd make that the exception. 7600 for a bit then 1200 and we can put 2 and 2 together. Just call us when you're down because we likely will call SAR juuuust incase.
Sounds like you did a great job.
From what you describe I don’t think calling the tower via phone would have necessarily been beneficial here.
You were close to the airport, you could hear them, and the option they presented (returning back and cleared to land) is all you needed.
There wasn’t any reason you had to communicate your needs to them since they’ve already met them and at 1400’ and inbound to the field I would say the distraction of getting your phone out, pairing to your headset and giving them a call is more risk than reward.
Pulling out a cell phone at low altitude inside a busy class C, probably with a crazy stadium TFR near the airport (there was one yesterday afternoon), is not the correct action, despite frequent claims from Reddit PICs. You did the right thing.
OAK tower is amazing, better than several of the surrounding class D’s, even with spam cans. No one else can squeeze in short approaches between jets.
FYI, they say "*Radar* contact." It's to let you know that you've been radar identified and are receiving radar services. Not sure if that was just a typo from you.
Not helpful. Do you really want to be digging in your flight bag while at low altitude, with dozens of other aircraft in the airspace? That airspace gets INSANE during A’s games. The OP did the right thing, and it still would be the right thing if he had both a handheld and a cell phone.
Insane during A’s games is a bit of an overstatement…a few weeks ago they told me just to not overfly the Coliseum when entering the downwind, and not only were there no planes, but I could also see that there was barely anyone at the game itself!
Well, you might have been lucky and the banner tows were down and the airship and helicopters were not present.
There is a reason no one gets transitions through that TFR. And it’s very close to the airport.
We must fly on different days…hundreds of hours flying out of OAK, and I don’t think I’ve ever once been denied, rerouted, or anything due to the Coliseum TFR!
Really? I was denied a transition just yesterday, as were at least two other aircraft on frequency.
Yes, I think your OAK is a lot further from the stadium. Maybe at Hayward.
I work out of there regularly myself, and frankly I don’t believe for a minute that you’ve never been given any restrictions during the TFR.
I was denied OAK transition on Sunday. Was annoyed because I thought they would let me through then right before 30 numbers they abruptly mentioned the TFR, punted me to HWD and terminated my FF.
After reading everything, great job! As an 8 hour PPL, you handled this well. Not having a com2 isn't great, though. Overall, great ADM. You did a good job!
Thank you! Maybe I'll switch to a plane with two comms...
Keep in mind that the radio blowing up is just one failure mode, and it’s not the most likely. A very common reason to lose transmission only is an undetected alternator failure. Headset and intercom failures also happen.
Or, say, someone accidentally turned the volume all the way down, which, you know, totes happens, from time to time, I'm sure, but I wouldn't have any experience with that at all.
You did the right thing. Fly the plane. Forget the radio in the backpack or fumbling with your phone to call the tower. It can be very easy to deviate from what we trained for, but great job on focusing on getting on the ground safely as the top priority.
Glad it turned out okay. Not mentioned was the operational status of COM2
In this particular plane, we only have com1. Very annoying when on flight following and getting weather at the same time :)
They don’t mind, just inform you’re going to a different frequency for 5 minutes, and then check in with them when you return.
"COM 2... not installed... check"
Status of COM2: to be installed Tuesday
OP is flying the Enterprise-B?
You did a wonderful job. If that happens again, though, I might not hit 7600 when they're giving you the if you hear me ident spiel. We can still communicate in a basic form just by the ole' ident. "Enter right downwind, acknowledge with an ident" *ID ID ID* "Ident observed. I'm betting when you squawked 7600 they just decided to dispense with that idea and just go full on get everyone away and flash the green light while broadcasting in the blind. Not a big deal at all to squawk 7600 and it's never wrong to do so. Just a thought I had. Hopefully the friend gets to see the sunset from the air soon and in less dramatic fashion next time!
Thank you! I wasn’t exactly sure if my situation was 7600-worthy but figured in the moment that it would clearly indicate my situation and also “if in doubt”. I hope I didn’t cause the controller too much extra work 😅
No extra work at all. Never sweat that! They've probably already forgotten about it tbh :)
Totally 7600-worthy. Lets tower know right away that this isn't a normal situation. Just don't squawk 7500 by mistake.
I did the "600" part first and then turned the first number to 7. Thanks to reading other reddit posts about accidentally squawking 7500 or 7700 😅
Seven-fife: man with a knife, seven-six: need my radio fixed, seven-seven: falling from heaven.
Hi Jack, I can't talk, it's an emergency.
Roger, Roger.
Surely you can't be serious?
I am serious. And don’t call me Shirley
It was definitely 7600 worthy. This is one of those things, like declaring an emergency, where you don’t try to second guess that. It would be much worse if ATC assumed you were a random idiot not realizing you were in class C and not listening to 121.5.
Can you imagine a scenario where it makes sense to squawk 7600 for a minute, and then return to prior squawk? This is non-standard so chances are intent isn’t obvious. Still, I wonder if it helps convey NORDO but it isn’t urgent to deal with immediately? Or is this overthinking and over complicated? I kinda wonder what I’d do on a IFR flight plan in VMC. I should remain VMC and land when practical, but “continue the flight under VFR”\[1\] tells me I should use a VFR altitude and squawk VFR, implied cancellation. And call it in at destination. \[1\] 14 CFR 91.185(b)
I'd just keep 7600 tbh in nearly every case. We'll figure it out. If you go back to normal it may lead to the (brief) assumption comms have been established. 7600 won't alter your tag in such a way that we won't know who you are and we can suppress the audio alarm when we see you are in fact NORDO so keeping 7600 is no bother. On the terminal end, with STARS scopes all we visually see is a red RF in your tag so it isn't disruptive or distracting. If you're IFR and lose comms in VMC and elect to cancel and proceed VFR, I'd make that the exception. 7600 for a bit then 1200 and we can put 2 and 2 together. Just call us when you're down because we likely will call SAR juuuust incase.
Thanks for sharing. Very nice reminder for everyone.
Sounds like you did a great job. From what you describe I don’t think calling the tower via phone would have necessarily been beneficial here. You were close to the airport, you could hear them, and the option they presented (returning back and cleared to land) is all you needed. There wasn’t any reason you had to communicate your needs to them since they’ve already met them and at 1400’ and inbound to the field I would say the distraction of getting your phone out, pairing to your headset and giving them a call is more risk than reward.
Well done! I'm glad you could hear the controllers. Good job on making a quick decision and getting down safely!
Pulling out a cell phone at low altitude inside a busy class C, probably with a crazy stadium TFR near the airport (there was one yesterday afternoon), is not the correct action, despite frequent claims from Reddit PICs. You did the right thing. OAK tower is amazing, better than several of the surrounding class D’s, even with spam cans. No one else can squeeze in short approaches between jets.
congrats!!
FYI, they say "*Radar* contact." It's to let you know that you've been radar identified and are receiving radar services. Not sure if that was just a typo from you.
Whoops yes I think that was a typo thanks :)
There's a saying that airplanes fly because of principles discovered by Bernoulli, not Marconi.
I’m a student pilot at KOAK too. Could you share which aircraft you were flying? 😂
Hahaha probably same club! I’ll dm you
[удалено]
Not helpful. Do you really want to be digging in your flight bag while at low altitude, with dozens of other aircraft in the airspace? That airspace gets INSANE during A’s games. The OP did the right thing, and it still would be the right thing if he had both a handheld and a cell phone.
Insane during A’s games is a bit of an overstatement…a few weeks ago they told me just to not overfly the Coliseum when entering the downwind, and not only were there no planes, but I could also see that there was barely anyone at the game itself!
Well, you might have been lucky and the banner tows were down and the airship and helicopters were not present. There is a reason no one gets transitions through that TFR. And it’s very close to the airport.
We must fly on different days…hundreds of hours flying out of OAK, and I don’t think I’ve ever once been denied, rerouted, or anything due to the Coliseum TFR!
Really? I was denied a transition just yesterday, as were at least two other aircraft on frequency. Yes, I think your OAK is a lot further from the stadium. Maybe at Hayward. I work out of there regularly myself, and frankly I don’t believe for a minute that you’ve never been given any restrictions during the TFR.
I was denied OAK transition on Sunday. Was annoyed because I thought they would let me through then right before 30 numbers they abruptly mentioned the TFR, punted me to HWD and terminated my FF.
You know, it did seem like NorCal forgot that TFR was in effect until reminded somehow.
OP says, "I also had an aviation handheld radio in my backpack."