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Learning to speak "pilot"


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I am getting ready to start training, and I wanted to get a head start on learning the communication language in flight.

 

I am looking for any suggestions on good ways to learn all the lingo, and I was thinking about some of the DVDS from sporty's, but they are for fixed wing and I don't know if that will still apply (not to mention $50 a pop).

 

If anybody has any of the used DVDs that were helpful I would be more than happy to pay for them plus shipping.

 

PM me or sparkerjc@gmail.com (I check my email more often)

 

Thanks,

 

Steve

Edited by Sparker
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I am looking for any suggestions on good ways to learn all the lingo, and I was thinking about some of the DVDS from sporty's, but they are for fixed wing and I don't know if that will still apply (not to mention $50 a pop).

There's really not much difference between rotary and fixed wing as far as radio work goes. We make the same calls that they do except that our destinations on the field may be different. If you learn the fixed wing comm you won't have much more to add to it.

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Sparker- yes get a handheld radio or scanner and start listening, or check out www.liveatc.net or attend the most recent AOPA communications seminar, which is free, and all over the US..their website is www.aopa.org

 

Good luck,

 

Goldy

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I PM'd an article you might find interesting. I forgot from where I swiped it. It gives mostly tower/ATC stuff.

 

The main thing though is to know what you need to say before you key the mic. Even that's no guarantee you'll say it right or screw something up. I have a tendancy to stutter at times and it makes for interesting transmissions. Just yesterday I stuttered and a guy flying a crop duster said something along the lines of 'That's Ok, you'll get it one of these days'. I've even messed up my tail number on occasion. So, if you screw up, don't worry about it, fix it, and go on.

 

Later

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A friend of mine found "Say Again, please" ($20) to be quite helpful. There's also a multimedia package to it, although quite pricy ($80 :angry: )

 

Here's the link to them at sporty's: http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/pages/sea...amp;x=0&y=0

 

Amazon and eBay might have it much cheaper (ahhh, eBay :rolleyes: ).

 

But there are also free online tutorials, e.g. this one at AOPA: http://flash.aopa.org/asf/sayIntentions/

They also offer free seminars, as this one about radio communications: http://www.aopa.org/asf/product/radio.html

 

Hope, this gives you a couple of hints,

 

Cheers,

Lance

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  • 3 months later...
I'm not positive on this but I was lead to believe "Say Again Please" was more along the lines of flying IFR. That's all I got to say about that.

Nope, I bought a copy recently at the used book store, it covers a broad spectrum of airspace an flying situations. It's pretty cool, don't know if it's worth $20 though, I got it for 5.

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Flyby, surley you didnt mean to say that......

 

 

 

 

-i did! and dont call me Shirley.

 

PS, thanks Goldy for the link to the live Air Traffic Control feeds. im going to play this through headphones and into my brain while i sleep tonight.

 

just kidding. this is awesome though. what is everyone ending their transmission with? their tail #?

Edited by TheLorax
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Yup, Tail number.

 

Later

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Flyby, surley you didnt mean to say that......

-i did! and dont call me Shirley.

 

PS, thanks Goldy for the link to the live Air Traffic Control feeds. im going to play this through headphones and into my brain while i sleep tonight.

 

just kidding. this is awesome though. what is everyone ending their transmission with? their tail #?

 

 

Lorax- its their tail number OR partial tail number. When you make initial call you drop the "N" number in place you state type of aircraft..so N12345 becomes Mooney 12345 or in our case "Helicopter 123Hotel Sierra". IF ATC has other aircraft with similar sounding call signs they will call you by the entire string of numbers and you call back with the entire string.

 

IF however, ATC calls you back with just the last three digits..ie. 3 Hotel Sierra, then you can call yourself by the same, 3 Hotel Sierra.

 

Hope that you didnt already know this...otherwise I'm wasting my time writing!!

 

BTW- If you listen to Burbank/Van Nuys on www.liveatc.net you can hear the bird I fly occasionally. N838MC...or just "Helicopter 8 Mike Charlie"..make sense ?

 

Fly safe, Goldy

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The book..."Say Again Please" is pretty good.

 

I've read about 75% of it and it is not just for IFR...however I'm noticing quickly that there is nothing that will fully prepare you for all those voices...other than experience. Most of which...I cannot understand...other than the tower....who seems to be very tolerant and understanding with students.

 

Just a thought...

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goldy,

 

yeah i kind of knew that but you clarified it for me. i think i either read something about it last night in a post or saw it in the private pilot test prep book.

 

half of the time i cant understand anything at all that the pilots are saying, like zemogman said.

 

ill definitely check out your airport. also, i found out that i can listen to the streaming radio calls from my phone. i actually was listening to boston departures last night before i went to sleep

Edited by TheLorax
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who seems to be very tolerant and understanding with students.

 

And to add to that note, don't hesitate to say your a student pilot, especially on your first couple solo's. Sort of sets the tone so everyone else is more helpful...

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