"James Horn" wrote in message
...
john graesser wrote:

Nothing is 100% reliable. You never know when you will be faced with
using
broken or impaired equipment so you have to be prepared to improvise.
thanks, John.
KC5DWD

Good point. But nowadays, why not call the tower's published telephone
number on your cell phone? In the early '70s an acquaintance used 2M
autopatch to get landing clearance for the USAF C-130 Herculese he was
flying when its radios died - thought the Barksdale AFB tower folks were
mighty surprised to get that call long before the days of cell phones...

Jim Horn, WB9SYN/6

This occured long before cell phones and perhaps even before the common
availability of HT's. He has been a ham for about 50 years and was a pilot
instructor around 30 years ago. Now he develops software and is part owner
of a utility trailer mfr. If you doubt his truth (which I don't, he is one
of the most honest people I know) contact W5WQN and ask him about it.

It was the ptt on the mic that broke, so as another noted, he couldn't just
key down on the mic and get the towers attention.

As for following proper rules, this is Texas, we tend to do what is needed,
not what some drone in Washington comes up with as rules.
thanks, John.
KC5DWD

Bill Turner wrote:
On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 11:12:43 -0600, "john graesser"
wrote:

It was the ptt on the mic that broke, so as another noted, he couldn't just
key down on the mic and get the towers attention.
__________________________________________________ _________

So once he had the mike apart and somehow keyed the PTT (touching wires
together, presumably) why didn't he just talk into the mike? This story
still does not ring true.

--
Bill, W6WRT

Even if true, rather than being an example of "morse code saves the day",
it is an example of stupidity.

Contrary to what most of the non-flying public may think, loss of
communications in the air is a non-event and not a life or death situation.

If you lose communications at a towered airport, all you have lost is the
ability to get traffic information from the tower.

Essentially what you are supposed to do is carefully enter the pattern
being extra vigilant for other aircraft and watch the tower for light
gun signals.

The pilot's attention needs to be outside the aircraft looking for other
aircraft, not screwing around playing with microphone wires.

Actions as described might be part of the reason this person "used to be"
an instructor.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 20:12:39 +0000 (UTC), wrote:

Bill Turner wrote:
On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 11:12:43 -0600, "john graesser"
wrote:

It was the ptt on the mic that broke, so as another noted, he couldn't just
key down on the mic and get the towers attention.
__________________________________________________ _________

So once he had the mike apart and somehow keyed the PTT (touching wires
together, presumably) why didn't he just talk into the mike? This story
still does not ring true.

--
Bill, W6WRT

Even if true, rather than being an example of "morse code saves the day",
it is an example of stupidity.

Contrary to what most of the non-flying public may think, loss of
communications in the air is a non-event and not a life or death situation.

If you lose communications at a towered airport, all you have lost is the
ability to get traffic information from the tower.

Essentially what you are supposed to do is carefully enter the pattern
being extra vigilant for other aircraft and watch the tower for light
gun signals.

The "comms failure" procedure is taught to student pilots (at least here in .au)
AND PRACTICED prior to their PPL. You enter via the normal entry point and
route, obviously maintaining separation. The tower intially will challenge you,
then on no response will request an acknowledgement that you can read THEIR
transmissions. If you can read them, they simply direct you and keep other
aircraft advised. In the absence of an ACK, it's the light system - and from
the challenge point onwards they alert other aircraft to the situation, so there
is minimal hazard.

The pilot's attention needs to be outside the aircraft looking for other
aircraft, not screwing around playing with microphone wires.

Rule of thumb here is 90% outside, 10% on instruments for VFR

Actions as described might be part of the reason this person "used to be"
an instructor.

budgie wrote:
On Fri, 7 Jan 2005 20:12:39 +0000 (UTC), wrote:

Bill Turner wrote:
On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 11:12:43 -0600, "john graesser"
wrote:

It was the ptt on the mic that broke, so as another noted, he couldn't just
key down on the mic and get the towers attention.
__________________________________________________ _________

So once he had the mike apart and somehow keyed the PTT (touching wires
together, presumably) why didn't he just talk into the mike? This story
still does not ring true.

--
Bill, W6WRT

Even if true, rather than being an example of "morse code saves the day",
it is an example of stupidity.

Contrary to what most of the non-flying public may think, loss of
communications in the air is a non-event and not a life or death situation.

If you lose communications at a towered airport, all you have lost is the
ability to get traffic information from the tower.

Essentially what you are supposed to do is carefully enter the pattern
being extra vigilant for other aircraft and watch the tower for light
gun signals.

The "comms failure" procedure is taught to student pilots (at least here in .au)
AND PRACTICED prior to their PPL. You enter via the normal entry point and
route, obviously maintaining separation. The tower intially will challenge you,
then on no response will request an acknowledgement that you can read THEIR
transmissions. If you can read them, they simply direct you and keep other
aircraft advised. In the absence of an ACK, it's the light system - and from
the challenge point onwards they alert other aircraft to the situation, so there
is minimal hazard.

The pilot's attention needs to be outside the aircraft looking for other
aircraft, not screwing around playing with microphone wires.

Rule of thumb here is 90% outside, 10% on instruments for VFR

Actions as described might be part of the reason this person "used to be"
an instructor.

It is basically the same in the US.

So far I've had three comm failures in flight in rental aircraft, none of
which caused the slightest sweat.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove -spam-sux to reply.

On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 12:04:29 -0000, "Airy R. Bean"
wrote:

Misleading posting-order corrected.....

Misleading how?

I'm a bottom poster and trimmer for about 15 years or more.

Tony

On Sat, 08 Jan 2005 11:21:09 +0800, budgie wrote:


The pilot's attention needs to be outside the aircraft looking for other
aircraft, not screwing around playing with microphone wires.

Rule of thumb here is 90% outside, 10% on instruments for VFR

Messing too much with microphone wires will make you a candidate for
the Darwin price due to the Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT)
syndrome.

A well known case is the L1011 crash in Florida killing 100, when the
crew were too occupied fixing the landing gear light problem and
forgot to fly the aircraft.

http://www.aviationcrm.com/humanerror.htm

Paul OH3LWR

The posting misquoted me as a bottom poster.

Top-posting is the preferred option - you get to
see the new content without having to page down
through loads of already-seen quotations.

English reads from the top-down with _FOOT_ notes
at the _FOOT_ of the page.

"Tony VE6MVP" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 12:04:29 -0000, "Airy R. Bean"
wrote:
Misleading posting-order corrected.....
Misleading how?
I'm a bottom poster and trimmer for about 15 years or more.

On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:27:08 -0000, "Airy R.Bean"
wrote:

Top-posting is the preferred option - you get to
see the new content without having to page down
through loads of already-seen quotations.

Top-posting is not the preferred option, unless you mean it is your
*personal* preference. You should be able to make the distinction
easily enough.

Top posting _IS_ the preferred option, not the least reason
being that you get to see the new stuff immediately without
having to trawl through repeated stuff that you've
already seen.

English is read from the top down, and citations and _FOOT_
notes belong at the _FOOT_ of the page.

"Bill Turner" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:55:14 +0000, wrote:
Top-posting is not the preferred option, unless you mean it is your
*personal* preference.
Actually, it's Bill Gates' preference, since Outlook and Outlook Express
default to top posting and they're used by darn near everyone in
business. It can't help but carry over to private email.

In article , says...

English is read from the top down, and citations and _FOOT_
notes belong at the _FOOT_ of the page.


So, chronologically, a reply belongs at the bottom, not at the top