I've noticed that sometimes pilots tend to present the next ATC frequency in the standby radio, and when required to switch frequencies, they can just push the frequency transfer switch to switch the preset frequency to the active radio. When do pilots preset frequencies? I.e. tower or ground frequencies are known through the briefing material (i.e. Jeppesen charts), so they could be preselected to accelerate operations. Are there any rules as to when preselect the next frequency, is it also done during cruise flight or only in the terminal area?
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1$\begingroup$ The reason you put a frequency in standby is to reduce workload when you are busy. e.g. You load the departure frequency into standby when calling the tower so that you can easily change after takeoff. Garmin (and I presume others) recognize that hunting for frequencies during high workload times is not ideal and make it easy to find frequencies on your radio. The even put the ILS frequency in the standby position nav when you load an ILS approach so you don’t have to look it up. $\endgroup$– JScarryJan 25, 2017 at 14:55
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1$\begingroup$ I always preset the next frequency in the radio when flipping from standby. This is a good way to eliminate workload especially for situations like being passed off from approach to tower when you are focused on configuring the aircraft for landing. It is one less distraction than having to be heads-down in the traffic pattern fiddling with the radio knob and your chart, or trying to remember the frequency the controller gave you. $\endgroup$– Ron BeyerJan 25, 2017 at 20:14
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3 Answers
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I'm not aware of any rules, hopefully others can contribute, but you can usually predict the next frequency with a high rate of precision.
For example (exact stations will differ depending on airport and airspace type) a typical IFR sequence of stations.
- Clearance delivery
- Ground
- Tower
- Departures
- Sector/area
- ...
- Sector/area
- Approach
- Tower
- Ground
The initial tuning will put delivery in live and ground in standby. Then as you say, just press the toggle. When the next frequency gets dialled in is not, as far as I know, governed in anyway and is probably not even in SOPs since it is just about using the equipment more efficiently.
Say delivery has given you a clearance. They will probably follow up with something like "call ground 129.7" for push and start". When you are ready for push and start, toggle to ground then put the tower into the standby frequency and so on.
Frequency changes are certainly made in cruise, when passing from one ACC sector to the next. These frequencies are published in the national AIP's and visible on en-route charts. For a sector handoff, I'd probably dial the next frequency in when the current sector instructs me to contact xyz.
It's really not a big deal if you have to contact someone unexpected. Modern boxes with push button tuning are almost as quick to tune manually as to toggle.
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4$\begingroup$ Also, pilots listen to communication to other aircraft so they will hear that the aircraft ahead of them is handed over to another frequency. They anticipate to be handed over to the same frequency by putting it already in the standby box. $\endgroup$– DeltaLima ♦Jan 25, 2017 at 14:04
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$\begingroup$ This answer is exactly right. There are no actual regulations addressing the matter—not under any jurisdictions that I have flown under. Any rules will be company specific, though I have never heard of any rules addressing pre-tuning frequencies. $\endgroup$– J WFeb 1, 2017 at 22:34
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The saying is that you Aviate, Navigate and then Communicate, so if there is a rule it is that you fit setting the next frequency in when you have time. I generally list the frequencies I will be using in order during my pre-flight preparation so I don't have to hunt for them, and in flight I enter the next frequency on the list soon after changing frequency, but that's just what works for me.
Some avionics systems let you enter in all the frequencies you will use in the order you need them before you fly, you then call them up one by one during the flight with the push of a button.
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This is one of range of tricky problems that makes piloting challenging. In a small plane, often the pilot has only a single backup channel, so there is the active channel and the backup channel. If a flight condition involves more than two different frequencies need in rapid succession, it can be hectic to set the radio.
In the basic case, taking off or landing at a single airport, there is usually no problem. You might have two frequencies, tower and ground. Then, after you take off, you swap ground for ATC. This is easy.
Where it gets tricky is when there are multiple airports close to each other, so the pilot is required to do a handoff. In this case there can be a bunch of different frequencies and the pilot has to switch between them rapidly, while doing a bunch of other tasks like setting the transponder. Not only that, but the aircraft will simultaneously be doing an ascent or other maneuvers, making it even more complicated. Now, factor in that when you are taking off you have to be doing all of this, yet also be constantly alert and looking out for other aircraft.
When you have overlapping airspace, the general plan is to start with tower and ground, then you will switch to clearance delivery. As soon as you have the clearance, you set the transponder. Then you immediately switch out again for the tower in whatever airspace you are flying into. Note that this frequency cannot be programmed ahead of time, because often it is given to you by the tower you just left. So, for example, the Nashua tower will clear you to take off and say, "Contact Manchester on XYZ", so immediately after you take off and leave Nashua airspace, you switch to Manchester Tower on the frequency they give you. Eventually, when you get clear of all towers, you switch to the ARTCC.
answered Jan 25, 2017 at 20:29
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1$\begingroup$ But the Manchester tower is always the same frequency and they always hand you off on that route, so you should be able to anticipate it, no? Only large airports have multiple tower and/or separate arrival and departure frequencies to have some flexibility where they assign you. $\endgroup$ Jan 28, 2017 at 11:06
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1$\begingroup$ @JanHudec I think KHMT has two different listed frequencies, 121.3 and 239.025 and 121.3 is used all the time at least for me, but in that situation I never second guess it. I always wait for the handoff and get ready to dial in whatever frequency they tell me. Playing guessing games when you have mentally budgeted 2 seconds to react is not a good idea. What you don't want to do is assume you will get some frequency, then have to scramble that one time in 100 when they give you something different. Safe flight is about reducing the unexpected from 1 out of 100 times to 0 out of 100 times. $\endgroup$ Jan 28, 2017 at 13:45
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1$\begingroup$ Normal aircraft COMM radio can only tune 118.00 to 136.975. 239.025 appears to be a military frequency and not relevant for civilian flight. Otherwise, good argument though—not anticipating is safer. $\endgroup$ Jan 29, 2017 at 18:25
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1$\begingroup$ I take exception to the philosophy that a pilot is better off not preparing for uncertain eventualities on the off chance—you gave a 1% chance as an example—that something unexpected might arise contrary to what was anticipated. Rather, I think that such efforts are well worthwhile and good form. If the pilot's preparations—such as tuning a radio to an anticipated frequency or briefing an expected approach—prove insufficient for what turns out to be needed, no harm is done, retune the radio or brief the new approach; on the other hand, if they prove sufficient, the pilot is ahead of the game. $\endgroup$– J WFeb 1, 2017 at 22:10
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$\begingroup$ Also, do you mean KMHT? KHMT is on the west coast. $\endgroup$– J WFeb 1, 2017 at 22:21