Questions tagged [lost-communications]

Questions about situations where communications to and/or from an aircraft is lost

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Is it possible to use Morse code for communication?

Let's say your radio fails, but luckily you brought your keychain Morse code transmitter as a backup! Is there any way to use it? ICAO defines Q-codes for aviation use. Q-codes were initially ...
Zaz's user avatar
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2 votes
3 answers
247 views

Can a commercial aircraft fly at night with complete navigation and communication equipment failure?

Disclaimer: I know there are numerous redundancies and the complete failure of navigation and communication system may not be possible. Hence, let's approach this question as a pure thought experiment....
Arpit Tyagi's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
661 views

Is Flight Service Station the same as En Route Flight Advisory Service?

As title suggests, is "Flight Service Station" the same as "En Route Flight Advisory Service?" In regards to VFR, I was told that if I get lost in flight and general lost ...
Jonathan's user avatar
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-1 votes
3 answers
767 views

If an NORDO airplane approaches and attempts a landing on a controlled airport, is that an automatic emergency?

The airplane never has any communication with ATC etc. but approaches and heads for landing correctly on a controlled airport will that by regulations automatically lead to clearing airspace and ...
user2617804's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

When can I start an approach if I lose comms and my clearance limit is not an initial approach fix?

Here is the AIM's definition for a clearance limit: CLEARANCE LIMIT− The fix, point, or location to which an aircraft is cleared when issued an air traffic clearance Assume a clearance such as: &...
Java Addict's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
135 views

What needs to be done when experiencing severe turbulence at an altitude of FL270 with No ATC and Mode C failure? [closed]

Flying at FL270, you experience sever turbulence and Mode C failure, and the ATC channel is heavily Occupied, what should a pilot ideally do?
The Better Aviator's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

How did aircraft flying in formation use flares to communicate with each other?

The image shown in the question Which aircraft had such a luxurious-looking navigator's station? (also below) shows a flare gun with several flares. A comment below the question says: On the ...
uhoh's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
202 views

What should a pilot do in this lost communication scenario?

As far as I study, when a pilot faces a lost communication problem, the pilot should consider MEA (Minimum Enroute Altitude, Expected Altitude, Assigned altitude) for altitude and AVEF (Assigned ...
Mun Park's user avatar
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4 votes
2 answers
641 views

With radio not working, why it is more important to stay away from exactly class D airspace?

The instructions how to land when the radio is no longer working state as the first item "stay away from the class D airspace". Why is the class D specifically mentioned in these instructions? How it ...
h22's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
250 views

What route should I fly in this lost comms scenario?

As I've studied, when a pilot faces a lost comm situation the pilot considers two things which are 'fly to altitude' and 'fly to route'. For 'fly to route', the pilot follows or chooses the route ...
Mun Park's user avatar
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9 votes
3 answers
766 views

Navigate to the final approach course after radio failure under IFR

What would ATC expect the pilot to do if, at the position marked below by the red X, the aircraft lost radio communication and was on a radar vector heading 250 degrees at/assigned 3000 msl and the ...
RTO's user avatar
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15 votes
2 answers
1k views

Does an airline have to pay if fighters intercept one of its aircraft?

It sometimes happens that because loss of radio communication or because wrong frequency tuned in during ATC handover etc... a country has to send fighters to intercept an aircraft in its airspace. If ...
Bela Vizer's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

What course of action to take when having to go missed during IMC and lost comms?

Under FAR Part 91 operations what course of action should a pilot take if radio communication is lost after being cleared for an instrument approach in IMC and then a missed approach becomes necessary ...
RTO's user avatar
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8 votes
2 answers
946 views

In lost comms situations, when and where do the pilots of big commercial jets expect to get green light from tower?

In the event of lost comms, GA pilots are generally expected to circle over the airport looking for light gun signals from the tower. What about big commercials jets? Are they also expected to circle ...
lemonincider's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
76 views

How can pilots use receiver function of VOR during lost comms? [duplicate]

In the event of lost comms, are pilots encouraged to try the receiver of the VOR nearby if the VOR provides the function? If they are, what's the proper use of the VOR receiver? Just tune in the VOR ...
lemonincider's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
54 views

How do interceptors communicate with the airplane crew when the radio is dead? [duplicate]

A week ago an airplane lost the radio connection to the tower due to technical difficulties in German airspace (article in german). Thats why interceptors started to escort the plane and to check if ...
JohnDizzle's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
396 views

Does two-way communication failure include one-way communication failure?

Code 7600 means lost communication, more specifically two-way communication failure. I wonder whether two-way communication failure means losing the capability of maintaining two-way communication or ...
Min's user avatar
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7 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is it okay to divert to another airport in IFR lost comms situations?

In the event of lost communications, FAR 91.185 allows pilots to divert to a nearby airport if they encounter VMC conditions en route to their destination. But what if IMC conditions persist? Are they ...
lemonincider's user avatar
  • 7,537
6 votes
1 answer
17k views

How should a loss of communications in VFR be dealt with?

Let's say I'm flying a cross country flight and I wanted to land in a Class D or enter Class C towered airport, but I lost my two-way communications radio but have my transponder squawking 7600. ...
nyorkr23's user avatar
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8 votes
6 answers
3k views

Is there a solution to radio interference?

I was reading about the Tenerife Disaster and came across what seemed to be the probable cause behind the accident. A simultaneous radio call from the Pan Am crew caused mutual interference on the ...
Prodnegel's user avatar
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5 votes
2 answers
9k views

How to check if (small) aircraft's radio is working properly?

Is there a standard way to test/check aircraft's radio without calling anybody (Ground/Tower) to see if it is receiving and transmitting? Is there a way to check aircraft radio with your own ...
pmoubed's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
847 views

Radio communications lost on climb out in IMC: when can I turn on course?

Let's assume: I have been cleared direct from Knoxville Downtown (KDKX) to London-Corbin (KLOZ) at 6000ft. The direct heading is 357°. I lose comms after take off from runway 26, I squawk 7600 and I'...
Mike Hood's user avatar
10 votes
3 answers
2k views

How to start an approach in IMC loss of communication under IFR?

Suppose I lost my radio communication while en-route, I am following the cleared route to the last fix. I am flying the higher of my last assigned altitude and MEA. Then, I am holding at my last en-...
CrepuscularV's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is the expected range of handheld radio?

For a handheld VHF radio carried as an emergency backup, how should I expect the effective radius of a handheld radio to compare with on-board radios in two-way communications? I figure reception ...
CrepuscularV's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
773 views

Is it practical to descend in a lost communication scenario?

This is a follow-up to my previous question here - Lost radio communication after take-off in IMC - what are my options?. Please refer to that to understand the scenario of this question. If, for ...
RaajTram's user avatar
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19 votes
3 answers
3k views

Lost radio communication after take-off in IMC - what are my options?

This might be "yet another lost comms questions", but I've tried to read a lot and there are different answers everywhere. Here's the scenario: (The flight plan as filed is - KSSI SSI V441 MONIA GNV ...
RaajTram's user avatar
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5 votes
4 answers
2k views

How often is communication lost with aircraft?

I just read the NTSB press release of Northwest Airlines Flight 188 that flew more than one hour without making any radio contact. I imagine there may be many causes for losing radio contact with the ...
Manu H's user avatar
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34 votes
6 answers
25k views

How would an airplane land if the on-board radio breaks down?

Is there a special protocol for a situation where the on-board radio communication equipment suddenly breaks down? Would the pilot be able to land on a busy towered airfield or would they be forced to ...
JonathanReez's user avatar
  • 1,750
12 votes
1 answer
3k views

If the radio fails, can a pilot contact the tower by cell phone? [duplicate]

Is it an accepted practice to notify the tower of a radio failure by cell phone, and use the cell phone as a radio, or are there other ways of dealing with radio failure?
flyingfisch's user avatar
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