Communicating diversion to people on ground

polaris

polaris

Pre-takeoff checklist
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polaris
I am planning on flying in potentially IFR weather and meeting up with a friend who is driving from the opposite direction by car. If my Plan A airport is socked in, I was wondering if there is a way to communicate my diversion intentions with my friend who is picking me up.

I thought about giving FlightAware info to my friend, but I don't really trust FlightAware with that kind of information. For all I know, it will randomly cut off my flight path and make my friend think I crashed, or something.

Another option is to call ahead to the alternate airport FBO and have them call my friend. A few problems with this: (1) Alternate airport might not be attended; (2) In the middle of a diversion is probably not the best time to call a unicom frequency and spell out a phone number.

I've never had to coordinate a ride before. Thoughts?
 
How high are you flying?
I am sure there are a lot of factors at play but I have noticed since switching to AT&T I can send / receive text messages up to about 4k feet.

Edit: I guess that's not guaranteed to work though
 
Good point, but I don't think cell phones will work because it's in the Appalachians.

Whether I should be even attempting a landing in low IFR in the Appalachians is another story. If low IFR moves in unexpectedly, it would mean that I would divert to an airport that is farther away and out of the mountains, which makes communication all the more necessary . . .
 
I'd imagine a text message is the best option to get your information across. Next best would probably be for your friend to have a handheld comm, but that's not going to have much of anything for range unless you're basically within LOS.
 
text messaging works for the most part zigging and zagging crossing WY and SD for me .... Appalachians probably aren't any more remote than that?
 
polaris said:
Good point, but I don't think cell phones will work because it's in the Appalachians.

Whether I should be even attempting a landing in low IFR in the Appalachians is another story. If low IFR moves in unexpectedly, it would mean that I would divert to an airport that is farther away and out of the mountains, which makes communication all the more necessary . . .
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I recall in one of the John and Martha king videos they discuss a pilot can radio unicom of a local airport and asking them to call his wife and tell her he is running late.

Maybe call an airport near your destination a few days ahead of time in preparation and just ask if in the event of IFR you may use them as a relay or something.
 
Very short text messages usually work.

If you have already worked out the two possible landing spots, then "Going to Alternate" would be enough to tell him to go to "B" and not "A".
 
Text messaging works pretty well - but it may take several minutes to get a text out depending on where you are. Don't use time intervals from now (like saying "20 minutes out") because you don't know for certain when the message goes out or when it will be received. Use clock times for events so the arrival time of the message doesn't matter.
 
Try using your cell to call,if not go to text. If neither works then go to a local airport Unicom,and ask them to make the call.
 
As a last resort, you can even ask Flight Service to make a call for you. If they're not busy and you don't make a habit of it, I bet they wouldn't mind.
 
I just file IFR and tell my friends they can track me on FlightAware.
 
Delorme inReach for text messages almost anywhere. Iridium Go(or one of their normal phones) if you're rich.
 
Get a SPOT tracker, add your friends cell phone to contacts and "bread crumb" your path to him inflight.
 
With a good wx check you should have a handle of the flight outcome. If you have to divert just do it and work out the rude details later. I did call FSS and ask if they would make a phone call years ago, no problem.

You can also mention a few contingencies to who will pick you up, basically to not freak out if you don't land as planned.
 
chartbundle said:
Delorme inReach for text messages almost anywhere. Iridium Go(or one of their normal phones) if you're rich.
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I use the inReach for this very thing quite often. It's also handy for communicating precise ETAs once you are level in cruise.
 
A few years ago I was flying low for the overcast and landed at Taft (L17). My cell phone would not work to close out my flight plan.
Once I was airborne I was still not able to reach FSS on the radio.
I called General William J Fox tower (WJF) from more than 30 miles out and they relayed the message to FSS and closed my flight plan.
They also called my wife to let her know of my weather challenges and delay.
I suspect I could have reached Meadows Field (BFL) sooner but it had not occurred to me to ask until I heard ATC from WJF.
They handled it as though they do it all the time.
 
Adding a third recommendation for Delorme InReach. Satellite two-way texting from anywhere on the globe. It takes care of exactly these needs. It'll also work on a commercial airliner, if you're flying on a plane without WiFi and need to exchange a brief message. Not sure about the legalities of that as it's outside of the cellular band.
 
wrbix said:
Get a SPOT tracker, add your friends cell phone to contacts and "bread crumb" your path to him inflight.
Click to expand...

I don't use mine anymore (Spot), but it has the capability of adding a few buddies and a "canned" message that it can text out by satellite. Would be best option in case your high IFR due to MEA (my area is like 14k)
 
How about keeping your flight times and leg lengths short, say less than 2:00 hrs. The Wx shouldn't change that wildly in that timeframe and you should be able to give your friend a reliable prediction as to your landing location.
 
If you are planning to use a text message, I would suggest typing in the message ahead of time, but not sending it until you are sure of the destination change. Keep it short and simple, "Name of airport and ETA" and if you don't divert, don't push send! Changing destinations and approaches is not really the time to be typing into your phone. ;)
 
N747JB said:
If you are planning to use a text message, I would suggest typing in the message ahead of time, but not sending it until you are sure of the destination change. Keep it short and simple, "Name of airport and ETA" and if you don't divert, don't push send! Changing destinations and approaches is not really the time to be typing into your phone. ;)
Click to expand...

Panel mount - mobile device....whats the difference

Tongue in cheek
 
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