If your radios went boobs up, where would you land?

narchee said:
I don't know, if my radios went boobs up I guess I just stare at them and be very distracted.
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Good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this might be some continuation of the MHC.

If in airspace, 7600 and look for light signals. If out, find an uncontrolled field.
 
I'd recommend you ask for "light gun simulation" next time the tower isn't too busy. They appreciate it as no one ever asks. You''ll appreciate it as you'll find if it is a desert airport with sunscreens (El Paso KELP), all the signals look WHITE. They approved my CFI and I to fly TIGHT to the tower (Top Gun woo hoo) ... other than flashes, neither the CFI or I could tell what color they were using (was summer mid day also). Taught me light gun signals would be my LAST choice of communication. Now if they switched to green and red lasers:eek:
 
My first experience with light gun signals was with a CFI during primary training and I realized they are a whole lot harder to see than I expected. Just a little dot, and only if you know right where to look.
 
danhagan said:
I'd recommend you ask for "light gun simulation" next time the tower isn't too busy. They appreciate it as no one ever asks. You''ll appreciate it as you'll find if it is a desert airport with sunscreens (El Paso KELP), all the signals look WHITE. They approved my CFI and I to fly TIGHT to the tower (Top Gun woo hoo) ... other than flashes, neither the CFI or I could tell what color they were using (was summer mid day also). Taught me light gun signals would be my LAST choice of communication. Now if they switched to green and red lasers:eek:
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Well, after all the mockery about boobs, I read your post as "light gun stimulation"

:yikes:

Regarding tower numbers, do they even answer if things are busy? I did try calling a tower once, just asking for some information, and they didn't answer.
 
woodchucker said:
Regarding tower numbers, do they even answer if things are busy? I did try calling a tower once, just asking for some information, and they didn't answer.
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With the proliferation of cell phones, you would think that towers would have two phone numbers. One for general business purposes and one for lost comm procedures. They could/should ignore the first one when they are busy but not the second one.

Thoughts? :dunno:
 
If your radios crap out at some point you're probl'y gonna' want to get to an avionics shop to get it fixed, which will likely be at a towered field. It's not that big a deal......really.
 
Probably towered. You might not be able to talk to them but they can still talk to the other pilots and assist with separation. I don't see any reason to be "scared" of waiting for light gun signals, though I'd probably go for my HT or cell phone first.
 
Weeks after getting my PPL....rented and departed KDWH (Hooks) under the Houston Class B shelf, flight following to Galveston....was told to "join the I-10 corridor". Then some static....next was told...."Cessna XXX do you hear me....traffic at....." then the radio crapped out....nothing.

My head was on a swivel squawked 7600, made my way back to Hooks...when I saw the field, switched to tower (still nothing)....but I was already getting the green light signal Traffic pattern, turned final, got another green light signal and landed.

Pulled off the runway, another green light signal and back to the ramp. I felt like the front of the parade, they cleared all traffic and had taxiway traffic stopped for the little Cessna 152. Great times.
 
Where would I land? At my destination.
 
charris911 said:
Weeks after getting my PPL....rented and departed KDWH (Hooks) under the Houston Class B shelf, flight following to Galveston....was told to "join the I-10 corridor". Then some static....next was told...."Cessna XXX do you hear me....traffic at....." then the radio crapped out....nothing.

My head was on a swivel squawked 7600, made my way back to Hooks...when I saw the field, switched to tower (still nothing)....but I was already getting the green light signal Traffic pattern, turned final, got another green light signal and landed.

Pulled off the runway, another green light signal and back to the ramp. I felt like the front of the parade, they cleared all traffic and had taxiway traffic stopped for the little Cessna 152. Great times.
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When it happens in the manner described here, it's likely your transponder isn't working either, because the electrical system itself is dying. You may get momentary lights or flaps, but moving the flap motor will finish it off and you will not be able to retract. Do a no-flap landing or you may lose the ability to go around.

When the alternator has died, transmitting will kill the battery a LOT faster than receiving. That includes the transponder.

The engine will not quit, but some of the gauges will (e.g., fuel).
 
MAKG1 said:
When it happens in the manner described here, it's likely your transponder isn't working either, because the electrical system itself is dying. You may get momentary lights or flaps, but moving the flap motor will finish it off and you will not be able to retract. Do a no-flap landing or you may lose the ability to go around.

When the alternator has died, transmitting will kill the battery a LOT faster than receiving. That includes the transponder.

The engine will not quit, but some of the gauges will (e.g., fuel).
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Not necessarily. A Com or Nav/Com can fail by itself without an alternator failing and taking out everything when your battery dies. When the alternator dies, you should see it either on the meter or idiot light however you are equipped. This allows you to minimize your electrical loads and make a diversion if necessary. This is why I love having dual nav/coms which should always be on separate circuit breakers with nothing in common except the main electrical system.

Once I had a guy who reported his radio quit receiving. He had to land without his radio. I switched his audio panel from phone to speaker and it worked fine. The wire broke off the headphone jack behind the panel. He could have saved himself the hassle of doing a light signal landing simply by doing what I did.
 
I had a total electrical failure in a light twin on a two mile final. I had already spoken with tower and was told I was #2 follow the traffic. Popped it the gear, saw 3 green then nothing. Everything shut off.

I watched the tower, nothing, I saw he traffic ahead clear the runway so I landed, still nothing from tower. No lights.

So I landed, cleared at the usual spot and then dug out my handheld. Told them what had happened, but I saw no lights and landed. They said, ok, taxi to parking. They weren't thinking fast enough to reach for the light gun.
 
I've landed at controlled fields NORDO including DULLES.

Landing at a non-towered field without a radio is a non-event.

No point in 7600 if you weren't talking to them anyhow. 7600 is of dubious use anyhow if you're on a discrete code. They'll figure out in about two minutes that you don't have comms even if you never touch the transponder.
 
Zeldman said:
Correct..... if there was radar in the tower, which there wasn't back then.
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And there isn't at Salisbury MD, or a lot of other towers, either. But Patuxent Approach would probably see it and give SBY TWR a "head's up" on the landline.
 
Everytime I've lost radios going back into a towered facility I've just called them up on my cellphone in the air and told them of my predicament. Otherwise, landing at an uncontrolled airport with no radio isn't a big deal (unless it's a super busy one)
 
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