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I am with Jack on this, I always listen and if there is plenty of radio chatter, I don't worry too much. However when I pull my airplane out and warm it up and haven't heard anyone on the radio, I give the ATITAPA call. I may even follow up with can any tell me if this radio is working and am I on the right freq? A couple of times I have had pilots report back.
Sorry Charlie, you are just going to have to put up with us.
Gary Melton
N320GG LNC2 600hours
Posted for jldysart@zirkel.us: Charlie: I live in the rocky mountains. Like most of the local pilots, when flying
over the continental divide from Denver, or when leaving my Steambboat
Springs traffic area to fly 20 miles to Hayden (also uncontrolled) I
change to the appropriate CTAF, announce my position, and use the phrase
"ANY TRAFFIC IN THE AREA PLEASE ADVISE". It is very comforting when
flying my CESSNA (LNC2 due to be completed later this year) to hear AA,
Delta, NW, United, King Air, Lear, and other "(idiot)"?? commercial pilots
who also have just entered the valley and just switched over from Center
frequency give me accurate location and altitude. I do not expect these
commercial pros to pop over the high terrain and go into a holding pattern
listening for the GA pilot who might be practicing approaches in the
vicinity.
Nor am I put off by their arrival and request for other-traffic
information; it is a courtesy that I appreciate. If I am already in the
pattern, my routine announcements of DOWNWIND, BASE, and FINAL will
suffice to answer the query. Outside of the pattern I will respond if
there is a remote chance that my location might affect their approach --
it's better than being sucked into a 737 intake. I've actually had a
commercial carrier offer (and execute) a 360 because I was entering the
pattern ahead of him. Perhaps when I have a few thousand more hours I'll
become more arrogant, but I hope not; safety is a shared responsibility.
Jack Dysart
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