Theory

Some key points for this section, pretty simple in my opinion:

• Radio transmissions travel ‘in line of sight’. The earth is curved, so if an aircraft is sufficiently distant and/or low, transmissions may not be received
• Learn the phonetic alphabet (but I already know this; most likely from Army cadets)
• Numbers are transmitted, generally, as per normal. Decimals are read out as the word ‘decimal’. Numbers 4, 7 and 9 have an ‘-er’ suffix.
• Time is transmitted in Universal Co-ordinated Time (UTC). For all intents and purposes, it is the same as GMT which we are 10 hours ahead of (or 11 in DST).
• Emergencies (MAYDAY) are situations where there is grave danger to the aircraft and/or its occupants. Urgency (PAN PAN) is not a grave danger to the aircraft, but applies to when immediate assistance is required by either the pilot, the passengers or anyone outside the aircraft (e.g., a burning boat).
• In both calls, ATC will need to know who you are (call sign), what you are (aircraft type), where you are (location), what has happened (situation) and what you intend to do (intentions). The MAYDAY or PAN PAN call is repeated 3 times. In the case of a MAYDAY, the call sign is also repeated 3 times to maximise the chance of it getting through during times of low reception.

An example of a MAYDAY call

MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
BNM BNM BNM
CESSNA 150
3 MILES SOUTH OF CARRUM AT 2000 FEET
COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE
ATTEMPTING GLIDE APPROACH TO MOORABBIN RUNWAY 35L

• Transmit selector switch – in aircraft fitted with both VHF and HF antennas – leave this at VHF.
• Speaker/phones selector switch – this allows incoming radio transmissions to be directed to the headset or the cabin speaker. Leave this in the ‘phones’ setting.
• Frequency display window – displays the set frequency in MHz.
• On/off volume control - adjusts the volume and switches off the radio at the lowest setting.
• Squelch control - adjusts the sensititivy of the radio. To remove spruious background noise, set to maximum sensitivity then pull back until noise is gone.
• Navigation section - another radio for navigation aids that obviously run over VHF. Don’t need to worry about this for now.

1. Is it turned on?
2. Have you reset the squelch control?
3. Is the frequency correct?
4. Is the avionics master on?
5. Is the radio band selector on ‘VHF’?
6. Is the speaker/phone setting correct?
7. Is the headset volume correct?
8. Are both plugs for the headset correctly inserted?
9. Have you checked the circuit breakers and fuses?

This just arrived (for those who can’t read, it’s Bob Tait’s Basic Aeronautical Knowledge book:

For my own benefit, and for anyone who might be at a similar point to me in that they are preparing for the BAK exam, I will be posting my own summaries of each section of the book. This is part of my strategy for attacking this (and, later, the PPL theory exam) in a home-based manner.

So, there will be a summary for each of these dot points (or sections, if they are sufficiently short):

Introduction

• VHF Radio

Aerodynamics

• Controls
• Aerodynamic Forces
• Manoeuvres

Aeroplane General Knowledge

• Engines
• the Carburettor
• Fuel Systems
• the Oil System
• Ignition System
• Electrical System
• Instruments

Aeroplane Performance

• Basic Aeroplane Performance
• Take-off Charts
• Landing Charts
• Loading Systems

Air Law

Operational Awareness

• Meteorology
• Navigation

Human Performance and Factors

Hopefully, after getting a good ground of all of this, I should be good to go with the BAK exam (and hopefully, the practical side would have catched up so that I can get the GFPT!). I’ve set myself a goal now, given the rate that I’m working through all the practical and theorhetical material – I will be at my GFPT before Christmas and be well on my way towards the PPL. Hopefully, the holiday after post-Uni exams will help (as well as the extra income from the additional available hours to work!)