It is Saturday. Joey is gone on a flight (actually multiple flights, but for the same group) all day. It is a bit unusual for him to be flying on a Saturday, so there is no regular Flight Follower scheduled. So, I’m doing it for a change.
Here is how a typical radio “conversation” goes…
Fox, Fox. Charlie Alpha Uniform.
Fox, Fox. Go ahead.
Good afternoon. We are 1+5. 245 Fuel. Ngilima for Dungu.
1+5. 245 Fuel. Ngilima for Dungu.
Alpha Uniform.
(A minute later)
Fox, Fox. Charlie Alpha Uniform.
Fox, Fox. Go ahead.
Yes, we are airborn 1023. Estimating Dungu 1034. Level 040.
Airborn 1023. ETA Dungu 1034. Level 040.
Alpha Uniform.
(If it is a longer flight, you will also get a position report at some point.)
Fox, Fox. Charlie Alpha Uniform. Position.
Fox, Fox. Go ahead.
Position. November 0157. Echo 3003. Level 055. Ops. Normal.
November 0157. Echo 3003. Level 055. Ops. Normal.
Alpha Uniform.
Yeah, it sounded like a bunch of gibberish to me too the first time I sat in on a radio session. However, I was patiently guided through what all these things meant, what order they usually come in (which helps when you are trying to decipher the pilot’s voice from the static), and what to write down. Also, I learned all the to do’s in case of any unusual circumstances or emergencies. All very interesting and I enjoy this job when it is just Joey flying. Not so much when there are a bunch of planes up and it gets complicated. :-)
So, here is the same conversation with English translation…
Fox, Fox. Charlie Alpha Uniform.
[Flight Follower (aka Kathleen)? This is 9Q-CAU (aka The plane Joey is flying) calling.]
Fox, Fox. Go ahead.
(I’m here. Give me your info.)
Good afternoon. We are 1+5. 245 Fuel. Ngilima for Dungu.
(Hi! I have 5 passengers, 2 hours and 45 minutes of fuel in the plane and I’m on my way to Dungu.)
1+5. 245 Fuel. Ngilima for Dungu.
(OK. Got that.)
Alpha Uniform.
(Bye!)
(A minute later)
Fox, Fox. Charlie Alpha Uniform.
(Kathleen? It’s Joey again.)
Fox, Fox. Go ahead.
(Hey.)
Yes, we are airborn 1023. Estimating Dungu 1034. Level 040.
(I’m in the air now and will be getting to Dungu around 12:34pm. I’m 4000 feet above sea level.)
Airborn 1023. ETA Dungu 1034. Level 040.
(OK. Did I get that all right?)
Alpha Uniform.
(Yep. Talk to you later.)
(If it is a longer flight, you will also get a position report at some point.)
Fox, Fox. Charlie Alpha Uniform. Position.
(Kathleen? This is Joey. Can I tell you where I’m at?)
Fox, Fox. Go ahead.
(By all means.)
Position. November 0157. Echo 3003. Level 055. Ops. Normal.
(If you take out the chart with all the grids on it you can find me by intersecting lines from North 0157 and East 3003. I'm way up high. Everything in the plane is working like it should.)
November 0157. Echo 3003. Ops. Normal.
(OK. Got it.)
Alpha Uniform.
(Love ya. Talk to you later.)
See?! Fun!
