"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
About then, someone on the ground calls asking whether the Skyraider had
gone down. I told them that yes, I was looking at it. I put some flaps
out and slowed the Auster, and orbited the site, looking for signs of
life - and saw someone crawling out of the wreckage. I reported this
back to the person on the ground. At that point, an ATC facility who was
monitoring the frequency from Carlisle (some 60 miles away), who had
heard my rather distance attenuated report started wanting details

Great story, and nicely done, Dylan.

Just curious: Is it normal for ATC to monitor frequencies other than
their own? I've not heard of this being done here in the State, but
quite honestly I've never thought about it before.

It is common in the UK. There is also a special unit within the national
air traffic service that is constantly listening out on 121.5. It is a
unique facility and a stated deviation from ICAO.

UK pilots are encouraged to practice emergencies (Practice Pan) using this
frequency for example for DF.

It causes a bit of angst with the Commercial air traffic crowd who like to
use 121.5 for chit chat as well as some who consider them selves "Guard
police".
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...265322&page=98