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Old January 16th 11, 04:56 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Hagbard Celine
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Posts: 58
Default Mandating Radios? (WAS: Another midair in the pattern)

"What
gives passenger "A" any more "right" to arrive at the airport that MY
"right" to arrive"

Easy: the fundamental North American law that states "Whoever burns
the most oil is the most righteous."

Oddly enough, the only near accident I've seen that had lack of radio
communication as the primary factor involved a Cessna Citation and a
regional airline King Air at a small uncontrolled airport. The King
Air was on the airfield frequency and on final, the Citation was on
some other frequency and entered the runway and took off downwind
directly at the King air which had to go around rather abruptly. All
those radios don't do much good if they're not being used properly!

Fortunately all the club and private gliders at my field have radios
and we have several handhelds too. The only problem we have are the
pilots who don't seem to pay much attention to what is being said on
air. "Sierra Sierra this is Sierra Tango, are you intending to enter
the circuit?"......."Sierra Sierra this is Sierra Tango
over?."...."Sierra Sierra, Sierra Tango, over?"...."Sierra Tango to
any traffic, radio check please?","Sierra Tango this is Sierra
Uniform, reading you five by five","Thank you Sierra
Uniform"...."Sierra Sierra this is Sierra Tango do you read me, do you
read me over?"..............................."Was someone calling
Sierra Sierra?"...........etc, etc.