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Roy Smith wrote in message ...
My instructors answer was this: when lost comms is noticed and no attemp to establish alternate comms works, then proceed to the outer marker of the ILS22 approach (VICCI) and hold as diagrammed until your flight planned expected arrival time, then shoot the approach. That's the correct book answer. Unfortunately, it's the wrong real-life answer. Roy, I'm not persuaded it's even the correct book answer. I had a lost comm once. We lost the ability to transmit (turned out to be a stuck relay in the audio panel) immediately after takeoff. We could hear ATC, but they could not hear us Interesting -- any details about what model of audio panel? Did it block both hand mic and headsets? Obviously, what you did wrt shooting the ILS was 100% the right call for your circumstances but I'll toss a couple different circs out. We had a brief lost comm IFR in IMC. It was caused by me. In response to smoke coming out of the panel and a strong smell of burning, I advised ATC we were going off freq due to smoke in the cockpit and shut off the electrical system. Plan A if the smoke didn't stop was to turn left, fly out over the ocean, do an emergency descent and fly back in to ditch on a beach. Plan B if the smoke stopped was to remain at our current altitude and procede to known VMC ahead of us. The smoke stopped and we eventually completed the flight with most of the plane's electrical equipment operating and normal comms. We were offered Plan C (shoot an ILS at the nearest airport) but shooting an approach to minimums or below with a questionable electrical system simply wasn't on our menu. My husband had a lost comm VFR on the very first flight I took with him when he'd first gotten his license (my 2nd flight in a small plane). It was caused by electrical failure. The ability to transmit on the radios went first, followed by the ability to receive followed by the rest of the electrical system. We were VFR but if we'd been IFR, I don't think shooting an ILS would have been a bright call there either. BTW, if you ever think you're going to lose comm (say, the lights are slowly diming and the radios are getting crackly), be pro-active. Make a plan and tell the controller what it is while you still can so everybody's on the same page. Concur! Sydney |
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Roy Smith wrote in message ...
In article , (Snowbird) wrote: I had a lost comm once. We lost the ability to transmit (turned out to be a stuck relay in the audio panel) immediately after takeoff. We could hear ATC, but they could not hear us Interesting -- any details about what model of audio panel? Did it block both hand mic and headsets? I don't remember what model. We tried both headsets and the hand mike. I'm not 100% sure it was in the audio panel per-se. Might have been in the intercomm box, but it was definately a problem with a relay, and definately in the "audio stuff". Bummer. I've been thinking about the failure possibilities in our audio panel etc. I rather would like mic jacks directly wired into our #1 comm but our avionics guy seems a bit reluctant for some reason I'm still trying to draw out of him. Cheers, Sydney |
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One other suggestion in this scenario (apologies if someone has already
mentioned this): even if you have no reception on your radios, you might still be transmitting, so you should continue to announce your intentions and your progress as you fly. --Gary |
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Roy Smith wrote in message ...
(Snowbird) wrote: The towers don't show on the typical handheld or panel GPS No, but I bet they do show up on the approach plate, if not explicitly, then at least reflected in the MSA values. Yes, they're reflected in the MSA values. I certainly agree with you that ad-libbing an approach is a bad idea, but as long as you're above the MSA, it's hard to see how you could get into trouble. I agree, but there are two big "ifs" which weren't explicit in the original scenario: 1) you're w/in 25 nm of the navaid on which the MSA is depicted; we've certainly started getting vectors for the approach more than 25 miles out at times 2) you're above the MSA. For example, in one local approach I mentioned, it's typical to vector small aircraft between 2000 and 2400 ft, but there's a tower farm just to the east of the usual area. The MSA is 3100 ft. You'd need to be what, a good 4 miles out from the marker to intercept below glideslope? I would think such scenarios (MSA much higher than typical MVAs used for the approach) are pretty common. But I dunno. Cheers, Sydney |
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"Mike Ciholas" wrote in message m... I had a "discussion" with my instructor about lost comms in IMC after a radar vector. To illustrate, consider this scenario (gratuitously enhanced with specifics): Depart BJC (Boulder, CO) for a flight to EVV (Evansville, IN). You expect the flight to take 4:30. You depart at 1200Z. Once airborne, you get established on a clearance route and you realize that the tailwinds are much stronger than forecast. After 3 hours have passed, you find the GPS saying EVV is only another 30 minutes enroute (thus the flight now should take 3:30 instead of 4:30). You get the ATIS, using ILS RWY 22, relatively low IMC conditions at EVV. ATC then gives you a radar vector to bias your flight path north for the approach. At this moment, you loose comms. All attempts to establish comms are in vain. The weather is also low IMC in every direction. You should have been told what you were getting vectors for. As someone else said - I am not sure what "bias your flight path" means. You should not take vectors unless you know what they are for. I hope I don't ever loose my comms in IMC - it might land on someone... grin What do you do? snip This is really an academic question because I pretty much doubt anyone would convince me anything other than landing at my earliest and safest opportunity would be the right course of action, rules or no rules to the contrary. In fact, in any lost comm situation, I doubt I would hold for any reason. That is scary. What if you lost comms in a hold? Just go to the destination and shoot an approach? I hope this was just an off-the-cuff remark and that you really don't mean that. That is what clearance limits and EFC and EACs are for. My thinking about ATC response is that they cannot assume any behavior of a lost comm aircraft, there could be more wrong than just the lost comms (such as the pilot is incapacitated and a passenger is flying, thus no behavior is predictable). So I would think they would vector everyone else away and hope the plane gets on the ground as soon as possible. That is why lost comms procedures are well-defined. Everyone should be in agreement about what to do. Curious what the group reg gurus and ATC types think about this. -- Mike Ciholas (812) 476-2721 x101 CIHOLAS Enterprises (812) 476-2881 fax 255 S. Garvin St, Suite B Evansville, IN 47713 http://www.ciholas.com |
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"Richard Hertz" wrote in message et... That is why lost comms procedures are well-defined. Everyone should be in agreement about what to do. But they're not well-defined, and if everyone was in agreement about what to do we wouldn't have this same discussion periodically. |
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