Mastering Radio Communications: Expert Tips from DPE Joe Casey!

In this Pro-Tip segment, Joe and Eric discuss how to improve your radio communication. Whether you're a seasoned pilot or just starting out, effective radio communication is crucial for safety and efficiency in the skies. Joe Casey shares his expert insights on how to master this critical skill, covering everything from basic protocols to advanced techniques.

[@TakingOff]

Great tips. I’ve always had trouble talking when given the approach instructions. The three things back will help a bunch.

[@danielreuter2565]

Totally agreed about reading back frequencies as "twenty seven eighteen" or whatever. As a student pilot (I think a lot of less experienced pilots think this also), I was taught that it wasn't the "right" way. In general I do think we should be doing things the right way on the radio, but in this case, it's helping with brevity and accuracy so I think it should be the right way. And you definitely hear most professional pilots say it this way. It's not just showing off or being anti-authority. It really is useful.

[@Rodhern]

Just please only do that when reading back. My side of the pond (Europe) your example "twenty seven eighteen" would be interpreted as "127.180" which is 8.33kHz speak for 127.175MHz (the radio does the channel translation for you, so you don't have to think, just put in the numbers as they are spoken). However, the correct read out is "one two seven decimal one eight zero". If you start out cold saying "now, please contact twenty seven eighteen" you would not make it more clear, just different.

[@danielreuter2565]

@@Rodhern yeah I acknowledge that it's not a perfect answer since it doesn't account for international flying where there are different conventions

[@danielreuter2565]

One pet peeve is when people report altitudes as "10 thousand for 8 thousand". As someone else listening on the frequency it seems to happen pretty often that the first number gets mumbled or chopped off or I just didn't catch it. So I've heard their target altitude, but I don't know if they're climbing or descending. And I generally want that information. And I do hear confusion with ATC about this sometimes. I chock this one up to laziness. It's just as easy to say "10 thousand descending 8 thousand" and helps with comprehension with ATC and everyone else on frequency. It seems like people think it makes them sound slick. I think it makes them sound sloppy.