User manual

Limesim Antarctica X 1.00 Antarctica X 1.00 Manual
Page 10 of 59
The frequency is generally used as a chat frequency between pilots (reports can be made of icing conditions in
flight), but respect is made also so that it is not cluttered up with irrelevant chatter, when another aircraft may
need it for transmitting some important information. The other frequency which is monitored is 121.5 MHz-
the international distress frequency, and no transmissions may be made on this except for an emergency
situation.
To summarise, VHF radios are used for aircraft comms close to base, and HF radios are used further away.
Satellite phones are used when the VHF and HF radios are unusable for whatever reason. And they may make
calls anywhere across the world.
TYPICAL PHRASES
These are some typical phrases you might hear on a Twin Otter flight from Rothera to Fossil Bluff.
The flight begins once the pre-flight walk around has
been completed, the fuel uplift has been entered in the
aircraft technical log, and a copy of the load sheet has
been handed to the ground crew.
Before engine start, a check of the VHF radio is made:
 Aircraft: " Rothera Radio, this is Victor Papa
Foxtrot Bravo Bravo requesting radio check and
airfield information."
 Rothera Ops Tower: " Roger Victor Papa Foxtrot
Bravo Bravo, this is Rothera Radio reading you
strength five, are you ready to copy the latest
weather?"
 Aircraft: " Roger Rothera, go ahead."
 Rothera: " The latest weather ob ( abbreviation for observation) at time 1100 zulu ( note zulu is the
aeronautical term for Greenwich Mean Time , which is the time set on the aircraft clock, and which is
entered in the aircraft papers, log, tech log , etc.) is wind 360 at 12 knots, visibility 8 km, cloud few at
1000 feet, temperature zero, dew point minus 8, QNH 1012.
Aircraft: "Roger weather copied, QNH 1012"
Note it is not necessary to read back all of the weather, but it is mandatory to read back any altimeter pressure
setting – QNH value.
 Aircraft: "This is VP-FBB ready for start".
 Rothera: "Roger V-BB, start at your discretion, time check 1101 zulu.”
Aircraft engines are now started, and the after start check-list is carried out, from memory using a panel scan
technique, and then backed up with reading and confirming from a paper checklist, stowed in the map pocket
just inside the pilots cockpit door.
Once the generators are brought online and the aircraft is self-powered, the signal is given for the ground crew
to disconnect the ground powers supply, and a radio check is made on the other radios.
 Aircraft: "This is V-BB radio check on fives" – this is referring to the HF frequency on the number one
HF radio box selected to 5080.
 Rothera: "Roger V-BB , reading you strength five"
 Aircraft: "This is V-BB radio check on sevens" - this is the radio frequency selected to 7775.
 Rothera: "Roger V-BB reading you strength five"