Instrument - Lost Comms - What will you do?

[pamelamoyer]

Here is the scenario. OROCA' vs SID MEA. Which one counts as the Highest Altitude for the segment if I am not really on an airway or SID yet; but are vectored towards one. Coincidentally losing Comms as this is unfolding.

I am cleared for KCLL. 1500 Expect 2500 (10 mins after). Flight Plan Filed Cruising Altitude - 6000'. As soon as you take off you loose comms. What is the altitude you will be at and why? (ATC eventually plans to get me up to my cruising altitude of 6000 after some traffic; lets say)

How much of the fact that I am not on the Filed Route yet matter for my MEA AVEF? (Tower tried to put me on a path upon take off to be vectored to join the segment between KGKY and NELYN)

Where can I reference this in REG?

[Aviatard]

Here is the scenario. OROCA' vs SID MEA. Which one counts as the Highest Altitude for the segment if I am not really on an airway or SID yet; but are vectored towards one. Coincidentally losing Comms as this is unfolding.

I am cleared for KCLL. 1500 Expect 2500 (10 mins after). Flight Plan Filed Cruising Altitude - 6000'. As soon as you take off you loose comms. What is the altitude you will be at and why? (ATC eventually plans to get me up to my cruising altitude of 6000 after some traffic; lets say)

How much of the fact that I am not on the Filed Route yet matter for my MEA AVEF? (Tower tried to put me on a path upon take off to be vectored to join the segment between KGKY and NELYN)

Where can I reference this in REG?

CFS page F10

[Big Pistons Forever]

I will squawk 7600 and then since I have the ACC in my cell phone contacts. If I lose comms I will phone them and sort this out.

[CpnCrunch]

I will squawk 7600 and then since I have the ACC in my cell phone contacts. If I lose comms I will phone them and sort this out.

If you've just taken off and are being vectored, I don't know if trying to find the phone number of ATC and then calling them is necessarily the best option.Would a better option be to immediately climb to cruise altitude and squawk 7600, and ATC will clear other traffic? Then, when safely at cruise altitude, call ATC on your phone.

[untruerich]

I will squawk 7600 and then since I have the ACC in my cell phone contacts. If I lose comms I will phone them and sort this out.

I think even if you call, they can't resolve it quickly. Would it be preferable to rise to cruise altitude right away and squawk 7600?

[2R]

Fly the plane
Fly the plan as filed as cleared
Aviate
Navigate
Communicate

[CaptDukeNukem]

Here is the scenario. OROCA' vs SID MEA. Which one counts as the Highest Altitude for the segment if I am not really on an airway or SID yet; but are vectored towards one. Coincidentally losing Comms as this is unfolding.

I am cleared for KCLL. 1500 Expect 2500 (10 mins after). Flight Plan Filed Cruising Altitude - 6000'. As soon as you take off you loose comms. What is the altitude you will be at and why? (ATC eventually plans to get me up to my cruising altitude of 6000 after some traffic; lets say)

How much of the fact that I am not on the Filed Route yet matter for my MEA AVEF? (Tower tried to put me on a path upon take off to be vectored to join the segment between KGKY and NELYN)

Where can I reference this in REG?

Squawk 7600, if VMC, return to airport. If IMC, follow lost comm procedures in the box. Once VMC, find a suitable airport and land safely. No one is flying hundreds of miles to their destination with no radios and performing a holding pattern until their ETA then commencing an approach.

7600 makes things flash on ATC screens, or at the very least appear red. Land, then deal with the reports after.

[digits_]

Here is the scenario. OROCA' vs SID MEA. Which one counts as the Highest Altitude for the segment if I am not really on an airway or SID yet; but are vectored towards one. Coincidentally losing Comms as this is unfolding.

I am cleared for KCLL. 1500 Expect 2500 (10 mins after). Flight Plan Filed Cruising Altitude - 6000'. As soon as you take off you loose comms. What is the altitude you will be at and why? (ATC eventually plans to get me up to my cruising altitude of 6000 after some traffic; lets say)

How much of the fact that I am not on the Filed Route yet matter for my MEA AVEF? (Tower tried to put me on a path upon take off to be vectored to join the segment between KGKY and NELYN)

Where can I reference this in REG?

Squawk 7600, if VMC, return to airport. If IMC, follow lost comm procedures in the box. Once VMC, find a suitable airport and land safely. No one is flying hundreds of miles to their destination with no radios and performing a holding pattern until their ETA then commencing an approach.

That's a strong statement. For most aircraft there's about a 50% chance that you're flying towards your home base or maintenance base when your radios fail. Why would you not fly there, even if you do have hundreds of miles to go?

[CaptDukeNukem]

Here is the scenario. OROCA' vs SID MEA. Which one counts as the Highest Altitude for the segment if I am not really on an airway or SID yet; but are vectored towards one. Coincidentally losing Comms as this is unfolding.

I am cleared for KCLL. 1500 Expect 2500 (10 mins after). Flight Plan Filed Cruising Altitude - 6000'. As soon as you take off you loose comms. What is the altitude you will be at and why? (ATC eventually plans to get me up to my cruising altitude of 6000 after some traffic; lets say)

How much of the fact that I am not on the Filed Route yet matter for my MEA AVEF? (Tower tried to put me on a path upon take off to be vectored to join the segment between KGKY and NELYN)

Where can I reference this in REG?

Squawk 7600, if VMC, return to airport. If IMC, follow lost comm procedures in the box. Once VMC, find a suitable airport and land safely. No one is flying hundreds of miles to their destination with no radios and performing a holding pattern until their ETA then commencing an approach.

That's a strong statement. For most aircraft there's about a 50% chance that you're flying towards your home base or maintenance base when your radios fail. Why would you not fly there, even if you do have hundreds of miles to go?

When there’s a squawk code that exists for a particular situation, it’s probably because it’s a problem. A problem of that severity generally means let’s get this thing on the ground. But cool, let’s just truck along cuz I’d rather be home than be safe. Weather at departure, IFR, weather on route,VFR, weather at destination IFR.

Let’s go there….. way better option. Stay VMC, best option.

Fine you wanna go to destination, fly the cleared route and hope to god the TWO required for IFR radios failed simultaneously and wasn’t a result of electrical issues that are bound to get worse.

[rookiepilot]

Here is the scenario. OROCA' vs SID MEA. Which one counts as the Highest Altitude for the segment if I am not really on an airway or SID yet; but are vectored towards one. Coincidentally losing Comms as this is unfolding.

I am cleared for KCLL. 1500 Expect 2500 (10 mins after). Flight Plan Filed Cruising Altitude - 6000'. As soon as you take off you loose comms. What is the altitude you will be at and why? (ATC eventually plans to get me up to my cruising altitude of 6000 after some traffic; lets say)

How much of the fact that I am not on the Filed Route yet matter for my MEA AVEF? (Tower tried to put me on a path upon take off to be vectored to join the segment between KGKY and NELYN)

Where can I reference this in REG?

Squawk 7600, if VMC, return to airport. If IMC, follow lost comm procedures in the box. Once VMC, find a suitable airport and land safely. No one is flying hundreds of miles to their destination with no radios and performing a holding pattern until their ETA then commencing an approach.

7600 makes things flash on ATC screens, or at the very least appear red. Land, then deal with the reports after.

Plan that, try to call, or better text someone to call for you with intentions

[Big Pistons Forever]

I will squawk 7600 and then since I have the ACC in my cell phone contacts. If I lose comms I will phone them and sort this out.

I think even if you call, they can't resolve it quickly. Would it be preferable to rise to cruise altitude right away and squawk 7600?

IF you call the number listed in the AIM, it goes to the ACC supervisor on the floor. He will immediately talk to the controller handling you and relay a clearance. If you need to climb now for terrain clearance (not an issue in this scenario but can be a real issue in the rocks), tell the ACC sup what you are doing. ATC wants to reestablish comms ASAP, for everyone's benefit. The big question for you is what to say when asked for your intentions as that will be the first question after your initial clearance is given

Finally almost all comm fails are the result of finger trouble or can be resolved with an organized plan of troubleshooting something that almost never gets talked about in IFR training

This is what I teach my students.

When you think you have a comm fail do the following procedure

1) Check you have the right frequency in the active slot
2) Check you have the right radio selected in the audio panel
3) Check the volume has not been inadvertently turned down by cancelling the auto squelch and listening for the volume of the static
4) Press the push to talk switch looking for the "tx" indication on the radio.

If there is no tx go to the other radio and do the same 4 steps.

If there is still no tx the problem is likely the ptt swich has failed or your headset has failed. If the airplane has a hand mike try that or either plug your headset in the right side jacks and try again with the right side ptt. If that doesn't work and you have access to a second headset try that.

Still no joy check that the electrical system gauges as the comm fail may be a symptom of an electrical failure