Use of 126.7
I’m not sure where, but I seem to recall reading an article or blog about improper use of the aviation frequency 126.7. Maybe it was TC’s Aviation Safety Letter or COPA’s Flight. I actually thought it was one of Michael Oxner’s entries on his Controller’s Corner blog but I couldn’t find anything there or on any of the archives of my regularly read blogs either.
Not that it matters. The gist of the article was about improper use of the 126.7 frequency, which is commonly known as the enroute frequency, and is used to both contact FSS and to blindly broadcast position reports as you cruise towards your destination. My policy is to broadcast as often as possible and when nearby another airport of some sorts, to broadcast on that frequency also. And, at the same time, unless flying IFR or under flight following, I will listen to both frequencies at all times for fear of missing someone’s transmission while on the other frequency. And if only every had a similar policy, it may be that accidents such as the one near Brandon may not have happened.
The interesting thing for me about the article I mentioned at the start is that the article talked about how the frequency shouldn’t be used for idle chit-chat or anything other than position reports. I found it rather odd that such an article would exist. I had never in all my cross country flying time heard anything on 126.7 other than position reports or updates from FSS. And due to my military background, where we never spent more than a few seconds talking on the radio if at all, I would never think of having a ‘conversation’ using the radio on a frequency that is clearly to be used otherwise.
But that changed on my recent trip from Springbank (CYBW) to Prince George (CYXS). On the return flight just south east of Grande Prairie, I switched from monitoring the mandatory frequency (MF) to monitoring 126.7. Actually, I switched the talk frequency to 126.7 while maintaining a listening watch still on the Grande Prairie MF just in case. I quickly broadcast a position report and waited for any replies. There was nothing on the frequency until I was approaching Smokey River. I didn’t actually notice the river but there was a position report given for the Grande Prairie area as ”over the Smokey river” so I grabbed my VFR map off the dash and scanned for the river. As it happens, V301 crosses over that river on it’s way to Whitecourt and since I wasn’t clear as to where the reporting traffic was, I figured I’d give an updated report of my own and hopefully figure out where the other traffic was.
That plan, however, was short lived as someone immediately came over the radio with ”Is that you, John? What are you up to today?” or words to that effect. It was bizarre to hear two people talking as if they were in a neighbourhood pub about how thing were going. But what was unnerving was the fact that as they blabbered on, leaving me unable to get my position report in, I was rapidly approaching the Smokey River area. And as by the time these two jokers were done their conversation, I was past the Smokey River and hadn’t been able to pick either of the two aircraft. While the sky is big and open, the chance of mid-air collisions does exist and I think in this case, my choice of following a Victor airway at a proper eastern altitude of 7500 feet (5000 feet above the ground) probably avoided any potential conflicts. For me, it was just another reason to ensure that (a) I fly high enough to avoid the laisez-faire pilots; (b) I get flight following; or (c) I fly under IFR (which I soon hope to have).
Another intersting side note; I had always thought that everyone was familiar with Victor airways. Last year when I flew to Dauphin, MB, I followed airways most of the trip and at one point actually flew 1000 under another VFR aircraft flying the same airway in the opposite direction. But on this trip to Prince George, I actually had someone ask me over the radio what ’Victor 301’ was as he wasn’t familiar with this landmark. Perhaps the pilot was a rotory pilot and they aren’t taught the same things? I dunno. But regardless, between that and the clowns chit-chats, I was appreciative the good training given to me a decade ago when I was doing my private licence and my good sense to follow most of it.
Sun, 13 Aug 2006 05:58 Posted in Flying
