airman wrote:
The CNN pilot-reporter, Miles O'Brien, made a good point. These guys took
off from an uncontrolled airfield, implying that they were not adept with
ordinary ATC as would pilots be who were trained or who are resident at a
Class D or C towered field.

IMHO, this is a big assumption. Of course, coming from a CNN reporter,
it figures as such. Just because someone flies from a non-towered field
has nothing to do with how adept they are at radio skills. My
experience was learning at a non-towered field and I talk to ATC and go
in/out of towered airports regularly. Sure, some folks are lame on the
radio, whether talking to ATC or broadcasting blind on CTAF...but just
because they flew from a non-towered field means nothing.

I remember how difficult it was to train at a
Class D airport, wishing that I could have made my early training hours
easier at an un-towered field. Now I'm grateful for all the angst and
mike-fright I went through and eventually overcame.

I'm sure that working from a towered field from the get-go makes you
more comfortable on the radio faster...but since one of these guys was a
private pilot, he should have the proper radio skills and be able to
operate in the vicinity of the ADIZ or he should tear up his ticket.

--
Jack Allison
PP-ASEL-IA Student
Arrow N2104T

"When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the Earth
with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there
you will always long to return"
- Leonardo Da Vinci

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