Retrieve Contact - Radio Relay?

Most of the discussion I’ve seen related to arranging for a retrieve
after a remote land-out has focused on either cell phone (often not
available), text message (slightly better than cell phone), or
satellite-based like ELB, PLB, & SPOT (only one-way, no confirmation
your message was received).

I’m wondering about the practicality of getting an aircraft radio
relay. In other words, making an (emergency?) call on common
frequencies to establish contact with a private or commercial flight,
with the request to relay the information to your intended contact by
radio or phone. Not something to do on a regular basis, but possibly
when other methods fail or are not available. This would obviously be
dependent on the position and willingness of airborne aircraft, and
the continued operability of your own radio & batteries.

Does anyone have any real-life experience using this method? Or any
input on how the FAA (in the US) might view this strategy?

- Frank

I’m wondering about the practicality of getting an aircraft radio
relay. In other words, making an (emergency?) call on common
frequencies to establish contact with a private or commercial flight,
with the request to relay the information to your intended contact by
radio or phone. Not something to do on a regular basis, but possibly
when other methods fail or are not available. This would obviously be
dependent on the position and willingness of airborne aircraft, and
the continued operability of your own radio & batteries.

Does anyone have any real-life experience using this method? *Or any
input on how the FAA (in the US) might view this strategy?

- Frank

Pre-celly, this used to be common practice, and I suspect commonly
still utilized when needed. I've never done it myself, but know about
many times it has been done. Most if not all pilots are more than
happy to help out a fellow aviator and as I understand things, most
airliner pilots are usually happy to break up the routine of boring
the same hole through the sky... I'm not sure on the FAA's take on it,
but I imagine that it falls into the realm of legal usage of the freq.
The FCC however may feel otherwise if you aren't current on your
license to operate a 2 way

-Paul

On Sep 20, 11:46*am, sisu1a wrote:


Does anyone have any real-life experience using this method? *Or any
input on how the FAA (in the US) might view this strategy?

- Frank

Pre-celly, this used to be common practice, and I suspect commonly

I'm not sure on the FAA's take on it,
but I imagine that it falls into the realm of legal usage of the freq.
The FCC however may feel otherwise if you aren't current on your
license to operate a 2 way

-Paul

This is a very valid techinique.
It is not to be used in place of normal comm procedures,
or to substitute for poor planning, but I have been party to using it
in several situations.

Local pilot wanders off on first Spring X-C, with no ship batteries,
poor handheld batteries, and more enthusiasm than sense.
When the day overbuilds and cuts him off from home, he outlands.
He calls in the blind on the 'approach' frequency, and gets an
enroute G.A. pilot to switch to the home airport CTAF and relay a
message. The airplane pilot handled his changes off/on to the
ATC frequency. Very considerate airplane guy, and happy to involve
himself. Knowing the enroute local ATC frfequency was about the
best part of the day's execution by that glider pilot.

Tonopah Nationals .... big CBs end the day, folks scattered all
over creation. Contest Air goes up to relay line-of-sight for crews
and
pilots seeking each other. Poor radio quality due to the HEAVY
rain showers and interior glider cockpit noise on the ground,
and lightning in many quadrants. Contest Air goes home. One
crew was enterprising enough to use scan function on their handy-
talkie and ask the airliner to switch for an 'urgent' relay. The
airliner
reached the pilot, now not in heavy rain on the ground, and got
his position and handed data to crew.

Remember to WAIT for the relay time and the other party out of
range to answer to the relaying airborn machine, rather than
stepping on transmissions. . .

Region 12 contest at Inyokern, 1999? Beloved silly Fred Ebner had
not been heard from and it was long after dark. We had launched
Contest Air for relays, sent Air on course line ( love those AST's
for finding folks late in the evenings), still never raised the pilot.
Phoned ATC to ask for the assistance on both possible
frequencies, and handled listening and thank yous from the
contest HQ ground. Three airplanes tried to help that
night. Turns out, Fred was hiking from the wrong side of the
Owens River, with no hand held, to cross the water and reach the
highway. He was tired, dry, cranky, and not in the mood to be
reprimanded for not either 1)staying with the glider, or 2) having
a ground communication method during the walk or 3) relaying
out from the glider prior to walking. We were certain to thank
ATC for their help with a follow up phone call when we found Fred.

Landouts can be serious for pilot health and safety in the
'boonies'. Communications can be important to prevent
unneccesary search or worries. If the radio work is handled
fairly professionally, with good cause, no one (FAA/FCC)
will make a fuss.

Cindy B
www.caracolesoaring.com

Please do call on 121.5!

I am one of the few looking for entertainment at FL 410 flying a
Citation Sovereign, and I have sat phone in this plane.

Besides, I'll be more than likely jealous of all theses CU's I will
have seen way, way below, and I wanna know how your day went!!!...:-)

Richard, limo driver
ASW19 on days off...
Phoenix,AZ

In other words, making an (emergency?) call on common
frequencies to establish contact with a private or commercial flight,
with the request to relay the information to your intended contact by
radio or phone.



Unless things have changed, commercial (Airliners) do not monitor 121.5.
Bob

Flying out of Marfa Texas, about 5 years ago a couple of us landed out
- and I do mean out. I had to hike a few miles past several jack
rabbits, and many spiders and snakes to the only ranch house on
200,000 acres.
We were having little luck with cell phones so I tried to get an
airliner to relay. I called on 121.5 multiple times. We were just in
such a remote area I got no response.
Luckily we did not have an emergency because we had no luck with the
airliner relay.

I'd try the scan function on my handheld radio next time as that is a
good suggestion.
How else would you know what frequency to try to call on?

I figured that a 5w handheld radio would have a pretty good range to
reach airliners at cruising height.

Chris

I don't know about that. My club uses handhelds for the field crew,
and at 4,000 to 5,000 feet 2 to 3 miles away from the field you cannot
hear the field radios at all (although they can easily hear a glider
radio from that distance and height).

-John

Chris Ruf wrote:
I figured that a 5w handheld radio would have a pretty good range to
reach airliners at cruising height.

Earlier this summer, I answered a call on 123.300 from an glider pilot
flying overhead at FL370 asking how things were down there. So, I think
there are still many listening on frequencies we use, and on 121.500.

I also remember hearing Ned Wilson tell of calling a tower on 121.500 and
apologizing because he didn't know their frequency. By all means, use
121.500 if you need it. Tell them it is not life threatening (if indeed
it isn't), and someone will be happy to help.

This same tower had previously (not that day) not responded to calls by a
glider on their frequency. The glider was in their airspace and might be
needing to land at their airport. After his third or fourth call, the
tower responded in a winded voice "Say again calling tower? We were out
watching the glider!"

Steve Leonard

On Sep 20, 7:16*pm, Chris Ruf wrote:
Flying out of Marfa Texas, about 5 years ago a couple of us landed out
- and I do mean out. *I had to hike a few miles past several jack
rabbits, and many spiders and snakes to the only ranch house on
200,000 acres.
We were having little luck with cell phones so I tried to get an
airliner to relay. *I called on 121.5 multiple times. *We were just in
such a remote area I got no response.
*Luckily we did not have an emergency because we had no luck with the
airliner relay.

I'd try the scan function on my handheld radio next time as that is a
good suggestion.
How else would you know what frequency to try to call on?

I figured that a 5w handheld radio would have a pretty good range to
reach airliners at cruising height.

Chris

I teach power-plane instruction as well as glider and teach my
students to monitor 121.5 if they can, while remaining on the assigned
frequency. I've also heard a number of airlines contacted by ATC and
asked to monitor 121.5 and they almost always reply that it is their
standard procedure.

The chances of someone listening to 121.5 is pretty good but as noted
above, not guarenteed.

Mike

On Sep 20, 8:15*pm, Robert Gaines
wrote:
In other words, making an (emergency?) call on common

frequencies to establish contact with a private or commercial flight,
with the request to relay the information to your intended contact by
radio or phone.

Unless things have changed, commercial (Airliners) do not monitor 121.5.
*Bob

My understanding is that since 9/11 this has changed and they do often
monitor 121.5 while enroute.

However I would love to hear from some of the airline pilots to
confirm or refute this information.

The glider pilots/airline pilots I know also often monitor 123.3. I
will check with them when I get a change to see if they routinely
monitor 121.5.

Brian
CFIIG/ASE