Comms after Light Gun

V

Vintage71

Filing Flight Plan
Joined
Dec 16, 2024
Messages
1
Display Name
Vintage71
Recently landed at my towered airport and was told to exit on taxiway foxtrot and over to ground. I did just that, but I got no response on the ground frequency. I waited a moment and called again. I then double checked that I had the right frequency and that the tower was still open and then did a basic radio check. I was about to switch over to tower when I noticed the light gun pointed at me and flashing green lights. I went ahead and taxi to my hangar. Looking back, I think I should've made some sort of call---transmitting in the blind, I'm not sure.
 
I think you did everything by the book. Only thing I may have done differently would be to switch back to query tower earlier. And maybe after the light gun just to be on a working frequency to monitor in case something comes up on my way to the hangar. I think the ground controller is frequently sitting next to or close to the tower controller at smaller fields, so it would be easy to relay.

Also, sometimes there are dead spots with a certain airplane in a certain orientation at a certain spot on an airport where you may not get comms. In that case, you could try to get a hold of them again after taxiing forward or turning just a little, but at least after getting the light gun signals.

At any rate, all stuff you could have done tried but you wouldn’t have been more correct. Nice job handling a weird one. Also, thanks for reminding me to review light gun signals, haha.

-Joe
 
but how do you know the light was really pointed to you?
Like when in a crowd and someone waves to you....but they're not waving to you, they are waving to someone just behind you.....

How tight is the beam on those guns?
 
This happened to me once. I had accidentally turned the volume all the way down.....

Brad W said:
but how do you know the light was really pointed to you?
Like when in a crowd and someone waves to you....but they're not waving to you, they are waving to someone just behind you.....

How tight is the beam on those guns?
Click to expand...
You can tell. It's a spotlight.
 
The light gun is fairly directional. THere's a sight on the top of it so you know you've got it pointed at the pilot in question. In 44 years of flying I got a light gun once. On takeoff right after having electrical work done I smelled something burning. I told the tower at MRB that I was coming back to land and was turning off the master. I got chased down the runway by the ANG CFR brigade. When they decided I was going to burn up, they had the tower give me a green light so I could taxi back to the shop.
 
Lindberg said:
This happened to me once. I had accidentally turned the volume all the way down.....


You can tell. It's a spotlight.
Click to expand...
I’ve worked as a sort of military tower controller (RSU for you military types) and we had a light gun for contingencies. It is indeed a very narrow beam spotlight.
 
Yeah, I’d give a few tries then go right back to tower, after double-checking everything.
 
I had my first experience with light gun signals on Saturday. I was on a flight from KOPL to KMEZ and noticed a drop in bus voltage about 60mi from SHV. It started dropping about 1V every few minutes. Abeam SHV I called approach, asked for a divert into SHV and was given a straight in clearance to RW24 (literally, nearly straight from my position) and descent from 10K at PD. Within a couple of minutes, I lost comms, then the entire panel went dark except the pair of b/u GI275's. Fortunately I was severe VMC to the RW. I got my first experience with the emergency gear pump on the 210, which worked flawlessly. No flap landing and uneventful roll out. I held position just clear of the HS line on a taxiway while looking up the twr phone number. While doing so, they gave me the flashing greens so I taxi'ed to the FBO. I was able to reach the twr on cell just before getting the greens so I ended the call. After shutdown, while in the FBO, I attempted to contact the twr to discuss the event and see if they would have had me do anything differently but I was unable to reach them.
 
Last edited:
For me, it would depend a bit on where I was. Long taxi, I'd try to communicate in some way like go back to Tower on the chance that it was them not me. Ramp just opposite the taxiway from me and no ground traffic in sight, I'm crossing to the ramp.
 
Lindberg said:
This happened to me once. I had accidentally turned the volume all the way down.....


You can tell. It's a spotlight.
Click to expand...
Its easy to do---when landing in lakes I tend to turn the radios down to avoid any distractions or chatter. If you are doing a lot of "water work" and splash and goes for an extended period of time, its easy to take off and start making radio calls seemingly into the void with no response---which means---I forgot to turn the volume back up with the departure.
 
WJG-GMT-RootBeer said:
Its easy to do---when landing in lakes I tend to turn the radios down to avoid any distractions or chatter. If you are doing a lot of "water work" and splash and goes for an extended period of time, its easy to take off and start making radio calls seemingly into the void with no response---which means---I forgot to turn the volume back up with the departure.
Click to expand...
The lesson i learned is don't turn the radio down, turn it off. Then there's no confusion.
 
Lindberg said:
The lesson i learned is don't turn the radio down, turn it off. Then there's no confusion.
Click to expand...
That is actually not a bad idea---other than I'd want to have it handy and ready in the event of an unexpected event. But hey--certainly an option to keep in mind.
 
Brad W said:
but how do you know the light was really pointed to you?
Like when in a crowd and someone waves to you....but they're not waving to you, they are waving to someone just behind you.....

How tight is the beam on those guns?
Click to expand...
The size varies between towers. Most class D airports they are about a 8” lens. 1756330181117.jpeg
 
Last edited:
On my float check ride we had a radio failure in my plane. I didn’t know what to do. My check rider told me to continue inbound like normal and we’d watch for the light gun. When I turned final the afternoon sun was directly in line with the tower cab. We were literally looking at the dun. We couldn’t see a thing. Once floats touched water the radio came on. I called my taxi to tower, and they asked if I saw the gun okay. My check rider elbowed me and said “just say yes.”
 
Same thing happened to a friend of mine, but he wasn't sure what to do as it wasn't a standard light signal.

1759920359050.png
 
Fun fact: we can only buy light guns from one company out of Canada. They’re about $3500 apiece and towers must have two.
 
So, if possible, why not just call the control tower on your cell to re establish coms?
 
WDD said:
So, if possible, why not just call the control tower on your cell to re establish coms?
Click to expand...
How do you find the number, assuming you haven't planned for that ahead of time, because you assumed your radio would work? :-)
 
deyoung said:
How do you find the number, assuming you haven't planned for that ahead of time, because you assumed your radio would work? :-)
Click to expand...
Good question. Being the geek that I am, I do have a few numbers at towered fields I frequent. I keep them in my knee board note book. A page for each common airport. I could also I supposed call one of the several clearance delivery phone numbers, and they could / might be able to transfer me / connect me / give me the tower number some how.

Just trying to think outside the box on options for lost coms.
 
deyoung said:
How do you find the number, assuming you haven't planned for that ahead of time, because you assumed your radio would work? :-)
Click to expand...
WDD said:
Good question. Being the geek that I am, I do have a few numbers at towered fields I frequent.
Click to expand...
Many numbers you can find in your EFB. But have you ever called 1800WXBRIEF (800-992-7433)? Ever really listen to the initial menu prompt... or just go for the one to enter your state? :D

The first menu item so many of us ignore happens to say "If this is an inflight Emergency, Press 9" That will put you in touch with someone that can reach any facility you need.
 
M20K said:
Many numbers you can find in your EFB. But have you ever called 1800WXBRIEF (800-992-7433)? Ever really listen to the initial menu prompt... or just go for the one to enter your state? :D

The first menu item so many of us ignore happens to say "If this is an inflight Emergency, Press 9" That will put you in touch with someone that can reach any facility you need.
Click to expand...
Good point - thanks! I have called it in the past, but I admit not so much recently, since I use the web site instead these days. Good reminder!
 
  • Like
Reactions: WDD
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top