NORDO - Anyone doing it?

N659HB

N659HB

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I'm faced with the opportunity of flying a NORDO aircraft cross country. Never done it on purpose. For those who fly NORDO regularly, or exclusively, can you provide some insights/tips?

Thanks!
 
Don't do it. Because if you do you'll never want to go back to the talky submarine driving flying.
Walkie talkie to base please advise when I need to look out the porthole
 
But- but if you're NORDO, you can't ask "ATITAPA" at every stop along the way!! :hairraise:

Seriously, I would probably bring a handheld just in case, for a long trip. A diversion might find you in tower-controlled airspace or whatever, and a handheld provides inexpensive convenience in those situations.
 
N659HB said:
I'm faced with the opportunity of flying a NORDO aircraft cross country. Never done it on purpose. For those who fly NORDO regularly, or exclusively, can you provide some insights/tips?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Don't wear the headset, it makes you look silly.
 
I carry a handheld, but I rarely talk on it between take-off and landing unless I'm legally required to do so (which is almost never, by design).

I find radios (and pretty much all electronics) to be annoying distractions from the reasons I fly, which are partially based around the desire to get away from both electronics and from people pestering me. Sauseege his own, I guess.

-Rich
 
Get a handheld with a headset adapter. Works great. I use one in a cub.

There is no reason to go NORDO on a trip that long. I won't go as far as saying its dangerous, but its a great convenience. I've had to call up FSS once or twice in the cub on a short x/c. Its nice to be able to check AWOS and winds. Especially if you are flying a small, slow, light airplane with limited range.

One day I was flying home on an xc trip and the winds were really ripping. I picked up the weather for my fuel stop airport about 30 minutes out. It was gusting to 20 at a direct crosswind which could be a real problem. If I had not been able to put it down, I would barely have enough fuel to make it to an airport with a crosswind runway. So I diverted directly to the airport with the crosswind runway.
(don't hate on my fuel planning, the cub only holds 12 gallons)
 
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N659HB said:
I'm faced with the opportunity of flying a NORDO aircraft cross country. Never done it on purpose. For those who fly NORDO regularly, or exclusively, can you provide some insights/tips?
Click to expand...

You say that as if there's something difficult or dangerous about not using a radio.

Thus, the first tip is to change your mindset. You don't think anything about getting in your car and driving across the country without a radio, right? Why should you worry about doing the same in your plane?

The radio is a TOOL, nothing more. You use it when you need to, the rest of the time you don't. The most important uses for my headset are ANR and being hooked up to my MP3 player, and about half of my flying is XC.
 
I fly NORDO all of the time. Brodhead, Oshkosh and other busy fly-ins are no problem.
I typically fly less than 1000 AGL where there isn't a lot of traffic.
When approaching an airport I do S turns to increase my visibility to other traffic. I fly standard approaches and watch carefully for other traffic.

Greg
 
SoloEqs said:
You say that as if there's something difficult or dangerous about not using a radio.

Thus, the first tip is to change your mindset. You don't think anything about getting in your car and driving across the country without a radio, right? Why should you worry about doing the same in your plane?

The radio is a TOOL, nothing more. You use it when you need to, the rest of the time you don't. The most important uses for my headset are ANR and being hooked up to my MP3 player, and about half of my flying is XC.
Click to expand...

Now that's more like it. Now, please describe how you integrate into the flow of traffic at your destination (not home) airport.
 
gcardinal said:
I fly NORDO all of the time. Brodhead, Oshkosh and other busy fly-ins are no problem.
I typically fly less than 1000 AGL where there isn't a lot of traffic.
When approaching an airport I do S turns to increase my visibility to other traffic. I fly standard approaches and watch carefully for other traffic.

Greg
Click to expand...

Thanks. That's the kind of practical info I was looking for!
 
One of the things I appreciate about the radio is AWOS information. I feel better prepared when approaching my destination. But I could get that from a handheld scanner I already own.
 
N659HB said:
One of the things I appreciate about the radio is AWOS information. I feel better prepared when approaching my destination. But I could get that from a handheld scanner I already own.
Click to expand...

I have a handheld transceiver but rarely transmit as that depletes the battery pretty quick. I use it primarily to receive CTAF and AWOS, and as a second tach.
 
N659HB said:
One of the things I appreciate about the radio is AWOS information. I feel better prepared when approaching my destination. But I could get that from a handheld scanner I already own.
Click to expand...
What do you really "need" from the AWOS? Seriously, you should have somewhat an idea what to expect when you get there, but if you need the winds just look at the wind sock.
 
N659HB said:
Now that's more like it. Now, please describe how you integrate into the flow of traffic at your destination (not home) airport.
Click to expand...

Use a standard pattern entry. There is really nothing to it.
 
flyingmoose said:
What do you really "need" from the AWOS? Seriously, you should have somewhat an idea what to expect when you get there, but if you need the winds just look at the wind sock.
Click to expand...

I need the weather observation to determine if I should continue the flight.
 
flyingmoose said:
What do you really "need" from the AWOS? Seriously, you should have somewhat an idea what to expect when you get there, but if you need the winds just look at the wind sock.
Click to expand...

He didn't say he needed it...

If you look at my previous post, I have a pretty good example of how it can come in handy. Ya can't read a windsock from 20 miles away :)
 
roncachamp said:
I need the weather observation to determine if I should continue the flight.
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Yep, checking weather at airports ahead of you on your route is a great tool to keep tabs on weather when flying a long trip.

If it is some kind of personal goal to make the trip NORDO then by all means, go for it. Otherwise, if you can borrow a handheld with a headset adapter, I think you'll find it a very worthwhile investment on a long distance trip.
 
dell30rb said:
He didn't say he needed it...
Click to expand...
I know he didn't use the word "need" but i was asking what you needed.

dell30rb said:
If you look at my previous post, I have a pretty good example of how it can come in handy.
Click to expand...

Sure and xm weather on the g-1000 is handy too, but not necessary.

dell30rb said:
Ya can't read a windsock from 20 miles away :)
Click to expand...

True, but you don't need to know the winds 20 miles away either.

Not trying to pick a fight or anything, but OP was asking about NORDO ops. If one wishes to take a handheld, go for it. Or if you want to listen to weather 20miles away...ok. Heck just wear the headset.:D
 
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