Posted: Sun Nov 07, 2010 11:01 pm Post subject: Confirm your squawk
After a cross contry flight,in a R22, i was coming back in to my home airfield. It was a weekend and i had to over fly a CTZ of an aerodrome who was not responding on their tower/zone frequency. No problem, however on the drive to my usual airfield i drive past foresaid CTZ and noted that there was traffic in the circuit.
So no response, no problem climb to 3000ft, and keep and good look out and monitor the frequency. My home airfield is right next to this CTZ which i am now 3000ft above. so it results in a rapid decent, almost in auto, in order to make circuit hight.
I did my pre landers,change frequency and monitor traffic, carb heat full, cyclic trim off, and eyeball any traffic i can hear in the circuit.
I make the call, and get clearance to join the circuit, still looking for traffic.
ATC then asks me to check my squawk, to my dismay i look down and see 7700 set and the little orange light flashing its ass off as a reminder that all eyes are on me.
I was mortified, D&D where on the phone with ATC waiting for me to make contact with ATC as i joined the circuit.
I felt like a little boy who had been caught coming home, late and both parents where in the living room waiting for me.
On the ground i felt flustered because i was 100% i checked it as part of my checks, and not to mention all my FREDATT checks at turning points.
The next day I rang D&D(I was very apologetic, they where very understanding) and spoke to the guy who was monitoring my aircraft, i had my suspicions, I asked him what time and location he picked my squawk up, and thanks to a wrist gps i wear which records all my flights and the info he gave me i was right in my suspicions.
whilst keeping eyes out looking for trafffic I push down on the cyclic trim knob whilst carrying out my pre landers, which happens to be in line with the 3rd and 4th dials of the transponder, as i push down on it the back of my hand knocked the 2nd dial from 0 to 7.
Morale of the story, be carefull when deselecting the trim on a R22 and the D&D are fast, I can compare it with Sauron from lord of the rings. _________________ R22/Squirrel
Last edited by JohnBoy on Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:06 am; edited 2 times in total
There is the need to move from side to side in order to see around the cyclic on the 22 and see all the digits on the transponder, not great if your squawking one digit out. I can see how it would happen.
I did wonder if the hijacked planes of 9/11 squawked 77? _________________ PPL (H)
R22
B206
If it moves i want a go
Joined: Dec 10, 2008 Posts: 118 Location: Portsmouth
Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 9:28 am Post subject:
I watched the film about the flight the passengers reportedly fought back on which crashed in to a field.
They suspected a plane was hijacked because an ATC controller heard a strange transmission in a foreign accent and wasn't responding to orders from ATC.
As part of the larger story, the main guy in charge asked if the suspect plane was squawking 7700, and apparently it wasn't. Which would make sense as the hijackers had pilot training and would know not to broadcast 7700.
Then the other planes crashed into their targets which confirmed suspicions of this flight. _________________ PPL(H) R22, R44, R66 (0.05 hours )
Hourbuilding...
Joined: Apr 27, 2005 Posts: 518 Location: SE England
Posted: Mon Nov 08, 2010 10:22 am Post subject:
Thanks for the story JohnBoy. Things like that are easily done, especially with big hands in a small helicopter.
I once received clearance to transit Biggin Hill's zone on the way back from the London Heliroutes but became suspicious when the radio went very quiet. A couple of orbits and a quick investigation revealed that when I moved my hand away from the radio I had accidentally turned the volume right down. Fortunately I made the right decision to remain outside the zone until I'd solved the problem (those jets are awfully quick when they take off...).
On another occasion, while wearing gloves, I managed to get one caught on the governor switch and flick it off. I don't wear them anymore. _________________ DBChopper
animal - wouldn't 7500 have been more appropriate?
JohnBoy - good tale, and reminds us all how superb the guys are on the D&D cell! I bet they were glad of something to do... and even more pleased when it was a false alarm! _________________ J.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Online Stats: 
Membership:
Most Ever Online
)
