Radio Station License

[Jim Hardin]

I heard an ultralight on the radio the other day and got curious what sort of FCC Station license one uses in that instance???

[Anymouse]

I heard an ultralight on the radio the other day and got curious what sort of FCC Station license one uses in that instance???

Assuming the ultralight stays domestic, no FCC Radiostation License is required.

[FlyingRon]

As Anymouse says none is required:

47 CFR 87.18

(b) An aircraft station is licensed by rule and does not need an individual license issued by the FCC if the aircraft station is not required by statute, treaty, or agreement to which the United States is signatory to carry a radio, and the aircraft station does not make international flights or communications. Even though an individual license is not required, an aircraft station licensed by rule must be operated in accordance with all applicable operating requirements, procedures, and technical specifications found in this part.

The unanswered question is what identification he used with an unregistered vehicle. Unfortunately, the FAA ACs for Ultralight are woefully out of date with regard to the above regulation.

[WLIU]

I will suggest that just calling "Ultralight left downwind for runway xxxx" is an effective radio call. I can't read N numbers from 2000' away anyway. I hear more pilots these days using "Oshkosh" calls such as "Red low wing is left downwind...." which is actually more informative than "Nxyz downwind".

Homebuilts start their radio calls with "Experimental Nxyz..." which might have been informative back in the days when homebuilts were uncommon and usually slow, but in the 21st century where the airplane could be anything from an 80mph Breezy to a 200kt Lancair IVP, that call is pretty useless.

I observe that these days too many pilots talk to much and communicate too little. Mindlessly reading from the script isn't getting the job done.

Best of luck,

Wes
N78PS - the white biplane on downwind

[FlyingRon]

It may be USELESS, but it's required by the regulation and is recommended by the AIM.

The FCC doesn't say "Make up any callsign you like that you personally think is a good idea" it says USE EITHER the one on your station license OR one assigned by the FAA. Unfortunately, all the information the FAA has put out (mostly older advisory circulars) says Ultralights should use "ULTRALIGHT" followed by their station license ID.

I've sent an inquiry to the part of the FAA that administers assigning callsigns. We'll see if we get an answer.

[WLIU]

Hey I have a BFR coming up to perhaps you can help me out. Which chapter of 14 CFR 91 says that when flying in the traffic pattern of an airport in Class G airspace I have to talk on the radio? It does not jump out at me.

Thanks!

Wes
N78PS

[pacerpilot]

I'm with Wes on the ID thing. A quick description in a congested fly in traffic pattern is a whole lot better than a tail number. I do this on initial contact/entry to downwind.

[FlyingRon]

Hey I have a BFR coming up to perhaps you can help me out. Which chapter of 14 CFR 91 says that when flying in the traffic pattern of an airport in Class G airspace I have to talk on the radio? It does not jump out at me.

Nobody said you had to have a radio. The question is if you have one what the preferred (and legal) procedure is.

[WLIU]

That said, where do I find a regulation that says what I am required to say on the radio. I see lots of non-regulatory guidance but I either do not see, or have forgotten where, there is an actual paragraph in the Code of Federal Regulations that specifies the language. AIM is not regulatory. Convention is not regulatory. Should I be looking in FCC stuff? What say the experts?

Thanks,

Wes
N78PS

[skier]

That said, where do I find a regulation that says what I am required to say on the radio.

You're not required to say anything and I know plenty of pilots that do just that.