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Posted: 4/25/2021 5:05:20 PM EDT
Over my house and the Grass Strip I fly out of has a lot of Helicopters that pass over as well as the Life Flights Flying VFR along the Interstate:  What should/shouldn't I communicate when I'm buzzing around at <2,000ft-70 knots?  They typically are higher, and of course WAY more Pilot than I'll ever be, but I don't want to be "that guy"  

FWIW we're pretty rural with the only controlled airspace being Fort Drum/Wheeler Sack AAF 25 miles or Syracuse 50 miles.
Link Posted: 4/25/2021 6:23:08 PM EDT
[#1]
Key up the mic and use the call sign Ball Dragger 87.





Link Posted: 4/25/2021 7:26:06 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
.... I'm buzzing around at <2,000ft-70 knots?  They typically are higher.....
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Ask them if they learned how to fly that high in flight school.
Link Posted: 4/25/2021 8:50:11 PM EDT
[#3]
They should be monitoring Guard, but I'm not sure if I'd be calling them up on Guard. The might be monitoring helicopter air-to-air on 123.025 but that's a crapshoot.
Link Posted: 4/25/2021 9:05:36 PM EDT
[#4]
IIRC 122.75 is the only legal air-to-air fixed wing frequency outside of controlled airspace.

A lot of folks do 123.45 but that's not an assigned air-to-air freq.

In my state there's an organization (Arizona Flight Training Workgroup) that keeps track of assigned frequencies for un-controlled practice areas.

The frequency is almost always 122.75 MHz.
Link Posted: 4/25/2021 10:13:43 PM EDT
[#5]
What do you fly?
Link Posted: 4/26/2021 4:29:09 AM EDT
[#6]
Quoted:
Over my house and the Grass Strip I fly out of has a lot of Helicopters that pass over as well as the Life Flights Flying VFR along the Interstate:  What should/shouldn't I communicate when I'm buzzing around at <2,000ft-70 knots?  They typically are higher, and of course WAY more Pilot than I'll ever be, but I don't want to be "that guy"  

FWIW we're pretty rural with the only controlled airspace being Fort Drum/Wheeler Sack AAF 25 miles or Syracuse 50 miles.
View Quote


Ah, I have fond memories of Wheeler Sack Army Airfield, very cold memories.
Link Posted: 4/26/2021 5:14:07 AM EDT
[#7]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
They should be monitoring Guard, but I'm not sure if I'd be calling them up on Guard. The might be monitoring helicopter air-to-air on 123.025 but that's a crapshoot.
View Quote


Should be up on UHF And VHF Guard and see if your little grass strip has a CTAF frequency,  If there is one and they are transiting near it the my have it up.  

An ultralight pilot I take it or Recreational, get your VFR ticket and then you use hand signals just like in Top Gun .....
Link Posted: 4/26/2021 6:08:16 AM EDT
[#8]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
What do you fly?
View Quote

Ultralite
Link Posted: 4/26/2021 6:43:36 AM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
IIRC 122.75 is the only legal air-to-air fixed wing frequency outside of controlled airspace.
View Quote
Sort of. The problem is that the FAA never assigned a universal working (not emergency) frequency between all types of aircraft and aircraft operations. This has lead to the unofficial frequency of 123.45, which some call "fingers". And 122.75 is so noisy that 123.45 is simply more usable. Interestingly, it is a legit frequency for oceanic operations and all transoceanic aircraft monitor it.

Helicopters will often monitor 123.025 as a "point of pride". It's like waving to people who have the same car as you. Plus helicopters do tend to flock together, with news, EMS and military often over the same emergency.

The best legit answer is to get your private airport registered with your state and the FAA, on the sectional chart, and assigned a frequency. Then in the AFD notes be sure it says "Ultralight operations frequently in the vicinity", etc. This is not as hard as it sounds. I have a private heliport registered on my property. However that is still no guarantee that anyone will monitor or self announce as they pass by.
Link Posted: 5/1/2021 9:39:22 AM EDT
[#10]
Make sure to call them Maverick or Iceman. They love that.
Link Posted: 5/1/2021 2:20:30 PM EDT
[#11]
Want to keep them clear of your property?
Erect a 50 foot tower and put a light on it.

Modern problem
Modern solution.
Link Posted: 5/2/2021 5:47:20 PM EDT
[#12]
FYI - a lot of military aircraft are UHF only equipped.  That could limit your ability to talk with them.
Link Posted: 5/4/2021 11:28:33 AM EDT
[#13]
I sure wish the FAA would have allowed portable ADS-B out devices, like they have in Europe.
Link Posted: 5/4/2021 2:54:14 PM EDT
[#14]
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Quoted:
I sure wish the FAA would have allowed portable ADS-B out devices, like they have in Europe.
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That would not help in this case. US military aircraft are mostly still not even equipped with ADS-B out, much less ADS-B in (TIS-B, in this case).
Link Posted: 5/4/2021 5:12:56 PM EDT
[#15]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:

That would not help in this case. US military aircraft are mostly still not even equipped with ADS-B out, much less ADS-B in (TIS-B, in this case).
View Quote View All Quotes
View All Quotes
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
Quoted:
I sure wish the FAA would have allowed portable ADS-B out devices, like they have in Europe.

That would not help in this case. US military aircraft are mostly still not even equipped with ADS-B out, much less ADS-B in (TIS-B, in this case).


Huh...  Well, I still wish they were allowed in the US.

Are military aircraft generally on an instrument flight plan when on cross country?
Link Posted: 5/4/2021 5:17:28 PM EDT
[#16]
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Quoted:


Huh...  Well, I still wish they were allowed in the US.

Are military aircraft generally on an instrument flight plan when on cross country?
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Army helicopters are generally not.
Link Posted: 5/5/2021 6:26:21 PM EDT
[#17]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
FYI - a lot of military aircraft are UHF only equipped.  That could limit your ability to talk with them.
View Quote

Looking at the Airfield Frequencies, they have both high and low band for each operation.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/GTB
You'd think I would run into a Pilot out there, but they're too snooty for the Grounds Keepers.
Link Posted: 5/6/2021 11:53:25 AM EDT
[#18]
I flew out of Drum 2012 to 2015.  The blackhawks can and do use VHF frequencies, and SOP for us as we passed an uncontrolled field was to monitor CTAF if it was published on the sectional.  Don't know if that's still the case though.  As for what to tell them when they fly by, a position report (including altitude) is usually sufficient.  

Unless you happen to know of a pretty woman sunbathing nearby.  That's a mandatory report and almost guarantees mid-air collisions.  
Link Posted: 5/6/2021 2:21:36 PM EDT
[#19]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Quoted:
I flew out of Drum 2012 to 2015.  The blackhawks can and do use VHF frequencies, and SOP for us as we passed an uncontrolled field was to monitor CTAF if it was published on the sectional.  Don't know if that's still the case though.  As for what to tell them when they fly by, a position report (including altitude) is usually sufficient.  

Unless you happen to know of a pretty woman sunbathing nearby.  That's a mandatory report and almost guarantees mid-air collisions.  
View Quote

Well you don't see too many pretty women up here, so I suppose that's not an issue.  
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