NORDO!

Nordo is an acronym meaning "No Radio". It refers to a plane which has suddenly lost radio contact with air traffic controllers.

In an earlier post I asked the following questions: How many people, for instance, know what to do in the case of a complete radio loss? What Transponder code do you use? How do you approach an airfield to land without the radio? What do the signals mean?

I promised the answers in a future post so here they are: (The assumption here is that you are flying VFR with a transponder. If you are flying IFR the procedure is much different and more complicated. See the AIP for more details)

In case of a complete radio loss it is vital to let ATC know. The quickest way to do that is to dial in the correct transponder frequency. In the UK this is 7600. In most radar controlled ATC units this will automatically add a label to your aircraft signal which wil indicate "Radio Failure".

However it is useful to actually ensure you have had a radio failure. I remember on a recent flight I was returning to Thruxton and couldn't raise them on the radio at all. I tried several times, switching out of the frequency and back in. Then - on re-checking the radio - I realised I had missed their radio frequency by .25 Mhz on the dial. Once had rechecked I called them up again and they answered.

So the first thing to do is check your equipment: Check the frequency. Use a different radio if you have one. Use a different headset. Make sure your radio is actually receiving power (a lot of radios now have a separate power switch). Make sure the volume and squelch are at appropriate levels.

If you've done your trouble shooting and your radio is genuinely not working then squawk 7600 to let folks now. Find the nearest airfield and look for light signals from the ATSU.

Light signals:
The following light signals are standard:
Steady red: Give way to other aircraft in air. Stop if on ground
Red pyrotechnic light or red flare : Do no land, wait for permission
Red flashes: Do not land - aerodrome not available for landing (if flying). move clear of landing area (if on ground)
Green flashes: Return to aerodrome wait for permission to land (if flying). To aircraft: you may move on the manouvering area and apron. To vehicle: you may move on the manouvering area
Steady green: You may land (if flying). You may take off (if on ground)
White flashes: Land at this aerodrome after receiving continuous green light then, after receiving green flashes proceed to apron (if flying). Return to starting point on aerodrome (if on ground)

If you are an aircraft able to give light signal to an ATSU, these are the options
Red pyrotechnic light or red flare : May I land?
Steady green or flashing green or green pyrotechnic or flare: May I land (by night). May I land in a different direction to that indicate by the T? (by day)
White flashes or white pyrotechnic light or switching landing lights on and off or irregular flashing of Nav lights: I am compelled to land

Remember these, they could come in useful