This has become a popular question with our CC Skywave™.
According to Wikipedia, Airband, also referred to as Aircraft or Aviation band, is a group of frequencies in the VHF radio spectrum that are allocated to civil aviation radio communications. VHF is a short range, line of site transmission. Our radio covers 118 – 137MHz for Airband. In most countries a license is required to operate airband equipment but that appears to apply only to transceivers, not receivers. In some countries it is illegal to listen to or monitor the Airband without authorization (even in the UK).
The language that is used to communicate on this band can be a challenge to follow. Ken Hoke’s article on Stuff Pilots Say, gives some great insight into the meaning of the seemingly cryptic language used on Airband.
The primary purpose of Air traffic control worldwide is to prevent collisions, organize and expedite the flow of traffic, and provide information and other support for pilots. It was difficult to find any “history” of airband but it appears that it was first used extensively after World War I and after 1921 at Croydon airport in London. Navigation and air traffic control have changed over time and many areas use higher frequencies and RADAR and other more sophisticated systems. The Airband radio frequencies still continue to play a part though, especially in ground communication with pilots. It is used almost exclusively in small airports that don’t have control towers. We have one customer who plans to use the CC Skywave for monitoring the ground to pilot communication at the local air races.
As to why we decided to include Airband in our radio? Here is Bob’s answer:
“When you are in a big airport you are sometimes subject to the whims of security and circumstance. TSA does a great job but when the process gets a little tense I yearn for more information. I want to know everything that will affect my tiny domain. When you listen to aviation band you can usually figure out more by reading between the lines on what pilots and the control tower are talking about. Sometimes you gain a sense of power and wisdom as you do with any knowledge.”
For more information on what you might hear or how to listen, visit the links below.
http://radio-scanner-guide.com/radioscannerguidepart3c-civilaircraft.htm
http://www.wikihow.com/Listen-to-Your-Local-Air-Traffic-Control
Tell us your best airline story in the comments below.
Best time in an airplane was the 4 seater out to Catalina from San Diego and back.
Best time in an airplane is when I fly my own – a Diamond Star DA 40 !!!!!
I grew up in Wausau, Wisconsin and we had family in Ohio we would visit each summer. Sometimes we traveled by train, sometimes we traveled by car, and on a few occasions by plane. We would fly out of Central Wisconsin Airport on North Central Airlines. When I was six or seven years old, we flew on an old prop jet from Central Wisconsin to Milwaukee on our way to Ohio. The flight was so bumpy that I had terrible air sickness and when we landed in Milwaukee our family had to rush to catch our connecting flight. I remember being dragged through the airport, sick and very dizzy, by my mother. I still remember my great relief when we finally were seated on the connecting flight and I realized the plane we had boarded in Milwaukee was a jet with no propellers. The stewardess gave me a pill for motion sickness, my stomach settled down and the rest of the flight to Ohio was smooth with no turbulence. Thank Goodness.
When I was a boy in the 1950’s my older brother, Chip, and I were taken on a flight halfway across the U.S. on a United Airlines propellor powered airliner. I was an exciting trip and my brother and I were taken to the pilots cabin for a short chat, a view and to receive our ‘wings’.
I used to work for Midwest Airlines as an aircraft groomer. It was our responsibility to do security checks and to clean the interior of the aircraft, preparing it for departure the next morning. We took great pride in the cleanliness of the cabin, especially the lavatories. Occasionally, as were finishing up, the flight crew would arrive and board the aircraft for the first flight of the day. I would tell the flight attendants to not be surprised to see passengers lined up with their food trays waiting to use the restroom. When asked why, I told them they all would want to eat their meals off the restroom floor: it was THAT clean. The looks on their faces was priceless.
We love PWM- that’s the Portland Maine Jetport. We are also VERY happy that Southwest flies out of PWM. I have two C. Crane radios- one small battery one for travel and an Internet one for “World Traveling in my Mind!!!” LOVE them both. Especially enjoy NOLA Jazz stations and stations from places that aren’t presently buried hip deep in snow!!!
In 1970, a friend and I flew from a small Tennessee town to New York City. This was when you dressed up to fly, and you were served a decent catered meal..and you had room to move in your seat. Anyway, it took us a week to plan out our outfits for the flight….we didn’t want to look like “country goes to city”. So….here we are, me in my red and black hooded hounds tooth cape with a red wool dress….all I was missing was a basket, a wolf and a grandma…. and my friend in her Easter outfit looking a lot like Jackie O. in her pale green pillbox hat and matching two piece suit. They started the flight serving us Cordon Bleu ( neither of us knew it was chicken and we sure as Hell were not asking thus taking away from our cosmopolitan air). After we cautiously cut into it, we discovered It was just fancy oven fried chicken stuffed with leftover ham and cheese and served with a sauce. I quickly devoured it and washed it down with a tomato juice ( that looked more refined that a cola). So we are flying the friendly skies, looking all grown up and polished, when we hit extreme turbulence. My friend’s pill box hat flew across the aisle and as she jumped up to grab it my catered meal and tomato juice made a second appearance all over the both of us. We both erupted in boisterous laughter and red faced embarrassment as the nice stewardess helped clean us up and then gave us both a pair of wings to wear on our outfits. Good memories…
I miss Piedmont & Eastern Airlines. Loved flying Eastern out of Charlotte Douglas Airport.
About 20 years ago I was flying home to SeaTac Airport from SFO. We we on final approach, touched down when all 9f a sudden it was full throttle and climbing. One we leveled of, the pilots calm drawing voice came across the PA and said, “Those pesky airtraffic controllers tried to land us on top of a Cessna.” Then he chuckled. I figured if it didn’t bother him it shouldn’t bother me.
As a ‘Navy Brat’, our family got moved around a lot. We were stationed for a time at a Naval Air Station in Norfolk, VA, which was great. We were able to go to several air shows on the base while we were there. Saw the Blue Angels several times and wished I had a radio to listen to all the action. Now I have a Sister who is a pilot and I wouldn’t mind listening in on some of the traffic on her flights.
Back in ’81, I was on a red-eye flight from Denver to Rock Springs, Wyoming on Frontier Airlines. It was just me and 5 guys from Minnesota who were on their way to the trona mines outside Green River.For whatever reason, along about the Colorado-Wyo border, I was the only one strapped in. Those 5 guys were drinking and carrying on; having a good ‘ole time! Ah yes! We hit an air pocket and DROPPED!! A LOT! All those dudes hit the ceiling, crap flying everywhere, screams of shock and pain- and then it was over. “Is everybody ok back there”? said some voice from above “you’d better stay buckled up because we’re going to hit some snowy weather”! When we approached the Rock Springs airport we had to circle a couple times while they plowed the runway- didn’t matter. When we touched down all seemed ok; and then we hit a patch of ice or snow and started sliding sideways! I don’t know what the Pilot did to prevent us flipping over, but we skidded to the end of the runway, a bit sideways, but none the worse for wear. Everybody smacked each others back and we ALL shook hands with the Pilot on the way out into the -5 degree Wyoming night.
My first time. I was with my father. We flew from Milwaukee to Chicago. The world seemed amazing and different. I was 9 or 10. This was around 1970.
In the 1980’s when I was flying to Korea to visit my brother and family who lived there, there was a water leak from the ceiling of the airplane which ultimately triggered the visit of not only the cabin crew, but also the cockpit crew who all looked up at the leak with some concern. As we flew over the wide expanse of the Pacific Ocean I could only think bad things. Ultimately nothing bad came of it, but I was quite worried when it happened.
When I was 10, I flew to Germany to stay with relatives for the summer. I flew on TWA from New York to London and then from there to Frankfurt where I transferred to a Lufthansa plane to go to Nurnburg. On that leg of my flight, the stewardesses give out apple, orange or tomato juice to everyone even the flight crew. About 10 minutes later we encountered severe clear air turbulence and our plane dropped 7,000 feet in 30 seconds. Everyone was vomiting including the flight crew and we continued to encounter turbulence for several minutes afterwards then everything calmed down as if nothing had happened but there were broken cups, dishes, saucers, glasses, pillows, luggage all over the cabin. They ran out of vomit bags and people kept throwing up until we landed. The interior of the plane and the cockpit were a mess and the plane had to be taken out of service. I asked the pilots how far we had dropped and they told me and one said he’d never experienced anything like it in either his flying for the Luftwaffe or as a commercial pilot. In those days we knew little of CAT as its called today. They say one’s life flashes before you but at 10 one hasn’t much of a life to see anything. People had been screaming when they weren’t throwing up & many of us feared we were going to crash. I’ve flown many times before and since but never experienced anythin like that. If it happened today it could have gotten on You Tube because I post there asThe Guy From Pittsburgh & I always have my Ipad, Go Pro or video camera or Iphone with me.
I’m 62 now.
We got in early to MSP and decided to get an earlier flight to LaCrosse – a hop/skip/jump trip. Everything is going smoothly and we are gaining speed to go airborne, when all of sudden, the brakes are hit!!! We sat on the Tarmac for hours, even watched the flight that we would have been on take off on time!!! Two(2) hours after our original flight, we were headed to LaCrosse….we would have been in LaCrosse earlier if we rented a car instead of trying to get the earlier flight!!
I am not sure if this is the same thing, but growing up my dad had a radio that was from a WW11 tank. We could hear all kinds of stuff on it. He used it for a base station for his CB radio. We could hear various broadcasts on it including civil service announcements, airplane conversations since we only lived a couple miles from Selfridge AFB in Mt. Clemens, Mi. and also communications between engineers and disc jockeys in radio stations.
As I type, I’m looking at a photograph on my wall of a Curtis Condor biplane airliner with an inset picture of Clarence Chamberlin in flying helmet and goggles. Chamberlin autographed the photo, which was purchased by my father when he took a ride on the plane out of the Westfield (NJ) airport, which was actually located in Clark, NJ, near the Garden State Parkway. Chamberlin was a famous early aviation pioneer who nearly beat Lindberg across the Atlantic. In the 1930’s, he made barnstorming tours across the country selling tickets for rides. In about 1974 I was treated for a dogbite I suffered while delivering mail in Westfield. As I sat on the examination table in Doc Herrington’s office on East Broad Street, I remarked to him about the picture of a Ryan stunt plane hanging on the wall. He said it was his plane which he flew out of the Westfield Airport before the war, when the plane was commandeered by the army for war use. He said he the engine would pull him straight up when he engaged the Hispano-Suza turbocharger.
Bill M. When I got married in 1972 my wife and I flew to St. Thomas, Virgin Islands for our honeymoon. I was scared of flying as I had never flown on a plane before. We had a wonderful week honeymoon and I forgot that I had to fly home at the honeymoon’s end. The flight home started ok. We got to New York area and the pilot said Logan airport in Boston, MA was all foggy. We flew around New York many times in a circle. I was scared out of my mind. Later we were able to land at Logan Airport in Boston. I got off the pane and actually kissed the ground. I’ll never forget how happy I was standing on hard ground. I have not flown since and don’t care if I ever do. Maybe I’ll miss seeing the world but I can see it on tv and in books. I hope you like my story because it is all true.
My favorite trip on any aircraft happened when I was a loadmaster on C-130 aircraft in Southeast Asia, 1970 – 71. On one sorty, with a student pilot at the controls, we hit a ditch about 150 ft. short of a very short (6oo ft) runway. Found out from the ground that our landing gear had been wiped out. Meanwhile, I had about 50.000 lbs. of missles in the rear, with not enough fuel left to jettison the load over the sea. So… the runway at the Saigon airfield was foamed, and we landed in what looked like the world’s biggest bubble bath, but… we all walked away!
I like to listen to the conversations between the crew and the airline companies. They will tell what kind of supplies they need for the next flight and what things may need to be repaired such as coffee makers or cabinet doors. They will also discuss crewing and the arrival gates.
I was an avid Utilities and SWL listener in the 80’s in the West Los Angeles area. On the Aviation band I listened to LAX tower and ground control, same for the Santa Monica municipal airport. I still have my Bearcat scanner and coupled with a discone antenna raised to about 30 feet in the air, had excellent reception (I used a long wire for SWL). I think I’ll dust off my old scanner and start listening again. Since I now live in Thousand Oaks (kind of half way between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara) I don’t expect the same traffic out of my local airport in Camarillo California. Oh, I almost forgot, to find where to listen to, you had to have a copy of the publication, Police Call, which gave you the assigned frequencies for each public department.
Well just as a former U.S. Marine VietNam veteran, I dont really like airports, alway’s saying “goodbye”/ yeah and “hello”. Just don’t enjoy the atmosphere. Heebeejeebies. But being a Ham Operator for almost 50 years, I like to tune into almost everything. Enjoyed reading other blogs…be safe pilots!
My story is about my older brother who was learning to fly and in fact working on his commercial license some years ago. He bought an old 2 seat single engine plane. He was in it one day when he spotted a flock of mallards. He eased up behind as he said he wanted to see how fast they were flying. Well, he got too close and clipped one with his propeller. It broke his prop and he managed to land in field with no injury to himself…only to the plane and the duck!
I met some people out at saline valley hotsprings who flew in and landed on that little strip out there
Best time is when I fly my own Diamond Star DA 40 – particularly when taking off through a stratus layer of clouds and emerging in the sun on top! Magical.
My most memorable experience when taking a commercial flight was seeing Joe DiMaggio standing in line at an airport counter. He was carrying his own suit bag. People came up to him to chat and he was nice to everyone. A real nice guy.
sorry to say i dont realy have a good airport story. i havnt been on a plane or at a airport in over ten years. all i rember is that i had to take my shoes off even though they were soposed to have stoped that. and i rember that i flew into las vegas and was very surprised how big the place was and that i had to take a sub way from were i got off to the plane to the main part of the airport.
To reach our Scuba-Diving base camp on one of the San Blas Islands off the coast of Panama, we had to fly in on a small, single engine plane, which then had to land on the narrowest, shortest dirt airstrip imaginable, by the shore and cut out of the brush. The landing and subsequent return take-off all went well, and made for an overall exciting adventure with the Cuna Indians. The scuba was also breathtaking.
I used to listen to the air band all the time as a kid but as I got older I went on to listen to other things. Mostly public safety and went on to become a 911 Dispatcher for the next 34 years. Since I retired I have found myself finally flying commercial for the first time in my life. I think a CC Skywave may be in my future and be just the thing to help pass the time between flights.
I got to sit in the copilot’s seat on a crowded island-hopper in Hawaii. The rising sun was directly in front of the plane as we taxied to our takeoff position, but the compass repeater indicated “N”. I just couldn’t help myself and I reached forward and adjusted the knob until the compass read “E”. The pilot was so amazed that a non-pilot could look at an aviation instrument and figure out how to use it immediately that he explained all the rest of the displays to me as we flew between the two islands. I learned enough to get the plane from here to there, but I don’t know how to make a safe landing!
Best time is flying from Rutland, Vt. to Boston, Ma. and NOT having to fight with the traffic and getting out of Boston in my car. More relaxing.
I use to suffer from insomnia. Still do at times but not as bad as years ago. I can’t sleep on a plane & I am not a big fan of flying. One time about 10 years ago, I flew from Florida to NY (on Jet Blue) and while I was sitting on the plane in Florida I fell asleep! The next thing I knew we were about to land in NY! I slept the entire trip! That has NEVER happened to me before or since. I was so happy when I landed in NY I took a cab to my favorite Irish pub and had a dink to celebrate!
My best tine on a airplane in the early seventies when i was flying home from military duty.
best flight i ever had.
Thank you for your service
My best memory on an airplane is coming into National. I was in the window seat and the approach was perfect as we flew parallel for the landing to National Mall – everything from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capitol was in perfect view and it was amazing.
My husband loves planes and watching them at the airport. On our first date we took a ride in a seaplane. Our last vacation to Las Vegas was a treat because our resort was on the flight path to the airport and he would sit on the outside balcony with the computer opened to listen to the flight radios.
best time was flying to land o lakes in Frank’s Mooney to pick up Emery and Wesley for my wedding…
I was a 20 year old “Stewardess” back when Ozark Airlines was still flying. On one of my first flights (only 1 cabin crew per flight), working the DC3, a nice elderly man pushed the overhead help button for the second time. I had retrieved a sick bag from him earlier in the flight.
When flying in the old DC3 prop planes there were always more than a few sick bags to be collected. Procedure was to store them back in the “blue room” for the ground service folks to remove on the next stop. I guessed the gentleman had another bag for me to stow. This leg of the trip had been rough & there were about 8 other such bags lined up against the wall. When I got to the mans seat I had to lean down to hear what he was saying. When it dawned on me what his request was I almost reached for my own bag. Seems he had accidently lost his false teeth into the bag I had already picked up. He needed his teeth & wanted me to check his bag & bring them back to him!
I explained that would be difficult as he wasn’t the only one who was airsick! He understood my dilemma. Fortunately he agreed to check the bags if I brought them to him, 2 at a time!
I felt sorry about his mishap but lucky for him, he located them in the 4th bag…it could have been worse! To this day, every time I remember this event I smile & then go wash my hands!
Flying into New Orleans we hit a lot of turbulance and it was a rough landing with wing tips rocking up and down quite a bit. When we finally got on the ground the pilot got on his radio and says “Were heeerer”. Everyone laughed and applauded.
I was flying from San Diego to Champaign-Urbana on Christmas Day. The flight was delayed because a battery wasn’t charged. My thought was, “Shouldn’t they have done this before the flight was going to fly?” Scare me.
That’s really cool to have an airband on a portable radio.. We frequent air shows and most are at airports
It would be cool to dial into the tower and hear the chatter..
I need one of these to listen to pilots while I use the vitural radar program which tracks the ads- b signal to see the planes in real time
I remember when my parents would take my brother and me to Dallas Love Field to listen to the pilots on his portable radio. We only heard one side of the conversation.
Air Band on a radio is great! I love looking up in the sky and seeing the contrails from high flying aircraft going overhead. A radio with air band adds to the fun. Not only can you see a plane flying overhead, you can actually listen to the crew communication with the air traffic controllers on the ground. I regularly see (and listen to) flights going from London to Los Angeles, Dallas to Tokyo and dozens of other flights crossing the United States. this, combined with the FlightAware app on my smartphone, makes the hobby even more fun as you can learn about the actual aircraft you are looking at and just imagine how long those passengers have been in the air and how far they have travelled. Air Band is a must have on a portable radio.
My father-in-law was an FAA inspector for a major airline. Several years ago, he was flying jump seat in the cockpit coming back to DFW.
About two minutes from landing air traffic control directed the pilot to maintain a heading and altitude. The pilot informed them he was lined up on the runway to land.
ATC let out a few choice words, then asked if he could see any traffic in front of him. “I’ve lost you,” he said.
The pilot reported nothing on sight and was instructed to land. A safe landing after a tense final couple of minutes.
I have always kept 121.500, VHF Aeronautical Emergency frequency programmed in my receivers. Very, very rarely was anything heard on it. Then one November day back in 1981 I caught a private pilot calling emergency on it. They were answered by Cincinnati Lunken tower (KLUK). The pilot had become lost and a bit disoriented over southern Ohio. The folks in Lunken tower were able to get the pilot to fly along the Ohio River and help them get their bearings. It was quite interesting to listen to for 45 minutes or so.
I stopped monitoring 121.5 after I heard a hijacked pilot state, “We’re going in.” There were no survivors. Bummer.
When we were much younger and just starting to fly my wife went to the bathroom on the plane and wanted a something to take as a remembrance of the flight. She put a handful of little bars of soap in her purse. Later we had to go through customs and when the person inspecting her purse opened it he said “it smells good”. My wife was so embarrassed and never took anything off a plane again. I was a little irritated but it was funny at the time.
One of my favorite mentors DR Mahan used to always say that He had agreement with all the airlines. if he wasn’t there when they were ready to fly that they would leave without him.
Favorite memory – As a kid, when visiting with one of my favorite uncles, and listening to his portable radio that had a band which picked up all the air traffic comms. He knew all about that stuff and would explain to me all the verbal shorthand that was going on between the air traffic guys and the pilots. It was fascinating.
I flew Southwest Airlines out of KCI Airport. I walked to my seat only to find someone else was seated there. I talked to the Stewardes and she said she would check the seating. The plane had been overbooked, but the Stewardes said there was one no show in the first class section and offered that seat to me along with a marguarita drink. I was very happy and off to the Bahamas I flew.
was on a flight from Charlotte to myrtle beach golf capital of the world. On the tarmac wAtching them load the under belly and I see the conveyor back away from the plane with about 30 golf bags on it. I’m guessing there were some pissed off golfers at myrtle beach jet port 45 minutes later
About 15 years ago, I was on a flight from Chicago to Grand Rapids, MI. The flight was pretty rough, but the captain kept us up to date before we hit the rough patches and had a great sense of humor. Anyway, we landed and it was a good landing in GR and the captain got on the speaker and said ‘thank you for flying Northwest airlines and that landing was brought to you buy ‘auto pilot’. Needless to say some of looked at each and chuckled about it, just thinking again this captain had a good sense of humor. As we were de-boarding the plane, the captain was at the exit and in his hands/arms he had a little puppet that looked like a airline captain and the puppet said, ‘Hi, I’m Otto’. Best pilot ever!