UHF for High Fliers?

[StuM]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Longest leg flown regularly by aircraft is apparently California to Hawaii.

I was just looking at trans Pacific flight times the other day.
LAX-HNL is about 6-7 hours
HNL- BNE or SYD are around 9 - 9.5 hours.


Edit: Just checked and there are also direct SYD-LAX flights which take 14-15 hours

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by StuM

I was just looking at trans Pacific flight times the other day.
LAX-HNL is about 6-7 hours
HNL- BNE or SYD are around 9 - 9.5 hours.


Edit: Just checked and there are also direct SYD-LAX flights which take 14-15 hours

As an ex longhaul flight attendant I can tell you that some of those flights are even longer, they just go on and on and on and on.

[TreblePlink]

123.45 MHz maybe. But remember this is VHF AM - fairly unique - you will need an aviation radio for this to work.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by StuM

I was just looking at trans Pacific flight times the other day.
LAX-HNL is about 6-7 hours
HNL- BNE or SYD are around 9 - 9.5 hours.


Edit: Just checked and there are also direct SYD-LAX flights which take 14-15 hours

I guess that was a used to be then

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If you just want to talk, maybe ask about the weather etc.,, use 123.45
Do not use 121.5 for anything unless it’s real important like a Mayday.
Bet the pilots would get a kick out of talking to a sailboat.
Longest leg flown regularly by aircraft is apparently California to Hawaii.
A friend of mine years ago was delivering a crop duster from the US to Australia, first real leg to Hawaii of course.
Right after leaving California he made a call on five fingers what 123.45 is called and asked to pass on a position report, the airliner did.
Long time later upon getting close to Hawaii, he called another airliner to pass on a position report, the Pilot wanted do know how many crop dusters were there over the Pacific, John responded just me I think, why?
Airliner responded cause we passed a position report for one of you guys yesterday on the way here, John answered yeah, that was me
The airliner guys had landed the day before, slept and were on the way back, John was still chugging along, with no Autopilot, sort of like Lindbergh but with a GPS.

Sort of like comparing a slow full keel overloaded cruising yacht with a state of the art multi hull ocean racer.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by StuM

I was just looking at trans Pacific flight times the other day.
LAX-HNL is about 6-7 hours
HNL- BNE or SYD are around 9 - 9.5 hours.


Edit: Just checked and there are also direct SYD-LAX flights which take 14-15 hours

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I guess that was a used to be then

And in 2018, this will also be a used to be then...

Qantas are introducing Perth / London direct flights of about 17+ hours; their original UK / Aussie flights were 4 days with 7 stops.

See Qantas prepares for non-stop routes to London and New York as profit slips 17 per cent - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

But I'm guessing maybe less than a third of the flight will be oceanic.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Wotname

And in 2018, this will also be a used to be then...

Qantas are introducing Perth / London direct flights of about 17+ hours; their original UK / Aussie flights were 4 days with 7 stops.

See Qantas prepares for non-stop routes to London and New York as profit slips 17 per cent - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

But I'm guessing maybe less than a third of the flight will be oceanic.

Just dragged a GC route from Perth to London in OpenCPN.. Surprisingly, more than 50% is over ocean

[Abgreenbank]

It is part of most company standard operating procedures to monitor 121.5.
Remember lots of PLB's transmit on this frequency and in my experience most pilots would report an active PLB to air traffic.
In MNPS airspace ( pretty much whole of North Atlantic) I think it's mandatory to monitor 121.5.
243.0 is the military equivalent of 121.5 and commercial aircraft have no requirement to have it fitted.
There is still a lot of use of HF for position reporting in MNPS so google Shanwick Gander and New York radio to get some of the frequencies and if needs must try calling and ask for a relay if you need help.

Regards
Ab

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by StuM

Just dragged a GC route from Perth to London in OpenCPN.. Surprisingly, more than 50% is over ocean

I need more guessing exercises

[Jammer]

Some good advice upthread.

Yes, non-military aircraft use VHF, it's amplitude modulated, and good usable aviation handhelds are cheap and readily available. Any aircraft in a remote area is supposed to monitor 121.5. This is true of civilian and military craft alike. Not sure how much the flight crew would want to chat or of what help they could be to someone on a crossing.

I suppose a handheld aviation radio could be useful in coordinating a rescue with aircraft but I think that's farfetched.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Wotname

And in 2018, this will also be a used to be then...

Qantas are introducing Perth / London direct flights of about 17+ hours; their original UK / Aussie flights were 4 days with 7 stops.

See Qantas prepares for non-stop routes to London and New York as profit slips 17 per cent - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

But I'm guessing maybe less than a third of the flight will be oceanic.

Got to thinking last night, maybe it’s the longest regular scheduled flight over water? Longest overwater flight said a different way?

[a64pilot]

OK, it is the longest over water leg with no alternates
http://sawyeraviation.com/what-is-th...-alternatives/

[captmikem]

I tried talking to my wife (AA 777 pilot. She was flying a 737 at the time) as she flew over me at 37000 feet off the east coast of the US. I tried VHF (123.45), but it was not readable, tried HF (2182), she could hear me but I could not hear her. Was fun though, she could see me working my way north, and I saw her above me and her contrail.

M

[a64pilot]

I guess that answers it then. Handhelds are not all that good, but do get a whole lot better if connected to a “real” antenna and not the rubber ducky thing they come with.

[Wotname]

This is starting to sound like the PPRuNe

Perhaps this is time to remember that in many parts of the world using the airband (118 - 136 MHz) is illegal for non aviation purposes (i.e. yacht to aircraft) and the operator has to be licensed to use the airband. Of course, in an emergency any frequency can legally be used.

Realistically I doubt anyone would care to complain if you called mid ocean. No ATC to hear you and the aircrew wouldn't be bothered to report it (especially if using 123.45).