Real-World Nordo

With all the literal and figurative bells and whistles in today’s cockpits, something as mundane as losing communications with ATC is rare. One reason is the stuff we have in the panel these days is a couple of light years ahead of even two decades ago in reliability. But loss of communications—going “no radio,” or Nordo—thanks to our installed avionics isn’t the only failure mode we might encounter. In fact, your airplane and its equipment may not even be the problem.

Joseph E. (Jeb) Burnside

Friday, September 20, 2013 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots must be prepared for lost communication (Nordo) by knowing and applying FAR 91.185 and AIM 6-4-1 procedures, which provide clear guidance for both VFR and IFR conditions, including squawking 7600.
Successful resolution of lost-comm scenarios relies on the pilot's decisive application of these procedures, coupled with their emergency authority (FAR 91.3) and good judgment, especially in unexpected situations like complete electrical failure.
Pilots should trust that ATC is aware of and prepared for "Nordo" flights, using radar to ensure separation, allowing pilots to focus on executing the prescribed procedures without undue concern about being tracked.

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Two recent events highlighted by NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) in its monthly Safety Bulletin cover a wide range of possible communication failures, and include excellent reminders of how to apply the lost-comm requirements found in FAR 91.185 and explained in paragraph 6-4-1 of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).