Enough Already: Quit Playing Around on Guard

Former air traffic controller explains the risks of using the guard frequency unnecessarily.

Jason Judy

Thursday, January 01, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Air traffic controllers [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The author, a former air traffic controller now pilot, strongly condemns the widespread misuse of the emergency "guard" frequency (121.5 MHz) by pilots for non-essential chatter or "playing around."
This juvenile behavior poses significant safety risks by blocking genuine distress calls, interfering with critical air traffic control coordination, and causing controllers to disable monitoring of the frequency.
The article emphasizes that such interference could lead to tragic outcomes by preventing emergency aircraft from receiving vital assistance and urges pilots to use the designated air-to-air frequency (123.45 MHz) for casual conversations.
The author advocates for punitive action against offenders to ensure the guard frequency remains clear and effective for its critical safety purpose.

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I retired from a 26-year career as an air traffic controller (ATC) in September 2023. I didn’t even take a day off before starting my new career as a Part 91 corporate pilot. I was so excited to get out of the dark control room and go enjoy the views. I was definitely going to miss the intensity of doing ATC every day, but I was ready for the change.

Since then, I have had countless people ask if I had always wanted to be a pilot and finally fulfilled my dream.