Don’t Allow the Aircraft Radio to Fly the Pilot

Here are some tips on navigating similar call signs, talking to ATC, and getting help when you’re lost.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 12:15 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Textron Aviation's Cessna 172 Skyhawk is one of the most widely used training aircraft in the world. [Credit: Textron Aviation]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots sometimes exhibit a concerning lack of fundamental aircraft knowledge and situational awareness, hindering effective communication and safe navigation.
Many pilots fear radio communication, but active and clear exchanges with Air Traffic Control (ATC)—including asking for clarification—are vital for safety, even during training.
Effective air traffic management is a collaborative effort between pilots and controllers, requiring mutual understanding, adaptability, and clear communication to prevent confusion and ensure safe operations.

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Aviate, navigate, communicate. In that order. Every time. This is one of the first things fledgling pilots learn. Yet it is still common to drop the airplane to fly the radio—and sometimes it appears the radio is flying the pilot.

I have been an earwitness to ATC trying to help a lost pilot get flight following for a daytime VFR flight. This was before ADS-B was the law of the land. When the controller asked the pilot for the type of aircraft, the pilot replied, “I’m not sure. They gave it to me at the flight school and told me to take it.”