Question: When flying a light sport aircraft without an installed radio, can a hand-held comm be used?
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Answer: If you are flying in noncontrolled airspace where a radio is not required, you don’t need a radio at all. But most pilots who fly light sport aircraft (LSAs) do have a battery-powered, hand-held radio with them in the cockpit as it can provide an extra level of situational awareness since you can listen for other traffic, access automated weather, etc.
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A second radio is always a good idea. Many pilots who have a radio hardwired into their panel carry a handheld as a backup in the event the main radio fails.
You might also consider carrying spare batteries with you in the aircraft. Store them somewhere accessible in flight, so you can replace the batteries in the radio without doing an advanced yoga pose to reach your flight bag behind the seat.
Ask us anything you’ve ever wanted to know about aviation. Our experts in general aviation, flight training, aircraft, avionics, and more may attempt to answer in a future article. Email your questions to editorial@flyingmag.com.
