Narrative:

While instructing a student on communications failure I let my student follow aim procedures for loss of communication. We rocked our wings, flashed landing lights, and entered traffic pattern. 'We had been talking to tower to enter class D.' we squawked 7600. The tower gave us a green light to land. They kept calling our call sign but we didn't respond (simulated unable to transmit). Not once were we asked if we could hear the tower, rock wings, or identify, or anything to try to see what the nature of our problem was. When I squawked 7600 the AFB notified the crash trucks (fire department). The aim specifies that 7600 is not an emergency but sat approach control called skf tower and said they better sound the alarm. This practice is still SOP at AFB's. I was lectured on this judgement call in a training situation. However, I feel that I did not violate regulations. In the process I have upset a lot of people because it wasn't a real radio failure. My test of a student handling an aircraft problem was held to real standards versus simulations. Please clarify aim for training purposes can 7600 be used during a student training.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INSTRUCTOR WITH SPI ABOARD SIMULATES LOST COM BY ACTUALLY SQUAWKING 7600 AND FAILING TO RESPOND TO TWR'S QUERIES. APCH CTL AT MIL SIGHT ACTIVATES CFR.

Narrative: WHILE INSTRUCTING A STUDENT ON COMS FAILURE I LET MY STUDENT FOLLOW AIM PROCS FOR LOSS OF COM. WE ROCKED OUR WINGS, FLASHED LNDG LIGHTS, AND ENTERED TFC PATTERN. 'WE HAD BEEN TALKING TO TWR TO ENTER CLASS D.' WE SQUAWKED 7600. THE TWR GAVE US A GREEN LIGHT TO LAND. THEY KEPT CALLING OUR CALL SIGN BUT WE DIDN'T RESPOND (SIMULATED UNABLE TO XMIT). NOT ONCE WERE WE ASKED IF WE COULD HEAR THE TWR, ROCK WINGS, OR IDENT, OR ANYTHING TO TRY TO SEE WHAT THE NATURE OF OUR PROB WAS. WHEN I SQUAWKED 7600 THE AFB NOTIFIED THE CRASH TRUCKS (FIRE DEPT). THE AIM SPECIFIES THAT 7600 IS NOT AN EMER BUT SAT APCH CTL CALLED SKF TWR AND SAID THEY BETTER SOUND THE ALARM. THIS PRACTICE IS STILL SOP AT AFB'S. I WAS LECTURED ON THIS JUDGEMENT CALL IN A TRAINING SIT. HOWEVER, I FEEL THAT I DID NOT VIOLATE REGS. IN THE PROCESS I HAVE UPSET A LOT OF PEOPLE BECAUSE IT WASN'T A REAL RADIO FAILURE. MY TEST OF A STUDENT HANDLING AN ACFT PROB WAS HELD TO REAL STANDARDS VERSUS SIMULATIONS. PLEASE CLARIFY AIM FOR TRAINING PURPOSES CAN 7600 BE USED DURING A STUDENT TRAINING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.