What Is the Purpose of a Portable Aviation Radio?

When operating aircraft, pilots should always prioritize safety, backup plans, and redundancy, as flight can be dangerous when not all circumstances are accounted and prepared for. One factor of flight that poses a unique threat is that aircraft are alone in the clouds and contact with a controller or someone on the ground is not guaranteed in all conditions. For example, certain weather conditions result in lost communications by preventing incoming airband radio signals. Regardless of the pilot’s experience level, this situation can be both frightening and dangerous. As built-in radios may fail, it is wise to invest in a portable airband radio for times like this. Starting at under $200, aviation radios can prevent many disastrous situations, so this blog will offer insight on how airband radios function to provide additional safety during flight.

Like all air band radios, handheld aviation radios work for both navigation and communication, meaning they can access allotted NAV and COM channels. This provides benefits both on the ground and in the air at times when other air band radios fail. For example, if an aircraft fails on the runway, it is important to alert nearby aircraft, but access to a cockpit radio may be limited. In this instance, a pilot or nearby pilot on the runway can use his handheld device to contact all surrounding aircraft and controller bases. In addition to departure control, another situation in which a portable aviation radio can prevent disaster is when conditions in the air during flight limit the cockpit radios’ abilities to detect signals. At times like this, a pilot might turn to a backup handheld radio with high functionality, range, and battery life to contact a controller for help navigating safely. Contact with Air Traffic Control (ATC), controllers, or other aircraft may help the pilot reach their destination or land back at home base.

Oftentimes in the air, cockpit radios will lose connection while portable radios will not.  For example, the built-in radios may be unable to access control towers or your home field ATIS. While pilots are trained to be highly skilled and capable of navigating alone through difficult conditions, the added safety of contact with someone outside the aircraft who can provide instructions and insight is invaluable. Even the peace of mind a pilot might find in knowing he is not alone can lead to smoother solutions and less impaired decision making.

When purchasing a portable aviation radio, one should consider the fact that losing access to communication channels and navigation channels often go together. In other words, if the built-in system loses access to either NAV or COM, it is likely to lose access to the other as well, so one should purchase a handheld radio that provides navigation. Luckily, some models provide access to both VOR and GPS navigation channels. Although this may increase the price range, safety is not something a pilot can afford to compromise.

While purchasing a portable aviation radio may be a safety step, many pilots find themselves relying steadily on their handheld devices out of convenience. When you require any aviator tools or other aircraft parts you can steadily rely on, make ASAP Purchasing your procurement partner. Owned and operated by ASAP Semiconductor, quality is the cornerstone of our operations, so we guarantee our ever-expanding inventory comprises only top-quality items. To begin procuring any part you require as soon as possible, complete a Request for Quote form as found on our website to receive a custom quotation within 15 minutes. Our team of experts works around-the-clock to meet your needs, so contact us via phone or email at any time!



January 12, 2023
December 7, 2022

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