On a recent IFR flight with an instructor, we had the situation that it was time to take the ATIS. He told me that I should always leave the current frequency, switch to the ATIS to note it down, and then come back. In principle, I agree that this is good practice, but nevertheless I started to wonder about a few things afterwards.
The first issue is, that I think in many countries (this was in German airspace, probably class E), there is an obligation to be in contact with ATC when flying under IFR. So even leaving for one minute wouldn’t be strictly legal – or would it? After all, when you change frequencies between two radar controllers, there is also a brief period where you are “unreachable”.
The second issue is more a practical one. Can it become dangerous, especially when you are in IMC, not to be talking to anyone? On one hand, the controller knows what you’re doing and that he won’t reach you, so he can route traffic around you if necessary. But obviously, he cannot route terrain away from you, or you might fly out of controlled airspace if it took you too long, which could also become dangerous.
That brings up the third question – would there be a difference between handling this in controlled vs. uncontrolled airspace?
How do you do it? Obviously, when you have two pilots, you can have one listen to the ATIS on COM2 and the other continuing with ATC on COM1. If single pilot, do you just say “negative ATIS” and ask for the current parameters? Do you mix COM1 (ATC) and COM2 (ATIS) so that whenever ATC talks, it would be audible above because you have set it louder than COM2?
Rwy20 wrote:
The first issue is, that I think in many countries (this was in German airspace, probably class E), there is an obligation to be in contact with ATC when flying under IFR.
Indeed! And this is one of the reasons why IFR capable aircraft need to be equipped with two COM radios.
Rwy20 wrote:
So even leaving for one minute wouldn’t be strictly legal – or would it?
You can easily make it legal by asking “Request to leave your frequency for a minute to get the ATIS?” (there was a Q-code for that (QAR?) in the olden days).
Rwy20 wrote:
That brings up the third question – would there be a difference between handling this in controlled vs. uncontrolled airspace?
If you fly IFR in Germany, you will do that inside uncontrolled airspace only during the first part of the departure and and the last part of the arrival procedures. By then, you will be in contact the airfield radio operator anyway.
Rwy20 wrote:
Obviously, when you have two pilots, you can have one listen to the ATIS on COM2 and the other continuing with ATC on COM1.
You can do the same thing with only one pilot. Just don’t turn up the volume of the ATIS on COM2 so much that you won’t hear the controller on COM1. When flying with students, on some of our training aircraft the intercom is so poor that mixing the two coms is a bit difficult. In these cases we will keep COM1 with ATC in our earphones and switch COM2 to the cabin speaker. Works quite well.
That’s if you have the intercom (“audio panel” in US-speak) which has the 2nd channel listen, or 1/2 or 2/1 channel capability
They are standard on newer IFR aircraft but a lot of stuff flying now is ~30 years old.
I rarely fly with a RHS who is capable of writing down the ATIS (or anything useful, due to the “aviation dialect” and the generally poor AM audio) so the 1/2 / 2/1 feature is not normally useful, and when flying single pilot I find listening to the 2nd channel sometimes catches me out when ATC call me, so (and with other transmissions) getting the ATIS might take several passes even if nobody calls me.
I agree a much better way is to say “Nxxxx going to get the ATIS” but I would do that only if (a) ATC is not busy and (b) they have enough ELP to understand the words “going to get” 
Another trick is to get the ATIS on a handover. Then nobody is going to be calling you… well not unless you left it really late. I believe you are allowed 2 minutes on a handover, but have no idea where that comes from.
MH370 made really good use of the handover, apparently: It is also an opportunity to have a pee.
Best thing is to get the ATIS as soon as it is in range. So tune it in on the 2nd radio with say 100nm to run and when you see the “receive” light flickering on the radio, then grab it at the earliest opportunity. The chances are that you are not in a heavy radio situation at that point so the 2nd channel listen feature works well.
I also plan to get ATIS soon, at a phase in flight where you probably won’t be intensively talking to a controller. Hardly ever had a problem listening out on ATIS and on the controller’s frequency at the same time. Worst what can happen is that you need a second round of ATIS.
Now, like most problems, this ‘problem’ is going to just solve itself, folks, cause all of you (including the ones with only one radio) is going to see the ATIS on your tablet after you bought a Golze box Have a look at the new lower priced one.
Rwy20 wrote:
Do you mix COM1 (ATC) and COM2 (ATIS) so that whenever ATC talks, it would be audible above because you have set it louder than COM2?
Yes. It can take a while to get the whole of the ATIS if the ATC frequency is busy.
Indeed! And this is one of the reasons why IFR capable aircraft need to be equipped with two COM radios.
Only in Germany. And even that will end in a few months time.
Peter: intercom and audio panel are two different things. An audio panel usually incorporoates an intercom, but also serves as a switching panel. Last but not least, audio panels usually incorporate a marker receiver.
aart wrote:
Now, like most problems, this ‘problem’ is going to just solve itself, folks, cause all of you (including the ones with only one radio) is going to see the ATIS on your tablet after you bought a Golze box
Will you really get ATIS on there, including the letter that you need to tell ATC and stuff like “caution, bird activity observed south of the airport” or “glider sector active”, or just METAR and TAF?
Airborne_Again wrote:
Yes. It can take a while to get the whole of the ATIS if the ATC frequency is busy.
So I get it that most of you don’t leave the frequency, which is the result I expected.
what_next wrote:
You can easily make it legal by asking “Request to leave your frequency for a minute to get the ATIS?” (there was a Q-code for that (QAR?) in the olden days).
Of course I would ask and not just leave. But “making it legal” would mean that the controller could grant you an exception to your obligation to be in contact with ATC…? Just because he is the person you are supposed to be talking to.
I also get ATIS on COM2 while monitoring COM1 just well enough to recognize my call sign. It can take a while.
And like Peter, I try to get it real early especially approaching Paris that normally will have long arrivals. I tune the frequency on COM2 and monitor. The squelch takes care of keeping it silenced until the ATIS starts coming through chopped. At that point I know it is within range and can either disconnect the squelch or wait a few more miles until it cuts in clear.
Now, like most problems, this ‘problem’ is going to just solve itself, folks, cause all of you (including the ones with only one radio) is going to see the ATIS on your tablet after you bought a Golze box
You do have to get the real ATIS, and quote the letter and the QNH on your first call to the destination approach controller. Having the METAR is really handy as a forewarning (and maybe to divert, though if you have satcomms you should be making that decision way before getting anywhere near the destination) but not what they want.
Also the ATIS will have e.g. the runway which may not be obvious from the METAR if the wind is near-calm, and on airports which have several runways it may not be obvious at all.
