Latest on 8.33 requirements (merged)

alioth wrote:

If you don’t fly anywhere regularly that uses 8.33 frequencies, it subjects you to three times as much knob twisting.

Fair enough. But it appears some people don’t know how to change it!

It will be everywhere soon, so set it and forget it, I reckon.

chrisparker wrote:

It will be everywhere soon, so set it and forget it, I reckon.

Until recently, we had the second radio (mainly used for receiving ATIS, talking to the handling guys and listening in on the Ryanair chat frequency 121.5) set to 25kHz spacing. But since more and more ATISses and handlers use 8,33 frequencies, we have it permanently on 8,33 as well. I have a choice of either turning the knob or typing the numbers into the FMS, but I find that even at 8,33 the knob works faster than the keypad. And behing the knob there is an optical encoder which is good for several millions of turns. No chance of wearing that out in my lifetime.

It depends on the knob. The GNS430 knobs are terrible for 8.33 frequencies. The G1000 knobs are fine.

One radio or two? I recently had some avionics work done on our aircraft. The avionics guy said that the CAA were deliberating as to whether they will insist on both radios (assuming you have two) having to be 8.33 compliant. The expense keeps building.

The information I was given was that every installed radio needs to be 8.33 compliant after the deadline, VFR and IFR alike, at least for Swiss registered airplanes. I am considering this at the moment, as my 155a is not 8.33, whereas my 430W is. will see how to deal with it, if possible I am looking into getting a 2nd 430W.

VCS regulation

Art 2 Scope
…
4. The conversion requirements shall not apply to frequency assignments:
(a) that will remain in 25 kHz channel spacing on the following frequencies:
(i) the emergency frequency (121,5 MHz);
(ii) the auxiliary frequency for search and rescue operations (123,1 MHz);
(iii) the VHF digital link (VDL) frequencies (136,725 MHz, 136,775 MHz, 136,825 MHz, 136,875 MHz, 136,925 MHz and 136,975 MHz);
(iv) the aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) frequencies (131,525 MHz, 131,725 MHz and 131,825 MHz);
(b) where offset carrier operation within a 25 kHz channel spacing is utilised.

5. Radios intended to operate exclusively in one or more frequency assignments that will remain in 25 kHz channel spacing shall not be required to have the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.

Peter wrote:

What does that actually mean

If I read that correctly, as long as a radio is intended to be used only on frequencies that will continue to use 25 kHz channel spacing (listed in 4.(a)), it doesn’t have to be 8.33 kHz capable.

What is the position for an N-reg? The FAA has no 8.33 requirement at all.

8.33 kHz spacing capability is an airspace requirement. It wouldn’t make sense otherwise. And it says so in the point three of the same article:

3. This Regulation shall apply to all flights operating as general air traffic, within the airspace of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (‘ICAO’) EUR region where Member States are responsible for the provision of air traffic services in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council.

As the Netherlands has implemented 8.33khz, I got Autorouter to plan a route from EGMA to EHRD. This returns the message " PROF188: FLIGHT PLAN DOES NOT COMPLY WITH 8.33 CARRIAGE REQUIREMENTS" as it was an IFR flightplan. So then I got Autorouter to give me a VFR deparure and arrival. No errors and no mention of 8.33khz requirment? Does this mean that 8.33khz is not needed for VFR?