Get your Aviation Radio Certificate / ROC-A & Avoid making these common mistake.
During my pursuit of my Pilot's Licence, I took my ground school and my flight lessons at the same time. It worked out well. Unfortunately, I missed the class where I was told to take my radio exam sooner rather than later. In fact, I missed the whole discussion about "the radio exam" that student pilots have to pass. It's almost impossible to know about it unless you've heard about it before.
Unaware that I had to get a "radio certificate" or ROC-A, I kept working on my flight lessons, and the radio communication part was kinda tough.
With all the short form codes and specific language, it's all foreign to me. I picked up a few terms along the way but fumbled a lot. For a person who loves to talk, being mic shy was making me feel frustrated. I was told to keep the focus on flying, and my instructor said I'd get used to talking eventually. So I just followed him blindly.
The day of reckoning had finally arrived ...
The day when every trainee becomes a real pilot - or at least for 10 minutes.
It was the day of my first solo.
I was finally ready to fly solo, and my flight instructor asked for my logbook and paperwork, I handed him my logbook - looking at him while he said the words...
What about your radio license...?
My reply was .. Radio What now?
He was talking about something I had no idea about.
“You don’t have your radio license yet?””””
“What?””” ....
It is easier to Become a Pilot by Learning Things in the Right Order
My life would have been a lot simpler if I had gotten my radio certificate when I first started my flight lessons. All those radio calls I practised along the way would've made sense to me.
In retrospect, it shows me again that there are many ways to learn things, but there's usually a "better way" than most others.
It's especially true when it comes to obtaining your pilot's licence in Canada or around the world. Getting a radio certificate when I first got started would've been the smart thing to do. Just like it’s smart to get your Category 3 Medical certificate or Category 1 Medical certificate right from the beginning. This is to ensure you are healthy enough to pursue this career. If you don't have your Cat 3 Medical, you won't qualify for your PPL, let alone anything further.
The first step in the process is to get your Cat 3 Medical, so you should know if you qualify for this career right away. It's funny, but this isn't the recommended first step at most Flying Clubs, sometimes they don't even ask. However, I think it's crucial for the student pilot right from day one.
Remember, Industry Canada (ISED) requires that any operator of radiotelephone equipment, onboard aircraft and at aeronautical land be the holder of a Restricted Operator Certificate-Aeronautical. Failure to do so may have heavy penalties, It can also unnecessarily delay your licensing process. So we highly suggest that you get your ROC-A Licence.
Once you are ready for your exam, get in touch with us via email at ROCALicence@gmail.com and we will guide you through the process swiftly and effortlessly.
All the best!