Radio Failure in the Circuit
You are flying solo circuits at a non-towered aerodrome with a published common traffic advisory frequency. On downwind for runway 27 you transmit your position and hear nothing back - then realise you have heard nothing at all for two calls, and the sidetone has gone silent. You are at 1000 ft AGL, 1 NM from the threshold, with three other aircraft known to be in the circuit. Cloud is broken at 1500 ft, wind 260/12 kt. Your hand-held backup is in the flight bag behind the seat. The airplane has a serviceable transponder with mode C.
1. What are your immediate priorities, and in what order?
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Aviate, navigate, communicate - in that order. First, fly the airplane: maintain 1000 ft, keep the downwind spacing and look outside, because the other three aircraft are still there and now you cannot announce yourself. Second, diagnose briefly: check the volume, the intercom, the headset plug and the circuit breaker, without heads-down distraction on downwind. Third, communicate: set the transponder to 7600 to declare the failure electronically, and make blind transmissions on the CTAF stating position and intentions - other aircraft may still hear you even if you cannot hear them. Only then, on a safe leg, consider reaching for the hand-held.
2. How do you join and land, and what would you do differently if the failure had occurred in controlled airspace?
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In the circuit, continue to a normal landing: fly the published pattern, give way to traffic you can see, use lights and blind calls, and expect others to be avoiding you. Do not cut the circuit short or rush - an unannounced tight approach is the highest-risk option. After landing, clear the runway and stop; do not taxi across an active runway without a lookout. In controlled airspace, the procedure changes: squawk 7600, continue to comply with the last clearance, and expect light-gun signals - steady green to land, flashing green to return for landing, red to give way and continue circling, flashing red to land at a designated area. If in doubt, leave controlled airspace and land at an uncontrolled field.