Notes from the right seat

Flight training is mostly the hours between lessons. These are the things we wish someone had told us in those hours — written by working pilots, every claim checked against Transport Canada and Nav Canada.

RadioPSTARStudent pilot

Your first radio call, and why everyone freezes

I rehearsed my first radio call for weeks. The controller still heard gibberish. Here’s what I wish someone had drilled into me first: the simple shape every call follows, and why freezing is the most normal thing in the world.

Sherif Youssef·June 24, 2026·7 min read
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How we write

Cited to the page

Every claim carries its source, so you can check it yourself — not take our word for it.

Dated and corrected

We date every post and revise it when the AIM, the CARs, or a procedure changes.

By working pilots

Written under verifiable Canadian credentials — the people who fly the airspace you’re learning.