Stuck Microphone--What to Do

[Hank]

On Father's Day weekend, I flew down to visit my father, since it was also his birthday. My destination was AVL, in the western NC mountains. While talking to AVL Approach and descending towards the airport, a CFI and student were out in a Tiger. Every time he tried talking on the Approach frequency, his mike would stick for 60 seconds or more, and we all heard him talking to his student. He even knew his mike was sticking.

I tried making a call in the blind to the Tiger to change his frequency because his mike was stuck. No luck--he tried again to reach Approach, who couldn't answer him.

If you ever become aware that your microphone is stuck, please change off of the Approach or Center frequency! Poor ATC had several IFR and VFR aircraft inbound wanting to land, and couldn't talk to us while we all listened to Mr. Instructor tell his student that he wasn't going into controlled airspace without a radio. He never did change frequency, but I apparently got close enough to AVL that they could "burn through" his transmissions.

Just a heads-up to alert pilots:  when your microphone sticks, get off the controller's frequency if you aren't going to land!

Thank you. I'll get off my soapbox now.

[Hank]

From the other stuck mike thread:

By the way hank did you happen to get the registration of  the airplane with the stuck mike? That CFI needs to get FIRED

No, I was too busy/frustrated trying to talk to Approach! I just remember he was a Tiger. I was eventually cleared, coming in from the north, to land #2 on 33 behind a Cirrus on an 11-mile final. As I was passing the approach end of the runway, they asked HIM to keep his speed up.  :-)  Must not have seen the Vintage logo on my tail. Poor guy has a hundred more horsepower and twice my fuel burn . . . He had to have been really happy when he saw me land.

[DaV8or]

Seems like the thing to do is switch to using the opposite jacks for transmitting. Pretty awkward, but should get you home OK and not jam up the frequency. There's also the hand mic too. I carry one.