Airline Frequencies
From Freq Of Nature
Contents |
Overview
Most of the frequencies in the AM Radio Air Band between 128.85 MHz and 132.00 MHz are used to communicate with ground stations at airports. Conversations on these frequencies are not as formal as those used to communicate with air traffic controllers but are more like a telephone call to the concierge at a hotel. Because you must be within line of sight to receive radio transmissions in most cases, unless your near the airport the pilot is talking to, you will only hear the pilots side of the conversation.
The range of frequencies (128.85 MHz - 132 MHz) can be divided into several uses.
Company Frequencies
Airline Company frequencies are usually dedicated for use by one airline with some affiliated airlines sharing the same frequency. These frequencies are used at airports in an area where there is enough traffic into those airports by the airline to justify a dedicated frequency. Some of the larger airlines and air carriers use the same common frequencies nationwide.
Departing aircraft use these frequencies for ramp control at their gates. Arriving aircraft will contact their company on the ground when they are near the airport to give them status like their estimated time of arrival and any special needs like wheel chairs for a passenger or maintenance and cleaning services needed.
Fixed Base Operators (FBO)
For those airlines that can't justify a full time ground crew at an airport or aircraft visiting an airport as a transient can contact fixed base operator companies at an airport to request services to be ready for their arrival. Fixed Base Operator is just a fancy name for the general store/concierge at an airport. Just about anything you would need can be requested ahead of time on these frequencies. Some of the most common requests are fueling, maintenance and cleaning of the aircraft; passenger services including hotel reservations and ground transportation.
One humorous request I recently monitored was a business jet calling Million Air FBO at Van Nuys Airport requesting transportation to Los Angeles International Airport for their passengers. Million Air came back with "What type of transportation do you want? Taxi-cab, Lincoln Town Car (with or without driver), Limousine or Helicopter." The pilot came back with, "Umm, a taxi cab will do just fine."
Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS)
This frequency band is interrupted by several ACARS frequencies, which actually in a way serve the same purpose of communicating with ground stations, only through digital means. Since the subject of ACARS alone is enough for it's own article or two, we will just glance over this. These frequencies are used to transmit digital information from the aircraft to ground stations. Just about anything a ground station might want to know about an airborne aircraft can be transmitted over these frequencies including everything from mundane text messages to monitoring the conditions of the aircrafts flight systems. For the common radio scanner hobbyist, all you will hear on these frequencies are short bursts of noise.
Extended Range VHF Radio
There are several frequencies in the 128.85 MHz -132.00 MHz range used for inbound and outbound international and overseas flights. Most typically these frequencies are used to obtain high frequency (HF) frequencies for overseas flights and to report in to land stations before entering continental air space.
Frequency Sleuthing Tips & Tricks
FCC License Searches and ARINC
With very few exceptions, most all of these frequency licenses are submitted to the FCC by Aeronautical Radio Inc (ARINC), a company that specializes in licensing frequencies in the aviation band, and seldom include the name of the end user on the license. This just makes sleuthing these frequencies so much more enjoyable since you actually have to use your noodle instead of relying on the frequently inaccurate stuff regurgitated by the FCC.
Even though the FCC database is highly inaccurate, it can still serve some purpose in sleuthing out these frequencies. Since ARINCs main purpose in life is to license and maintain these frequencies it's a pretty good chance that their frequencies are represented in the FCC databases. With that in mind you can start your search by using the FCC's geographical frequency search feature to list frequencies licensed by AERONAUTICAL RADIO INC at each of your local airports.
wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchAdvanced.jsp
If your not patient enough to compile a list of "official" FCC frequencies using the FCC database search engine, your not alone. Personally I only use the FCC database as a cross reference and never rely on it as being very accurate.
Use your radio scanners search feature
Your radio scanners search feature is your best friend in sleuthing out your local airline company frequencies. Simply enter 128.85 for the lower limit and 132.0 for the upper limit, press the search button. It's a good idea to keep a log of who you hear and from what airport so you can get an idea of who talks on which frequencies at each airport in your area. It's common to hear the same airline company talking on the same frequency at several different airports.
Once most of the common frequencies in your area are identified, entering those remaining frequencies which seem to have little or no activity on them into a bank in your scanner should catch the rest.
Now that you know how and where to search for these folks, you need to know how to discover their identities. There are a few tools on the Internet that I've found very useful in quickly and easily tracking down who your listening to.
faa.gov
Airlines use a call sign and a flight number when talking on the radio. Unfortunately, many of these call signs don't sound anything like the airline company. For example, British Airways uses the call sign "SPEEDBIRD" and America West uses the call sign "CACTUS". The FAA has been kind enough to provide a database online that cross references company names with their associated call sign, also known as their "telephony".
flightarrivales.com
The website FlightArrivals.com is an online database of currently arriving and departing flights. When you hear a transmission on a company frequency they will identify their flight number and most likely their call sign. With FlightArrivals.com you can search by airline or airport for these flights to verify where they came from or are going to. It's also fun to look up these flights to see where in the World they came from or are going to.
landings.com
Not all aircraft on these frequencies will be scheduled airline flights, some will be chartered flights with no flight number. Instead of a call sign and flight number, they will identify themselves with the type of aircraft they are and their tail number. This is where Landings.com comes in. Go to Landings.com and click on "database" then click on US under A/C Registrations. Here you can enter the tail number (minus the N prefix) to find the owner and home base of the aircraft. This can be useful because you can then use Google.com to search for the company's website, which should tell you what airport they are based out of.
The best and worse times to monitor
The best time to search these frequencies is in the morning and evening when air traffic is at it's peak. This isn't always the case though, if your interested in searching for freight service companies like UPS and Federal Express, they normally operate their flights very late at night / early morning.
Southern California Frequencies
128.8500 SKYTRAILS (VAN NUYS VNY)
128.8500 TRANSAMERICA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
128.8750 AEROSOL (LOS ANGELES LAX)
128.8750 SINGAPORE AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
128.9500 AMERICAN EAGLE (BURBANK BUR)
128.9500 AMERICAN EAGLE (LOS ANGELES LAX)
128.9750 LACSA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
128.9750 MGM GRAND AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.0000 HELICOPTERS (SOUTH BAY)
129.0250 AIR FRANCE (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.0250 PETERSON FBO (VAN NUYS VNY)
129.0500 JETWEST FBO (VAN NUYS VNY)
129.0750 LAN CHILE (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.0750 SCANDINAVIAN AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES)
129.1000 ALL NIPPON (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.1250 ACARS ADDITIONAL CHANNEL
129.1500 AIR NEW ZEALAND (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.1500 CANADIAN (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.1500 CHINA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.1750 MEXICANA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.2000 AMERICAN AIRLINES (SAN DIEGO SAN)
129.2000 AMERICAN EAGLE (SAN DIEGO SAN)
129.2000 UTA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.2250 AMERICAN AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.2500 SOUTHWEST (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.2500 SOUTHWEST (SAN DIEGO SAN)
129.3000 CONTINENTAL (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
129.3000 UNITED AIRLINES
129.3250 AMERICAN AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.3750 SUPERMARINE FBO (SANTA MONICA SMO)
129.4000 UNITED AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.4250 UPS (NATIONWIDE)
129.4250 UPS (BURBANK BUR)
129.4250 UPS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.4750 AMERICAN EAGLE (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.4750 UPS
129.5000 UNITED AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.5500 "ATLANTA RADIO" EXTENDED RANGE VHF
129.5500 DELTA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.6000 AVIANCA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.6000 NORTHWEST (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.6500 "ATLANTA RADIO" EXTENDED RANGE VHF
129.6750 ALITALIA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.6750 SKYWEST (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.6750 UNITED EXPRESS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.7000 CAAC DYNASTY (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.7000 ONTARIO AIRCRAFT SERVICES FBO (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.7000 SUCKLING AIRWAYS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.7250 AEROFLOT (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.7250 TRANSTAR AMBULANCE (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.7500 SOUTHWEST (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.8000 (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.8500 ENROUTE COMMON GROUND
129.8750 LUFTHANSA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.9000 AERO MEXICO (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.9000 KOREAN AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.9250 CONTINENTAL (ONTARIO ONT)
129.9500 ALPHA AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
129.9500 VENTURA COUNTY FIRE (CAMARILLO CMA) AIR/AIR
129.9750 CONTINENTAL
129.9750 JIMS AIR FBO (SAN DIEGO SAN)
130.0000 MESA AIR(HP) (SANTA BARBARA SBA)
130.0000 US AIR
130.0250 ACARS SECONDARY CHANNEL
130.0500 ACARS DIGITAL DATA
130.0750 US AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1000 AERO MEXICO
130.1000 AIR JAMAICA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1000 DELTA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1000 MARTINAIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1000 MEXICANA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1000 SPIRIT (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1250 POLAR AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.1500 AMERICAN AIRLINES (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
130.1750 AMERICA WEST (BURBANK BUR)
130.1750 AMERICA WEST (LONG BEACH LGB)
130.1750 GUNNELL AVIATION FBO (SANTA MONICA SMO)
130.2000 ALASKA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.2250 UNITED AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.2500 AMERICA WEST
130.2500 ONTARIO AIRCRAFT SERVICES FBO (ONTARIO ONT)
130.2500 SKY WEST (OXNARD OXR)
130.2750 AMERICA WEST (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.2750 KLM
130.3000 AMERICA WEST (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
130.3250 EVA AIRWAYS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.3500 CLAY LACY FBO (VAN NUYS VNY)
130.3750 BRITISH AIRWAYS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.4250 ACARS ADDITIONAL CHANNEL
130.4250 ENROUTE COMMON GROUND
130.4500 ACARS ADDITIONAL CHANNEL
130.4500 NORTHWEST (SAN DIEGO SAN)
130.4750 AIR CANADA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.5000 CONTINENTAL (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.5250 DELTA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.5500 UNITED AIRLINES (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
130.5750 RAYTHEON FBO (VAN NUYS VNY)
130.6000 EL AL (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.6000 GARRETT AVIATION (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.6000 NETJETS AVIATION (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.6250 EL AL (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.6500 THE AIR GROUP (VAN NUYS VNY)
130.7000 ALASKA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.7000 BALAIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.7000 "MINNEAPOLIS RADIO" EXTENDED RANGE VHF
130.7250 TRANS WORLD AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.7750 "ATLANTA RADIO" EXTENDED RANGE VHF
130.7750 DELTA
130.8000 "LOS ANGELES RADIO" EXTENDED RANGE VHF
130.8250 ENROUTE COMMON GROUND
130.8500 ALASKA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.9000 US AIR (SAN DIEGO SAN)
130.9200 FEDERAL EXPRESS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.9250 FRONTIER (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.9500 ASIANA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
130.9750 CHINA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.0250 AMERICAN AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.0500 ALASKA AIRLINES (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
131.0500 MESA AVIATION (BAKERSFIELD BFL)
131.0500 MESA AVIATION (PALM SPRINGS PSP)
131.0500 MESA AVIATION (SAN LUIS OBISPO SBP)
131.0500 OXNARD AIRPORT (OXNARD OXR)
131.0750 UNITED AIRLINES (ONTARIO ONT)
131.1250 ACARS ADDITIONAL CHANNEL
131.1500 US AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.1750 ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL (EDWARDS AFB EDW)
131.2000 ALASKA AIRLINES (BURBANK BUR)
131.2000 ALASKA AIRLINES (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
131.2000 ALASKA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.2750 JET SERVICE FBO (OXNARD OXR)
131.3000 ENROUTE COMMON GROUND
131.3250 HUDSON GENERAL SERVICES FBO
131.3500 AMERICAN AIRLINES
131.3500 AMERICAN EAGLE (PALM SPRINGS PSP)
131.3500 ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL (CHATSWORTH)
131.3750 PHILIPPINE AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.3750 ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL (CHATSWORTH)
131.4000 ARGENTINA AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.4000 JAPAN AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.4250 AEROLINEAS ARGENTINAS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.4250 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS (EDWARDS AFB EDW)
131.4500 DELTA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.4500 DELTA (SAN DIEGO SAN)
131.4750 ACARS
131.4750 AMERICAN TRANS AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.5000 MILLION AIR FBO (VAN NUYS VNY)
131.5000 SIGNATURE FBO (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
131.5250 AMERICAN TRANS AIR (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.5500 ACARS PRIMARY CHANNEL WORLDWIDE
131.5750 NEWPORT JET CENTER FBO (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
131.6000 LTU (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.6000 MERCURY AIR FBO (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.6000 TACA AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.6250 DHL AIR EXPRESS (NATIONWIDE)
131.6750 MERCY AIR (OXNARD OXR)
131.7000 HILLTOP AVIATION FBO (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.7000 SOUTHWEST (BURBANK BUR)
131.7000 SOUTHWEST (JOHN WAYNE SNA)
131.7250 KAISER AIR (OAKLAND)
131.7500 LUFTHANSA (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.7500 SKY WEST (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.7500 SKY WEST (SAN DIEGO SAN)
131.7750 PACIFIC AVIATION (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.8000 TRANS WORLD AIRLINES (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.8250 FEDERAL EXPRESS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.8500 AERO MEXICO
131.8500 LOS ANGELES HARBOR DEPARTMENT PORT PILOTS
131.8500 VAN NUYS AIRPORT (VNY)
131.8750 FEDERAL EXPRESS
131.8750 HALLMARK AVAITION FBO (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.8750 QANTAS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.9000 AMF (BURBANK BUR)
131.9250 FEDERAL EXPRESS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
131.9250 FEDERAL EXPRESS (NATIONWIDE)
131.9500 "SAN FRANCISCO RADIO" EXTENDED RANGE VHF
131.9500 SO CAL EDISON (OXNARD OXR)
132.0000 FEDERAL EXPRESS
132.0000 GOODYEAR BLIMP TOWER
132.0000 HORIZON (LONG BEACH LGB)
132.0000 HORIZON (SANTA BARBARA SBA)
132.0000 MIDWEST EXPRESS (LOS ANGELES LAX)
Special thanks to Iden Rogers, Ed Tobiasz and the rest of the folks at the AirCommSouthwest Yahoo! Group for contributing information. Airline Company Frequencies was previously published in Scanning USA Magazine, Naperville, IL 60567.
