In short
A handheld VHF radio provides two services to the pilot: a backup radio (radio or electrical failure on board) and a great tool for listening and learning. Hardware-wise, the reference is the Icom IC-A25 (A25CE in COM only, A25NE in NAV+COM); Yaesu (FTA-550L/750L) adds VOR/ILS. The point that changes everything in Europe: the 8.33 kHz is mandatory, a radio must support it, and many old 25 kHz devices are no longer suitable. And owning a radio does not give you the right to transmit: it is governed by a license.
Le point du pilote, ma première radio
Ma toute première radio n'était même pas un émetteur : c'était un récepteur seul, un Hotline FR-100, quand j'étais élève-pilote sur monomoteur à pistons (Cessna 177), il y a une vingtaine d'années. Le service que j'en ai le plus tiré : écouter les fréquences pour apprendre. Quand on débute, le débit de parole de certains contrôleurs et pilotes est franchement effrayant, on ne comprend rien. Rester au sol, la radio à l'oreille, à décoder la phraséologie, ça démystifie tout : on apprend le rythme, les formules, la musique de la radio avant même de la parler en vol.
Plus tard, en 2007, je suis passé à un vrai émetteur-récepteur de secours, une Icom IC-A24 que j'ai toujours. La logique : une radio de secours au cas où la radio de bord ou l'électrique me lâche en vol. Deux appareils, deux usages : apprendre, puis se sécuriser.
Le revers, à connaître : une radio de cette époque est presque certainement 25 kHz seulement. Parfaite pour apprendre à l'époque, mais aujourd'hui, où le 8,33 kHz est la norme, elle ne permet plus de caler précisément la plupart des fréquences. Pour un achat aujourd'hui : du 8,33 kHz, sans exception (voir plus bas).
The comparison
| Criteria | Icom A25CE | Icom A25NE | Yaesu FTA-550L | Yaesu FTA-750L |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | COM only | NAV (VOR) + COM | NAV (VOR/ILS) + COM | NAV (VOR/ILS) + COM |
| 8.33 kHz | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power (PEP) | 6 W | 6 W | 5 W | 5 W |
| Navigation | No | VOR (no ILS) | VOR + ILS (localizer) | VOR + full ILS |
| GPS | No | Yes | No | Yes (WAAS) |
| Bluetooth | No | Yes | No | No |
| Battery life | ~10.5 h | ~10.5 h | Li-ion (n/a) | Li-ion (n/a) |
| Waterproofing | IP57 | IP57 | IPX5 | IPX5 |
| Indicative price (€) | ~€459 | ~€699 | ~€420 | ~€520 |
Other options: Icom IC-A16E (very robust "ground → air" COM, from ~€339 at pilotshop.lu), Yaesu FTA-250L (entry-level COM, from ~€229 depending on retailer), Sporty's PJ2 (COM + GPS + Bluetooth, € price unchecked). ⚠️ The COM model (A25CE) has neither GPS nor Bluetooth: GPS, Bluetooth and VOR are reserved for the NAV/COM model (A25NE). This is not a European restriction: the US COM version lacks it too. Specs: Icom, Yaesu, Sporty's; prices pilotshop.lu / boutique.aero, indicative and subject to verification.
The European reality (read before buying)
1. 8.33 kHz is mandatory. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1079/2012 imposed 8.33 kHz channel spacing in the Single European Sky; the conversion of voice frequencies 118 to 137 MHz was to be completed by December 31, 2018 (framework since taken up by Regulation (EU) 2023/1770). A few frequencies remain in 25 kHz, such as 121.5 MHz (emergency) and 123.1 MHz (SAR auxiliary, search and rescue). In short: a handheld bought today for Europe must support 8.33 kHz. Recent Icom A25/A16E and Yaesu FTA do; flee from old 25 kHz-only devices.
2. Transmitting requires an authorization. Owning a radio does not give the right to speak on aeronautical frequencies. It generally requires a station license and a radiotelephone operator's certificate. The framework varies by country: BIPT (Belgium); in France, the ANFR manages frequencies and the station license, the operator's certificate falls under the DGAC (for a pilot, this privilege is practically carried by their license); OFCOM (BAKOM) and FOCA (Switzerland); national authority in Luxembourg. Check before transmitting, you don't use a handheld to "chat". Note also: listening to frequencies to learn is tolerated, but capturing and disclosing the content is not (secrecy of correspondence); and a handheld used on the ground requires its own authorization.
3. The emergency frequency 121.5 MHz is only used in a real emergency situation, and remains strictly regulated. It is never cluttered with tests.
Pour qui ?
- Élève / écoute / budget : une COM 8,33 kHz suffit, Icom A25CE, Yaesu FTA-250L, ou IC-A16E pour un usage sol très robuste.
- Secours de navigation : un modèle avec VOR/ILS : Yaesu FTA-550L (sans GPS) ou FTA-750L (avec GPS).
- Le plus complet (VOR + GPS + Bluetooth) : Icom A25NE.
À savoir
- • Portée réduite. Antenne courte tenue à la main, et depuis un cockpit métallique la portée chute encore : bien inférieure à une radio de bord reliée à l'antenne extérieure. Un adaptateur d'antenne extérieure (BNC) aide. C'est un secours, pas un remplacement.
- • It is not a distress beacon. A handheld VHF does not replace an ELT (406 MHz beacon) or a PLB.
- • Regulated transmission. License + operator's certificate depending on your country; do not clutter frequencies, especially 121.5.
- • 8.33 kHz. Check this before buying: a 25 kHz-only radio is no longer suitable in Europe.
- • Accessories. Consider a spare battery, an emergency AA battery case, and the aviation headset adapter (often optional).
Where to buy
In French-speaking Europe: pilotshop.lu, Bayo, boutique.aero.
On Amazon. The five radios below are sold there. ⚠️ Beware of a trap: the Icom IC-A16E is a receiver only, it does not transmit. And I deliberately do not put any link to the old IC-A24, which does not cover the 8.33 kHz spacing required in Europe.
Affiliate links, see the disclaimer at the bottom of the page.
Amazon links. A partnership with a specialized retailer is in preparation, service, warranty and advice are better there.
Frequently asked questions
Is 8.33 kHz mandatory?
Can I transmit freely with a handheld?
Does a handheld replace the on-board radio?
Do I need VOR/ILS on the radio?
In the same section
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