Which frequency is the primary air-to-ground distress frequency?

• A. 243 MHz
• B. 121.5 MHz
• C. 2182 kHz
• D. 156.8 MHz

Answer: (A)

Distress channels are specific frequencies pilots switch to so they can reach ground stations and search-and-rescue teams quickly. In many military air-to-ground scenarios, 243 MHz is the designated emergency channel because it sits in the UHF band commonly used for aircraft-to-ground communications and is allocated for urgent use with ground operations. This makes it the preferred choice for notifying controllers and SAR assets when there’s a real emergency. The other options serve different purposes: 121.5 MHz is the civil aviation emergency frequency, 2182 kHz is a maritime/aviation distress channel in the MF band, and 156.8 MHz is not used as the primary air-to-ground distress channel.