GPS assisted, radio-device communication apparatus and method for human or machine operated vehicle

A method of assisting a human aircraft occupant and/or a human or machine aircraft operator to wirelessly communicate with an aviation related facility via an aircraft radio the method comprising the steps of:

• a) retrieving current aircraft location information from an aircraft location device;
• b) accessing radio device records which are stored in one or more locations, the stored radio device records including but not limited to the frequency and one or more of associated area(s) and/or location(s), corresponding to an aviation facility;
• c) in response to the aircraft current location information and the radio device records, automatically selecting at least a first communication frequency for which the corresponding facility, area or location is likely within range and the facility is appropriate to communicate with, based on the aircraft location;
• d) automatically causing the selected first communication frequency and/or the name of the corresponding facility to be made available for use by one or both of the aircraft operator and/or the human aircraft occupant.

A method of assisting a human or machine aircraft operator and/or a human aircraft occupant to wirelessly communicate by voice with an aviation facility via one or more aircraft communication radios the method comprising the steps of:

• a) retrieving current aircraft location information from an aircraft location device;
• b) accessing radio device records which are stored in one or more locations, the stored radio device records including but not limited to the frequency and one or more associated area(s) and/or location(s) corresponding to an aviation facility;
• c) in response to the aircraft current location information and the radio device records, automatically selecting at least a first voice communication frequency for which the corresponding aviation facility area or location is likely within range and appropriate to communicate with, in response to the aircraft location;
• d) automatically causing the selected first voice communication frequency and/or the name of the corresponding aviation facility to be available to one or both of the aircraft operator and/or the human aircraft occupant.

A method for one or more processor to select an appropriate wireless radio device for a human or machine vehicle operator and/or a human occupant to use to communicate with an associated facility, the method including the steps of:

• a) in response to stored facility and associated radio device data, selecting a facility which is appropriate for a vehicle operator and/or human occupant to communicate with via a radio device which is associated with the facility, the selection also being responsive to at least one of the vehicle's location, destination, speed, direction of travel and/or altitude;
• b) displaying, on a touch screen display device, information corresponding to the selected facility, the displayed information including at least one of a name or a description of the selected facility;
• and
• c) displaying on the touch screen display device further information which a vehicle operator and/or human occupant may use to select and communicate with the facility via the associated radio device.