What is the purpose of a radio failure procedure and what are typical steps?

• A. Engage emergency beacon and land immediately.
• B. Switch to a dedicated weather channel.
• C. If communications fail, pilots follow the 'NAVAID' guidelines: squawk 7600, continue with the last clearance or expected route, attempt to reestablish contact, and use transponder and position to proceed as directed.
• D. Ignore the issue and continue.

Answer: (C)

When radio failure happens, the goal is to keep traffic safe and give ATC a predictable way to manage you and other aircraft. A standardized loss‑of‑communication procedure lets you continue navigating in a way that ATC can anticipate, so you can be directed and reconnected without chaos.

The key actions are: set the transponder to 7600 so ATC knows you’ve lost voice contact; continue on the last clearance or the route you’re expected to fly, rather than improvising a new plan; keep trying to contact ATC to reestablish communication; and use your position and navigation aids to proceed as ATC has directed or as the expected route dictates. If you can reestablish contact, continue with any updated instructions; if not, you rely on the established sequence (last assigned, then what you were expected to fly, then the filed route) and proceed safely to a suitable point or destination as applicable. This sequence is exactly what ensures you stay on a predictable path and ATC can manage traffic despite the radio failure.