Airband transciever efficacy or value in emergent times?

[The Norseman]

I have a Yaesu Pilot 2 Airband transciever leftover from my flight training days. As I'm not wealthy enough to fly for fun and recreation, the radio has been unused for years. With all of the ham radio talk here I'm wondering if the Yaesu would be of any value in a preparedness comms kind of way. Or, do I sell it and put that money into a HAM radio like a Baofeng or two. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Norseman

ETA: These are the freq the radio operates with...

TX 118.000 - 136.975 MHz (COM Band)
RX 108.000 - 117.975 MHz (NAV Band)
RX 118.000 - 136.975 MHz (COM Band)
WX channels WX-01 - WX-10

[zteknik]

Can your radio be user programmed? I would think that it can be useful in monitoring air traffic and you can probably program it for medevac freqs.
But if you do not have proper licensing all it would be is a scanner,so I would sell it and put the money towards a rig that you can use.

[The Norseman]

Yes radio can be programmed. When I was flying, it was my understanding that because the radio was ostensibly for air to air comms, that was the only legal way to use it.

Way back in a former life I guided on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. This was long before sat phones and, really, cell phones too. The only way to call out for emergencies was to use airband transceivers. The FAA nor the FCC ever came down on any river company or guide for using the radio inappropriately.

Sounds like selling and reinvesting in HAM is a good idea.

[rbeau30]

In an emergency, all rules are out the window.

Marine freqs also have similar rules.