When should a pilot initiate lost communications procedures while being vectored to final?

A pilot should initiate lost communications procedures after one minute without contact when being vectored to final. This timeframe is established by standard procedures and guidelines for air traffic management.

The rationale behind waiting one minute instead of shorter intervals is that air traffic control may be temporarily busy or dealing with other aircraft, making it necessary for a pilot to give a reasonable period before assuming a communication failure. Communication systems can sometimes experience short outages that resolve quickly, so waiting for at least one minute allows for the possibility of regaining contact.

In the event the pilot does not receive any communication after this time, it is prudent to initiate lost communications procedures, which typically involve following the last clearance given, maintaining assigned altitude, and proceeding to a prescribed route or direct to a clearance limit if specified, ensuring safety and maintaining awareness of traffic around while attempting to re-establish contact.