PilotEdge Forums

I failed my first attempt at the CAT 8 because I busted a restriction I was given without realizing it - due primarily to a misunderstanding of the instruction and exactly what I was supposed to do.

Clearance gave me instructions I expected - with an instruction to "... maintain VFR at or below 1500." No problem. I fired up the plane, taxied, was cleared for takeoff and flew the requested runway heading, climbing toward 1500. During the climb, I was told to contact Approach, which I did, and made contact with them. After the radar contact acknowledgement, I was told:

"Maintain appropriate VFR altitudes."

For some reason, I read that as "... resume own navigation." As a result, I turned toward my first fix and began to climb - immediately failing the CAT (which I realized almost immediately was my fault).

The more I thought about it later though, the more confused I became about this instruction - because it was the first time I've ever been given it. Clearly, I'm not supposed to navigate on my own and maintain the initial instructed runway heading until I get the "resume own navigation" instruction. But this confuses me because I'm not sure if this clears me to begin my climb - while still maintaining runway heading - or if it instructs me to maintain VFR "at or below 1500," or if it is instead simply instructing me to maintain safe VFR altitudes for obstacle prevention.

Could someone clarify? Thanks!

Hi Casimir. I would have to say that it means you are cleared of the altitude restriction but not yet cleared for anything but the heading instruction you were initially given.
I think I am right on this but I am sure I will be corrected if wrong.

Blue skies!

I also have a question along the lines of the Cat 8. Initially, on the ground, at Santa Barbara, I called Santa Barbara departure, 120.55, since my heading was 309 degrees. I was flying to Santa Maria for some practice departing from a Class C. After telling ATC all the info, I was told to contact LA departure control on frequency 132.9, and make my request to them. I guess I’m confused about who to call. When to call SB dept, and when to call LA center dept. Why are there two options at the same airport, and which one do I initially call?
Confused in Santa Barbara

Good morning Gary. First thing you should do is pull up the airport diagram.
https://skyvector.com/files/tpp/1806/pdf/00378AD.PDF
In the corner is a list of frequencies. You always start at the bottom. In this case it is Santa Barbara Clearance Delivery. They are the ones that will give you a clearance out of their airspace. They will give you a heading to fly and an altitude restriction to adhere to upon departure along with a squawk code. LA departure, or whomever, is who you contact when handed off after leaving the interior airspace.
Hope this helps.

When have you ever been taught to start from the bottom and go up?? That seems to be right, tho! Thanks for the tip

Gary, have you ever watch the training videos that Keith Smith made years ago? They are quite informative, even for an old salt like me.

https://www.pilotedge.net/workshops
The videos are listed in chronological order, newest at the top, so start at the bottom and work your way back up the list as far as you want to take it. I've watched them all.
Trust me, you'll learn a lot!

Mr H wrote:I also have a question along the lines of the Cat 8. Initially, on the ground, at Santa Barbara, I called Santa Barbara departure, 120.55, since my heading was 309 degrees. I was flying to Santa Maria for some practice departing from a Class C. After telling ATC all the info, I was told to contact LA departure control on frequency 132.9, and make my request to them. I guess I’m confused about who to call. When to call SB dept, and when to call LA center dept. Why are there two options at the same airport, and which one do I initially call?
Confused in Santa Barbara

Gary,

You are confusing LA Center with SBA Clearance.

In your example you were at SBA on the ground and decided to call Santa Barbara Departure/Approach (120.55). This is not the correct procedure, and it's why you were given another frequency. The controller informed you to call SBA CLEARANCE on 132.90. That is not LA Center.

If you're on the ground at a towered airport, you're only going to talk to clearance, ground or tower. It's only in air that you'd talk to approach or center.