PilotEdge Forums

Hello everyone,

Today I flew VFR to BUR coming out north from the LAX mini-route. I contacted Socal App (124.6) first, as instructed on the sectional, and expected to be handed off to BUR tower next when nearer to BUR.

However, the app controller told me on initial contact that – if I did not need Flight Following for my arrival – I could have contacted BUR tower directly instead and announce my intentions...

Is that because I was already on squawk code from the mini-route? Or may I contact C-class airport's Tower directly always when inbound for landing, when I do not need Flight Following?

You only need establish two way comms with a class C primary airport (and a mode C transponder), so you could just call the tower directly (assuming you're below the outer class C shelf). However in my experience, in real life, the vast majority of approach controls will sequence aircraft to class D and class C airports, so tower may have you go back to approach for sequencing etc.

By the time you leave the SMO Delta, you are about 6 miles from BUR. In the time it takes to get radar ID'd it is well beyond time to have handed you off to BUR tower. So the controller probably said that due to your proximity to the destination airport. In a case that requires RADAR ID and less than ten miles flight distance to go, it's may be easier to call tower directly.

When in doubt, call approach and ask.

Gotya, thanks!