Arriving and Leaving Class D Airspace
Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:15 pm
Sorry, lots of short little "newbie" questions below...
A few nights ago, I was landing at a airport in "D" airspace, and while I was still a few miles out, I was told to "call 3 mile final". With that clearance, do I have the discretion to descend at will? If it lines up appropriately, can I do a downwind and/or base leg in the pattern first? Similarly, if I'm cleared to the downwind, is it implied that I should now go ahead and descend to pattern altitude? When I make initial contact with the controller at let him know I'm at, say 4500 feet, I need to maintain that altitude unless instructed otherwise, right?
When leaving a class D airport, when can I make a turn toward my destination after takeoff? Should I fly runway heading until told otherwise?
Thanks in advance! The more I fly in Pilot Edge, the more I realize I don't know!
A few nights ago, I was landing at a airport in "D" airspace, and while I was still a few miles out, I was told to "call 3 mile final". With that clearance, do I have the discretion to descend at will? If it lines up appropriately, can I do a downwind and/or base leg in the pattern first? Similarly, if I'm cleared to the downwind, is it implied that I should now go ahead and descend to pattern altitude? When I make initial contact with the controller at let him know I'm at, say 4500 feet, I need to maintain that altitude unless instructed otherwise, right?
When leaving a class D airport, when can I make a turn toward my destination after takeoff? Should I fly runway heading until told otherwise?
Thanks in advance! The more I fly in Pilot Edge, the more I realize I don't know!