PilotEdge Forums

Hi All,

When on an IFR flight and arriving at a non-towered airport, if ATC does not advise the pilot to switch to advisory, is it OK for the pilot to initiate the frequency change by saying, "SoCal approach, N331CB is switching to advisory."?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Lucky

Once you’re ready for the switch, just request it. But NEVER just switch on your own or without acknowledgement from ATC.

Kevin_atc wrote:Once you’re ready for the switch, just request it. But NEVER just switch on your own or without acknowledgement from ATC.

Thanks, Kevin. More specifically, instead of asking, can it be informing, ie, instead of "N123AB requests frequency change to advisory" can it be "N123AB is switching over to advisory." In the case of the latter, ATC would reply with the same words as in the former.

Your thoughts?

Best,

Lucky

luckyb52 wrote:

Kevin_atc wrote:Once you’re ready for the switch, just request it. But NEVER just switch on your own or without acknowledgement from ATC.

Thanks, Kevin. More specifically, instead of asking, can it be informing, ie, instead of "N123AB requests frequency change to advisory" can it be "N123AB is switching over to advisory." In the case of the latter, ATC would reply with the same words as in the former.

Your thoughts?

Best,

Lucky

What’s the difference between saying that and requesting it? Both require ATC to respond and you to once again read it back. I think that your proposed method could result in ATC lecturing you about how that’s not your decision. You should probably just make it in a request format instead.

luckyb52 wrote:

Kevin_atc wrote:Once you’re ready for the switch, just request it. But NEVER just switch on your own or without acknowledgement from ATC.

Thanks, Kevin. More specifically, instead of asking, can it be informing, ie, instead of "N123AB requests frequency change to advisory" can it be "N123AB is switching over to advisory." In the case of the latter, ATC would reply with the same words as in the former.

Your thoughts?

Best,

Lucky

You still have to get permission to switch frequencies whether you ask or inform. So it's just better to be polite about it and request the change. As a pilot you don't know if there is a reason the controller is holding on letting you make the switch.

zerofay32 wrote:
You still have to get permission to switch frequencies whether to ask or inform. So it's just better to be polite about it and request the change. As a pilot you don't know if there is a reason the controller is holding on letting you make the switch.

Thanks for that input, Andrew, much appreciated, especially since it's coming from a real-world pilot


Best

Lucky