Newb how to

[WBEG]

Hello all,

I am new to sim flying with ATC and I am looking for an explanation as to what to request in a specific situation.
In the scenario flying from L52 to KSBP, do a touch and go and fly back to L52.
I'd like to know what I would request from the controller at KSBP.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[jtek]

"San Luis tower, Cessna 123 alpha bravo is six miles south, request touch-and-go with the numbers."

Welcome to PE! You might find the training program helpful: http://training.pilotedge.net/page/Home

[Kevin_atc]

"San Luis tower, Cessna 123 alpha bravo is six miles south, request touch-and-go with the numbers."

In addition, it wouldn't hurt to include your altitude too.

[Anthony Santanastaso]

Hello all,

I am new to sim flying with ATC and I am looking for an explanation as to what to request in a specific situation.
In the scenario flying from L52 to KSBP, do a touch and go and fly back to L52.
I'd like to know what I would request from the controller at KSBP.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Hi, and welcome to PE!

When flying VFR into a towered field, the most important questions to answer upon initial communication with the Tower are: Who, Where, What?

Who are you? - "Cessna One Two Three Alpha Sierra"

Where are you? - "Over Grover Beach" or "7 south of the field" (You can use a familiar VFR reporting point or distance/direction from the field)

What is your request? - "Inbound for touch-and-go"

In addition to the above questions, you want to acknowledge the receipt of the current ATIS information.

ATIS - Automatic Terminal Information Service

The continuous broadcast of recorded noncontrol information in selected terminal areas. Its purpose is to improve controller effectiveness and to relieve frequency congestion by automating the repetitive transmission of essential but routine information

Typically, you could acknowledge the ATIS either at the end of your transmission or in-between the "Where?" and the "What?"

Jtek posted a good example of how all the pieces come together. "With the numbers" at the end of the example is another way of acknowledging receipt of the pertinent weather information for the airport. If you don't know the numbers or the ATIS, then tell the controller "Negative ATIS."

Kevin's suggestion of including your altitude is great when calling the TRACON (Approach/Departure) with the intent of being radar identified. By offering your altitude, it allows the controller to instantaneously verify your Mode C (Altitude) readout on the scope after you've successfully input the correct discreet squawk code.

When calling Approach, I hold my request until after I've established a line of communication with the controller. Especially where I fly, they are generally very busy and do not want a random VFR pilot (with whom they have had no prior contact) to tie up the frequency with a position report and lengthy request. My communication with Approach would go as follows:

Piper 4170L: "New York Approach, Cherokee Four One Seven Zero Lima, with a request."

NY Approach: "Cherokee Four One Seven Zero Lima, New York Approach, go ahead."

Piper 4170L: "New York Approach, Cherokee Four One Seven Zero Lima is over the Captree Monument at 2,000, I would like traffic advisories in the south shore practice area."

NY Approach: "Cherokee Seven Zero Lima, Squawk 4327 and IDENT."

I would then squawk the correct code, be radar identified by the controller, and proceed as requested.

When it comes to communication, be short and sweet, but make sure to include all of the pertinent information. In many instances both controlling and flying, I have heard pilots give their life's story when calling ATC (e.g., how high they are, fast they are travelling, direction they are headed, how much fuel is left, what color the passenger's hair next to them has!). Most of all that information is not important, which is why it comes down to knowing what information the controller wants and then offering it to them in the most succinct and direct way.

Perfect practice makes perfect. Try creating scenarios that you can practice offline. Here is one for you - figure out how you would call the controller! (Hint: I've included more information about your flight than what is required for the initial call-up!).

You are flying a white and black Cessna 172 with a G1000 GPS. You've just departed Santa Paula Airport (SZR) and would like to head to Camarillo Airport (CMA) to have lunch with some friends, and then take them on a flight through the LA Class Bravo. As you approach 2 miles north of the Saticoy Bridge, you tune to the Camarillo Airport ATIS on 126.025 and receive ATIS information BRAVO.

What would you say to Camarillo Tower? If you're unfamiliar with the area described in this example, check out SkyVector for a free sectional (http://www.skyvector.com).

[Mark Hargrove]

You are flying a white and black Cessna 172 with a G1000 GPS. You've just departed Santa Paula Airport (SZR) and would like to head to Camarillo Airport (CMA) to have lunch with some friends, and then take them on a flight through the LA Class Bravo. As you approach 2 miles north of the Saticoy Bridge, you tune to the Camarillo Airport ATIS on 126.025 and receive ATIS information BRAVO.

What would you say to Camarillo Tower?

Anthony hinted that he gave us more information than we need for the radio call-up, but he didn't give us a crucial piece of information: what color is our hair? Oh...right -- we don't need to know that.

Following the who/where/what guideline, I'd probably make the very simple call:

"Camarillo tower, Cessna 123AB, Saticoy Bridge, landing, with Bravo"

The red-herrings in the setup for this are the color of the airplane (nobody cares about that) and the fact that we have a G1000 GPS (SoCal approach would care if we were them calling for flight following or an instrument clearance, but the tower doesn't care). Also, where we're going after lunch doesn't matter at this point in time.

-M.

[WBEG]

This is an example of how I think I should call in:

Camarillo Tower, Cessna WBEG with a request
Cessna WBEG, Camarillo Tower go ahead
5 miles northwest @ 5000, inbound for landing with information Bravo, WBEG

[Keith Smith]

For a short request (ie. landing at a towered airport), I would skip the 'request' exhange. Just start wit the last transmission, put your callsign up front (including aircraft type) and you're all set.

[Anthony Santanastaso]

This is an example of how I think I should call in:

Camarillo Tower, Cessna WBEG with a request
Cessna WBEG, Camarillo Tower go ahead
5 miles northwest @ 5000, inbound for landing with information Bravo, WBEG

In addition to what Keith said, you would not want to include altitude since it is not pertinent for the situation. If you read the middle part of my post again, you will see that I suggested this type of exchange (including altitude) when talking to a radar controller (i.e. Departure, Approach or Center) if your intent is to be radar identified.

[Anthony Santanastaso]

"Camarillo tower, Cessna 123AB, Saticoy Bridge, landing, with Bravo"

The red-herrings in the setup for this are the color of the airplane (nobody cares about that) and the fact that we have a G1000 GPS (SoCal approach would care if we were them calling for flight following or an instrument clearance, but the tower doesn't care). Also, where we're going after lunch doesn't matter at this point in time.

-M.

Mark's answer is correct. It's succinct yet informative and it includes all of the pertinent information that the controller would want to know.

[WBEG]

Got it, thanks for the help.