Need some advice...

[rhys1573]

so earlia on i was doing a flight for the first time transitioning through the Class B airspace. i got everything correct until i was stumped when i had to contact KSMO tower. i began my decent into santa monica and he asked me what my intentions were. at the time i was over the numbers of rwy21 and in use was rwy3. so i was trying to think of a way of saying this without sounding like and idiot. as im thinking of it now i could of requested to enter left down wind of rwy3 and come in for a full stop but what other options could i have chosen from at this point. after he asked me i done the worst thing possible which made me look even more like an idiot is i disconnected and landed but i was so confused at the time.
Thanks in advance

[zengei]

When in doubt, just speak in plain English, don't worry about sounding like an idiot. In this case, "I'd like to land" would be enough, ATC would direct you on how to enter the pattern to land at an appropriate runway.

Remember, unlike ATC, pilots don't have specific phraseology requirements; say anything you need to to get your point across. If ATC needs you to say something specific, e.g. runway crossing instructions, and you fail to do so they'll prompt you. If you get stumped again, force yourself to pause to collect your thoughts, and just say "I want to <something>".

[rhys1573]

When in doubt, just speak in plain English, don't worry about sounding like an idiot. In this case, "I'd like to land" would be enough, ATC would direct you on how to enter the pattern to land at an appropriate runway.

Remember, unlike ATC, pilots don't have specific phraseology requirements; say anything you need to to get your point across. If ATC needs you to say something specific, e.g. runway crossing instructions, and you fail to do so they'll prompt you. If you get stumped again, force yourself to pause to collect your thoughts, and just say "I want to <something>".

i thanks very much zengai im gonna go back on and try it out. really brought back some confidence there that i dont always have to sound professional and on point. thanks

[Marcus Becker]

Right. You called with your altitude with no other information. Remember that ATC isn't able to read your mind on a VFR flight. If you are approaching Class D airspace, tell tower where you are (direction and distance), what you want to do with confirmation of ATIS or weather.

[jay9909]

I'm surprised you weren't given pattern entry instructions way before you were already over the numbers at a towered field. Were you transferred from approach to tower late?

[stevekirks]

The trick I've learned the hard way is something I keep in my head called "positive control".

I flew into Yuma last night, coming up from Mexico outside of the PE coverage area. Just south of the border of the US, I called Yuma Approach since they are the controlling facility for the area even though it's not a Charlie. From the FAA docs:

"Unless otherwise authorized, each aircraft must establish two-way radio communications with the ATC facility providing air traffic services prior to entering the airspace and thereafter maintain those communications while in the airspace."

That told me that since Yuma has an approach/departure frequency published, I had to contact them before entering, even though I was VFR at 8500, way above the Delta airspace and pretty far outside of it.

PG was the controller, he acknowledged the radio call and assigned me a squawk code, then confirmed radar contact. Now at this point, in my mind, Yuma Approach had "positive control" over me because of the squawk code. I had established during the call up to Approach:

* My callsign
* Aircraft type
* Location and altitude
* INTENTIONS (inbound to land at Yuma Intl)

Since I didn't request flight following but was given the squawk code, I knew that Yuma Approach was who I was supposed to stay with, but also was unsure about any navigation restrictions. I simply asked, and was told, I could go direct to the airport. This is where it got weird for me as the pilot.

I was going to enter the pattern for runway 35 but that was one of 3 possible runways that were in use. I couldn't switch to tower because I was under "positive control" by Yuma Approach. At one point, I was about 2 miles from the airport and had to orbit out of the likely departure corridors because:

* I wasn't at pattern altitude
* I didn't have permission to enter the pattern
* I didn't have runway approach instructions from my controller.

When Peter finally got a little less busy, I got a "Radar services, terminated, squawk VFR, contact Yuma Tower on..." so that allowed me to make the switch. Still orbiting, I called the tower, requested runway 35 and told them I had the weather, and got pattern entry instructions and landing clearance.

To learn from your situation:

1. What were you told after you left the Bravo? You were under positive control while in the Bravo, so there must have been some type of instructions when you left that airspace. You can pull the audio archives and listen to refresh your memory.

2. Why did you set up an approach to land without contact at least someone, especially the tower of the airport you were approaching?

3. Did you pull the ATIS from myflightroute.com or the sim (if using real weather) to determine the in use runways?

In real life, I can't imagine a situation where being over the numbers at a towered airport without clearance would enter someone's mind--excepting emergencies of course.