PilotEdge Forums

Here is my newbie thought for the day. I was just watching a video for PE where the pilot pulled up to the runway, switched over to tower, and announced ready for departure number two after Cessna. Now I know I'm expected to switch from ground to tower myself when I'm at the runway but I wasn't expecting that one could switch when they were in line but not up to the runway. I had thought that you were to remain with Ground until you were holding short for the runway.

So here is the question. How soon are you expected to leave ground and switch to tower? Would something like "John Wayne Tower, Barron 7019G, 20L at Kilo behind Piper ready for departure" be an acceptable call if you were say fourth in line and wasn't sure of your position? Or would simply stating that you're "in line" for departure be sufficient for them to track you?

The tower isn't going to be able to clear you for takeoff if you have a airplane right in front of you, so I would basically wait until you're #1 then call ready. An exception to this would be if there are multiple aircraft short of the runway (ie, it's a wide taxiway) and it's not clear 'who is next', then I'd check in with the tower to establish my spot in the line.

Commonly you'll hear something like "John Wayne tower, Cessna 12345 ready in sequence ry 20R"

Meaning, I'm ready to go but this slow poke is taking his sweet timing running up in front of me lol. But it doesn't always mean that... it could be more like you see an aircraft on final that you could get out ahead of and you're ready to go now.

While turbojets are expected to be ready reaching the start of the runway hold short, the rest of us should call ready.

I've also heard on real ATC the call from Ground to "monitor tower on XXX.XX" which means (to me) that tower now owns you but don't call them--listen for them to call you. On PE since DEL/GND/TWR are frequently the same person, I wonder if that's omitted by local PE controller procedure, much like the midfield runup taxi instruction at real life KSNA isn't done on PE.

Cool thanks guys. That makes sense.

On a side note, I've heard reference to a "runup" before but I'm not entirely clear what that is exactly. I infer it's not applicable to our simulated environment. But what is it?

Engine runups are part of the pre-takeoff checks that are conducted in piston aircraft to verify the correct operation of the power plant, the ignition system, vacuum system and constant speed prop (if present).

A typical operation would involve increasing power to ~1700 RPM then swapping from 'both' mags to 'left' and then 'right', each time verifying smooth operation of the engine, a consistent drop in RPM between the left/right mag selections, and also an increase in EGT's one running on a single mag.

I don't do run-ups in the sim because it's not a task that I'm looking to practice, but for student pilots who are getting used to the flow of procedures, it may well be worth doing.

Ah ok. I vaguely remember my dad doing that when I flew with him as a kid. He had a PPL back in the 80's. Thanks.

If one is flying a slow piston aircraft, like an Archer or C172, where would one do the runup? While holding short of the runway? On the ramp? If the ramp is okay, I'd prefer to do it there.

I know big jets have to use runup areas at airports, but small craft presumably have more flexibility,since they produce less noise and exhaust.

Geoff wrote:If one is flying a slow piston aircraft, like an Archer or C172, where would one do the runup? While holding short of the runway? On the ramp? If the ramp is okay, I'd prefer to do it there.

I know big jets have to use runup areas at airports, but small craft presumably have more flexibility,since they produce less noise and exhaust.

As a student pilot in Canada we taxi down to the runway for a bit - pull over to a convenient location to the side of the taxiway and then do the runup - then head to the hold short line after we have completed that.

I've only heard ATC issue the "Monitor tower" instruction at large airports or when the sequence of departing aircraft at the end of the runway might be confusing. Normally, if there is only 1 taxiway leading to the runway, the departure sequence is obvious and aircraft should monitor tower when nearing the end of the runway. ATC expects this, and the ground controller will typically not instruct you to contact the tower.

One situation where the "Monitor tower" instruction comes in very useful is when multiple aircraft are needing to cross a runway. KATL departing runway 27R, landing 27L & 28. http://155.178.201.160/d-tpp/1503/00026AD.PDF Aircraft hold at N5, S, T, P, U, and sometimes D if they're going to E/F gates. When it's busy ATC wouldn't want to have all those aircraft calling and causing more radio congestion, so they issue the instruction "Monitor tower 123.85". When the rwy 27R controller is ready to cross them, he/she will rapid fire the crossing instructions and during very busy times will ask aircraft to respond with their callsigns only.

Most of the time a PE airport will not be that busy, so there isn't a reason to keep aircraft rolling, and a runup at the end of the runway isn't going to cause anyone huge delays. Always be ready for it though, because during peak times it's a tool ATC can use.