PilotEdge Forums

So I'm returning back to PE after some time away but never really got good at the radio calls to the point I was comfortable. This time I am flying in VR and not exactly the easiest thing to do for writing down long clearances or taxi routes. So I decided to use small simple airports for now like Riverside KRAL for planes but also thought about flying helos. I would be able to avoid a lot of taxi route calls and learn a whole new comm series. While the default ATC in FS is no way near perfect, it does allow one to build a good understanding of radio calls for planes but nothing for helos.

I decided to try my first flight at Orbx's Palm Springs and explore the sims performance while discovering some helo pad locations like the hospital and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway system (holy crap that is amazing in VR to landing on one of those small little elevated pads!) So not having a clue about this I was helped via the acting controller of my options and proper calls that I missed or messed up...the whole reason why PE is so great. I still am a little lost as I didnt ask the proper terminology of how to ask for when landing the ability to come in on the runway approach end and then hover taxi via the taxiways to where I would land. I had asked to shoot the approach which is an IFR term. Any help on this would greatly be appreciated.

Additionally for taking off, the simplest method would seem to call tower and request lifting off from the present location in VFR. A more involved would be contacting clearance(?) to get a squawk code and then over to ground to hover taxi to the active. Since I was in Class C, should I have asked Tower for a code prior to lift off? A lot to learn but I look forward to it all.

WELCOME BACK TO THE NETWORK!

Found your audio recording: http://assets.pilotedge.net/recordings/ ... _18011.mp3

So lets get started:


You didn't really mess up any calls... an understanding of airspace and the controllers that work what type of airspace/position is what is needed here.

Clearance gives you VFR departure instructions when they are available.

Ground controls the movement areas (The parking areas are not movement areas)

Tower controls the runway surface and airspace around the airport (usually 5 mile radius and up to about 2,500AGL)

Approach/Departure controls the airspace around where Tower controls within usually about 50-60 miles. ('ish haha)

KPSP is not a C airspace... it is a TRSA... In simple terms it is an "Optional C airspace"... that means you are be default, given radar services but you can opt not to use them. By calling ground first- they will assume you don't want the radar services normally.

For a helicopter, if you call ground, it is expected that you NEED to call the ground controller... the only reason you would want to speak to a ground controller is to utilize a taxiway. But if I remember correctly, you were wanting a departure from your present position at the ramp (remember that ground doesn't control the ramp)

So that confused the controller.... thats when he started to ask about your true intentions. Then, it was realized that a direct call to Tower was the most efficient route.


So... if you were in a helo and wanting to get radar services after departure you should:
__Contact clearance to set up your radar services (He will give you instructions for departure, if there are any.... departure frequency and squawk code)
------if you didn't want any radar services, you could go straight to ground or tower (depending on the following)

__Contact Ground next if you wanted to hover or air taxi to a runway or helipad that would require use of a taxiway.

__If you wanted to depart from present position at the ramp- after clearance you could go straight to tower without speaking to ground.



***At an actual class C or B airport... contact clearance first always.



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Approaching the airport:

__Saying things like "I would like the approach" or whatever you said is usually an IFR term. I would have said "PSP TWR, N8NR is a Bell 407 6 miles west of the airport inbound to land at the (name) ramp. We have information (info letter)" or ".... inbound to land runway 31L..." ETC...



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I am STRONGLY going to suggest the PilotEdge workshops and Pilot Training (ratings) system. They are a wealth of knowledge and I bet you a cookie that you will come out of there completely comfortable navigating airspace and working with ATC. Both can be found in the Pilot Center tab not the main http://www.pilotedge.net website

Thank you Kyle for the informative and detailed reply. I'm half way into listening of the ATC Communications workshop video. Great stuff. Looking forward to taking what I am learning and polishing it up as I expand into this area of aviation.

Keep is posted and good luck!