PilotEdge Forums

A couple of questions:

1) The scenario VFR: pilot is instructed to maintain runway heading and a specific altitude. A short time after takeoff the pilot is instructed to cancel altitude restrictions. I've assumed that maintain runway heading was cancelled as well and the pilot may turn on course. Am I correct?

2) In preparing for the CAT 11 (KLAX-KSAN), I will be requesting flight following while on the ground. While if flight, if I get instructions to, "Resume my own navigation and maintain appropriate VFR altitudes," I will climb to 7,500. Flying direct KSAN @ 7,500 I'll be in the Class Bravo until I get to WILMA as the base of the Bravo is 8,000. I will need to re-enter Class B a few miles south near the 210 radial off of SLI where the base of the Bravo is 7,000. I'm assuming I need to request clearance to re-enter or does the original clearance hold as the controller has been advised of my destination?

Any help is appreciated.

1.) "Cancel altitude restrictions" does not also cancel a prior heading command. You will get something like "resume own navigation" as a separate instruction in this case.
2.) I guess you would indeed need a new clearance if you were clear of the bravo before. But I think it's by far easier to just avoid getting into the Bravo again and stay those few miles further south-west.
When I did the Cat 11, I got vectors until clear of the Bravo, and those took me quite a bit to the south-west.

1) if all ATC says is "Cancel Altitude Restrictions" then you are still on an assigned heading and should remain there until given a vector, told to resume own nav, etc. You can always ask the controller if they still need you on that heading or if it is ok to turn on course.

2) Some advice on the CAT 11, the way that they vector you out of LAX causes you to leave the bravo very quickly, and will tell to 'own nav and altitude your discretion' while you are still under the bravo shelves. Even with flight following you need a new clearance to climb into the bravo shelves or wait at a lower altitude until you're clear from underneath the bravo. This has gotten a lot of pilots attempting the 11. Always maintain situational awareness and know where the shelves start and end.

EDIT: Ninja'ed by Matthias

Thanks.

My reading of the transcript has me confused regarding climbing to my planned altitude. No criticism of the transcript.....my inability to understand it.

It might also be unclear that there's no need to literally fly direct to KSAN. As long as you follow the general direction without too wild course and altitude changes, you won't get questioned about this when on FF. It's your own responsibility to stay clear of airpaces for which you would need an explicit clearance.

E.g. feel free to do a little sight seeing over Catalina on the way.

John Bakelaar wrote:Thanks.

My reading of the transcript has me confused regarding climbing to my planned altitude. No criticism of the transcript.....my inability to understand it.

The transcripts are NOT to be followed literally. There is a bit of misinformation in some of the transcripts and they are simply a sample of what may or may not be said/done along the way. Looking back on my journey through the CAT ratings, I now believe that reading the transcripts actually hindered more than helped me.