Leaving an airport with a Control Tower

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sbonek

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Steve Bonek
hopefully this thread doesn't last as long as the Pattern Entry thread, but here goes...

You are at a Class B, C or D primary airport and departing on Runway 36, but you will be leaving the area to the south.

For the purposes of this scenario, assume VFR and if you received a clearance it included either "left turn out approved" or no turn specifics were given. Once you leave the ground, either after going over to Departure (for Class B or C) or when you have reached a safe altitude to turn (Class D), how do you exit the airport area?

Do you fly a somewhat normal pattern, turning x-wind and then Downwind?
Do you turn left 45 degrees like the AIM recommends for non-controlled operations, and when you a sufficiently away from the airport, then turn left to your on-course heading?
Or do you just do a very slow turn to the left until you get to your on-course heading?

I've looked through the AIM, and I couldn't find anything on this.
 
When asking for TO clearance I would request "downwind departure to the south" and the tower should say "departure request approved". Once I had the tower ask destination, which I think was to verify I was not just asking to go sight-seeing. I asked for a left downwind departure from 17, leaving Tacoma Narrows Airport. The downwind takes you over the very interesting bridge construction over the channel. The alternative is a longer way around because Tacoma Narrows Class D is up against the McChord AFB airspace and SEA Class B is above. Anyway, when he knew the route was more direct the request was approved.
 
sbonek said:
hopefully this thread doesn't last as long as the Pattern Entry thread, but here goes...

You are at a Class B, C or D primary airport and departing on Runway 36, but you will be leaving the area to the south.
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I would take off and upon reaching a safe altitude I would turn directly to the south. They are not expecting you to fly a pattern or anything fancy. They approved you to turn a specific direction and that is what they want.

You told them the direction when you talked to ground and received your taxi instructions. Also for my own safety, and to cover my ass, I've always included my intended direction of departure in my takeoff call.

"Tower, Diamond 3DC, ready at 28R, south departure"
"Diamond 3DC, cleared for takeoff, left turnout to the south approved"
"cleared for takeoff, left turnout to the south, 3DC"

It may take a little more bandwidth but not much. I like doing it because the controller always responds with the direction and we're all on the same page. If I've ever been unsure of what the controller is expecting of me after takeoff I ask for clarification.
 
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I believe most ATISes at those airports conclude with:

"VFR aircraft say direction of flight."

So telling them is the answer. If you forget, they usually correct you. If they don't, then they're expecting you to fly direct to the heading you need.
 
When you contact ground you will tell them what you want and they or the guy who clears you for take off will tell you what to do. If they say exactly what you posted I would turn tot he left when safe to my heading of 180. Nothing else, I would not fly any sort of pattern as the tower is not expecting it.
 
Just tell them which direction you desire to depart and they will reply with a left turn to south departure approved or whatever the case may be.
 
Concur with the "turn to the direction you're going" responses. If they wanted a downwind departure or whatever, they'd say so. Since tower knows which way you want to go, they wouldn't tell you "turn approved" if they didn't want you to go that way.
 
In my short experience, a tower usually wants to know your intended direction in the event there is any traffic, particularly IFR traffic, inbound or expected to be outbound. It helps him to know where you're gonna be inside and outside of his traffic area so he can insure IFR traffic isn't attempting to occupy the same space.
 
sbonek said:
Once you leave the ground, either after going over to Departure (for Class B or C) or when you have reached a safe altitude to turn (Class D), how do you exit the airport area?
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You follow the last heading and/or instruction given by tower, check in with departure, and they will then give you instructions for the next maneuver.
 
in my OP, I did forget to mention that during the first callup to either CD or Ground, that "VFR to the south" would have been mentioned.
 
sbonek said:
in my OP, I did forget to mention that during the first callup to either CD or Ground, that "VFR to the south" would have been mentioned.
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OK, given that, and barring any other instruction from CD or tower, I'd make the shortest turn to the desired heading.
 
cool, sounds like I really knew what I was doing after all :redface:

Other than 1 trip into a Class C airport, all of my landings at a controlled airport have been Class D, and they aren't very busy at all.

Wx permitting, tomorrow I'll be making my first trip to see my family by flying into KSBN, so I wanted to make sure I've got all my bases covered.

Thanks all
 
sbonek said:
cool, sounds like I really knew what I was doing after all :redface:

Other than 1 trip into a Class C airport, all of my landings at a controlled airport have been Class D, and they aren't very busy at all.

Wx permitting, tomorrow I'll be making my first trip to see my family by flying into KSBN, so I wanted to make sure I've got all my bases covered.
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Steve,

Class C and D aren't all that different except that the C guys have that extra layer around 'em (departure/approach) who can see you on a scope. Most people run into problems because they aren't good with controlled fields, period. Just remember that your first call inbound is to Approach and your first call outbound is to Clearance Delivery (most places) and do what they say, and you'll be fine.

Often at the C's the departure guys will have the tower guys give you a specific heading for takeoff. Lately around here, it's been like this:

"Madison Tower, Arrow 2213W holding short of 21, ready for takeoff."
"Arrow 13W, fly heading 090, runway 21 cleared for takeoff."
"Left to 090, cleared for takeoff runway 21, 13W."
"13W, contact departure."
"Over to departure, 13W, g'day"
"Madison Departure, Arrow 2213W climbing through one thousand seven hundred, zero niner zero assigned." (VFR at or below 3,000 is always assigned by Clearance as well.)
"Arrow 13W, VFR altitudes your discretion, turn on course to the northwest practice area."

And just like that, you're on your way. No need to worry, as long as you do what they're expecting (IE, don't make any crazy turns or big unannounced altitude changes).

Have fun!
 
flyingcheesehead said:
..snip...

And just like that, you're on your way. No need to worry, as long as you do what they're expecting (IE, don't make any crazy turns or big unannounced altitude changes).

Have fun!
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that all makes sense. My one trip into Class C, I don't believe they gave me any heading info when I called CD, but in that case, the runway I departed on was very close to my on-course heading, so it wasn't that big of a deal.

In this case I would have most likely been departing on a runway 180 from my on course.

However, it looks like we are driving to South Bend today. Looks like 18/36 is closed UFN, and with the winds ouf of the north and according to the forcast in the 13-15 range, that's on the border of my comfort level with the other runways being 9/27.

Hopefully some other time.

Thanks.
 
The last class C airport I flew to was Des Moines, IA. I called up Clearance Delivery and told them I'd be departing north. They gave me a clearance "fly runway heading, climb maintain X, blah blah".

Tower repeated the same thing. About a mile from the airport tower handed me off to Departure and they proceeded to vector me for a few minutes before telling me I was cleared on course.

Class C is pretty easy. They baby you with instructions. Have fun.
 
I haven't landed or departed from a Class C, but I have transited PDX airspace. Follow instructions and it's a piece of cake. Just like going over SEA in their B space.

​
 
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