Adjacent Delta Airspace

Jaybird180

Jaybird180

Final Approach
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Jaybird180
I plan to visit KPHF soon to do a sightseeing flight for a family member. I notice that it's situated between two adjacent Delta airports. PHF is also Delta. Will they coordinate transition through those spaces considering that I will likely be quite busy on climbout?
 
52F (Northwest Regional) is very close to KAFW's D-space. So it's a good practice to have their tower set into your comm standby slot as you depart 52F. A quick punch of the flip flop and ".... Alliance Tower, Skylane 55WB is just off Northwest Regional, climbing one thousand for two thousand five hundred with information ___. We would like to transition your airspace East to West."

Extremely rare Alliance Tower doesn't approve that.

In your case with two Delta's side by side, I'd have your radios set up as

COMM1 Active: KHPF CTAF
COMM1 Stndby: Twr of first Class D

COMM2 Active: Twr of second Class D.

And be sure to have the weather info from the first class D so if they ask if you have it, you can truthfully say you do.

This set up makes it easy to pass through both spaces with minimal knob twisting while your busy aviating and navigating.

Once you're in the 2nd D-space and talking to them on your COMM2, then you can refer to your knee pad notes and set up COMM1 for your next controller.
 
You don't need ATIS for a transition. That's for the pattern.

You'll be handed off.

Presetting the frequencies doesn't hurt, but I find it's not necessary. And you may get handed off to Approach even still in Class D.

I do a chain of three handoffs for every southbound departure. Two D's and a C.
 
If you call approach beforehand or the tower soon enough they may coordinate for you to transition those other airfields for you and let you remain on one frequency. They just call each other on a landline to get approval to bring you through the other towers airspace.
If you do call up Langley or Felker, you don't have to get their ATIS. You aren't landing there.
 
Just be ready for the handoff,if your radios are pre set it's no big deal.
 
Don't sweat it.

You're a flight following guy, so you'll be talking to Nawfick Approach both ways. Approach will coordinate with the towers, and the towers coordinate with each other.

No need to futz with monitoring multiple tower frequencies. You can pretty much ignore the existence of the other two class Ds unless you get an explicit instruction to remain clear of Felker (or Langley, although coming from the north, I'm not sure how you would end up in Langley class delta unless approach or tower instructed you to go there in the first place) class delta.
 
AggieMike88 said:
52F (Northwest Regional) A quick punch of the flip flop and .
Click to expand...

I teach and practice ,

"Class D tower, Cessna 1234xx"

Then they reply.

"Cessna 1234xx , class D tower, go ahead".

Now you are all set to enter the air space and just make a second call letting them know your intentions. This is for touching class Ds or very close to one another class Ds.
 
Brad Z said:
Don't sweat it.

You're a flight following guy, so you'll be talking to Nawfick Approach both ways. Approach will coordinate with the towers, and the towers coordinate with each other.

No need to futz with monitoring multiple tower frequencies. You can pretty much ignore the existence of the other two class Ds unless you get an explicit instruction to remain clear of Felker (or Langley, although coming from the north, I'm not sure how you would end up in Langley class delta unless approach or tower instructed you to go there in the first place) class delta.
Click to expand...

Getting in/out no big deal. Done it several times. I think for the sightseeing flight, i will either head over to RIC or ORD (lunch?), either direction takes me through the adjacent Delta. I wasn't sure how that would work out since I'd practically be on top of them quickly.
 
Brad Z said:
Don't sweat it.

You're a flight following guy, so you'll be talking to Nawfick Approach both ways. Approach will coordinate with the towers, and the towers coordinate with each other.

No need to futz with monitoring multiple tower frequencies. You can pretty much ignore the existence of the other two class Ds unless you get an explicit instruction to remain clear of Felker (or Langley, although coming from the north, I'm not sure how you would end up in Langley class delta unless approach or tower instructed you to go there in the first place) class delta.
Click to expand...

That's not exactly true. If approach is a controlling ATC facility within the class D that is correct, but if they aren't, and they aren't aware you intend on transiting Class D, they may not coordinate a handoff. It's a good idea just to give them a heads up that you intend to transit class D just so there is no confusion.
 
Maybe I'm missing something here..... Why are we talking about hand offs and ATC approvals in class D?

Make contact and do what you need to do.
 
Jaybird180 said:
I plan to visit KPHF soon to do a sightseeing flight for a family member. I notice that it's situated between two adjacent Delta airports. PHF is also Delta. Will they coordinate transition through those spaces considering that I will likely be quite busy on climbout?
Click to expand...

Usually there is a method tried and true local to a situation like that, for instance, they may give you a squawk code and a frequency, when you are released from one airspace you are picked up by the next...

When you contact the first airspace and give them your destination they will no doubt set you up automatically they way they like it done...
 
CTLSi said:
Usually there is a method tried and true local to a situation like that, for instance, they may give you a squawk code and a frequency, when you are released from one airspace you are picked up by the next...

When you contact the first airspace and give them your destination they will no doubt set you up automatically they way they like it done...
Click to expand...
ROFL!
 
Jaybird180 said:
Getting in/out no big deal. Done it several times. I think for the sightseeing flight, i will either head over to RIC or ORD (lunch?), either direction takes me through the adjacent Delta. I wasn't sure how that would work out since I'd practically be on top of them quickly.
Click to expand...
RIC and ORD are pretty far apart. I think you want to go to ORF;)
 
Sac Arrow said:
That's not exactly true. If approach is a controlling ATC facility within the class D that is correct, but if they aren't, and they aren't aware you intend on transiting Class D, they may not coordinate a handoff. It's a good idea just to give them a heads up that you intend to transit class D just so there is no confusion.
Click to expand...

I'm speaking from local experience. There's not much going on at Felker, and when Langley is active, PHF tower and Norfolk will keep you away. As always, if you're unsure of an instruction, ask.

Jaybird180 said:
Getting in/out no big deal. Done it several times. I think for the sightseeing flight, i will either head over to RIC or ORD (lunch?), either direction takes me through the adjacent Delta. I wasn't sure how that would work out since I'd practically be on top of them quickly.
Click to expand...

You'll get a heading assignment from tower on departure that should keep you out of the adjacent airspace. If you're unsure, ask.

BTW, neither RIC nor ORF are very exciting lunch destinations. OK, Richmond has a decent museum and a few food options not too far away, but if I was going on a sightseeing flight I'd head over to PVG (good view of Newport News Shipyard) or even FFA (fly down the coast to the Wright memorial). Another favorite in the area is Charly's, the on field eatery at JGG.

If you want to do some sightseeing over Norfolk, tell approach what you want to do. Depending on what's going on at NGU you may be able to do some touring over downtown Norfolk.
 
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