ATC Frequencies Used IRL vs. Listed on ForeFlight?

HighFlyingA380

HighFlyingA380

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Jim F.
At larger airports, how are the frequencies to use actually chosen when there are multiples published? When I went into through KORD and KSTL the last few days, they used frequencies that are either not published on ForeFlight or are attributed to a different purpose.

Example: Each time going in/out of KSTL, they used 126.55, which is only attributed as "approach" in FF. Similarly, leaving KORD I was assigned 133.625 on departure (attributed to approach in FF). For another departure, I was assigned one that isn't listed on FF.

Perhaps I'm over-thinking this from a pilot's perspective, but I'm curious...
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Perhaps I'm over-thinking this from a pilot's perspective...
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You are. But the terms "approach" and "departure" are pretty fluid, since a position in the TRACON for a given sector may handle approaches when the wind is from the west but will handle departures when the wind is from the east. It's pretty much irrelevant, as the controller will answer to either as long as you're on the right frequency.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
At larger airports, how are the frequencies to use actually chosen when there are multiples published? When I went into through KORD and KSTL the last few days, they used frequencies that are either not published on ForeFlight or are attributed to a different purpose.

Example: Each time going in/out of KSTL, they used 126.55, which is only attributed as "approach" in FF. Similarly, leaving KORD I was assigned 133.625 on departure (attributed to approach in FF). For another departure, I was assigned one that isn't listed on FF.

Perhaps I'm over-thinking this from a pilot's perspective, but I'm curious...
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Dunno about other places or "over thinking" but around DEN the freqs on the approach plates are the freqs used for both approach and departure for spam-cans. The freqs on the TAC also work if you're not IFR. Now when LIFR things can change just a bit and it can get ugly for us little guys. As always YMWV.
 
The frequencies listed typically direct the VFR pilot to one of our less busy sectors. That way the controller can provide more attention to your flight. There have been times, like AirVenture, when a sector is opened purely for working VFR advisories.

If the VFR pilot uses the frequency listed on the chart, the pilot cannot go wrong. If the frequency has changed, the controller will direct you to the proper one.


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Thanks for the responses everybody! I kinda figured I was over-thinking it; I was just kinda hoping to make sense of all this so I can study a bit more efficiently to become familiar with the KORD area a bit quicker for the new job.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Thanks for the responses everybody! I kinda figured I was over-thinking it; I was just kinda hoping to make sense of all this so I can study a bit more efficiently to become familiar with the KORD area a bit quicker for the new job.
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What are you flying? Home base?


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MarkZ said:
What are you flying? Home base?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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SIC in the CE208B for Air Choice One, call-sign Weber. Primary base at KSTL, secondary base at KORD, and fly to KJBR, KDEC, and KBRL.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
SIC in the CE208B for Air Choice One, call-sign Weber. Primary base at KSTL, secondary base at KORD, and fly to KJBR, KDEC, and KBRL.
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Love those caravans. You guys do good work at ORD. Keep yer speed up on final. ;)

Let your boys know if the JOT radar is out and you get that weird EON route to DEC...if you can file for 10,000 or above we can almost always go direct quicker.


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MarkZ said:
Love those caravans. You guys do good work at ORD. Keep yer speed up on final. ;)

Let your boys know if the JOT radar is out and you get that weird EON route to DEC...if you can file for 10,000 or above we can almost always go direct quicker.


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Good to hear! I'll pass it along. They definitely harped on keeping the speed up in training. Was used to intercepting the LOC at about 45* doing 120KIAS, but had my first approach into ORD on Sunday and had about an 80* intercept at 170KIAS; Needless to say, I blew through it pretty quick and the controller questioned me... :redface:

Not sure If it was "that weird route", but I do remember getting assigned EON at some point. Was JOT radar out on Sunday or Tuesday? Sorry I can't be more specific, my brain was overwhelmed being thrown right into the ORD mess... I do know that they don't want to plan on 10K (except for a quick jump over WX) because we don't have any O2 on board.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Good to hear! I'll pass it along. They definitely harped on keeping the speed up in training. Was used to intercepting the LOC at about 45* doing 120KIAS, but had my first approach into ORD on Sunday and had about an 80* intercept at 170KIAS; Needless to say, I blew through it pretty quick and the controller questioned me... :redface:

Not sure If it was "that weird route", but I do remember getting assigned EON at some point. Was JOT radar out on Sunday or Tuesday? Sorry I can't be more specific, my brain was overwhelmed being thrown right into the ORD mess... I do know that they don't want to plan on 10K (except for a quick jump over WX) because we don't have any O2 on board.
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Don't feel too bad, just know that if we squeeze you in somewhere, we are gonna squeeze you in. Keep up the good job.

Yeah, EON V173 is the non-radar routing to DEC. It takes you a bit out of the way, and if we are west flow, I have to vector you pretty far east before I can give you direct. But unless you can climb to 10k, it's the only game in town.

I was there on Sunday and Tuesday. Tuesday the beacon radar was out, meaning non-radar routes. On Tuesday you were probably the poor bastard I had to turn all over the place, sorry, it got a little busy.. :)


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MarkZ said:
...I was there on Sunday and Tuesday. Tuesday the beacon radar was out, meaning non-radar routes. On Tuesday you were probably the poor bastard I had to turn all over the place, sorry, it got a little busy.. :)
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Not sure that was me... We were airborne at about noon as WBR2503 and got some vectors, but nothing that jumped out as excessive. ORD was actually relatively calm compared to Sunday evening...
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Thanks for the responses everybody! I kinda figured I was over-thinking it; I was just kinda hoping to make sense of all this so I can study a bit more efficiently to become familiar with the KORD area a bit quicker for the new job.
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I know that Foreflight is the panacea for all the world's ills, but it bugs me when people ignore direct sources such as charts/AFD and expect a non-government source such as Foreflight to be perfect.

Bob Gardner
 
bobmrg said:
I know that Foreflight is the panacea for all the world's ills, but it bugs me when people ignore direct sources such as charts/AFD and expect a non-government source such as Foreflight to be perfect.
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Bob,

ForeFlight is using government data, augmented with third-party data. It's MUCH easier to read than the way the government puts it out, too...
 
With due respect, the question baffles me. I have never had ATC tell me: "Obtain next frequency from your favorite uncertified source." They give you the frequencies. Why would you ever be looking on your lap for them?
 
I know the sectors within the local TRACON change slightly depending on the runway configuration in use. We have 4 basic configurations for the different landing/departing runways dependent on winds. What may be an arrival freq in Config 1 may be a departure freq in Config 2.

The IAPs SIDs and STARs have appropriate freqs published. The 4 corner freqs on the VFR charts are for initial call up to get through/into the Class B, once they know your location and request they'll push you to a different freq that may not be published.
 
bobmrg said:
Read the OP again.
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I read the OP again, and I read your post again, and I'm still not sure what your point is. The information is the same whether it's from ForeFlight or the A/FD. The source is the government data in both cases. I did look up some of the frequencies the other day in both, and the information given was the same.
 
bobmrg said:
I know that Foreflight is the panacea for all the world's ills, but it bugs me when people ignore direct sources such as charts/AFD and expect a non-government source such as Foreflight to be perfect.

Bob Gardner
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You can very quickly pull up the A/FD and all of the government plates with foreflight.

I agree the FF presentation of frequencies is very easy to follow. But I always pull up the A/FD for a new airport, sometimes there are nuggets of info in there that FF misses.
 
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My question here would be is the iPad and Foreflight approved in your opspecs? And if not, why are you using it?
 
KSCessnaDriver said:
My question here would be is the iPad and Foreflight approved in your opspecs? And if not, why are you using it?
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Yup. We're required to have the paper versions available, but we can use iPads. Just not approved for EFBs as our sole reference.
 
HighFlyingA380 said:
Yup. We're required to have the paper versions available, but we can use iPads. Just not approved for EFBs as our sole reference.
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Wow, wish where I worked was that way. I didn't expect a 135 EAS carrier to be on board with that.
 
I don't see why not, carrying an ipad vs paper charts should free up a few cargo pounds. :)


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MarkZ said:
I don't see why not, carrying an ipad vs paper charts should free up a few cargo pounds. :)
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Yup, and with the money saved, we could also purchase the max weight increase kit and make it even more.
 
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