How accommodating is Orlando ATC?

Morgan3820

Morgan3820

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Looking at making a flight later in the month from Leesburg Florida to Vero beach. Direct takes me straight over Orlando international. I did not see any VFR Corridor. Should I file or FF and ask for a Bravo clearance?
 
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It's been quite a few years, but they were very friendly. Prepare to avoid but ask. If you are heading toward it, they'll probably clear you before you even ask. Just stay out of the departure/arrival corridors.
 
They usually routed me around it, only time I got to go through it I was flying at 9500’.
 
I cannot answer you’re question, but the little incident a few months ago May have a negative impact on VFR Bravo clearances.
 
Good luck getting in. Not saying you can’t, but I would expect not. A lot more likely if you’re ifr
 
luvflyin said:
What incident?
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I don’t have the link, but it was posted here. it was the small airplane guy turning into a departing Delta. It certainly appeared as though it was ATC fault, and the small airplane I’m not sure if was overflying or departing.

Either way I’m guessing that was a reason (excuse?) to limit small airplanes.
 
Unlikely you’ll get cleared through, but hey, it could happen. Let us know if it does.

If you stay low, you can cross Orlando under the shelf but you’ll be dodging lots of towers. I’d just go south and then east to skirt it. Ask ATC about status of the MOA and restricted area south of Orlando; they’re rarely hot.
 
Did it 2 years ago and had 0 issues. Was far more accommodating than my home Bravo in Seattle and I think the folks at SEA are great. Ask early enough, have the tower freq in standby and maintain heading and altitude as directed and you should be fine. Try to avoid the rush periods...
 
If you look at the Orlando Fly Chart, there’s an East-West VFR corridor below 2000’ between SFB and ORL. The other option is IFR and they’ll possibly route you thru the Class B right over MCO—that’s what they did for me a year ago flying from Tampa Exec to SFB.
 
red4golf said:
Did it 2 years ago and had 0 issues. Was far more accommodating than my home Bravo in Seattle and I think the folks at SEA are great. Ask early enough, have the tower freq in standby and maintain heading and altitude as directed and you should be fine. Try to avoid the rush periods...
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Did you file?
 
I’ve flown Panama City to Sebastian (IFR) more times than I can count. Every time, starting around Leesburg, it’s a 170 heading until almost to Disney. Then a descent to 3,000 and a 090 heading to fly directly over MCO. I don’t get a resume own navigation until halfway to Merritt Island.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Did you file?
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I really don’t think that matters. If they let IFR through on a route, why not let VFR on the same route… assuming VFR is in contact

Either way, no one is getting a clearance that will disrupt MCO operations.
That holds for transients, but they not have much choice for IFR into/out of satélites.
 
Morgan3820 said:
Did you file?
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Nope, I was VFR and simply meandering around sightseeing. Headed south, turned back because of clouds, went NW to see Disney, took photos over the in-laws place.... We were the perfect example of a VFR flight with no real plan but a lot of gas.
 
I didn't bother (KFPR destination/departure) when doing my trip to PR. On the way to the coast I overflew Bravo. On the way back I climbed to my cruise altitude and snaked in the sliver between the R- and the Bravo shelf, since I didn't want to stay in the swamp-@ss altitudes and I had a long way to go back to TX. Never talked to a soul.

If you take the shortest cuts to the 6k shelf and don't mind the swamp-@ss altitudes, it it only adds 6nm to the direct route between vero and lee. I wouldn't bother with MCO either way.
 
tsts4 said:
If you look at the Orlando Fly Chart, there’s an East-West VFR corridor below 2000’ between SFB and ORL. The other option is IFR and they’ll possibly route you thru the Class B right over MCO—that’s what they did for me a year ago flying from Tampa Exec to SFB.
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Yep, but if below 2000’ beware of the Bithlo towers to the east.
 
donjohnston said:
I’ve flown Panama City to Sebastian (IFR) more times than I can count. Every time, starting around Leesburg, it’s a 170 heading until almost to Disney. Then a descent to 3,000 and a 090 heading to fly directly over MCO. I don’t get a resume own navigation until halfway to Merritt Island.
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He’s headed to Vero Beach, though, so I suspect it’s shorter to stay on the west side of the Bravo down to the vicinity of Haines City / Winter Haven, then go direct to Vero. Might have to stay north of the restricted area but chances are good it will be cold.
 
It seems KLEE, YOJIX, BAIRN, V295 into KVRB works, assuming the restricted area is inactive. Or can just mosey around with FF. But now that I have a functioning AP, it would be nice to have route in mind.
 
Like others I have been routed around it also use flight following they will keep you out of trouble.
 
I've flown over, or nearly over MCO multiple times VFR. They seem pretty accommodating in my experience
 
Kritchlow said:
I don’t have the link, but it was posted here. it was the small airplane guy turning into a departing Delta. It certainly appeared as though it was ATC fault, and the small airplane I’m not sure if was overflying or departing.

Either way I’m guessing that was a reason (excuse?) to limit small airplanes.
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Seems like they'd rather be talking to you then and not have you stumbling into their lanes. If a Bravo clearance helps keep you out of the way, I would think they'd be all for it.

Every time I hear a story about Chicago denying access, I wonder what the impact would be if there was heavy VFR traffic going around the Bravo and messing up arrivals flight clearances, let's say in late July.
 
I fly from Zephyrhills down to Southeast florida coast a few times per year. Get denied clearance through bravo half the time. But there's a sliver of airspace sandwiched south of the bravo and the restricted areas. With flight following usually cold and you can go through them. When I file IFR they give me longer routings and amendments. So typically I'll stay on FF.
 
Very familiar with that airspace. If you are in a slow plane and flying low you will be vectored. When I make that type of a trip I am in a 310 and usually around 7500-9500' and still get vectored for arrivals at times depending on the winds.

If you can stay below the Class B it will be your best chance.
 
red4golf said:
Did it 2 years ago and had 0 issues. Was far more accommodating than my home Bravo in Seattle and I think the folks at SEA are great. Ask early enough, have the tower freq in standby and maintain heading and altitude as directed and you should be fine. Try to avoid the rush periods...
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Two years ago, airline traffic was still really reduced, which is why ATC was a bit more accommodating. Wouldn't count on that today.
 
I have been cleared over KMCO both east to west and west to east. One under flight following VFR and one filed IFR. That said, I have been flying out of Sanford KSFB for the last few years and since it’s class C and within Orlando ATC I have to talk to them. My experience is they are often so busy they won’t even answer a blind call up. If I say I need one of the VFR arrivals they’ll respond.

You can always try but have plenty of room and a plan B.

All that said, once in communication they have always been very good as long as you are competent and don’t fill up their frequency with missed calls and repetition.

john
 
KSFB is a soup sandwich with all of the flight training that comes out of there. The controllers forget that sometimes there are professional pilots that do work in between the airlines and the students.
 
k9medic said:
KSFB is a soup sandwich with all of the flight training that comes out of there. The controllers forget that sometimes there are professional pilots that do work in between the airlines and the students.
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It's an interesting place to fly out of for sure. I spent several years at Orlando Exec (KORL) also. I'd say the biggest thing to get used to at KSFB for me was two way traffic on taxiways :yikes:
 
k9medic said:
KSFB is a soup sandwich with all of the flight training that comes out of there. The controllers forget that sometimes there are professional pilots that do work in between the airlines and the students.
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The longest I have ever waited while holding short was at Sanford (and I’ve flown a 182RG into ATL). Waited so long that I was getting ready to taxi back to the ramp and shutdown because my oil temps were getting worrisome.

The number of student pilots whose command of the English language was doubtful was a little scary.
 
donjohnston said:
The number of student pilots whose command of the English language was doubtful was a little scary.
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Pretty common at flight schools around here.

Once when I was inbound to Apopka, there were so many different accents on the radio I started my first call with, "Apopka International traffic, Cherokee 123AB is...."
 
Half Fast said:
Pretty common at flight schools around here.

Once when I was inbound to Apopka, there were so many different accents on the radio I started my first call with, "Apopka International traffic, Cherokee 123AB is...."
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I flew out of Bob White for a while. This was back in the day of the Delta Connection Academy and their hundreds of pilots flying around using the Connection xyz call sign. Now I think it's L3 with the Bucky call sign.
 
Half Fast said:
Yep, but if below 2000’ beware of the Bithlo towers to the east.
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Those are still up.?? I remember flying around those towers when I was a student pilot back in the early 90s. Didn't one fall in the early 70s.??
 
Zeldman said:
Those are still up.?? I remember flying around those towers when I was a student pilot back in the early 90s. Didn't one fall in the early 70s.??
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Where did you train?

When we were testing 2nd gen FLIRs in our upstairs lab in the late ‘80s, we’d sometimes open a window and try to image the towers. Only if we had everything tuned up sweet and the system perfectly focused could we get a sharp enough image to resolve them. It made for a good torture test.
 
Zeldman said:
Those are still up.?? I remember flying around those towers when I was a student pilot back in the early 90s. Didn't one fall in the early 70s.??
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Still up. There are (I think) 5 out there. And the missed approach for ILS 7 at KORL heads right there. As long as you climb like you’re supposed to it’s fine but…
 
Couple weeks ago on way to KFPR from southern Alabama. IFR at 9000', my filed/initially cleared route took me directly over KMCO. But I was basically rerouted around the west and south sides of the bravo. Return flight about a week later. IFR at 8000', again filed right over KMCO. Cleared route kept me south and west of the bravo.
 
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