MAKG1
Touchdown! Greaser!
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2012
- Messages
- 13,411
- Location
- California central coast
- Display Name
Display name:
MAKG
Just posting this 'cause the question gets asked from time to time.
It was a nonevent.
Ferrying an aircraft below a 3000 foot ceiling from Oakland to San Jose/Reid, I was lower than normal for an approach into Reid. I noticed I was getting a bit closer to Class D than normal, so I asked NorCal for a frequency change, reporting I had information B and the field in sight.
I got no response. Nor did I hear anything on frequency. I repeated it, and noticed the "TX" marker on the radio. It worked. Got nothing.
I was sandwiched between the San Jose Class C and a mountain ridge, so circling would have been a bit tight, and a bit bumpy. Overflying the top of Class D was possible, but tighter than I'd like (it's a 2000 foot airspace ceiling and 3000 foot cloud ceiling). I briefly considered squawking 7600 and proceeding, but figured I should try Reid Tower first. I did so, and they responded.
I told them I had lost contact with NorCal, and they said they would relay that, and tell them I'm fine. I suspect it was terrain shadowing. I was below nearby mountain peaks on the east. Or maybe the controllers were just really busy on another frequency. The previous controller had been handling a lot of instrument approaches through the overcast, and at least a couple of deviations around a cell well to the east.
So, it's all fine. No airspace busts, no annoyed controllers, and no ALNOT. But maybe a bit of warning that radio coverage isn't everywhere, even over the city.
It was a nonevent.
Ferrying an aircraft below a 3000 foot ceiling from Oakland to San Jose/Reid, I was lower than normal for an approach into Reid. I noticed I was getting a bit closer to Class D than normal, so I asked NorCal for a frequency change, reporting I had information B and the field in sight.
I got no response. Nor did I hear anything on frequency. I repeated it, and noticed the "TX" marker on the radio. It worked. Got nothing.
I was sandwiched between the San Jose Class C and a mountain ridge, so circling would have been a bit tight, and a bit bumpy. Overflying the top of Class D was possible, but tighter than I'd like (it's a 2000 foot airspace ceiling and 3000 foot cloud ceiling). I briefly considered squawking 7600 and proceeding, but figured I should try Reid Tower first. I did so, and they responded.
I told them I had lost contact with NorCal, and they said they would relay that, and tell them I'm fine. I suspect it was terrain shadowing. I was below nearby mountain peaks on the east. Or maybe the controllers were just really busy on another frequency. The previous controller had been handling a lot of instrument approaches through the overcast, and at least a couple of deviations around a cell well to the east.
So, it's all fine. No airspace busts, no annoyed controllers, and no ALNOT. But maybe a bit of warning that radio coverage isn't everywhere, even over the city.
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