Military Class D transition

RotaryWingBob

RotaryWingBob

En-Route
Gone West
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
2,597
Location
Chester County, PA
Display Name
iHover
Home Airfield
Brandywine (KOQN)
It occurred to me the other day I've never asked for a transition through military class D.

Has anybody tried it, and did the tower give it to you?
 
RotaryWingBob said:
It occurred to me the other day I've never asked for a transition through military class D.

Has anybody tried it, and did the tower give it to you?
Click to expand...

We call on Whidbey Approach and go through Whidbey Naval Air Station (Class C the last I checked) all the time at 1500 MSL, if we want directly over all the planes & runway, then they'll ask us to go to 2000 MSL or so.
 
I have Bob; even shot practice approaches--they just wanted to be sure it would end in a missed. No different other than that. If they don't want you there, they will let you know.

Best,

Dave
 
RotaryWingBob said:
It occurred to me the other day I've never asked for a transition through military class D.

Has anybody tried it, and did the tower give it to you?
Click to expand...

Doing it quite frequently doen here in Cowtown ... Navy Ft Worth is right next to Meacham (KFTW), and quite often when leaving Meacham to the West I will call up Navy tower and get a Class D transition from them.
 
When flying helicopters of the coast we often get transitions through Point Mugu's airpspace if there's nothing going on.

Joe
 
Bob, I transition the Class D at Willow Grove NAS often since the edge it is only a few miles from KLOM. I’ve never had a problem and the fact that it is Military is pretty much transparent. It’s no different than transitioning the Class D at PNE.

Two weeks ago I transitioned it twice on the way to and from DYL. Both times it was “transition approved” with no vectors or altitude assignments. On the way back from DYL I was over the departure end of the active runway and the controller cleared a flight of four A-10s for a tactical landing. The controller called me out as traffic to them but I couldn’t hear them. I guess the controller was talking on both VHF and UHF. One by one the A-10s broke to the left and circled to land, all while I was flying by at the departure end. It was pretty cool to watch from the air.
 
Thanks, folks, i'll give it a shot next opportunity.

Being a sadist, I was thinking about following the PA Turnpike on wednesday into NJ, and then the NJ Turnpike and I-95 into Delaware, just to watch all the traffic tieups :D

That route of flight takes me through Willow Grove NAS class D (and KILG, which in the past has cleared me over the middle of the field at 1000 agl).
 
Nav8tor said:
The controller called me out as traffic to them but I couldn’t hear them. I guess the controller was talking on both VHF and UHF. One by one the A-10s broke to the left and circled to land, all while I was flying by at the departure end. It was pretty cool to watch from the air.
Click to expand...

yep they were on UHF and controllers often are transmitting on both VHF and UHF at the same time.
 
jkaduk said:
Not Class D, but I fly through Miramar's class B frequently.
Click to expand...
I didn't realize there were any military class Bravos! You're sure that the primary airport there isn't San Diego Int'l?

Edit: Looking at the chart, It's sure confusing. It looks like there are two primary airports, both military, and the floor actually seems to rise to 4800 over KSAN. But KSAN doesn't seem to be the basis from which they determine the 30NM Mode C veil. Of course, this is all on a computer, since I don't have those sectionals handy.
 
Last edited:
Funny you say that Bob on Sat. I heard someone ask Philly if they could transition through Willow Grove and they gave them the ok. First I thought why are they asking they will never let them in. Second why are you asking Philly.
 
Granted low approach (500') over Cape Canaveral. WooHoo.
 
No problem - treated it just like a civilian D airport. The tower cleared me to transition directly over Whiteman AFB. No B2s in view, though. The only thing I remember differently is that they assigned me a squawk code and gave me radar services until I requested to resume squawking vfr.
 
Should be no problem at all, including practice low approaches -- just don't touch down unless you have an appropriate military landing permit signed, sealed, and on board.
 
RotaryWingBob said:
It occurred to me the other day I've never asked for a transition through military class D.

Has anybody tried it, and did the tower give it to you?
Click to expand...

I occasionally fly through the part time Class Ds at Ft McCoy and nearby Volk Field in Wisconsin, but I'm usually IFR when that far from home. I also did a low pass at Whiteman AFB once severaly years ago. In neither case was there even a question that they would give the clearance.
 
Ron Levy said:
Should be no problem at all, including practice low approaches -- just don't touch down unless you have an appropriate military landing permit signed, sealed, and on board.
Click to expand...

Wow.. I was actually just thinking about this situation on the way home from work today. My bro-in-law (wife's brother) will be commissioned into the Army next spring. Being that he and his wife have a 3 month old son, once they are 'based' somewhere, I'm sure that my wife and probably her parents will want to go visit them - which would be less time consuming for me to fly them there (of course). I was about to post here about requirements for actually landing at a military base or if it's even possible when I saw this "Mil Class D Transition" post, so I'll go ahead and hijack this thread. :D

Is it feasible to get a landing permit for a civilian plane to land at a military base to visit someone based there? My father-in-law is USN Lt. Cmdr Ret. if that would add any 'pull' to the situation.

-Chris
 
CJones said:
Is it feasible to get a landing permit for a civilian plane to land at a military base to visit someone based there? My father-in-law is USN Lt. Cmdr Ret. if that would add any 'pull' to the situation.

-Chris
Click to expand...

If you aren't in the military the chances may be nil, but AFaIK it's ultimately up to the base commander.
 
Sure Bob, all the time!

Willow Grove, Dover, McGuire, Oceana, Paxtuent... never been an issue. Seems as though the military controllers are often more helpfun than the civilian.

Gary
 
Gary said:
Sure Bob, all the time!

Willow Grove, Dover, McGuire, Oceana, Paxtuent... never been an issue. Seems as though the military controllers are often more helpfun than the civilian.

Gary
Click to expand...

Prolly bored.:cheerswine:
 
lancefisher said:
Prolly bored.:cheerswine:
Click to expand...

LOL! That may very well be true. On a later flight back home this summer, maybe 7PM on a Sunday, had a long discussion with the controller at Dover AFB on the merits of various doughnut shops in the area!

Gary
 
I got flight following and clearance over Dover once. Looking down, we saw one of the 747's used as Air Force One parked on a taxiway. I thought I busted a TFR for a second until I realized I was cleared into the airspace. I also remembered that an instructor said that the AF1 pilots use Dover to practice.
 
gprellwitz said:
I didn't realize there were any military class Bravos! You're sure that the primary airport there isn't San Diego Int'l?

Edit: Looking at the chart, It's sure confusing. It looks like there are two primary airports, both military, and the floor actually seems to rise to 4800 over KSAN. But KSAN doesn't seem to be the basis from which they determine the 30NM Mode C veil. Of course, this is all on a computer, since I don't have those sectionals handy.
Click to expand...
There are two primaries, KSAN and Miramar. Miramar is class B from the surface to 10K. SAN is from the surface to 3300. Then there's a corridor so you can fly over the top. If you look carefully the mode C veil is not a perfect circle.
 
RotaryWingBob said:
It occurred to me the other day I've never asked for a transition through military class D.

Has anybody tried it, and did the tower give it to you?
Click to expand...

I've transitioned Key West NAS on the way into KEYW (and then when I was directly over the field, they told to avoid flying over the field. :rolleyes:)

I've also landed at Volk. Pretty cool to be able to do that!

I hear the one-sided conversations fairly often too, as we have a bunch of F-16's based here at KMSN.
 
KCKV (Outlaw Field in Clarksville, Tn) is inside of a military class D (Ft Campbell). The controllers are great and I talk to them so much they know me by name.
 
RotaryWingBob said:
Being a sadist, I was thinking about following the PA Turnpike on wednesday into NJ, and then the NJ Turnpike and I-95 into Delaware, just to watch all the traffic tieups :D
Click to expand...

Ugh. I'll wave from down below. Tomorrow for me is North Brunswick - Barrington - Robesonia, PA - Lebanon, IN. :vomit:

I can't WAIT to deal with Chicago on Wednesday. Last time I was in Chitcago the day before TG, my average speed in the state of Illinois was 9.75mph.

For eight hours. :eek:
 
jkaduk said:
There are two primaries, KSAN and Miramar. Miramar is class B from the surface to 10K. SAN is from the surface to 3300. Then there's a corridor so you can fly over the top. If you look carefully the mode C veil is not a perfect circle.
Click to expand...
Thanks. learn something new every day. One thing I have to say for the ORD class B; it's relatively simple! For something like the East or West coast, they almost need to provide a 3-D model of the airspace!
 
gprellwitz said:
Thanks. learn something new every day. One thing I have to say for the ORD class B; it's relatively simple! For something like the East or West coast, they almost need to provide a 3-D model of the airspace!
Click to expand...

I have flown in SAN's airspace and you're right Grant, Chi Class B is simplier. But the TRACON at San Diego has sonmethings we don't have to make life simplier and better. They have a real VFR corrider, not like the one we have which are just lines that are all outside of the Bravo that go around the edges of the airspace. The TRACON in Sandiego also has something the Chi TRACON never heard of, that is helpful controllers. You can actually get services there.

This weekend I was flying up the lake front and we called on freq for FF and got the 'unable response' then we hear NOTHING from almost 15 minutes. All the way from down town to the 270 radial of OBK, there was nothing happening on the approach freq. I know they sometimes work multiple freq but I had never heard 120.55 so dead. Unable my eye!
 
rmciottijr said:
Funny you say that Bob on Sat. I heard someone ask Philly if they could transition through Willow Grove and they gave them the ok. First I thought why are they asking they will never let them in. Second why are you asking Philly.
Click to expand...
I've always thought if you're talking to ATC, just ask them. If they have a problem giving you clearance, they will tell you. Sometimes, there are agreements in place that allow them to clear you through at a given altitude. Went through So Weymouth NAS many times (Class D) by just asking the tower. Of course, this was in their end days when "other" traffic was about all they got to talk to.
 
When flying into Las Vegas Nellis approach would quite often vector me right across midfield at about 2000 agl which I appreciated because it saved me about 15 minutes of traveling down and then across a VFR arrival route. Only once did I see anything operating under me though - a flight of two F-15's landing.
 
CJones said:
Is it feasible to get a landing permit for a civilian plane to land at a military base to visit someone based there? My father-in-law is USN Lt. Cmdr Ret. if that would add any 'pull' to the situation.

-Chris
Click to expand...
I agreee with Lance. Chances are slim but, it doesn't hurt to ask. Also, "pull" always helps. Both of your in-laws would then be part of the military family and might also be the ones who should "officially" asking.
Check with the base ops. It may mean you need to fill out a ton of paperwork but if you're serious about it, go for it. All they can tell you is NO, HELL NO (USMC), or YES.
 
alaskaflyer said:
Everything you ever wanted to know about civilian landing at air force bases, and then some.

http://www.e-publishing.af.mil/pubfiles/af/10/afi10-1001/afi10-1001.pdf

It's relatively easy to obtain one for some purposes up here though I have never encountered one for purely pleasure/visiting purposes.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info. I really had no clue at all if it was even possible. At least I have some guidelines to check up on if/when my in-laws decide they want to give it a try.

-Chris
 
I did my required control tower landings at a Military Base close to here. I also fly over Whiteman AFB, but they will not let you lower than their ceiling, must have something to do with the B1's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top