Part Time Towers

[ColoPilot]

I've flown out of an airport with a part time tower (6am-10pm). I've never had the opportunity to fly during the transition from controlled to uncontrolled (or back). I was curious on how that is handled?

If you're already in the airspace when the tower opens, do you need to immediately contact them? What if you are on short final, do you need a clearance to land? Does the tower open and make a call to all aircraft -- "XYZ Tower now open, any aircraft in the area please advise" (kidding)

Same thing at night -- does the tower get everyone sequenced and then just shut down, or do they wait until everyone has landed and departed?

Can any of our ATC members shed some light on this?

 

[frfly172]

The tower notifies by radio,when they open and close.

 

[Matthew]

It's happened to me 3 or 4 times (closing time). They make an announcement that the tower is closing, when they will resume operations, and then ask each aircraft in their airspace for a position report. Then they are done, even if you are on downwind like I've been. Tehe interesting part the last time this happened was that I was on left downwind about to turn base and when tower closed it became a RP rwy.

 

[roncachamp]

I've flown out of an airport with a part time tower (6am-10pm). I've never had the opportunity to fly during the transition from controlled to uncontrolled (or back). I was curious on how that is handled?

If you're already in the airspace when the tower opens, do you need to immediately contact them? What if you are on short final, do you need a clearance to land? Does the tower open and make a call to all aircraft -- "XYZ Tower now open, any aircraft in the area please advise" (kidding)

Same thing at night -- does the tower get everyone sequenced and then just shut down, or do they wait until everyone has landed and departed?

Can any of our ATC members shed some light on this?

I worked at a part-time tower/TRACON. Our shifts started 15 minutes before opening time and ended 15 minutes after closing time. During those times we'd do all of the things needed to open/close the facility; obtain NOTAMs, record an ATIS, adjust airport lighting, exchange traffic information with the ARTCC that has the airspace when the tower is closed, etc. Since CTAF is the tower frequency I could hear all the calls of any traffic in the pattern or inbound. At the scheduled opening time I'd make the standard broadcast and append a landing clearance for any such aircraft. At closing time I'd make the standard broadcast and for any aircraft on frequency at that time I'd add that the field is now uncontrolled and issue advisories on any other known or observed traffic.

 

[spinfire]

When they open back up again they say, "Any traffic in the pattern please advise."

 

[Matthew]

Steven,

Seems like you were a little more thorough. I've been in the pattern or in the airspace at Class D airports where, at closing time on the dot, they went through the procedure I mentioned. Most important was when they prompted each aircraft for a position report so others could get their situational awareness refreshed.

Do different classes (C vs D) have different procedures? Do similar classes do things differently on a tower-by-tower basis or local custom?

 

[Scott@KTYR]

Many years ago while learning to fly, my Instructor told me to fly to a near by Towered airport to do some touch and goes. It was 12:15pm and I could not get anyone from the tower on the radio. My instructor told me the tower and airport was run by a private company and the tower closed for Lunch. He was trying to make a point with me to always do you home work and check the NOTAMs and my AFD for any special notes about the airport I am flying to.

 

[Theboys]

I came in behind a united flight one time and tower cleared him for landing and me for number two and told us to self announce from there, that he was now closed. United pilot and me had fun with that. We had each other laughing pretty good by time we shut down.

 

[roncachamp]

Do different classes (C vs D) have different procedures? Do similar classes do things differently on a tower-by-tower basis or local custom?

I don't know. In nearly thirty years in ATC I worked at only two facilities; Chicago ARTCC and Green Bay TRACON/tower. These things weren't an issue at ZAU as we never closed. GRB is the only part-time facility I worked so I have nothing to compare it to.

 

[hindsight2020]

The few times I've been caught in the transition (usually a late night thing) they have been pretty rude about shutting down (not naming any names *cough* koun *cough). Shift work mentality I suppose. No biggie, I prefer non-controlled environments when doing this for fun.

 

[Brad Z]

The few times I've been caught in the transition (usually a late night thing) they have been pretty rude about shutting down (not naming any names *cough* koun *cough). Shift work mentality I suppose. No biggie, I prefer non-controlled environments when doing this for fun.

How would they close in a rude way? Because they didn't stick around for you to land? Just curious.

At midnight ( or whatever time) there should be a "XYZ tower closed, goodnight." Anyone around should be able to figure out the rest from there.

 

[MAKG1]

I've been through a few transitions while in the pattern.

They announce the tower is closed and wish everyone a good night. If there is more than one in the pattern, they say where they are (as in "left base" or "short final"). They then announce the new class of airspace (E or G) and when the tower reopens.

Not a big deal, even with a King Air in the middle of an instrument approach while I'm on downwind in a much slower 172.

 

[flyingron]

Yep, ideally you're using the tower frequency as CTAF. When the close they tell you you're on your own and good night. When they open they'll ask if anybody is out there. I used to fly out of a field with rather irregular tower operations. I'd frequently find out if they were open or not when I'd start making self announcements.

 

[Brad Z]

I used to fly out of a field with rather irregular tower operations. I'd frequently find out if they were open or not when I'd start making self announcements.

That's happened to me before at Blackstone (BKT).

I was flying practice approaches and Washington Center switched me over to advisory. After making a position report for a straight in approach on CTAF (122.95), a controller pops up on the frequency and clears me to land. Of course the TWR frequency is different but I guess they're used to that.

 

[Velocity173]

Steven,

Seems like you were a little more thorough. I've been in the pattern or in the airspace at Class D airports where, at closing time on the dot, they went through the procedure I mentioned. Most important was when they prompted each aircraft for a position report so others could get their situational awareness refreshed.

Do different classes (C vs D) have different procedures? Do similar classes do things differently on a tower-by-tower basis or local custom?

Facilities can open early or stay late depending type of traffic. It's suppose to be a necessity for ATC service but I can remember opening a few minutes early or staying a few minutes late just to clear an IFR for an IAP. I'd say it ultimately depends on the supervisor. Don't remember ever adjusting normal times for a VFR unless it was a NOTAMd military operation.

 

[Everskyward]

Facilities can open early or stay late depending type of traffic. It's suppose to be a necessity for ATC service but I can remember opening a few minutes early or staying a few minutes late just to clear an IFR for an IAP. I'd say it ultimately depends on the supervisor. Don't remember ever adjusting normal times for a VFR unless it was a NOTAMd military operation.

I remember being inside the final approach fix on the ILS one snowy night and hearing "Jeffco tower is now closed. You can cancel on the ground on xxx.x." I didn't have an issue with this, only thought it was a little strange when we were only about 30 seconds from landing.

 

[Velocity173]

I remember being inside the final approach fix on the ILS one snowy night and hearing "Jeffco tower is now closed. You can cancel on the ground on xxx.x." I didn't have an issue with this, only thought it was a little strange when we were only about 30 seconds from landing.

Well if tower cleared ya to land and then closed up shop, that's kinda screwed up.

I think with some of these facilities there are issues with liability and aircraft fire rescue needing to be there so they open & close right on time. In the military we didn't have to deal with overtime so it was a quick call to crash crew to make sure they're in place for an early arrival or can stay late for an arrival. Weather reporting used to be an issue in the old days but with automated weather now it's not a problem.

 

[StinkBug]

One time I was departing with my CFI just before closing time. A jet landed and we were told to line up and wait for wake turbulence. My CFI knew the controller and said "you getting off soon" He replied "yep, right now. 6CA Cleared for takeoff Palomar tower is now closed, mentioned change of airspace, advisory frequencies, etc. goodnight"

 

[weilke]

The few times I've been caught in the transition (usually a late night thing) they have been pretty rude about shutting down (not naming any names *cough* koun *cough). Shift work mentality I suppose. No biggie, I prefer non-controlled environments when doing this for fun.

At Crystal airport in Minneapolis, they cleared a SR22 to land followed by their closing announcement but didnt wait around for the plane to touch down. Only after they had descended from the tower and walked to their cars,they noticed the fire from the burning plane. Had they not noticed, there wouldn't even have been a SAR response initiated by flight service as the last action was the closing of the flight plan with handoff to the tower.
Yeah, shift-work.