Towered Airport, Full Stop Taxi Back w/ Flight Following

KennyC

KennyC

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Feb 3, 2014
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107
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Wilmington, NC
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Display name:
Kendall
On my first solo XC, I did a full stop taxi back instead of going to the parking area, as I didn't need any fuel and I wanted to make sure I made it back before sunset. I was using Flight Following. My approach to this worked out alright, but I wonder if there's a better way. This all took place at a very sleepy Class D airport, KFLO. Here's how it happened:

  • On initial contact with Approach, told them I had a request to perform a full stop taxi back and return to SUT.
  • Approach said they had my request and handed me off to Tower at the appropriate time.
  • On landing, I stayed with Tower (never went to Ground), who directed me how to taxi back in to position.
  • Tower cleared me to takeoff.
  • As I'm pulling onto the runway, Tower asks what my squawk is. I tell him, and he gives me a new one.

So like I said, it worked out fine, but the confusion with my transponder code makes me think I might have been better to not make the request with Approach, land, pull off the runway, and then call ground to tell them I want to return to SUT and let them assign me a new squawk if needed.

What would y'all do?
 
Did approach advise you to squawk 1200 before sending you tower? Did tower hand you back to departure/approach after you were airborne?

If approach wasn't too busy, I would've done the same (told them my intentions to simple do a full stop and head back). That way, they'll expect me back on FF. Or, I would've said nothing, have approach advise me to squawk 1200 and then hand me to tower. Once I pulled back for takeoff, I'd let tower know I'd like FF so they can hand me to departure. If all else failed, I'd just pull up the last approach freq and contact them once tower has let me out of their airspace.

I think pulling off the runway and calling ground again would've been extra work for nothing. If the airport was pretty sleepy, tower and ground could've been the same person.
 
It's not unusual to have ATC to assign a new squawk code for your return trip,could be for a number of reasons.
 
I have had it happen both ways several times. Sometimes they say keep the code sometimes they give you a new one.
 
I'd do whatever I wanted, and let the appr/tower figure it out. They figured it out, wanted a diff squawk for the next segment, and away you went! It's all good.
 
What would I do?

Enter the new squawk code and fly the departure instructions the tower gave me...like a poster above said, there are many reasons to give you a new squawk code...flying IFR, I have changed frequencies only to get the altimeter then get assigned a new sqawk code...

You did fine asking approach for FF back to SUT. I can't think of a thing wrong with doing this...This round robin thing can be handled all sorts of ways...you could have just as easily asked for FF from the tower...I'd bet dollars to donuts that tower and ground are the same person and position at KFLO...

KFLO sees tons of training flights and checkrides...if you identified yourself as a student, they were extra careful to look out for you.

KennyC said:
On my first solo XC, I did a full stop taxi back instead of going to the parking area, as I didn't need any fuel and I wanted to make sure I made it back before sunset. I was using Flight Following. My approach to this worked out alright, but I wonder if there's a better way. This all took place at a very sleepy Class D airport, KFLO. Here's how it happened:

  • On initial contact with Approach, told them I had a request to perform a full stop taxi back and return to SUT.
  • Approach said they had my request and handed me off to Tower at the appropriate time.
  • On landing, I stayed with Tower (never went to Ground), who directed me how to taxi back in to position.
  • Tower cleared me to takeoff.
  • As I'm pulling onto the runway, Tower asks what my squawk is. I tell him, and he gives me a new one.

So like I said, it worked out fine, but the confusion with my transponder code makes me think I might have been better to not make the request with Approach, land, pull off the runway, and then call ground to tell them I want to return to SUT and let them assign me a new squawk if needed.

What would y'all do?
Click to expand...
 
Around here the tower/ground doesn't handle flight following, they just tell you to call approach after departure. Sounds like the way you did it worked just fine for that airport though. If they weren't alright with it the way you did it approach probably would have told you to contact the tower, do your landing and departure, then call them back for FF on the way home. Sounds like you just saved some steps.
 
Cool, thanks everyone. Like I said, it all worked fine, I just wondered if there was a better way. Being from a non-towered field, the whole ATC thing is still new for me.

To answer some of the questions, approach did not advise me to squawk 1200 before sending me to tower, and tower did hand me back to approach after I was airborne. I'm pretty sure the tower and ground guy was the same - at least he was the day before when I flew there with my CFI. And yes, I gladly played the student pilot card and they took good care of me. :)
 
The more I read posts and questions from people based at uncontrolled fields the more I appreciate getting all my training at a fairly busy Class D airport. My instructor was also pretty focused on comms and how to do flight following, etc which makes it all seem simple now. I'm sure it's a lot more intimidating when you haven't had to deal with ATC for every flight.
 
The Approach controller just wanted to give you the new squawk for the return flight. He just called the tower on the landline and said, "here is his new squawk". Absolutely nothing wrong with what you did.
 
KennyC said:
On my first solo XC, I did a full stop taxi back instead of going to the parking area, as I didn't need any fuel and I wanted to make sure I made it back before sunset. I was using Flight Following. My approach to this worked out alright, but I wonder if there's a better way. This all took place at a very sleepy Class D airport, KFLO. Here's how it happened:



  • On initial contact with Approach, told them I had a request to perform a full stop taxi back and return to SUT.
  • Approach said they had my request and handed me off to Tower at the appropriate time.
  • On landing, I stayed with Tower (never went to Ground), who directed me how to taxi back in to position.
  • Tower cleared me to takeoff.
  • As I'm pulling onto the runway, Tower asks what my squawk is. I tell him, and he gives me a new one.



So like I said, it worked out fine, but the confusion with my transponder code makes me think I might have been better to not make the request with Approach, land, pull off the runway, and then call ground to tell them I want to return to SUT and let them assign me a new squawk if needed.



What would y'all do?
Click to expand...


Ah, Florence! I did my first solo XC to KFLO when I was getting my PPL out of
Monroe (KEQY) back in 2005. Great airport, understanding controllers, and a vending machine full of Pilot Pellets (those unnaturally orange Lance crackers with peanut butter or cheese in between them.) Best damned snack I ever had when I just successfully cheated death and ventured over the horizon to another airport far, far away (i.e. > 50nm) piloting an aircraft with no one sitting next to me. ;)
 
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