Clearance Delivery (VFR)

[Milesar]

I’ve never flown out of an airport with clearance delivery, how do I know that I need to use it when departing VFR? Because the airport has it, or is busy (B or C) does this mean I need to use it?

This would be my initial call-up, so I would state who I am, where I am, and where I want to go?

Thanks

[darrenf]

Originally Posted by Milesar

I’ve never flown out of an airport with clearance delivery, how do I know that I need to use it when departing VFR? Because the airport has it, or is busy (B or C) does this mean I need to use it?

This would be my initial call-up, so I would state who I am, where I am, and where I want to go?

Thanks

You can just tell them you have the Atis if the airport has it, who, where you are, and you would like to go VFR at X altitude in x direction.

[Cessnaflyer]

The only time I use it is when departing from a surface based C or B airport VFR.

[desertdog71]

Any airport that has Clearance/Del it needs to be used.

Give them who you are, type aircraft, where you are going, the heading you are requesting out of their airspace, requested altitude, and "with ATIS". Specify VFR.

For example:
"NxxxSE is a C172 VFR to Wichita, request heading 170, 5500 feet with information Echo"

They will give you some information that you need to jot down and read back.

They might say something like this:
"NxxxSE depart runway heading, remain at or below 3000 feet, departure on 124.0, squawk 1343."

Read that back. Wait to hear "NxxxSE readback correect" and then go to ground frequency for taxi instructions.

[HH-60CC]

I was curious about this myself. I primarily fly out of an Air Force base (overseas) so we're required to give all that info on Ground. i.e

"Ground, Cessna XXX with information Victor Req Eng start at this time departing xxx for xxx with clearance out of the Bravo 5,500 and below.

The one time I flew in the states (ABE), it tripped me out that I had to use CD for departure info.

*shrug* a good pilot is always learning

[mojo6911]

Some airports have a clearance delivery system, but only use it when it gets really busy. In my adventures, I have found that the ATIS will instruct you to get your clearance from ground control when this is the case.

[Timbuff10]

I just did this today at Long Beach. Was kinda confused that a class D had it but we used it. I made my call, and the guy simply told me to contact ground. I did that and repeated the same thing I said to Clc Del, then was allowed to Taxi a few hundred feet to talk to tower and off I went.

I don't really see the point of clearance delivery at some of these airports.

Maybe its an outlet for lonely controllers?

I suppose with the amount of 121 traffic at LGB it can clog up the grn freq though.

[surreal1221]

Check youtube, there is a sample VFR communications video from Sporty's on there. The example in the sample video, is just like this question. VFR departure out of a Class B airport with delivery.

Essentially. . .

XXX Delivery, N123AB at the west FBO, with Alpha, request VFR departure to the SW at 6500.

N123AB, Cleared in to the XXX Class B airspace, VFR at or below 6500ft, Departure freq. XXX.XX, sqwk XXXX, contact ground for taxi.

The end.

[Milesar]

Thanks for all the info, the video was informative.

Flying into/out of Class-C for the first time this weekend so we'll see how it goes!

[TFaudree_ERAU]

Originally Posted by desertdog71

Any airport that has Clearance/Del it needs to be used.

Not correct. You need not contact Clearance Delivery at a Class D airport. The only reason you have to contact CD at a Class C or B airport is because you need a transponder code and clearance to enter the airspace. By contacting CD at a Class C or B airport, you obtain those two things. Since you don't need a code or a clearance to enter Class D airspace, there is no need to call CD.

[SkyKing]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

Not correct. You need not contact Clearance Delivery at a Class D airport. The only reason you have to contact CD at a Class C or B airport is because you need a transponder code and clearance to enter the airspace. By contacting CD at a Class C or B airport, you obtain those two things. Since you don't need a code or a clearance to enter Class D airspace, there is no need to call CD.

This is incorrect, in class D and C no clearance is required and no transponder code is required, you can depart with 1200 without any problem. The only requirement is to maintain two way radio comm with ATC. If you wanted to get flight following out of class C you can call CLNC and get you discrete code from them.

In class B you do need a clearance but you do not need a discrete code, 1200 will be fine, the control tower can give you your B clearance as part of your takeoff clearance (Skyhawk 1234X cleared into the B, cleared for takeoff, fly RWY hdg climb and maintain 2000). Again, if you need flight followong, it might be a good idea to call CLNC.

So, to summarize, you don't have to call CLNC in any class airport if you are departing VFR, in class C and B CLNC can and will (most cases) give you a discrete code for VFR Flight Following if requsted.

[Timbuff10]

Originally Posted by TFaudree_ERAU

Not correct. You need not contact Clearance Delivery at a Class D airport. The only reason you have to contact CD at a Class C or B airport is because you need a transponder code and clearance to enter the airspace. By contacting CD at a Class C or B airport, you obtain those two things. Since you don't need a code or a clearance to enter Class D airspace, there is no need to call CD.

Why does LGB ground get pissy when you skip CD then? And they didn't give me a code either.

One thing I don't like about flying as all the "regional" rules. "Non-standard" is just another way of saying that this breaks the rules but the FAA doesn't mind if you break that rule at that particular spot.

[Cessnaflyer]

Originally Posted by desertdog71

Any airport that has Clearance/Del it needs to be used.

I don't think that is right because at all the Class D with Clearance Delivery I've been to told us that it is only for IFR clearances or VFR clearance into B/C airspace.

[desertdog71]

I have only seen CD at Class C and Class B.

Those both want you to contact CD. I have also been into Class C (KXNA) that did not have Clearance/Delivery. We can talk about exceptions all day long, but a good rule of thumb is if they have it. Use It.

Things may be different at your particular airport, but I would lean towards that being a regional thing like Timbuff said. Unless someone can point me to something in the AIM or FAR's that says otherwise, I will continue to do it this way.

[Timbuff10]

I like to just call up tower from my parking spot on the ramp and say "ready for takeoff, tell everyone to get out of my way". Everything else wastes too much time.

[fish314]

Originally Posted by desertdog71

I have only seen CD at Class C and Class B.

Those both want you to contact CD. I have also been into Class C (KXNA) that did not have Clearance/Delivery. We can talk about exceptions all day long, but a good rule of thumb is if they have it. Use It.

Things may be different at your particular airport, but I would lean towards that being a regional thing like Timbuff said. Unless someone can point me to something in the AIM or FAR's that says otherwise, I will continue to do it this way.

Probably a good rule of thumb. What's the worst they can say? "Contact ground with that request"?

My problem is flying an aircraft that doesn't have a Victor radio into fields that have Clearance Delivery as a victor only frequency, but ONLY have 1 uniform frequency (as tower, for example). Then I have to call tower for clearance and they always ask me to come up on some victor frequency, when I'm unable. They usually understand, but I always feel like I'm putting them out... of course I suppose if it was a big problem they'd probably buy another uniform radio. They can't be THAT expensive.

[BobDDuck]

90% of the time if you listen to the ATIS it will tell you if you need to contact clearance before you call ground. If they don't say anything, a quick call to ground (if it's not to busy) asking them if they want you to talk to clearance before you call them wouldn't hurt.

Mostly, it seems that controllers are willing to help you out. LGB is something of the exception to that rule, but it may have to do with the amount of light traffic they have there and how busy they are.

As to the uniform thing... I had a controller yell at me the other day for stepping on somebody else's transmissions. I hadn't heard a thing but they said I kept talking right in the middle of it. Turns out they were using UHF and obviously I wasn't hearing it on VHF. Silly controller, UHF is for kids!

[Frank_Rizzo]

When I left San Antonio once I used CD to get a squawk then to ground. Couple weeks later I did the same and he shrugged me off to ground right away since I wasn't IFR. I am guessing it is dependant on the current situation on how busy they are. KSAT is class C overlay but generally busy.

[MarkE]

There's CD at Van Nuys (class D) and the only time i've called them is if I'm departing to the east. The reason is that Van Nuys sits underneath Burbank's Class C and their surface area is about 1 mile east of VNY. Also at some airports, well at least in my experience Riverside, you can inform ground that you plan to enter the class C (I assume this would work with B as well) and they'll give you a sqwak code. Best bet is to read your A/FD. It should tell you when calling CD is necessary.

[Milesar]

Hey guys,

So I flew into/out of a Class C airport today and everything went pretty smooth. Thanks for all the help with my question about delivery, I used it and I went on my way.

[Timbuff10]

Originally Posted by Milesar

Hey guys,

So I flew into/out of a Class C airport today and everything went pretty smooth. Thanks for all the help with my question about delivery, I used it and I went on my way.

If you are near Durango was it COS? My experience down there has been that those guys are the most laid back controllers ever. I usually go in there around 11PM at night though.

[Milesar]

Originally Posted by Timbuff10

If you are near Durango was it COS? My experience down there has been that those guys are the most laid back controllers ever. I usually go in there around 11PM at night though.

ABQ actually. They were really nice, even when asking for a "say again" while holding short... oops.

Funny snippet... There was a crushed/dead/carcass of a prarie dog on the active reported, followed by alot of sarcastic comments over the radio "Awww what a shame" then some more from the truck on its way out to get it.