Towered vs. Non-Towered Training

Pilot121

Pilot121

Well-Known Member
Hello,
I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were regarding learning to fly at an airport with or without a control tower. What type of field did you learn at? Is it a bad idea to learn to fly at a non-towered field if I plan to ultimately fly professionally for an airline?

Thanks,
Pilot121
 
The outcome of an airline career for you has nothing to do with what you decide on this issue.

EDIT - I earned my PPL at a towered Class D. During my training, they were re-paving thr runway so we moved the club to a non-towered field. My XC flights were to both towered and non-towered fields.

Right after my PPL, I was flying out of a Class C airport.

My point is that you're going to learn it no matter what and you'll have to be proficient in both at some point - this decision doesn't really make a difference at this point if you haven't earned a certificate yet. Your CFI will get you the experience and training you need as you go.

By the way - I don't find one particularly more difficult than another. In unfamiliar places, I do like having a tower be a local guide, so to speak, and amenities are generally better at towered fields. But in terms of the actual flying, nah - it doesn't matter much. Just my opinion.
 
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I did all of my training at a non-towered, grass strip in northern MN. Controlled airspace was a good hour or more in either direction (except north, which took you to Canada)....
Not a bad idea to learn at a non-towered airport. No clearances or delays usually.

By the time you get to the airline minimums, you'll have plenty of time and opportunity to travel through controlled airspace, open/close flight plans etc. I would not worry about it...
 
I say fly where ever you feel comfortable.
My experience is this: in the beginning radios will be awkward and maybe difficult to a new pilot. I flew out of a non towered airport, but flying into towered airports really built my confidence on the radios and you learn so much as well.

Personally i think it would really help to fly out of a towered field.
 
Pilot121 said:
Hello,
I was wondering what everyone's thoughts were regarding learning to fly at an airport with or without a control tower. What type of field did you learn at? Is it a bad idea to learn to fly at a non-towered field if I plan to ultimately fly professionally for an airline?
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Non-towered, if only to maximize the amount of time you spend in the air on any given training flight. That said, don't neglect talking on the radio. If I could choose the ideal scenario, I'd say fly out of a non-towered airport with a class C airport 10-15 miles away.
 
In the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter.

If the school you want to go to is at a towered airport then go there, if it isn't then go no towered.

You will spend more time on the ground at any moderately busy towered airport. But you will gain ATC skills from the beginning that might help you later in your career. However you will gain those ATC skills regardless throughout your career.

Private Pilot, doesn't matter. Instrument rating I think it helps because for IR you HAVE to talk to ATC. And when you're learning, it's much easier to pick up a clearance before taxi rather than in the air.
 
I'm a student pilot right now, and "I" (i.e. we :D ) fly out of a moderately-sized towered airport. I like the fact I get experience with having to use correct radio voice procedure, but at the same time the airport isn't big enough that I have to burn Hobbs time sitting waiting to be allowed to taxi etc. But I don't think I'd be disadvantaged at all by an airport without a tower. At this stage, the development of good fundamental flying skills is a lot more important.
 
There are merits for both. It all depends on the quality of your instructor and how hard you work in training. Best of luck!
 
I did both, and glad I did. My PPL training was done at a non towered airport, and the rest was done at a towered airport.
 
ASpilot2be said:
Hahaha. The nice thing is I know how to go to an uncontrolled airport and not look like too much of an idiot.
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Yep. LOL it is pretty funny listening to the radio when someone obviously hasn't made radio calls to an uncontrolled airport for decades tries to do so. I'll probably be there one day so I don't get too fired up about it.
 
BEEF SUPREME said:
Yep. LOL it is pretty funny listening to the radio when someone obviously hasn't made radio calls to an uncontrolled airport for decades tries to do so. I'll probably be there one day so I don't get too fired up about it.
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Hahaha. Yup. We will all be there at some point.
 
Heck, my main problem with uncontrolled airports at my present "experience" level is that the runways tend to be smaller and it messes with my sight picture for landing. :D
 
My training was a solid mix of Class D and Class G airports up until solo. By the time I started instructing I had been to several different Class B and C airports. It's really a non issue, but for getting comfortable with the radios sooner, a towered airport would be best, but it really doesn't matter if you're starting out at a non-towered airport in the big scheme of things.
 
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