"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?"

Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

Just to add a "twist", over here in the Middle East you have to request permission for engine start. I expected this at Military fields but it is also required at civilian airports as well. There is no getting your clearance ahead of time, they issue it as you taxi out. The reason for the engine start clearance is that ATC will not issue the engine start clearance untill your flight plan is approved and in the "system".

Jim
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

[ QUOTE ]
The reason for the engine start clearance is that ATC will not issue the engine start clearance untill your flight plan is approved and in the "system".


[/ QUOTE ]

Makes sense from a security standpoint. Anyone that starts their engines up without clearance is gonna get jumped by Marines before they can taxi out.
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

The "approval" process involves the host nation's Military approval. This sucks when its 50c and the controllers won't approve an engine start so we can run AC. We usually request engine start about 30 min before scheduled departure then once the passengers show up, we can load and go. ATC is soooo different over here. I can't wait to get back home and be able to fly in our ATC system, it really is the best.

Jim
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

You may be the only airplane moving on the airport but they have those positions manned and budgeted for. So they want you to call them so they don't have to lay that guy off. Support the cause!
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Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

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OAK is class C and an exception to contacting CD first for a VFR flight. Contact CD for IFR only at OAK.

[/ QUOTE ] Interesting. Is there an ATIS or A/FD reference to tell pilots or is it just one of those things you know?

Most interesting variation on a theme I've seen is at Kahului on Maui (PHOG). On the GA side of the field, the movement area begins at the runway hold short lines - no other taxiways. So here's a Class C where you do contact CD, but never speak to Ground.
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

The fact is that there is a basic standard and then variations on a theme that suit that particular airport, its traffic and the manning in the tower.

For instance from many hours spent listening to BOS and JFK on-line I've noticed the following things:-

At BOS the alley's are controlled by Ground Control - you can start your engines, you get a clearance from CD, put don't even think about pushing back unless ground says so, then you call ground again for a taxi clearance.

At JFK, the tower don't wanna know what happens inside of the ramps, basically unless you need to push-back onto an active taxiway you can do what you like in the ramp area. You call CD for your clearance, and he tells you to call Ground for taxi. You call Ground for taxi, when you are ready to goto the runway. If it is evening rush-hour the guy or gal'll say "Hold short of Taxiway Alpha, Monitor Ground 21.65, wait for him to call you" So the usual 21.9 ground freq is now a flow control and paperwork finder for the Ground Controller - in the tower they must be passing a flight strip which the flow controller has marked with your taxiway location. After that it's pretty normal - but I'd strongly recommend a trip over to liveatc.net and listening to some different airports' feeds. Found out when that airport's rush-hour is, if it has one, and that'll show you why following the correct procedure is so important.

I've heard JFK on bad days, when the weather is at mins. there's snow everywhere, everyone wants to taxi to de-ice before going to the runway, and it ain't pretty - those frequencies frequently get overloaded. And half the country is on ground-stop or flow control. I think there was one day when it was so bad they stole a runway frequency for hold and shuffle control, as I recall one runway was a plane park!!!
There is a reason for procedures - they just mightn't make sense at the time!!
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Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

ajf005,

I've experienced the same thing you have. I fly in and around the Balt-DC ADIZ frequently, and on cross-countries will get flight following.

I have flown into Martin State KMTN Balt, MD and Manassas KHEF Manassas, VA many times. Ground has always issued my transponder code, and I request flight following once airborne.

All of a sudden, after taking the same steps time after time, I'm given a hard time by ATC for not requesting flight following on the ground. I just quietly thought to myself how I had followed the same steps before and never been harassed, so maybe this guy was just PMS'ng or something.
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

I don't think its a reg or anything, but I do distinctly remember reading in the Jepp private pilot book the other night that you should always request flight following, if desired, upon initial contact with clearance delivery/ground. So, while some of the controllers might not say anything about it, some will.

Best just to ask for it in advance all the time and then you'll never get scolded!
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Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

LIT is Class C, and they don't (didn't) always use CD. Only on the busier (extremely relative) days.

ATC at LIT can be a pain in the butt (maybe the FSDO complex?), but generally (barring really busy airports) if you call ground instead of CD, all you'll get is a huff from the controller, then the info you want.

(For some reason what I wrote reminded me of subliminal man....
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Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

ORL can be a bit freaky if you're not used to it. They have a thing where you contact ground when your run-up is complete, and they hand you off to tower with "monitor tower, he/she'll call you." Then tower sequences the planes for takeoff. Granted its always on the ATIS to "contact the ground controller when your run-up is complete." The tower guys generally get a little miffed when you call them before talking to ground.
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

[ QUOTE ]
They have a thing where you contact ground when your run-up is complete, and they hand you off to tower

[/ QUOTE ]

They do that here at RVS. Man, that took some getting used to.
 
Re: \"Have you contacted Clearance Delivery?\"

kellwolf,

AFAIK, there is only one other airport in the US that has that procedure. - APA in Denver. And I think that the controllers at each think they are the only one.
 
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