VFR Clearance Delivery

majorityof1

majorityof1

New Member
I was departing Boise (KBOI) VFR about a month ago. So, from parking I called ground and asked to taxi with the correct ATIS letter. They requested that I call clearance delivery first. No problem, I called them, and ended up departing just fine. Couple weeks later at Boeing Field (KBFI) I called clearance delivery to depart VFR (You know trying to learn from past experiences). They said not to call clearance delivery for VFR departures and just call ground. I called ground and departed just fine.

Although it wasn’t a big deal calling another frequency it would be nice to know the actual procedure. Is there one way to determine whether or not to call clearance delivery for VFR departures? I checked the A/FD, and it was no help.
 
In the class C, call clearance, then ground always. At Boeing, for VFR, they're probably too busy with the IFR traffic in and around the class B to deal with you VFR.
 
I've just gotten used to having to be taught by ATC each field's little ways of doing things. We have to "request taxi for run-up" here. My student was at another C airport and asked for that and got a rude "you want what?"
 
I flew out of Boise for my PPL and calling CD for VFR flight is indeed standard for reasons stated by Goldmember. Though I don't understand why at class C ground can't take it (though they will sometimes), they have just as light of a load as CD. Anyone?
 
Most Class C airports. . .if you actually listen to the ATIS. . .tells you (as a VFR departure) to contact Delivery, and on initial contact indicate direction of flight, altitude, and destination.
 
I've noticed usually ATIS will let you know about departure (contact clearance or contact ground - referring to your situation).

Also - try to call ahead of time on the cell (before the flight) to talk with ATC at the location you're heading - # in the AFD. That helps a lot - knowing ahead of time what they expect - and they appreciate that you are doing the research, too.
 
I think its Class C airports. Boeing Field is D therfore no need. But yeah I say just listen to the ATIS becasue every field is different.

I got my PPL a KIWA and you always had to tell ground your direction of departure. ...taxi for a sw departure... and they have 3 parallel runways so it didnt make a difference to where they taxied you.
I got my com where you just taxied to the active and told tower either crosswind, downwind departure etc...
And now where I instruct if you are IFR they dont give you your beacon code untill you are holding short and ask for your release. In "CRAFT" the T is "squawk assigned by tower" never heard of this before I got to this airport.
:panic:
 
Yeah- for VFR in class D, just contact ground unless ATIS says otherwise, and in Class C contact Clearance Delivery. That's always worked for me.
Brian
 
meritflyer said:
Not always so in class C. It's usually on ATIS.
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I've never been too clear on the Class C part. AFAIK, there is nothing in the AIM that gives direction one way or another. But the most common practice I've seen has been to get Class C departure instructions from CD. I've used it at every Class C I've landed at (doesn't mean a lot), never been told not to bother them and have never heard a preferred procedure mentioned over the ATIS (except when it's been very un-busy and ATC is combining frequencies). (OTOH, I have been into a Class Cs where you don't speak to Ground.)

But, as I said, AFAIK, there's no recommended procedure in the AIM, which itself suggests that "Not always so in Class C." Since you mentioned it, I'm guessing that you have been into Class C airports where the standard practice is to not call CD - got some examples in addition to the OP's experience at Boise?
 
desertdog71 said:
If I remember correctly. KXNA is another one, I think you contacted Ground for an IFR clearance and VFR was simply ask for taxi. Its been a while but there was something out of the ordinary about it.
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I think it has something to do with various degrees of "busy."

Best I've been able to figger it, except perhaps for Class B, the separation of "Tower" into Local Control, Ground, Clearance Delivery and, for that matter, ATIS, is a matter of practice and not regulation. You can more commonly see it at Class D airports which have a high variety, but there's no reason to expect it to be different for Class C, some of which are based on type of traffic more than on volume of traffic.
 
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