When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentions?

Do3r17

New Member
I am currently training for my PPL and I really enjoy flying in towered airports. I guess I'm just weird like that. I however still need LOTS of practice in it. Thank God ALL of the controllers I've dealt with have been patient with me, and I have not even stated I'm a student pilot. But anyways, couple questions.

1.If for example I am set to land runway 27 and I am on a heading of 090 5sw of the airport and cleared for left base runway 27, do I need to wait for clearance to turn base?

2.Also, when I am told radar contact is established, do I need to acknowledge it?

3.And finally, when flying above B,C,or D airspace, do I need to contact approach to do this? The reason I ask is because my instructor said that I do but when I did my XC I asked for vectoring through class D and they told me I had already contacted approach and did not have to ask for this since I was above the airspace.

4.Oh and one more thing, kind of a biggy. I accidentally contacted 121.5 instead of 121.05 and some guy with the most serious, scary voice told me it was the emeregency frequency and to get off immediately (I know what 121.5 is I just read it wrong) Can my instructor or I get in trouble for this?
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

1.If for example I am set to land runway 27 and I am on a heading of 090 5sw of the airport and cleared for left base runway 27, do I need to wait for clearance to turn base??

The key is that your cleared for the turn, or cleared for the visual. It's up to you when to turn. However they pretty much is expecting a normal traffic pattern. Now if it's been a few minutes since he's cleared you for the visual a quick call like; "Tower, Cessna 123 turning base now." won't hurt.

2.Also, when I am told radar contact is established, do I need to acknowledge it?

no

3.And finally, when flying above B,C,or D airspace, do I need to contact approach to do this? The reason I ask is because my instructor said that I do but when I did my XC I asked for vectoring through class D and they told me I had already contacted approach and did not have to ask for this since I was above the airspace
.

I taught my students to call approach above B & C. D wasn't too big of a deal.

4.Oh and one more thing, kind of a biggy. I accidentally contacted 121.5 instead of 121.05 and some guy with the most serious, scary voice told me it was the emeregency frequency and to get off immediately (I know what 121.5 is I just read it wrong) Can my instructor or I get in trouble for this?

No,

Here's some advice: take advantage of being a student pilot when flying through controlled airspace. My experience has been both as a student pilot and as an instructor that controllers are a little more understanding to an aircraft that is flown by a student. Don't be ashamed to state it, we were all there at one point.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

I am currently training for my PPL and I really enjoy flying in towered airports. I guess I'm just weird like that. I however still need LOTS of practice in it. Thank God ALL of the controllers I've dealt with have been patient with me, and I have not even stated I'm a student pilot. But anyways, couple questions.

1.If for example I am set to land runway 27 and I am on a heading of 090 5sw of the airport and cleared for left base runway 27, do I need to wait for clearance to turn base?

2.Also, when I am told radar contact is established, do I need to acknowledge it? No, but if you don't respond theres a good chance as a controller I'm going to get you to acknowledge me. Also, I rarely just say "radar contact", usually I've got more stuff in my transmission that will require you to respond anyway.

3.And finally, when flying above B,C,or D airspace, do I need to contact approach to do this? The reason I ask is because my instructor said that I do but when I did my XC I asked for vectoring through class D and they told me I had already contacted approach and did not have to ask for this since I was above the airspace. If you fly over my class C and don't want flight following or traffic advisories but just want to "let me know you're there", save your breath, I have radar, I can see you (most of the time). It's a very ambiguous call since I know you're going to monitor my frequency and we've established two-way comms. yet you're not really requesting flight following or traffic advisories.

4.Oh and one more thing, kind of a biggy. I accidentally contacted 121.5 instead of 121.05 and some guy with the most serious, scary voice told me it was the emeregency frequency and to get off immediately (I know what 121.5 is I just read it wrong) Can my instructor or I get in trouble for this? People do it all the time and while you should try to keep these mistakes from happening, sometimes it provides a little entertainment for us on the ground. I've noticed though that some Air Force facilities act like the guard police and they just sound silly trying so hard to enforce the rules when in reality somebody just made a mistake and misdialed a freq.

HD
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio


Ok so regarding question number 3, I have to be acknowledged, correct?
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

The key is that your cleared for the turn, or cleared for the visual. It's up to you when to turn. However they pretty much is expecting a normal traffic pattern. Now if it's been a few minutes since he's cleared you for the visual a quick call like; "Tower, Cessna 123 turning base now." won't hurt.



no

.

I taught my students to call approach above B & C. D wasn't too big of a deal.



No,

Here's some advice: take advantage of being a student pilot when flying through controlled airspace. My experience has been both as a student pilot and as an instructor that controllers are a little more understanding to an aircraft that is flown by a student. Don't be ashamed to state it, we were all there at one point.

This is regarding question number one. Since I was 5miles south, I basically would have a 5mile base. Is that ok? Or should I have been heading towards the runway to make a 45degree entry?
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

This is regarding question number one. Since I was 5miles south, I basically would have a 5mile base. Is that ok? Or should I have been heading towards the runway to make a 45degree entry?

Set yourself up for whatever pattern entry he asked for. In other words, if he wants you to report a "2 mile left base" then fly to that point and report left base.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

1.If for example I am set to land runway 27 and I am on a heading of 090 5sw of the airport and cleared for left base runway 27, do I need to wait for clearance to turn base?

Read the thread called "Downwind to Base". And from your example, I would just ask for a downwind entry, they may have misheard you or misspoke. Listen to what they are telling you and if it doesn't make complete sense...you are allowed to give input. Don't be afraid to request what you want :)

2.Also, when I am told radar contact is established, do I need to acknowledge it?
Not unless they said you were somewhere where you weren't. Sometimes you might get a "say altitude" along with the radar contact speech...so just tell them your altitude.

3.And finally, when flying above B,C,or D airspace, do I need to contact approach to do this? The reason I ask is because my instructor said that I do but when I did my XC I asked for vectoring through class D and they told me I had already contacted approach and did not have to ask for this since I was above the airspace.

This is directed toward your instructor. If you aren't in an airspace...you don't need to contact anyone. That's why they have limits and dimensions!! Just because it feels weird to you doesn't mean you get to make up you own rules. Jeesh.

Anyways, now you...you answered your own question in there. You said you asked to be vectored through. Well, how can you go through it if you aren't going to be in it?
4.Oh and one more thing, kind of a biggy. I accidentally contacted 121.5 instead of 121.05 and some guy with the most serious, scary voice told me it was the emeregency frequency and to get off immediately (I know what 121.5 is I just read it wrong) Can my instructor or I get in trouble for this?
Don't sweat it. If I had a quarter for everytime I heard someone transmit on guard in the tower...I'd have a lot of quarters. There's always someone (usually a prick) that keys up and says ON GUARD!!!!. Ya ya ya...don't worry about it.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Read the thread called "Downwind to Base". And from your example, I would just ask for a downwind entry, they may have misheard you or misspoke. Listen to what they are telling you and if it doesn't make complete sense...you are allowed to give input. Don't be afraid to request what you want :)

Not unless they said you were somewhere where you weren't. Sometimes you might get a "say altitude" along with the radar contact speech...so just tell them your altitude.



This is directed toward your instructor. If you aren't in an airspace...you don't need to contact anyone. That's why they have limits and dimensions!! Just because it feels weird to you doesn't mean you get to make up you own rules. Jeesh.

Anyways, now you...you answered your own question in there. You said you asked to be vectored through. Well, how can you go through it if you aren't going to be in it?
Don't sweat it. If I had a quarter for everytime I heard someone transmit on guard in the tower...I'd have a lot of quarters. There's always someone (usually a prick) that keys up and says ON GUARD!!!!. Ya ya ya...don't worry about it.


Does the same go for Class C and B? I'm sorry, I just want to be absolutely certain. I would hate to get any violations because I was afraid to ask.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Does the same go for Class C and B? I'm sorry, I just want to be absolutely certain. I would hate to get any violations because I was afraid to ask.

Yes. No need to talk to anyone above D,C,B. All that's required above C is mode C. Above B you are probably above 10,000 anyway so you need mode C regardless.

When I was learning to fly my instructor and I took a cross country somewhere. Anyways, the SFO class B only went up to 8000 at the time (10,000 now). We flew over it at 8500 and talked only to ourselves. Saved a bunch of time since we weren't going to get cleared into it. I thought it was cool :)

Like HiDef said, we can still see you if we aren't talking to you.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Good to know I don't have to contact everyone and their mother when doing long cross countries :D
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Gotta love the "Guard Nazis". I swear they have some guy sitting there who does nothing but say "on Guard" in the most angrey voice they can muster....
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Living out in the California desert, there are a LOT of military facilities out here. I was flying with my cousin and he accidentally transmitted his request to land at a towered airport out here on 121.5, and some military controller keyed up and yelled "ON GUARD", the controller at the tower (sweet little southern belle) keyed back up and says "But we don't have any swords" got to love contract towers :rotfl:.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

I heard a story last trip of a Cessna broadcasting his position on 121.5 during an engine failure and some dork screaming "you're on GUAAAAAAAAARD!".

Hello? Yes, he is on guard. He's supposed to be. Shut the hell up, brosef.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Set yourself up for whatever pattern entry he asked for. In other words, if he wants you to report a "2 mile left base" then fly to that point and report left base.

I'm confused, if he's set to land on runway 27 and flying east and he's 5 miles SW can't he just join the downwind? unless maybe they are a right hand pattern?And ditching.Also with 121.5 how do you address them in an emergency? Do you just tune that frequency and state ur problem or do you need to say mayday mayday, i'm oging down.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

normally you would set your transponder to 7700 for general emergency 7600 for radio failure or 7500 for hijacking. And then... grr where did my AIM go... but I believe it is "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday <Aircraft ID> <Location> <What the Emergency is> <Pilot intentions>"
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

normally you would set your transponder to 7700 for general emergency 7600 for radio failure or 7500 for hijacking. And then... grr where did my AIM go... but I believe it is "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday <Aircraft ID> <Location> <What the Emergency is> <Pilot intentions>"

If you are already taking to approach or center there is no need to switch to guard. They can handle you or switch you to discrete frequency if necessary.

Now if your VFR then 121.5 would be appropriate and maday vs pan would depend on the seriousness of the problem.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

If you are already taking to approach or center there is no need to switch to guard. They can handle you or switch you to discrete frequency if necessary.

Now if your VFR then 121.5 would be appropriate and maday vs pan would depend on the seriousness of the problem.
Wouldn't you switch to guard, especially on a busy approach or center freq?
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

Wouldn't you switch to guard, especially on a busy approach or center freq?

No. Since they are going to hear you on 121.5 anyway, why waste time switching? They are going to be the ones to help you anyway and they won't have to key up 121.5 either.
 
Re: When are you not required to notify ATC of your intentio

If you are already taking to approach or center there is no need to switch to guard. They can handle you or switch you to discrete frequency if necessary.

Now if your VFR then 121.5 would be appropriate and maday vs pan would depend on the seriousness of the problem.

Good point Bandit.
 
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