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3 Answers

VFR Departure Procedures at Towered Airports

Asked by: 4365 views ,
Airspace, FAA Regulations, General Aviation

When I depart my class c airport vfr I’m always given a squawk code, altitude, and heading. This is the case whether I get flight following or not. I don’t change frequency or squawk code until directed to do so. Yesterday I departed a class d without flight following and was given 1200 squawk code but no heading or altitude. I was just given cleared for takeoff. I flew the runway heading and waited for instructions to turn and change frequency. I never got these so I requested them. I was approved to turn on course and told that frequency change was at my discretion. It seemed that I was expecting instructions not normal for this situation  

After some research it seems like unless told otherwise, when departing a towered airport vfr I should make my turn out toward my on course heading on my own and change frequency on my own after leaving the charlie or delta airspace. Is this correct? Any reference to documentation on this would also be appreciated.

Thanks!

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3 Answers



  1. Mark Kolber on Dec 09, 2018

    You are correct. Unless give specific instructions, at a Class D, you simply turn on course and change frequencies when out of the airspace. Unless the Class D is arranging flight following or a Class B or C transition for you, it won’t give you a discrete squawk code,

    Giving you instructions and arranging FF or transitions varies a lot among Class D airports. With FF fir example, I’ve seen Class ads which automatically arrange it, those which do so on request, and those which simply don’t.

    Class C is different. (Almost?) universally, you will get a code, headings, and altitude restrictions. That’s due to the more extensive traffic services they provide and to fit you in with its more high density and more diverse mixture of traffic.

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  2. KDS on Dec 09, 2018

    It’s double correct because you didn’t request a frequency change when leaving. It’s all to common for pilots to request a frequency change when leaving Class D. Once in a great while, the controllers will correct pilots and tell them it’s not necessary to request a frequency change, but not often enough.

    It doesn’t seem like a big deal to the pilot, and most of the time it isn’t, but you can’t tell from your end of the radio how busy things are getting in the tower. They may be working multiple frequencies and a landline, coordinating with their supervisor, doing a shift change, or watching a Nordo aircraft through binoculars. When the radio call comes in, it interrupts what they are doing.

    As a rule of thumb, I’ll stay on the tower frequency until there is a reason to go to another frequency. It gives me a chance when I’m six miles out to the east to hear someone call inbound from ten miles to the east and put my eyes on higher priority. I’ve also had the tower call me and say something like “If you’re still on frequency, you have traffic ……….”.

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  3. KDS on Dec 09, 2018

    “All too common”

    If anyone knows how to edit a posted reply, please share it with me. I never seem to see it until after I hit SUBMIT.

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