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5 Answers

Clearance to depart class d airport?

Asked by: 6865 views Airspace, FAA Regulations, Private Pilot

I'm planning to fly out of a small class d field (KHXD). Do I need to request a VFR clearance prior to taxi or do I just taxi to the runway and then call tower? 

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5 Answers



  1. Ash on Aug 06, 2014

    Try following this sequence (make sure to look up hours of operation and all the frequencies you’ll need to use in the A/FD):

    1. Listen to and copy down the ATIS
    2. Contact ground

    Tell ground who you are (“Cessna ABC123”), where you are (“FBO ramp”), and where you want to go (“run-up area”). You should also tell them you have ATIS information “A”, and that you are a “VFR departure northbound.”

    3. Follow taxi instructions to the run-up area and complete your run-up as usual
    4. Contact tower when you are ready to depart

    Tower will clear you for takeoff, and advise you of other instructions once airborne as needed (traffic call outs, etc.). Once you are cleared of the Class D airspace, you can switch frequencies (departure control, air-to-air, etc.).

    That’s about it, pretty simple after you do it a few times. Hope that was helpful.

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  2. Mark Kolber on Aug 06, 2014

    I’m sorry but this question is so basic to an understanding of towered airport operations (communication requirements and movement vs non-movement areas) that I strongly recommend a session with an instructor, including flying into and out of a towered airport, if you don’t recall these basics from your student days.

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  3. Brent on Aug 06, 2014

    Adding on to Mark’s comment, when you fly with an instructor, make sure when you land at a towered airport that you get out of the plane and go have lunch before coming back for departure. That’s the only way you’ll get the necessary end-to-end experience.

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  4. Matthew Waugh on Aug 07, 2014

    I’m not TOTALLY sure lunch is required – although nice – I’m not even sure you have to get out of the plane. I’ve certainly done “Intro to Controlled Fields” by taxing to the ramp, swinging around and going through the whole procedure from there.
    It does tend to confuse the FBO marshallers though…….

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  5. steve kruis on Nov 15, 2014

    what does “cleared for the option” mean landing at a controlled field

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