Unit 6 – Class Delta Airport to Class Delta Airport with Traffic Advisories

Objective: In this unit, you will develop the knowledge and skill to obtain traffic advisories from an ATC radar controller for a short cross country flight between two tower controlled airports.

Completion Standards: You have completed this unit when you can:

• Request traffic advisories from the ground controller at a tower controlled airport.
• Obtain a takeoff clearance, depart a tower controlled airport, obtain a hand-off to the radar controller and check-in.
• Fly to you your destination airport.
• Obtain a hand-off to the destination tower controller, check in, and obtain a landing clearance.

Preparation:

1. Use the Los Angeles Sectional and a plotter (or SkyVector) to determine the magnetic course and distance from Camarillo (KCMA) to Van Nuys (KVNY).
2. Determine the appropriate VFR cruising altitude for the flight. Click here for a reminder on how to apply the VFR cruising altitude rule..
3. Determine checkpoints to help you keep the aircraft on your selected course.
4. Determine the amount of time it will take to fly from KCMA to KVNY.
5. Determine when you will descend (top of descent).
6. Determine the traffic pattern entry route.

Radio Phraseology

Obtaining Traffic Advisories at a Tower Controlled Airport

To obtain traffic advisories at a tower controlled airport, request traffic advisories to your destination at the same time as you make your request from ground for a taxi clearance.

Camarillo Ground, Cessna 123AB is on the east ramp with Information Tango, ready to taxi and request traffic advisories to Van Nuys.

You will hear:

Cessna 123AB, Camarillo Ground, taxi to runway 26 via Foxtrot and Alpha, flight following on request.

On request means that the controller has received the request and will need a few moments to coordinate the request.

While taxiing, you’re likely to hear:

Cessna 123AB, on departure contact Point Mugu Approach frequency 124.7, Squawk 5216.

To prevent distraction, its recommended to come to a stop while taxiing to write this down and respond with the readback.

Once you reach the assigned runway, enter this squawk code in the transponder, tower in the active frequency and the Point Mugu Approach frequency in the stand-by slot.

Request your takeoff clearance from the tower, and remind the tower to hand you off to approach.

Camarillo Tower, Cessna 123AB holding short of runway 26, VFR to Van Nuys.

Readback your takeoff clearance and departure instructions, enter the runway and takeoff. Fly the departure instructions and then turn on course.

Hand-offs to Approach

About 1000 AGL after departure you will hear:

Cessna 123AB radar contact, contact Point Mugu Approach 124.7. Have a great flight.


Readback this hand-off. This is a hand-off between the tower controller and the approach controller, and you will need to switch frequencies and check in.

Point Mugu Approach, Cessna 123AB, climbing through 1,200 for 3,500.

You will hear:

Cessna 123AB, Point Mugu Approach, altimeter 30.10.

Readback the altimeter setting.

As you continue the flight, you’ll transition from Point Mugu airspace to SoCal Approach airspace and will hear:

Cessna 123AB, contact SoCal Approach on 134.2

Readback this instruction, and check in with SoCal.

SoCal Approach, Cessna 123AB, level 3,500.

Now is a good time to get the ATIS for Van Nuys. The controller may ask you:

Cessna 123AB, Verify Information Whiskey at Van Nuys.

If you already have, simply respond: Cessna 123AB, Affirmative, Information Whiskey. If not, respond: Cesssna 123AB Will advise with Information Whiskey. After getting the current ATIS, respond: Cessna 123AB has Information Whiskey at Van Nuys.

Hand-off to Tower

Once you are approximately 5 miles from the Van Nuys Class Delta airspace, approach will hand you off to Van Nuys tower.

Cessna 123AB, contact Van Nuys Tower on 119.3.

Readback this instruction, and check in with the tower. Use an initial call-up sequence.

Van Nuys Tower, Cessna 123AB is 10 miles to the west with Information Whiskey, full stop.

You’ll likely be instructed to enter right base for runway 16R.

Cessna 123AB, Van Nuys Tower, enter right base for runway 16R, report 2 miles.

Readback this instruction, and navigate and descend to enter right base for 16R. Make a report when approximately 2 miles from the airport.

Cessna 123AB is on a 2 miles right base for 16R.

This report is trigger for the tower to clear you to land if there are no other traffic conflicts.

Cessna 123AB, cleared to land, 16R.

Readback this clearance, and approach to land. Exit the runway at the first available taxiway after landing safety, and request taxi to transient parking.

Cessna 123AB is clear of runway 16R at Foxtrot, request taxi to transient.

Readback the taxi instructions. You’re likely also to be told to either monitor ground, remain this frequency, or contact ground to obtain the taxi instructions.

Airspace/Airport Review:

Examine Camarillo (KCMA) and Van Nuys (KVNY) airports on the Los Angeles Sectional chart and Southwest US A/FD and answer these question below.
Hover over the question to check your answer. If you were not correct, please references the resources below

Resources – Aeronautical Chart User Guide – Airspace Summary

What type of airport is Camarillo airport? What is the field elevation of Camarillo airport? What is the traffic pattern altitude at Camarillo airport? What is the length of the longest runway at Camarillo airport? What is the Control Tower frequency at Camarillo airport? What does the * and the CTAF symbol indicate after the CT frequency? What are the runway identifiers and traffic pattern directions at Camrillo airport? What type of visual glideslope indicators does each runway have? Determine what type of airspace is directly over the airport. What are the VFR weather minimums associated with this airspace? What is the ATC communication requirement to operate in this airspace? What is the equipment requirement to operate in this airspace? What type of services does ATC provide in this airspace to VFR aircraft?? What type of airspace is above the airport airspace? What is the floor of this airspace? What are the VFR weather minimums associated with this airspace? What is the ATC communication requirement to operate in this airspace? What is the equipment requirement to operate in this airspace under VFR? What type of services does ATC provide in this airspace to VFR aircraft? Which ATC facility provides radar service around Camarillo during daylight hours? What type of airspace is between KCMA and KVNY? What type of airport is Van Nuys airport? What is the equipment requirement and ATC communication requirement to operate in Class D airspace? What is the ceiling of Van Nuys Class D airspace? What are the ATIS, CT and Ground frequencies at Van Nuys? What are the runway identifiers and traffic pattern directions at Van Nuys What type of visual glideslope indicator does runway 16R provide? What are the runways lengths at Van Nuys? What is the field elevation of Van Nuys airport? What is the traffic pattern altitude at Van Nuys

Weather

Obtain the METAR for Camarillo (KCMA) and the METAR and TAF for Van Nuys (KVNY) at http://www.aviationweather.gov.

Aviation weather products use abbreviations to communicate a lot of information in a small format. You can study this guide to interpret METAR and AWOS report.

Setup

1. Console: Ensure Panel Master switch is on, throttle is at idle and mixture is rich.
2. Launch Microsoft Flight Simulator.
3. Select ‘Cessna 172 – KCMA – East Ramp’ flight file.
4. Print and review this airport diagram to determine the aircraft’s position on the runway and route to taxi to the runway.
5. Launch PilotEdge and connect to the PilotEdge network.

Experience Checklist

1. Obtain the ATIS in the simulator; enter the KCMA ATIS into the Comm 1 radio and switch it to the active frequency. Determine the runway to be used based upon the reported winds.
2. Enter the Camarillo Ground frequency into the Comm 1 Radio.
3. Request a taxi clearance and traffic advisories to Van Nuys from Camarillo Ground. Be sure to state your location and current ATIS in this initial call-up.
4. Readback the taxi clearance, squawk code and frequency received from the ground controller.
5. Taxi to the assigned runway.
6. Complete the runup and before takeoff checks.
7. Enter the Camarillo Tower frequency into the Comm 1 Radio. Enter Point Mugu Approach into the stand-by frequency.
8. Request a takeoff clearance from the tower controller. Be sure to state your location (holding short runway XX) and intentions (VFY to Van Nuys).
9. Readback the takeoff clearance. Enter the runway and depart.
10. After departing the traffic pattern, turn on course and continue to climb to your cruise altitude.
11. Expect the hand-off to Point Mugu Approach.
12. Navigate and identify your preselected checkpoints.
13. Obtain the Van Nuys ATIS.
14. Comply with hand-offs to SoCal Approach and Van Nuys tower.
15. Comply with the traffic pattern entry instruction from Van Nuys tower.
16. Obtain a landing clearance, land, and exit the runway.
17. Request taxi to transient.

Reflection

Reflect on the sequences of communication needed to obtain traffic advisories from ATC between two tower controlled airports.