Anyone know the departing communication procedures for Aruba?
Is this correct?
Step 1 - Call Tower 5 minutes prior to push back for engine start and push back clearance.
Step 2 -Call Apron Managment to request permission to push back
Step 3- Call ground and report "Ready to taxi"
The Jeppesen plates are confusing/vague to say the least.
1. Call Apron 121.6 5 prior and say "Bon Dia XXX 5 minutes to push and start"
They call you back and say "XXX Roger stand by for engine start"
2. Apron coordinates with Curacao who now have radar. Curacao sets up the dept slots.
3. Apron calls back at some point (2-30 minutes depending on day) and says "XXX clear for start-advise ready for push"
4. If you're ready you say "XXX ready for push"
5. If there's a tug available (there's only 3 for the airport and apron controls where they are) they say "XXX clear to push and start"
6. you push and start
7. You call Apron and say "XXX ready to taxi"
8. Apron says "XXX push back time XX:XXZ. Call 120.9 for taxi"
9. You call tower and say"XXX ready to taxi" this is your first contact with tower (you don't have your IFR clearance yet but it's coming soon)
10. Tower says "XXX taxi to BBB" (there is a new 10-8 temp construction page that went into effect yesterday 10/11 but when I left yesterday they hadn't started working yet...The taxi will get a little more complicated and involve back taxiing with a 180 on the runway once the construction starts)
11. You taxi to the runway (follow directions)
12. Tower calls and says "XXX are you ready to copy clearance"
13. You say "yes"
14. Tower reads you your clearance and you write it down.
15. you read back clearance to tower
16. "Clear for takeoff amend altitude to maintain FL XO"
17. You take off...(don't forget the noise abatement in small print on the back of the 10-9..it says no left turns prior to 2500 ft or 6 miles whichever comes first)
18. Stay with tower (non radar) till they switch you to Curacao 127.1
19. Curacao says "confirm you squawking xxxx"
20 . you say "Squawking xxxx"
21 they say "radar contact"
proceed as normal.
On the way in you will be radar contact until you inform Curacao that you have the island or airport in sight. If traffic allows Curacao will switch you to Beatrix tower who is non radar. Beatrix will ask your dme and radial off of BEA VOR. (keep it in the fix page, makes it really easy) and just follow instructions. Most of the time it's "descend to circuit altitude (1500) report left base 11".
On busy days (Saturday) you may get holding over the VOR and they will sequence you from there. Or they may have you overfly the field north to south and have you enter right downwind...just listen up and ask for clarification if you don't understand.
