Sight seeing tour Qs?

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

What's the best way to request a sightseeing clearance through class Bravo?

 

[TXCAP4228]

Tell clearance delivery you'd like a VFR Class B clearance for sightseeing. Which Class B out of curiosity?

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

near and around philly

 

[DesertFalcon]

Ask for a TAXI clearance; You'll be below Class B and won't have to worry about it anymore! ;-)

 

[TXCAP4228]

near and around philly

I had over a hundred hours before I was comfortable enough to ask for a class b clearence just to sight see. I fly around DFW, and the buildings around downtown Dallas are fantastic at night. (It makes a great 3rd date, but that another thread....). All you gotta do is ask. You'll be surprised how easy it is.

 

[tarp]

How about something like this:

C123: Philly Approach, Cessna N00123 over Cross Keys, one thousand five hundred, Information Foxtrot with request.
PHL: Cessna 123, go ahead with your request.
C123: Cessna 123, yes sir(madam), like to do some sightseing over Center City, request climb to 2000, direct the Ben Franklin, circle the city and exit north to the Taucony.
PHL: Cessna 123, squawk 1234.

The secret to getting what you want is to tell the controller very quickly:
1.) I'm going to be smart.
2.) I'm thinking ahead of you but will play by the rules
3.) I have a very definite plan of action.

How did I do that.
First call up was short, but I did three things - told him/her who I was, where I was and that I was OUTSIDE of his airspace right now. I told him that I already listened to the Philly ATIS and I know the altimeter settings and general weather/winds. I told him with the "request" word, that I'm going to ask for something strange - it may take me longer than normal to make the request so he should get rid of priority traffic before he comes back to me. Basically, I respect his job.

On my request (the second call), I already had rehearsed what my plan would be and exactly how I would ask for it. I told him exact altitude requirements, exact targets and basically what my path would be. He knows I'm entering from the East side, going to circle the city and then something up the river has my attention and I'm heading North with a probable escape to the Northeast.

The worst fear for the controller is someone who is going to constantly change the picture or thinks they have carte blanche to wander around the airspace. Make the trip a "mission" and all will go just fine. If you do get a passenger request for something enroute or that catches their eye, make that request separately.

Philly is really easy because of the river approaches for Intl. Most of the controller's low traffic is being sequenced up or down the river depending on East or West operations. Don't go asking to circle the stadiums or the navy yard when they're landing on the 27's - it ain't gonna work. Philly controllers have always been nice to me.

 

[ceo_of_the_sofa]

Thanks, tarp, just what I was looking for.

 

[bunnyfufu]

would st. louis give me a clearance to fly under the arch?

 

[velvetjo]

Some fellas I knew at a skydiving club in Greenville, IL used to fly through the arch under canopy at the VP Fair every year. Get a few thousand jumps and a PRO license, and maybe they'll let you jump their demo...

Lance