Switching from ground to tower?

[JungleJetCA]

Anyone know the textbook answer to when you are to switch from ground to tower. Most airports expect you to do it on your own but most big airports will tell you when to monitor tower. Well, sometimes, at a big airport, I'll expect to be switched and never get it, and once I do, tower's calling wondering where we are.

 

[zerouniform]

On an arriving flight the controllers will tell you when to contact the next successive controller (approach > tower> ground) (i.e. "Turn right onto Echo taxiway and contact ground .9")

On the flip side, when you are a departing aircraft you are expected to change to the next successive frequency on your own (clearance > ground > tower -- tower will tell you when to contact approach obviously).

I haven't experienced anything other than these standard procedures.

 

[satpak77]

services

Anyone know the textbook answer to when you are to switch from ground to tower. Most airports expect you to do it on your own but most big airports will tell you when to monitor tower. Well, sometimes, at a big airport, I'll expect to be switched and never get it, and once I do, tower's calling wondering where we are.

do it when you need their services. You don't need Control Tower services for taxi from the ramp to the runway, you do need it for takeoff. Arriving, you need it for landing or in the Airport Traffic Area. You don't need it 30 miles out, thats for approach. You don't need it at FL 310 either, those services are provided by ARTCC.

with that said, switch to tower when you are ready for takeoff and near the hold short line. Upon landing, taxi off the runway and then wait until given further instructions from tower (stay with me taxi to parking, contact ground, etc)

 

[midlifeflyer]

I haven't experienced anything other than these standard procedures.

You obviously haven't flown into Orlando Executive or Denver Centennial. In both cases, the standard procedure is to advise Ground when ready and not witch to Tower until told to. The ATIS broadcast at both gives you this information.

But I guess that's the point. You are right that SOP is to contact Tower when ready. If an airport uses a procedure other than standard, someone will tell you, whether it be ATIS (when the different procedure is standard for that airport) or by Ground advising you along the way.

 

[Stealthh21]

You obviously haven't flown into Orlando Executive or Denver Centennial. In both cases, the standard procedure is to advise Ground when ready and not witch to Tower until told to. The ATIS broadcast at both gives you this information.

But I guess that's the point. You are right that SOP is to contact Tower when ready. If an airport uses a procedure other than standard, someone will tell you, whether it be ATIS (when the different procedure is standard for that airport) or by Ground advising you along the way.

Are you sure that you are refering to Orlando Executive?? I don't remember hearing that there, and I have flow out of there many times.

anyway

 

[midlifeflyer]

Yep. Orlando Executive. I'm not sure to what degree it applies in practice to jet ops. Even at Centennial the typical jet will be told to "contact Tower at the hold line" while still taxiing, while the typical piston announces when run-up is complete.

 

[Draginass]

Some airports have a sign beside the taxiway on when to contact the tower.

 

[81Horse]

Well, sometimes, at a big airport, I'll expect to be switched and never get it, and once I do, tower's calling wondering where we are.

If Tower's wondering where you are, you're waiting too long to make the switch.

Turbine aircraft are considered to be ready for takeoff when they reach the runway -- the tower controller pretty much expects to be able to talk to you well before you reach the hold-short line.

If you're in a takeoff queue, you should be monitoring Tower -- Ground doesn't care about you anymore after you've been put into the line-up.

Local procedurers can vary, of course.

 

[Lequip]

Anyone know the textbook answer to when you are to switch from ground to tower. Most airports expect you to do it on your own but most big airports will tell you when to monitor tower. Well, sometimes, at a big airport, I'll expect to be switched and never get it, and once I do, tower's calling wondering where we are.

Total Amature / Rookie move. And this guy is a ERJ CA? Get a clue Tool

 

[JungleJetCA]

Well, like I asked in the above, looking for the textbook answer which I thought might be in the AIM somewhere because I was curious. I guess some of you have never run into the situation I was addressing. I'm based in IAH and they tell you when to monitor tower, sometimes once you reach the hold short sometimes half a mile away during the taxi. You don't switch to tower until you are told to. Going to unfamiliar airports, it's not written anywhere on the 10-7 or 10-9 what their procedures are. I've had F/O's try to switch to tower half a mile from the hold short on me and wanted to be able to tell them the textbook answer on why that was not correct. Really don't need a lecture from some of you since it seems you don't know the answer either.

 

[JungleJetCA]

Total Amature / Rookie move. And this guy is a ERJ CA? Get a clue Tool

learn how to spell, you come off better that way.

 

[HS125]

If you're in a takeoff queue, you should be monitoring Tower -- Ground doesn't care about you anymore after you've been put into the line-up.

Local procedurers can vary, of course.

I can't recall which airports they are. But, I have been to a couple of airports where if you switch to tower without being told to by ground, tower will politely ask you to return to ground control so that ground can chew your a$$ for switching before being told to.

 

[81Horse]

This is what the AIM has to say -- it's not exactly definitive:

4-3-14. Communications

a. ... Unless otherwise advised by the tower, remain on that frequency [ground control] during taxiing and runup, then change to local control frequency when ready to request takeoff clearance.

NOTE- Pilots are encouraged to monitor the local tower frequency as soon as practical consistent with other ATC requirements. ...

b. The tower controller will consider that pilots of turbine-powered aircraft are ready for takeoff when they reach the runway or warm-up block unless advised otherwise.
​

 

[JungleJetCA]

This is what the AIM has to say -- it's not exactly definitive:

4-3-14. Communications

a. ... Unless otherwise advised by the tower, remain on that frequency [ground control] during taxiing and runup, then change to local control frequency when ready to request takeoff clearance.

NOTE- Pilots are encouraged to monitor the local tower frequency as soon as practical consistent with other ATC requirements. ...

b. The tower controller will consider that pilots of turbine-powered aircraft are ready for takeoff when they reach the runway or warm-up block unless advised otherwise.
​

Actually, that's exactly what I'm looking for, thanks. That more or less tells me there is not anything else that is more definitive in the AIM that would contradict this section. Kind of takes the ambiguity out of this subject since airports tend to do things differently.

 

[minitour]

A recommendation: If you're unfamiliar, put your departure in com2 standby, ground in com1 active tower in com2 active...transmit on ground, monitor tower until told to switch...then if you aren't told and tower starts calling you, at least you'll hear it.

I know what you mean about the different procedures.

At home, we stay on ground until we're ready...then switch to and contact tower.

At CLE (nearby) ground will have you monitor tower somewhere on the taxi out.

Sometimes it's very confusing, so I use the technique above.

-mini

 

[SSDD]

DEN and ORD vary tower frequencies depending on runway configuration and, I assume, controller workload. Ground always gives you the current frequency and instructs you when to switch.

As has been stated before, some airports are just different.

 

['72Gremlin]

I asked this same question not too long ago... I've been told (and I haven't verified this with the FAR/AIM) to switch to and monitor the Tower when passing the last available taxiway leading to the active runway or when in line for takeoff. If you're in doubt, notify ground that you're switching over, radio chatter permitting.

 

[81Horse]

I think that's pretty much SOP for turbine aircraft, Gremlin (local variations notwithstanding).

Even in airplanes requiring a run-up, it's a good idea to monitor the Tower frequency, IMHO. I always think of Peter Garrison's experience in his first Melmoth: getting rear-ended by a landing airplane. Once you start to think about that, you can get paranoid.

 

[NoPax]

In Europe it is standard practice to advise ground that you are ready, and switching to tower freq.

Anywhere I've been that requires an advisory to clearance (for engine start) or ground (runup complete) has the advisory on ATIS or it is posted somewhere on the ramp, runup area, by the hold-short line.

Otherwise, when you are ready to switch to ground/tower, switch, if you are inbound wait for the call.

 

[Stealthh21]

Yep. Orlando Executive. I'm not sure to what degree it applies in practice to jet ops. Even at Centennial the typical jet will be told to "contact Tower at the hold line" while still taxiing, while the typical piston announces when run-up is complete.

oh ok. Been to both places many times, never heard that. Oh well. Maybe I was flying out of a different Orlando Executive KORL.