Switching from ground to tower?

[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.