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when twr?

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GravityHater

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Posts
1,168
Minor debate going on in my mind about when to switch from ground to tower. Maybe someone has the AIM on this but I am more interested in practical knowledge ie what works, what atc wants.
In my little league days I did not switch til I was ready to roll.
I now think it is ok to switch when the first of either of these occurs: tell me what you think.

1 Once you are past the last crossing taxiway or crossing runway, and only have a short distance (ie not a half mile) to go to the hold short line.
2. You come up on the tail of the last in a line of a/c waiting to depart.

Sometimes I am taxing the last 200' to the hold short line, and ground calls to see if I am ready to go. I feel like I am 'behind' because I had not switched. Maybe they just found they have a gap NOW and need me to hustle out.
To try to compensate for the last episode, I called ready to go well before getting to the hold short line yesterday, and it seemed a little risky to be still taxiing along, a while after the TO clearance.

What is the earliest you can switch?
 
All airports are the same and there is no good answer for this really...

I usually switch to Tower when I know Ground Control wont call me for anything else... Ie: nearing the hold short area at a busy airport... maybe a ways back still at a slower place.

Some ATIS' will tell you to not switch until advised by ground (ie: Denver Centennial)

I am based out of Scottsdale and I usually call tower with a "We'll be ready to go when we get there'' type call... that way he gets a little bit of a clue that I am not quite there yet. Might not be 'proper phrase-ology' but it works well for me.
 
I know the aim says something that all turbine a/c will be considered ready for take off upon reaching the end. I don't know if there is a defined switch point that I know. We usually switch over when were past the last crossing taxiway or runway, basically a place where we think ground would be done with us.
 
My philosophy is this: If I'm past the last available taxiway then I can switch to tower. Even if waiting in line. The idea being that I can't turn around on the taxiway so I'll have to use the runway no matter what happens to us at that point, so tower is the place to be since I'll be talking to him in any event.
 
+1

NCherches..you looking for guys out of SDL??? Live in SDL and tired of the 3+ hour commute to the east coast.

Sorry... No word on any jobs in the Scottsdale area... I fly a Citation Bravo single pilot, single airplane. The whole valley is pretty dry in aviation jobs.
 

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