Add Tower Phone Numbers To Your Flight Plan

[Shepherd]

I volunteered to deliver a really dubious plane before Thanksgiving. All manner of squawks in it's recent history.
Especially electrical problems.
Sure enough it suffered a complete electrical system failure 20 miles from landing. And me without my handheld.
Whew! Mags, not electronic ignition.
It was my home airport, Class "D". So I had their number on my phone.
Gave the tower a call and apprised them of the situation.
Crisis avoided.
Since then I have been collecting the phone numbers for every tower I will fly past when creating my Nav log.
Just in case.
Question: Do store bought navigation apps (Garmin, etc) include tower phone numbers in their database?

 

[texasclouds]

I haven’t seen tower numbers listed but usually a clearance delivery number in the Chart Supplement. They could probably help out in a pinch.

 

[midwestpa24]

I haven’t seen tower numbers listed but usually a clearance delivery number in the Chart Supplement. They could probably help out in a pinch.

That seems to be the trouble, the tower number can be tough to find.

 

[T Bird]

CD should definitely work in a lost (official) comms situation, certainly better than relying on light gun or going nordo into uncontrolled field. I rarely seem to get any cell service when I fly though

 

[AV8R_87]

That seems to be the trouble, the tower number can be tough to find.

Yep. They should be in the listed in the chart supplement.

 

[Tools]

A little off topic… many towers are lacking in proficiency using the gun. Not uncommon for me to ask for it for the benefit of a student. Turns out to be a good thing to do.

 

[AV8R_87]

A little off topic… many towers are lacking in proficiency using the gun.

All towers I've visited have the light gun signal chart taped to the gun itself. Same reason why I keep a copy in the plane at all times.

 

[SixPapaCharlie]

I usually just get the number from the tower directly

 

[ateamer]

I usually just get the number from the tower directly

Don’t you have them all in Favorites by now?

 

[AV8R_87]

I usually just get the number from the tower directly

Chuck, is that you?

 

[Initial Fix]

I usually just get the number from the tower directly

<sarcasm>I try to avoid being asked to give a ring </sarcasm>.

 

[midlifeflyer]

I wouldn’t bother collecting. If I were lost comm with cell capability my only option, I’d call the TRACON/Center number that is published. Let them coordinate my arrival.

 

[bonefishpete]

Run over anybody landing?

 

[Llewtrah381]

That seems to be the trouble, the tower number can be tough to find.

I suspect listing Tower phone numbers could go sideways really fast. Most CD numbers connect you with the “data person” who has no direct controller responsibilities at the time. By contrast, especially in many D towers, the person answering the phone is the same one talking to airplanes. Sadly, start making Tower numbers more publicly available and the number of junk/prank calls would probably go up - either distracting an active controller and/or making them less inclined to answer the phone.

Just a cynical guess…

 

[bonefishpete]

Noise complaints would overwhelm them. My airport instituted a aircraft noise complaint hotline for such things.

 

[FORANE]

If you're low enough to pick up cell data, you can pull the tower phone numbers here:

https://acukwik.com/

 

[midwestpa24]

I suspect listing Tower phone numbers could go sideways really fast. Most CD numbers connect you with the “data person” who has no direct controller responsibilities at the time. By contrast, especially in many D towers, the person answering the phone is the same one talking to airplanes. Sadly, start making Tower numbers more publicly available and the number of junk/prank calls would probably go up - either distracting an active controller and/or making them less inclined to answer the phone.

Just a cynical guess…

Or people calling them to hold their flight, ask for flight times, wanting to book tickets, ask where their luggage is, oh wait that's my office line.

 

[robin ardoin]

Just land without clearance from the tower. They’ll give the number to call.

 

[MikeNY]

For radio (electrical) failure, instead of contacting tower by phone, might re-consider your handheld radio.

Could be less-effort-backup than ‘collecting phone numbers for every tower I will fly past’ … and hoping for adequate cellphone reception.

 

[NordicDave]

For radio (electrical) failure, instead of contacting tower by phone, might re-consider your handheld radio.

Good to carry a handheld for this purpose which includes a headset adapter plugged into the radio all within easy reach.

The handheld is nearly useless without a headset adapter. When flying sometime while safe, remove your headset and try to hear the handheld radio in flight.

 

[flyingcheesehead]

Just land without clearance from the tower. They’ll give the number to call.

And by that point, you won't need to call any more so you can just ignore it.

 

[midlifeflyer]

Just land without clearance from the tower. They’ll give the number to call.

BTDT. Similar to @Shepherd’s situation too. Electrical issues. No, they didn’t give me a number to call but I called them after landing anyway.

I did get a call from my friendly neighborhood FSDO a day or two later.