Class C airspace transition

[MAKG1]

I've never been handed off to a class C tower for a transit. Class D can be a different situation though, unlike class C, sometimes approach does not control the airspace within D, in which case you would be handed off to the tower if they know you are going to transit it.

Really? You live in Oakland and have never been handed off to both towers on a transition? If you enter in the shelf, you talk to NorCal first (and then both towers -- unavoidable due to the overlying Class B). If you enter the surface area, it's direct to Tower, but it's a good idea to have been talking to NorCal first, outside the airspace.

San Jose does the same thing if you enter the surface area below 1500. You'll get handed off from a Class D directly to Tower if you enter from Reid or Moffett. So does San Francisco below 2000, and you can get handed off from San Carlos.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Really? You live in Oakland and have never been handed off to both towers on a transition? If you enter in the shelf, you talk to NorCal first (and then both towers -- unavoidable due to the overlying Class B). If you enter the surface area, it's direct to Tower, but it's a good idea to have been talking to NorCal first, outside the airspace.

San Jose does the same thing if you enter the surface area below 1500. You'll get handed off from a Class D directly to Tower if you enter from Reid or Moffett. So does San Francisco below 2000, and you can get handed off from San Carlos.

The thing is I've never transited Oakland's class C, just landed, and I normally overfly San Jose's. I transit SMF's class C on a regular basis, and they do not hand you to tower.

 

[bobmrg]

Perhaps it's a bad habit (which is why I mention it here, to ask), but I tend to use more conversational phraseology in this situations, unless everyone is obviously unusually busy. So, something like "Clearance instructed me to remain clear of Charlie; confirm that is still in effect?"

Poor form, or doesn't matter?

Specifically authorized by AIM 4-2-1(b).

Bob Gardner

 

[MAKG1]

The thing is I've never transited Oakland's class C, just landed, and I normally overfly San Jose's. I transit SMF's class C on a regular basis, and they do not hand you to tower.

I haven't done SMF, but MRY sends you to tower if you're below the shelf's altitude in the surface area, and keeps you on NorCal otherwise. When landing, they seem to want to hand off to Tower real early -- I guess it's the high TPA. Lots of real good sightseeing at low altitude around there, and some of it is pretty close to the extended centerline.

 

[Palmpilot]

The thing is I've never transited Oakland's class C, just landed, and I normally overfly San Jose's. I transit SMF's class C on a regular basis, and they do not hand you to tower.

When I'm VFR and flying home to Palo Alto from the southeast, if I'm in contact with approach control, they hand me off to San Jose Tower if I tell them I want to cross over San Jose Airport (who then hands me off to Moffett Tower, etc.).

 

[Sac Arrow]

When I'm VFR and flying home to Palo Alto from the southeast, if I'm in contact with approach control, they hand me off to San Jose Tower if I tell them I want to cross over San Jose Airport (who then hands me off to Moffett Tower, etc.).

I'm not saying you guys are wrong, I'm just saying that hasn't been the experience where I normally transit.

 

[Palmpilot]

I'm not saying you guys are wrong, I'm just saying that hasn't been the experience where I normally transit.

And I'm not saying you're wrong either. Clearly, ATC practice varies according to the situation and local needs.