Cleared through Class Bravo @

[jd21476]

This morning I was making my very long commute to work from KSEE to KMYF and decided to do a touch and go at KRNM. After one T&G I departed direct to KMYF. I called up SoCal Approach for clearance through the Bravo direct. They cleared me through the Bravo direct KMYF @ or above 2500' then immediately told me to contact tower.

For anyone familiar with this area, when you approach KMYF from the North it is less than 1.2 nm from the edge of the Bravo to the runway. Tower put me on a Right Base entry for 28R and i wanted to start my descent but i was still in the Bravo so I remained at 2500' then upon clearing the Bravo I slowed way down, dropped the gear, went full flaps and did a steep approach for 28R. It worked out fine and I knew it would BUT, upon switching to Tower and receiving a landing clearance for 28R, was I still restricted above 2500' until I cleared the Class B? I believe I was so was I correct in my actions?

 

[luvflyin]

That's unusual for that to happen like that. What time of the morning was it? Was Miramar open yet?

 

[jd21476]

It was about 8:15am

 

[Clip4]

You hit a slow period.

 

[Brad Z]

View attachment 99873 It worked out fine and I knew it would BUT, upon switching to Tower and receiving a landing clearance for 28R, was I still restricted above 2500' until I cleared the Class B? I believe I was so was I correct in my actions?

In that situation, you may want to get confirmation from the tower controller. Presumably your arrival was coordinated with the approach controller, but you have no way of know whether the tower controller has the authority to amend an altitude restriction. An instruction to enter a right base is not necessarily an instruction to descend into the bravo.

 

[Shawn]

You were restricted to @ or above 2,500 though Bravo by the previous controller as I read it but once you made contact with tower the call should have been:

"Tower, Skylane 12345...two thousand five hundred restricted, request to start descent for landing when able" if you wanted lower inside the Bravo. They are either able or unable but absent that request and/or new instructions your actions were correct but may have been unnecessary without having asked.

Tower may have not even been aware of your altitude restriction which is why any time I receive an instruction I communicate that restriction to the next controller on the handoff.

 

[sarangan]

AIM 5-5-2: A landing clearance does not relieve the pilot from compliance with any previously issued altitude crossing restriction.

 

[flyingron]

AIM 5-5-2: A landing clearance does not relieve the pilot from compliance with any previously issued altitude crossing restriction.

"Maintain 2500" is not a crossing restriction.

"CROSS XYZZY AT 4000" is a crossing restriction.

 

[Larry in TN]

If unsure, phraseology along the lines of, "Confirm 2,500' altitude restriction is deleted", should clear it up.

Looking at the chart, I'm guessing that the intent was to keep you above the Miramar Finals but that's just a guess. If I needed to descend before exiting the CBA I'd request it first. i.e. "[callsign], ready for descent" or "[callsign], request descent".

 

[Joe_B1]

In that situation, you may want to get confirmation from the tower controller. Presumably your arrival was coordinated with the approach controller, but you have no way of know whether the tower controller has the authority to amend an altitude restriction. An instruction to enter a right base is not necessarily an instruction to descend into the bravo.

This^^^ when in doubt, ask!

 

[midlifeflyer]

You were restricted to @ or above 2,500 though Bravo by the previous controller as I read it but once you made contact with tower the call should have been:

"Tower, Skylane 12345...two thousand five hundred restricted, request to start descent for landing when able" if you wanted lower inside the Bravo. They are either able or unable but absent that request and/or new instructions your actions were correct but may have been unnecessary without having asked.

Tower may have not even been aware of your altitude restriction which is why any time I receive an instruction I communicate that restriction to the next controller on the handoff.

I think all you would really need is the very first part. "Tower, Skylane 12345...two thousand five hundred restricted." (Assuming you didn't clarify it with Approach before changing frequencies. The scenario really does sound like the Class B controller just forgot to remove the altitude restriction before instructing the switch to Tower although I have seen it the other way too.

 

[Arob16]

I routinely get similar clearance/instruction inbound to KADS (busy Dallas airport) from the east. VFR also. They treat VFR’s as if they are in the system so the tower controllers expect you to maintain any previous altitude restriction. Always made sense to me, but as others have stated, just ask. Not all interactions between approach/tower are the same everywhere.