Ground xxx.x?

Rebel Lord

Rebel Lord

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Nov 21, 2015
Messages
581
Location
Texas
Display Name
Display name:
Rebel Lord
Yesterday was another big day for me. After soloing Friday for the first time
Yesterday was the first time I went to flightschool and my CFI handed me the keys and let me go by myself after a short briefing.

My question is this when I had finished roughly a hours worth of patter work the
I landed and the tower said "ground xxx.x have a good day." So I hastily taxied off the runway and called ground to be safe. When I got back to the hanger I completely forgot to ask my CFI about that. When tower says "ground xxx.x" do I contact ground or just monitor?
 
At a controlled field you should be talking to ground before you start taxiing after turning off the runway.
 
Normally, clear the runway at the first available taxiway... stop... clean up airplane, call ground before proceeding... But I would have thought that was something you'd be used to doing... Sometimes tower keeps you on their frequency maybe either because workload permits or there is only one controller on duty...
 
If they want you to monitor they will specifically say monitor. Usually because the ground guy is really busy but he knows where you are and will get to you when he can. Only going to get "monitor" on the ground.

From the ATC Handbook:

d. In situations where an operational advantage
will be gained, and following coordination with the
receiving controller, you may instruct aircraft on the
ground to monitor the receiving controller’s
frequency.
EXAMPLE−
“Monitor Tower.”
“Monitor Ground.”
“Monitor Ground Point Seven.”
“Monitor Ground, One Two Zero Point Eight.”
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Gucci Pilot said:
If they want you to monitor they will specifically say monitor. Usually because the ground guy is really busy but he knows where you are and will get to you when he can.
Click to expand...

Yep, we are usually told either monitor ground or contact ground.
 
EppyGA said:
Yep, we are usually told either monitor ground or contact ground.
Click to expand...

Ya and that's what got me tripped up. Both times I've gone by myself they said they just said ground and then the frequency
 
Rebel Lord said:
When tower says "ground xxx.x" do I contact ground or just monitor?
Click to expand...

I'm a newbie, but I would consider "contact" to be the default, and a mere "monitor" while unilaterally doing what you want to do to be the exception.

In my opinion, if tower doesn't specify, the conservative thing to do would be to contact ground with an indication of where you want to go, and then wait for instructions before taxiing the plane beyond the initial stopping point after clearing the runway.
 
register@teamandras.com said:
I'm a newbie, but I would consider "contact" to be the default, and a mere "monitor" while unilaterally doing what you want to do to be the exception.

In my opinion, if tower doesn't specify, the conservative thing to do would be to contact ground with an indication of where you want to go, and then wait for instructions before taxiing the plane beyond the initial stopping point after clearing the runway.
Click to expand...

Good point - I try not to assume what gnd/twr wants. Sometimes they will use shortcuts, but they should be standard phrasing. I used to deal with a controller that had his own style, and as a student I got used to it. The problem was that when I went to other towered airports or another controller was on duty, and those controllers used more standard phrasing, it led to some confusion.

Another thing that happens is that controllers know which planes are used by students, and where they go after they land. They sometimes jump the gun on assuming your own intentions.
 
Matthew said:
Good point - I try not to assume what gnd/twr wants. Sometimes they will use shortcuts, but they should be standard phrasing. I used to deal with a controller that had his own style, and as a student I got used to it. The problem was that when I went to other towered airports or another controller was on duty, and those controllers used more standard phrasing, it led to some confusion.

Another thing that happens is that controllers know which planes are used by students, and where they go after they land. They sometimes jump the gun on assuming your own intentions.
Click to expand...

I think that everybody tries to do their best, but sometimes it's unclear. On the original question, another way to think about it is to ask yourself which is worse:

  1. taxiing before calling ground if "contact" was expected?
  2. calling ground for instructions if "monitor" was expected?

To me, 1 seems like a much bigger deal than 2.
 
register@teamandras.com said:
In my opinion, if tower doesn't specify, the conservative thing to do would be to contact ground with an indication of where you want to go, and then wait for instructions before taxiing the plane beyond the initial stopping point after clearing the runway.
Click to expand...

Slight change..... contact ground with who you are, where you are, and where you want to go once you are clear of the runway, have cleaned up the aircraft, and are ready to receive your instructions.

Including where you are is a good habit to develop for the times you operate at a larger airport with several runways entire alphabets of taxiways.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Slight change..... contact ground with who you are, where you are, and where you want to go once you are clear of the runway, have cleaned up the aircraft, and are ready to receive your instructions.

Including where you are is a good habit to develop for the times you operate at a larger airport with several runways entire alphabets of taxiways.
Click to expand...

Sorry, I wasn't giving the whole script. I'd say, when ready to go,

Podunk ground, bugmasher AB123 is clear of runway 1 at alpha, taxi to [insert description]
 
Rebel Lord said:
Yesterday was another big day for me. After soloing Friday for the first time
Yesterday was the first time I went to flightschool and my CFI handed me the keys and let me go by myself after a short briefing.

My question is this when I had finished roughly a hours worth of patter work the
I landed and the tower said "ground xxx.x have a good day." So I hastily taxied off the runway and called ground to be safe. When I got back to the hanger I completely forgot to ask my CFI about that. When tower says "ground xxx.x" do I contact ground or just monitor?
Click to expand...

The tower shouldn't say just "ground xxx.x have a good day." If he does then you must contact ground for a taxi clearance, otherwise you're stuck once leaving the runway and moving past the hold short lines. If the tower wants you to monitor ground he'll have to issue the taxi clearance himself; "taxi to... ...monitor ground xxx.x have a good day."
 
register@teamandras.com said:
I think that everybody tries to do their best, but sometimes it's unclear. On the original question, another way to think about it is to ask yourself which is worse:

  1. taxiing before calling ground if "contact" was expected?
  2. calling ground for instructions if "monitor" was expected?

To me, 1 seems like a much bigger deal than 2.
Click to expand...

I'm used to getting something like "Taxi to parking, monitor ground" or "Contact ground .x" Only one of those gives taxi instructions. If you only hear "ground xxx.x" then something is missing.

edit: roncachamp beat me to it, and said it better anyway.
 
When tower says "Ground .x, good day", I remain on tower until actually completely clear of the active.
 
Matthew said:
I'm used to getting something like "Taxi to parking, monitor ground" or "Contact ground .x" Only one of those gives taxi instructions. If you only hear "ground xxx.x" then something is missing.

edit: roncachamp beat me to it, and said it better anyway.
Click to expand...

Ya this has happend twice and both times I've just contacted ground to be safe
 
And, especially as a new pilot, don't let tower rush you. If you're still rolling out and tower asks you something like "say parking", feel totally free to say "standby" until you are clear of the runway and ready to do the next thing. Also, if they say "turn on echo" or some taxiway that will be hard for you to make, say "unable".
 
Gucci Pilot said:
If they don't say monitor, contact them.
Click to expand...
That's it.

I've heard a number of variations of the short "contact ground ..." from the full "contact ground xxx.x off the runway" down to simply "ground .x".

The one constant is that if all they want you to do is monitor, they will say "monitor."
 
I ALWAYS assume I am to contact ground unless given explicit instructions otherwise such as "taxi to parking remain on tower" or "monitor ground"...other than that, contact ground as if you are talking to a new person and they have no idea who or where you are.

You will never get in trouble for contacting ground...you CAN get in trouble for NOT contacting ground and rolling on your own if you are not 100% clear on your instructions.
 
Get the entire aircraft across the hold line, stop, contact ground with tail number, intersection and where you want to go, unless told to monitor. If you are told to monitor ground then that instruction could come along with a "taxi to" instruction as well.

After clearing the runway, tower sometimes asks where I'm parking then says "taxi to parking via A, monitor ground." So that's what I do. Sometimes tower will say to taxi to parking via A, "my frequency" which means stay on tower freq. I read that back as "parking via alpha monitor ground, tail #" or "parking via A with you, tail #", respectively

Good luck! :D
 
Last edited:
A few months ago, I landed in Sarasota, FL. First time into a class C. At some point, don't remember when maybe in the air I told the tower what FBO I was going to. After landing she told me where to turn off, as I was turning off I realized I wasn't entirely certain where to turn and asked for progressive taxi. She then told me I needed to be on ground.... I switched to ground and, at a loss for what else to do, checked in just like I would being passed from one controller to another when on Flight Following. That was the wrong answer.... but I got where I was going and nobody got hurt or fined or anything so no big deal.

When I blundered into this totally clueless, I had my PPL, some 180-ish hours, and hundreds of landings most of which were at a class D towered field where I did my training. At that field and every other class D I'd ever been to, you landed then the tower would say "taxi to parking this frequency" or something similar. In all that time I'd never switched to ground after a landing, only actually used it to initially call up after starting up on the ramp.

The good news about controllers is they're humans and most of them are forgiving and 99% of the time will just point you in the correct direction when you mess up.
 
First, I generally read back every instruction, including change to ground. Example:

"N12345, turn when able, ground point eight"

"Onto Charlie, over to ground point eight"

Always stay on Tower until past the hold short. This is important! Then stop, clean up the airplane, swap to ground and listen for them to contact you. If they don't give you instructions right away, and they aren't actively managing other traffic, make a call before moving. I usually give them something like "Ground, N12345 off 21 at Delta, headed to the North ramp" to which they generally respond with taxi instruction.

When traffic is light, I sometimes get "N12345 turn when able, taxi to ramp and monitor ground point seven" to which I typically respond with "Wilco, 345"
 
petrolero said:
Get the entire aircraft across the hold line, stop, contact ground with tail number, intersection and where you want to go, unless told to monitor. If you are told to monitor ground then that instruction could come along with a "taxi to" instruction as well.

After clearing the runway, tower sometimes asks where I'm parking then says "taxi to parking via A, monitor ground." So that's what I do. Sometimes tower will say to taxi to parking via A, "my frequency" which means stay on tower freq. I read that back as "parking via alpha monitor ground, tail #" or "parking via A with you, tail #", respectively

Good luck! :D
Click to expand...

Yes, and also, if there are parallel rnwys, be very specific about your readback. If tower says, "Cross XX Right at Alpha 8, contact Ground point 8" then you read that back, cross that runway at that taxiway intersection, and contact Ground after you're clear of that runway, not before, and not while rolling across it.
 
Student here, when they tell me 'ground .9'. I read back, exit past the hold short line, stop. Contact ground and stay put till they tell me to taxi. Otherwise they might say 'remain this frequency' and issue taxi instructions
 
Sam D said:
And, especially as a new pilot, don't let tower rush you. If you're still rolling out and tower asks you something like "say parking", feel totally free to say "standby" until you are clear of the runway and ready to do the next thing. Also, if they say "turn on echo" or some taxiway that will be hard for you to make, say "unable".
Click to expand...

When I was a <20 hour student I almost ran off the edge of the runway trying to comply with an instruction like that. Of course, the fact that I was moving from floats (no tower) to wheels might have had an impact on the situation.

Bob Gardner
 
We had a fun one a few weeks back... I was sitting right seat on a lunch run, cleared to land, instructed to exit on a cruising runway, contact ground when clear of the runway. I can't remember the exact phrasing exactly, but it sounded like call when clear of the crossing, so we did. Got chewed out when we exited called and since ground owned the crossing runway. How were we to know?

Tower was a bit busy, though. Ground sounded ****ed, but that was the end of it.
 
Gucci Pilot said:
If they don't say monitor, contact them.
Click to expand...

As many others have pointed out, Gucci has it right.

This is fairly logical, too. Barring very unusual circumstances, the only way tower would have you monitor ground is if they also included instructions to taxi to the ramp.

They shouldn't be doing it, but many facilities simply say "ground point xx" and leave out the "contact."

It's implied.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top