my first solo Class C experience

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tangopapa

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tangopapa
I have flown to our local Class C airport (KMSN) twice with my CFI, and yesterday I set out on my own for the first time. It was helpful and confidence-building talking to the controllers without any assistance. Of course, it also helped identifying "student pilot" on my calls.

After I turned to the heading (170) provided by approach to avoid incoming traffic, I was given a caution for wake turbulence due to the Embraer jet landing before me on runway 32. When I contacted tower, they switched me to runway 3 and said "just fly straight in." The 5-mile straight-in approach in a 172 was humorous to me.

The low point of my trip was misunderstanding clearance/ground (same person was on both) who cleared me to taxi via Bravo and hold short of runway 36 for runway 3. What I thought I had heard (and read back) was "taxi via Bravo and hold short for runway 36." So tower called and had to tell me stop and turn around and go back the other way. Whoops...lesson learned. I'll try not to take the scenic route next time. The tower controller was understanding but this did not alleviate my embarrassment.

Altogether a good experience, and I learned to listen better and contact ground again if there is any doubt about where I need to go.

Next up is my dual cross country.
 
Excellent story! I flew into KMSN a few times with my instructor as well..super nice controllers there.....Had to laugh at your mistake while taxiing because I'm sure it's something I'll be doing myself in the future since I'm pretty much at the same stage as you are....

Whens your check ride?
 
gkaiser said:
Excellent story! I flew into KMSN a few times with my instructor as well..super nice controllers there.....Had to laugh at your mistake while taxiing because I'm sure it's something I'll be doing myself in the future since I'm pretty much at the same stage as you are....

Whens your check ride?
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Thanks!
Yeah, everyone was very accommodating to the noob. :)

Nothing scheduled yet, but I'm hoping to get everything finished sometime in May.
 
Yeah, Class C isn't as hard as we psych it up to be.

I tried a bit of pattern work at KOAK shortly after my checkride. It's amazing how far an "unfamiliar" can go. KOAK tower controllers seem to go out of their way to help, whether it's for GA arrivals or transitions through Class C (which are always at low altitude due to the overlying Class B).

Though I got badly lost on the ground at KSJC when I was a student.Ground gave me a LONG taxi instruction, including taxiing for a segment on an active runway (!), and I turned the wrong way on it. They actually wanted me to turn my back to arriving traffic; I'd have refused if I understood that one. KSJC has a lot of taxiway closures, and they were trying to get me to the 30L threshold, from a landing on 30R.

It wasn't an incursion because I was cleared to taxi on 30L. And ground gave me progressives after that, which helped a lot.
 
MAKG1 said:
Yeah, Class C isn't as hard as we psych it up to be.

I tried a bit of pattern work at KOAK shortly after my checkride. It's amazing how far an "unfamiliar" can go. KOAK tower controllers seem to go out of their way to help, whether it's for GA arrivals or transitions through Class C (which are always at low altitude due to the overlying Class B).

Though I got badly lost on the ground at KSJC when I was a student.Ground gave me a LONG taxi instruction, including taxiing for a segment on an active runway (!), and I turned the wrong way on it. They actually wanted me to turn my back to arriving traffic; I'd have refused if I understood that one. KSJC has a lot of taxiway closures, and they were trying to get me to the 30L threshold, from a landing on 30R.

It wasn't an incursion because I was cleared to taxi on 30L. And ground gave me progressives after that, which helped a lot.
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Exactly, if you're at an uncontrolled airport and the CTAF is busy, then talking to ATC isn't a huge leap from that. It's all about who to talk to (and when), following their directions (or "unable" if PIC safety decision), and communicating clearly and concisely. At least that's what I've gathered so far. The first time I flew there (with CFI) we had issues with our radio and things seemed a little overwhelming, almost all of which was related to the communication issue.

It's good to know a simple "unfamiliar" can help out.
 
Good to hear. I'm probably going to start soloing in another month or two. One of my bigger worries is misunderstanding ATC... I still get mixed up with simple directions at our class D airport at this point.
 
cowman said:
Good to hear. I'm probably going to start soloing in another month or two. One of my bigger worries is misunderstanding ATC... I still get mixed up with simple directions at our class D airport at this point.
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just identify yourself as a student. They should talk a little slower with you. Also, let them know if you don't catch a radio call. It's better to ask them to repeat than to violate something.
 
:yeahthat:

Also, if you want ATC to speak slowly, it's helpful to give them an auditory cue by speaking slowly yourself. If you go rapidfire on your radio calls, they'll assume you're a pro and will likely respond in the same manner.

PS - I did have to use "say again" once. I had left Comm 2 on and I was still getting chatter from the other frequency.
 
you did well.
That is a funny 'corner' at KMSN.
 
Thanks, I was beating myself up a little bit over that, but I guess it wasn't a big deal all things considered. At least I didn't do anything really stupid.
 
tangopapa said:
Exactly, if you're at an uncontrolled airport and the CTAF is busy, then talking to ATC isn't a huge leap from that. It's all about who to talk to (and when), following their directions (or "unable" if PIC safety decision), and communicating clearly and concisely. At least that's what I've gathered so far. The first time I flew there (with CFI) we had issues with our radio and things seemed a little overwhelming, almost all of which was related to the communication issue.

It's good to know a simple "unfamiliar" can help out.
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Class B, C and D are all pretty similar. For Class D, you call Tower. For Class C, you call Approach. For Class B, you call Approach and wait for clearance. There really isn't all that much more to it than that (aside from just following instructions). It's harder (IMO) to dodge the airspace, as opposed to transitioning it.

KSFO Class B even put up with some indecision on my part earlier in the week. I had planned a 3500 MSL transition due to some 15 knot winds over the mountains (it can get bumpy near the peaks with that condition). But it was smooth as a baby's bottom, so when KSQL Tower (their Class D is in the way) asked if I wanted a low or high transition, I said low. I was at 3000 climbing, so I abruptly pulled power and descended below 2000, and contacted KSFO Tower when instructed. They asked my intentions since I was still descending, then cleared me for a transition west of 101 at or below 1900.
 
I've definitely found it very helpful to utilize "say again" when necessary. Keep the airport diagram available and make sure you are going, where you want to be going.

If you aren't sure where you are supposed to go, just stop where you are and ask for clarification. They'd much rather help you out than fill out paperwork (or worse) if you taxi onto a runway... Leaving KABQ recently, tower reminded me ahead of time that 8/12 share a common hold line. Even though I wasn't about to cross it, it was nice to know the controller wanted to keep me out of trouble.

I love my iPad / Foreflight / GPS combo with the airport diagram. Of course, I wouldn't advise that for a student -- you have to be able to do without a GPS. They quit too!
 
I've flown in class c my entire time as a pilot as my home airport is class c. Nothing to it really. Actually tower wants to help and if you ask for help they will give it to you. People who are unfamiliar get in trouble when they make assumptions or think they know what to do rather than asking. Just listen carefully to what you are being told and follow those directions.

Using "unable" works wonders. For example, yesterday in the pattern tower asked me for a short approach. It was a real windy day, and I was in no rush to land so I replied, "I'd rather extend my downwind." They responded with zero attitude, " ok, give me a right 360 and rejoin the downwind." I've found that the tower guys and gals get it and want to help everyone be safe.

One of the best pieces of advice I got from a CFI about handling ATC is "You are the pilot in command, they work for you."I never abuse that power but it helps with the confidence.
 
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