So what if they ain't show up?

Sac Arrow

Sac Arrow

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Snorting his way across the USA
Let's say, for whatever reason, the tower operator (or operators) didn't show up for work that day. Sick maybe, or the bridge was flooded out, a zombie attack, whatever. It's your landing destination, you check ATIS, get whatever message they put on when they leave at night reverting the airport to Class E airspace, try to call them up, and get no response.

What do you do?
 
Simple. Go back to center or approach frequency.If no approach, just treat the airport as you would when the tower is closed and self announce.
 
Proceed as normal. Self announce on CTAF. Land. Nbd.
 
I would treat it as a non towered airport after trying to contact approach
 
Just like a non-towered airport. I'd make sure to let the Approach/Center know so that you have it on record.
 
Go straight in approach...duh.

Didn't Houston or Austin tower recently get flooded and the whole commercial airport went uncontrolled for a few days?...but that was probably NOTAM'd rather than a dude not showing up for work.
 
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A few years ago the controller at DCA fell asleep. Odd as it was, the aircraft figured out how to land without him. It's not like Die Hard 2 where they just wander around aimlessly without ATC to tell them what to do.
 
If I'm IFR, I switch back to approach, tell them no-joy, and proceed from there. If I'm VFR, ATIS indicates the tower is open, and no-joy, I remain clear of the D, and proceed from there. If VFR, ATIS indicates the tower is closed, then it's Class E, and proceed from there.

Unless I am sure it is Class E, I remain clear. Plenty of other places to land, unless I'm on fumes, then I exercise my command authority and land ASAP.
 
DeckardTrinity said:
If I'm IFR, I switch back to approach, tell them no-joy, and proceed from there. If I'm VFR, ATIS indicates the tower is open, and no-joy, I remain clear of the D, and proceed from there. If VFR, ATIS indicates the tower is closed, then it's Class E, and proceed from there.

Unless I am sure it is Class E, I remain clear. Plenty of other places to land, unless I'm on fumes, then I exercise my command authority and land ASAP.
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If VFR and you get no response, you could always squawk 7600 and follow through with lost comm procedures (light gun signals). If there were other planes in the pattern and you can talk to them, surefire bet tower went lost comms. If it's just you, you can still proceed with light guns into class D.
 
If IFR, Center/Approach is clearing you for the approach and into the Class D airspace, so there's no reason to avoid the airpsace.
 
No response?

In my case I would make sure my comm 1 volume was turned up.

:redface:
 
Overfly field at low speed/low altitude. Try to look in the windows at the tower/fbo. Maybe check the parking lot. If you see zombies, lots of dead people, groups of armed and angry looking people, etc then divert to your alternate airport.
 
Odd, there is no METAR symbol for zombie attack or indication of it in the area forecast. Maybe because it all happens at ground level?
 
I'd probably tell approach/center so they can try to reach them on the landline. Could not be getting them due to a radio failure on my end. If time isn't critical I'll loiter a bit to see if they can get ahold of him. If they say no luck getting the controller, I'll treat it as a non-towered airport. If I am short on fuel and don't have time to loiter, turn on all my exterior lights in hopes the tower controller sees me and starts giving me a light gun signal, self announce like a CTAF and land.
 
Resign, Point the nose at the earth and make peace.:rofl:
 
Do a straight in, followed by the break, re-Enter across midfield nordo, then pull the chute.

Then get some coleslaw.
Bob
 
Sac Arrow said:
Let's say, for whatever reason, the tower operator (or operators) didn't show up for work that day. Sick maybe, or the bridge was flooded out, a zombie attack, whatever. It's your landing destination, you check ATIS, get whatever message they put on when they leave at night reverting the airport to Class E airspace, try to call them up, and get no response.

What do you do?
Click to expand...

Treat it as Class E which it is until someone arrives and changes the message, simple.
 
Don't forget to check the sectional or A/FD for traffic patterns.

Our D airports close the towers overnight, but two of the rwys go to right traffic.
 
Zeldman said:
Simple. Go back to center or approach frequency.If no approach, just treat the airport as you would when the tower is closed and self announce.
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:yeahthat:
 
Treating it as Class E is the obvious answer, particularly if you hear people over the Tower/CTAF freq doing the same thing. Or better yet get cleared through approach if that's an option.

Where I was going with this, is there the possibility of any repercussions for landing without a clearance? I mean, sure, I suspect it would be a short and easy conversation with the FDSO if that ever became an issue, but still, Class D effective hours are a published figure...
 
S*** happens. Treat it as a class e,after checking freqs to be sure your on the proper channel.
 
Sac Arrow said:
Treating it as Class E is the obvious answer, particularly if you hear people over the Tower/CTAF freq doing the same thing. Or better yet get cleared through approach if that's an option.

Where I was going with this, is there the possibility of any repercussions for landing without a clearance? I mean, sure, I suspect it would be a short and easy conversation with the FDSO if that ever became an issue, but still, Class D effective hours are a published figure...
Click to expand...

No, the airport never closes. The airspace changes with tower operation, not scheduled tower time. You have no problems treating it as E because until the tower is staffed, that is what it is. It doesn't turn into Prohibited or any other airspace just because 08:00 hit and nobody is in the tower yet.

General Prudence always prevails, if you do the safest thing in undefined conditions, you will always be ok. The safest thing in this situation is remain on CTAF and continue to the safe conclusion of the flight.
 
Shawn said:
"The controller's admission that he was asleep during the landing emergency..."


WHAT EMERGENCY?...I really hate the uneducated media hype sometimes.
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What? I declare every time I land at my uncontrolled home field. Gets people out of my way.
 
Shawn said:
"The controller's admission that he was asleep during the landing emergency..."
Click to expand...

Our controller at Springdale wasn't asleep....... He was naked and drunk. Whattaya do then? I'll bet the fly by would be approved!!:goofy:

It was all fun and games till the badges shows up.:nono:
 
1) assume my cruddy Narcos are to blame
2) return to home airport (uncontrolled) and land.
3) return home and use incident to convince household CFO that avionics upgrade is needed.
 
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