Flying into Sunshine Coast (YBSU) - Via VFR entry points?

[Pearo]

I have a nav excercise into YBSU tomorrow. I will be coming from Maryborough. Just wondering if I have to use the VFR approach point (Cooroy) or can I just request clearance from say Coorobah? Only my second flight into controlled airspace so I am a little nervous about screwing it up!

 

 

[Happyflyer]

I have a nav excercise into YBSU tomorrow. I will be coming from Maryborough. Just wondering if I have to use the VFR approach point (Cooroy) or can I just request clearance from say Coorobah? Only my second flight into controlled airspace so I am a little nervous about screwing it up!

The ERSA (para 4.b) says all nav training flights need to be approved by the tower on 07 5448 7662. Give them a ring and I'm sure they will be only too happy to help with procedure.

 

 

[Nobody]

The ERSA (para 4.b) says all nav training flights need to be approved by the tower on 07 5448 7662. Give them a ring and I'm sure they will be only too happy to help with procedure.

Might want to have another read. My copy says all NAV AID training needs pre arrangement. If he just want to lob in vfr and land no need to pre arrange. Mind you calling them will usually result in some helpful advise.

 

 

[Pearo]

I was just hoping to get an answer tonight so I could do the flight planning. Tower is pre-warned, and I have to lodge flight notification too. I was there yesterday, but flew in from Gympie so my FPT took me via Cooroy anyway. Not departing YRED till 1300, so plenty of time to sort it out.

 

Sunny coast ATC are awesome BTW. Great place to learn. You just have to be a little patient when the RPT fly in, which seems to be everytime I am in their airspace!

 

 

[dunlopdangler]

Personally I'd plan to fly via the VFR approach points... they are there for a reason. it makes the job for the tower guys easier in processing your flight into the pattern.

 

 

[Pearo]

I correct myself above. Second full stop into controlled airspace., have passed through the YBSU airspace several times before.

 

 

[Pearo]

The answer is you dont need to fly in via the VFR approach points. However as dunlopdangler said, its best to plan for it as it makes everyones life easier.

 

Unbeknownst to me, today I was not flying to maryborough, but rather departing kingaroy and going under the hood for some IF and to get lost. After finding where I was (kilkivan) it was time to divert to YBSU, so I ended up flying in via the Cooroy VFR approach point anyway. Must have done ok though, got the nod to do my first solo nav.

 

 

[planedriver]

Good onya, obviously not a site-seeing trip:black eye:

 

Hope it went well for you.

 

 

[Pearo]

Good onya, obviously not a site-seeing trip:black eye:Hope it went well for you.

Yup. All went well. A little overwhelming at the moment, bit like being in the circuit for the first time again! Solo nav on Monday, but no controlled airspace for this one!

 

I am going to go up and do some circuits today. Seems my landings are a little off since I started the nav excercises. Not sure why though, so I figure I best go nip that problem in the bud now. One difference is, lots of straight in and base joins, which I am not really familiar with.

 

 

[shags_j]

Good point. If you want a clearance through CTA and you don't have a flight plan lodged, expect a grumpy ATC or even no clearance if it's too busy to get one in quickly ;)

 

 

[Pearo]

Good point. If you want a clearance through CTA and you don't have a flight plan lodged, expect a grumpy ATC or even no clearance if it's too busy to get one in quickly ;)

Most ATC are pretty good. I actually know a couple personally. The only time they get annoyed is if you dont follow procedure, but they tend to be very forgiving to us students! The aero club has us state that its a dual flight when we request clearance so the ATC understand that you are a student.

 

Brisbane is the only airpsace that really requires prior flight notification as they are really busy. I have spent some time up the tower at YBBN and I watched a GA aircraft land (I think it was RFDS if my memory serves me correctly) and because they are so slow it causes a backlog for both departing and arriving aircraft. Gold Coast is heading the same way, and in fact my instructor told me that you really need to fly a flapless approach to keep your speed up as long as possible.

 

 

[dazza 38]

Most ATC are pretty good. I actually know a couple personally. The only time they get annoyed is if you dont follow procedure, but they tend to be very forgiving to us students! The aero club has us state that its a dual flight when we request clearance so the ATC understand that you are a student.Brisbane is the only airpsace that really requires prior flight notification as they are really busy. I have spent some time up the tower at YBBN and I watched a GA aircraft land (I think it was RFDS if my memory serves me correctly) and because they are so slow it causes a backlog for both departing and arriving aircraft. Gold Coast is heading the same way, and in fact my instructor told me that you really need to fly a flapless approach to keep your speed up as long as possible.

Shags is a Air traffic controller

 

 

[shags_j]

And I never get grumpy... Just going by what I've seen. Never hurts to lodge a flight plan if you want to transit.

 

 

[facthunter]

Pre notification helps delays in getting a clearance. Amend your ETA if it's out. Local knowledge of places in the area is a help. Wouldn't be a bad idea to know your radio fail procedures and have phone handy with TWR numbers. If unsure of an instruction get "confirm" ation.. Presume you have all this covered. I'm just thinking aloud. Nev

 

 

[Pearo]

And I never get grumpy... Just going by what I've seen. Never hurts to lodge a flight plan if you want to transit.

Nope, you guys are awesome!

 

I have had the opportunity to visit Bris Centre and tower thanks to a good friend (Geoff) and I got to see how our flight plans are used. As a student, we have to lodge flight plans for every training flight even if its OCTA.

 

Where you work shags? If SEQ there is a good chance I will be talking to you soon!! I am off to the US for a month, but when I get back I will be heading to sunny coast, gold coast and archerfield. I think Archerfield is my first solo venture into controlled airspace.

 

 

[shags_j]

I do Grafton (from just north of Ballina to south of Coffs).

 

There are a lot of other ATC on here, tower and en-route. We are all nice guys ;)

 

 

[facthunter]

What about the girls? Are they all nice too? I recall one shocker. I think the way to handle them is along the lines of "You aren't my ex wife, by any chance are you?" Nev

 

 

[Pearo]

What about the girls? Are they all nice too? I recall one shocker. I think the way to handle them is along the lines of "You aren't my ex wife, by any chance are you?" Nev

The girls are good too! I just say 'guys' but its actually very gender unspecific coming from me! My first clearance into YBSU was from one of our female ATC's. I was supposed to go up to the tower for a visit that day, but was running short of time.

 

 

[Maritime_Ev]

I guess it's just what you're used too, but I found flying into a (somewhat busy) CTAF a lot more intimidating than flying in class D. Instead of having ATC holding your hand and telling you where to go and where to look (and correct you if you make a wrong radio call!) you suddenly have to figure out where everyone is all on your own.

 

YBSU is pretty quiet (compared to say YBAF) so don't think they would make much of a problem if you show up without a flight plan. Very different in the class C at YBCG (and YBBN I guess, has anyone taken something small in there? If a RFDS PC-12 is holding up traffic already the Foxbat is probably a bad idea ). It does get a little bit busy around midday when there's some arriving and departing RPT, especially on a nice Sunday when the local flying schools are busy, which can make circuits a bit of a lengthy affair (with some orbits or a really long downwind thrown in for wake turbulence).

 

 

[rhysmcc]

It helps to have a flight plan to reduce the delays. If you are trying to access Class C airspace and don't have a flight plan, ATC pretty much have to put one in for you, which means they need to ask you all the details which you could have already done in NAIPS. Expect delays while this happens, and if the controller has a bit to do already submitting details comes last in the queue.

 

For Class D, a paper strip has to be written out, this can take some time if the controller is busy with something else. If you are doing any sort of long distance or Nav flight, submit a flight plan in NAIPS, it only takes a couple of minutes, it's free and it may just save your life one day.

 

 

[shags_j]

Rhys has it 100%!

 

 

[Maritime_Ev]

For Class D, a paper strip has to be written out, this can take some time if the controller is busy with something else. If you are doing any sort of long distance or Nav flight, submit a flight plan in NAIPS, it only takes a couple of minutes, it's free and it may just save your life one day.

 

@rhysmcc How would this work for a flight to the training area originating from a class D airport? I assume the strip is made when I call sunshine coast ground after startup; do they keep they keep it in the system for when you come back or do they have to make a new one?

[rhysmcc]

Usually you would have an outbound and inbound strip, however they could use the same one depending on the local operating procedures. Do you put in a flight plan into NAIPS or do you just call up with details? Either way the strips would be prepared once they receive your flight notification.

 

 

[Maritime_Ev]

For the local circuit/training area flights I was taught to just call up on ground. "Sunshine coast ground, cessna XXX is at ZZZ, for departure to the northern training area not above 1500, received Y, request taxi". Ground then clears you for taxiing to the runway and departure (for instance "over water, not above 1500"). When you come back report before entering the CTR, from the training area that would usually be at the Noosa heads VFR entry point or just north of lake Weyba. Very rarely got any delay at all, and that seemed to be related to the instrument approach being used.

 

With the nav flights we always filed a plan, after all it may save your life one day... Also it's free and easy, so why not.

 

I was quite impressed to see how little technology there's actually in place to control the traffic, basically the ouija board (?), a VHF and a pair of binoculars... All fine if there's just a couple of flights coming and going in different directions, but with a couple of in and out bound A320s, 5 little ones in the circuit and a bunch of Saudi helicopter trainees departing it must take a special kind of mind to keep the picture clear.

 

 

[rhysmcc]

It's the "little technology" that makes it work. At Class C aerodromes (and TCU/Enroute centres), all that info you give needs to be entered into the system which then prints out the strip in the tower, not often would a clearance be given until that strip has printed out and been checked.