ATC Question Thread

[shags_j]

We can still see if you are on adsb, even if you are showing as a radar paint. There is a little b that appears on your label indicating we are getting an adsb signal as well

 

 

[giantkingsquid]

Hello ATCers,

 

If I wanted to depart YCAB direct YBNA at A055 or A075 how would I go about it? Type is C182.

 

I was thinking: put in a flight plan, contact BN Centre on the ground at YCAB to request an Airways Clearance/SSR code, depart YCAB, contact BN ACD once airborne and follow their instructions from there. I assume I would get handed back to Centre and then on to Coolangatta at some point.

 

Is this the correct way to go about it? Assuming a clearance was forthcoming, can any BN controllers comment/speculate on where I would be likely to get sent? IE would it be quicker than going coastal after getting vectored around or holding for a while?

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

 

 

[Garfly]

You obviously don't want to mess with a G-space route, if you can help it, given you're equipped and qualified for CTA.

 

But just out of interest (since I'm stuck with it ... for now) I plotted the OCTA route via Dayboro and Goodna (between Archerfield and Amberley) and thence direct-ish below the YBCG steps.

 

By my calculations this route, at around120nm is a bit over 10 miles longer than direct. 

 

But it also puts one close to rough and tall terrain so I can see the beauty of getting a clearance. 

 

Maybe one day soon, the rest of us will have use of the A to your Q.

 

 

[Student Pilot]

By my calculations this route, at around120nm is a bit over 10 miles longer than direct. 

But it also puts one close to rough and tall terrain so I can see the beauty of getting a clearance. 

I think that would be an advantage Mr Garfly, close up look  at some nice country.

 

My experience is to avoid controlled airspace unless no other choice, unnecessary diversions, holding in dangerous conditions for no reason or pedantic instructions.  

 

 

[Garfly]

Well said, Mr.Glenn1. 

 

But if you were dragging up the NSW coast, let's say from Taree to Evan's Head, would you request a coastal clearance from Coffs Tower, or would you (even assuming good weather) divert inland and squeeze between the hills and the steps?  

 

(Keeping in mind the coastal scenery is pretty good, too.) ?

 

Needless to say, we amateurs, flying 19-XXXX jobs with lapsed PPLs don't have the choice, not at this time.

 

 

[Student Pilot]

With the amount of traffic at Coffs there should be a lane with no clearance required. If You can fly around Australia's biggest city and busiest airport without a clearance then surely it would be safe enough around a coastal backwater? We all know CASA would never do something as common sense as a lane around Coffs. 

 

Usually the Coffs controllers are quite amenable to allowing over water transit up the coast, or they were a few years ago. 

 

The only choice for some is to go inland, normal day OK but with a bit of onshore breeze you can get clouds bunching up on the hills making things awkward. Typical of our regulatory masters they would rather push aircraft up into hilly country than a straight run along the coast not conflicting with anybody. 

 

CASA's moto of "We're not happy till your not happy" seems to be working well, with the dwindling GA traffic almost back to none it seems CASA will have met their goal of making GA safe, if there are no aircraft flying then there will be no accidents.

 

 

[Pearo]

Hello ATCers,

If I wanted to depart YCAB direct YBNA at A055 or A075 how would I go about it? Type is C182.

 

I was thinking: put in a flight plan, contact BN Centre on the ground at YCAB to request an Airways Clearance/SSR code, depart YCAB, contact BN ACD once airborne and follow their instructions from there. I assume I would get handed back to Centre and then on to Coolangatta at some point.

 

Is this the correct way to go about it? Assuming a clearance was forthcoming, can any BN controllers comment/speculate on where I would be likely to get sent? IE would it be quicker than going coastal after getting vectored around or holding for a while?

 

Cheers,

 

Tom

 NOT ATC, but: Try it, but its unlikely you will get clearance through BNE CTR/CTA.

 

Lodge a flight plan, call center on the ground for code/clearance, on the off chance you get clearance they will hand you off to APP/DEP once established, but be prepared for APP/DEP to kick you back out. That has been my experience 99% of the time. You wont need to contact ACD,.

 

At a lower level, you might get cleared some of the way. I would plan coastal if I was you and I would count on being in class G

 

If cleared from YBBN into YBCG, they will hand you to YBCG tower. No difference to being in any other controlled airspace and moving into the next sector.

 

If VFR, Clearance though YBCG will be usually be given, ask for overwater but be prepared to be sent inland due to incoming RPT traffic or be prepared to hold a Q1. Gold Coast is getting busy, its getting pretty hard to get clearance overwater, but if you want it they might sned you west when not available, then send you back coastal once the RPT aircraft are out of the way. Gold Coast Tower controllers are good, even when they are flat out.

 

 

[giantkingsquid]

 NOT ATC, but: Try it, but its unlikely you will get clearance through BNE CTR/CTA.

Lodge a flight plan, call center on the ground for code/clearance, on the off chance you get clearance they will hand you off to APP/DEP once established, but be prepared for APP/DEP to kick you back out. That has been my experience 99% of the time. You wont need to contact ACD,.

 

At a lower level, you might get cleared some of the way. I would plan coastal if I was you and I would count on being in class G

 

If cleared from YBBN into YBCG, they will hand you to YBCG tower. No difference to being in any other controlled airspace and moving into the next sector.

 

If VFR, Clearance though YBCG will be usually be given, ask for overwater but be prepared to be sent inland due to incoming RPT traffic or be prepared to hold a Q1. Gold Coast is getting busy, its getting pretty hard to get clearance overwater, but if you want it they might sned you west when not available, then send you back coastal once the RPT aircraft are out of the way. Gold Coast Tower controllers are good, even when they are flat out.

Thanks for the advice Pearo.

 

 

[Pearo]

Thanks for the advice Pearo.

No Problem. By the way, dont be afraid to give it a go. On a quiet day, you will occasionally get cleared through Brisbane. For me its been a rare event though.

 

 

[Downunder]

Are the domestic HF frequencies still used, or is the vhf reception pretty good Aus wide these days?

 

 

[shags_j]

Pretty good though there are gaps in coverage,  especially down low and at some aerodromes

 

 

[mothra]

Domestic HF is still alive and kicking.  There hasn’t been a significant improvement in VHF coverage, a couple extra outlets in higher traffic areas to divide workload but nothing in remote areas.

 

 

[Okihara]

I don't know what your mileage is when it comes to requesting airways clearances from ATC, but the best piece of advice I ever received from one of my (many) instructors was not to worry too much about the exact wording (as long as it's complete) or procedure (which frequency to contact first and when) and to remember to sound self-assured and determined. Of course you still have to do your homework and that's no excuse to be sloppy. At the other end, he said, there's a bloke just like you who'll want to be sure they're granting permission to someone who knows their schnitzel inside and out. And my (limited) experience has so far corroborated this. I think I often gave them the impression that I'm seriously not from around here. But then again, isn't the fun in flying about going to new places?

 

On that topic, I have a question for any ATC reading this. Do you have playback options in your arsenal of tools? Sometimes I find ATC takes 5-6 seconds to respond which seems an eternity. I surmise that you're playing back the last couple of seconds during that time. Is that so?

 

 

[nathan_c]

With the exception of a few Northern Australian sectors, generally no there is no playback (at the moment, this will change soon).  The delay could be anything from simply thinking about what you said and what needs to be done in response, activating a flight plan, they could be talking to another controller on a ground line at the time which you cant hear etc.  

 

 

[Bridgy89]

Hi, 

 

I'm after some advice for a flight from Caloundra to Bankstown return. I have recently got my CTA endorsement and want to use it and also don't want to fly the whole way down over all the range. I think I will try and get a transit coastal through Gold Coast and Coffs then do the coastal transit through Williamstown as well before joining the Northern inbound route for Bankstown. Does this sound ok, and any advice would be awesome.

 

For Coffs, if I was at say A075, would I just be getting my clearance from BN CEN, as I would be going into Class C to transit?

 

Something that absolutely trips me up, is how different all the Class D's are?

 

Cheers,

 

Kyle.

 

 

[Okihara]

With the exception of a few Northern Australian sectors, generally no there is no playback (at the moment, this will change soon).  The delay could be anything from simply thinking about what you said and what needs to be done in response, activating a flight plan, they could be talking to another controller on a ground line at the time which you cant hear etc.  

Cheers.

 

 

[shags_j]

Hi, 

I'm after some advice for a flight from Caloundra to Bankstown return. I have recently got my CTA endorsement and want to use it and also don't want to fly the whole way down over all the range. I think I will try and get a transit coastal through Gold Coast and Coffs then do the coastal transit through Williamstown as well before joining the Northern inbound route for Bankstown. Does this sound ok, and any advice would be awesome.

 

For Coffs, if I was at say A075, would I just be getting my clearance from BN CEN, as I would be going into Class C to transit?

 

Something that absolutely trips me up, is how different all the Class D's are?

 

Cheers,

 

Kyle.

 For cfs, clearance is with bn centre at that level. Lodging a fight plan will hero immensely with getting your clearance but as always it depends on traffic.

 

Enjoy the flight

 

 

[giantkingsquid]

No Problem. By the way, dont be afraid to give it a go. On a quiet day, you will occasionally get cleared through Brisbane. For me its been a rare event though.

I gave it a go, clearance was declined. Got through BCG and CFS no problem though.

 

 

[Pearo]

I gave it a go, clearance was declined. Got through BCG and CFS no problem though.

Thats pretty typical.  Since I have been flying, I have been cleared 3 times, but kicked out one of those times almost straight away.

 

I have flown over Bravo airports in the US in a 172 watching 747's and A350's under me. I wish we could do more of that in Australia. It would also help our students learn more about complex airspaces.