When you first talk to ground what should I say I know I need to say like firstly my callsign N25214 we would like taxi to active for VFR clearence at or below 5000ft should I say anything else Thanks

Have you been listening to your flight instructor, asking him questions, and reading all your flight training manuals, especially in this case; Radio Communication and Air Law......!

Paul....8)...!

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I'm confused, Brown... you've started your lessons, right ? In that case yo ought to know this already... and the answer depends so much on what type of airport it is, and where it is.
  But I can find out. I'll assume you're talking about  KFSM, so lemme see...

It's a Class D under a TRSA... Class Ds are not all the same, and I don't have any experience with TRSAs.

But I logged many hours at Teterboro (Class D under a class B), so here's what I know:
Listen to the ATIS first. The ATIS will state the requirements for VFR departures, if any.
  At KTEB, for example, yI had to contact Clearance Delivery before taxi. But no altitude was asked for, just direction of flight. Then CD might suggest a turn after takeoff at or below a certain altitude...although sometimes Tower would ask for that right after clearing me for takeoff. Sometimes both.
Then CD gives the ground frequency, and  I'd call them to request taxi. It goes something like this:

Me: "Teterboro Clearance Delivery, Skyhawk XXXXX at Hangar 17 with (ATIS), VFR north."

CD: "Skyhawk XXXXX, VFR departure approved; right turn at or below 900; contact Ground (frequency)".


Me: "VFR departure approved; contact Ground (freq); Skyhawk XXXXX".


Me: "Teterboro Ground, Skyhawk XXXXX at Hangar 17 with clearance and (ATIS); request taxi".

All of these controllers are sitting in the tower cab; Ground now knows I'm VFR and want to go north. They look at the ground traffic situation, then...
Ground: "Skyhawk XXXXX; taxi to and hold short of Runway 24 on Charlie. Contact Tower (freq) when ready for takeoff."

Me: "Taxi to and hold short Runway 24 on Charlie; contact Tower (freq); Skyhawk XXXXX".

Me(at the hold short line): "Teterboro Tower, Skyhawk XXXXX holding short Runway 24 on Charlie; ready for takeoff."

Tower: "Skyhawk XXXXX; clear for takeoff Runway 24; right turn at or below 900."


If I wanted Flight Following, I'd have asked Clearance Delivery
("VFR north; request flight following"). They would give me a freq to contact after takeoff. Otherwise, I'd simply contact whatever Departure or Approach frequency is shown on the chart ("Within 20 miles, contact blah-blah") after Tower tells me to squawk 1200 and turns me loose.

That's what little I know about it, having studiously avoided towered fields for years since I got my little license... so be sure to ask and listen at Fort Smith.

It's different at every airport.. even of the same airspace type.

Where I've done most of my flying (KOSU).. It's  Delta airspace nestled under KCMH's Charlie airspace.

VFR departures/arrivals are quick and simple;  "Who  you are, where you are, what you intend to do, verify ATIS.


Departing >>"Ohio State ground, Cessna 581ES, East ramp, 310, with Tango"    Where 310 is the magnetic heading I plan on flying on my way out of his airspace,

He'll give me taxi clearance and when I'm ready to depart, I'll contact the tower and be given departure instructions *i.e... clear for takeoff, fly runway heading for two miles then right turn on course..

Arriving>> "Ohio State Tower, Cessna 581ES, 7 miles NE, full stop, with Tango"

I'll then be given a runway, pattern entry and traffic advisories *i.e... Make left base 27L, report turning final, traffic is Cherokee on short final..


Requests for VFR flight following won't even be acknowledged when you're departing. It's up to you to ask for a frequency change after taking off and contact Columbus Approach..


Up at Ann Arbor, Michigan; another Delta airspace airport; it's completely different.. almost informal. But very rigid if you stray from common sense. It's right into Detroit's Bravo airspace  AND  inside of Detroit's 30 mile transponder radius. I guess they just assume you know what your doing.. venturing that close to the big boys..

Quote:


Dammit, I did...
  Mind you, when I'm talking to controllers, I'm not typing...so I don't forget that one...

And I try to avoid the "R" word when reading back directions... my primary instructors weaned me off that a long time ago.
"Roger" is reserved for when there's no need to read back (like when you get an altimeter setting or whatever) , but I can't remember the last time I used it.  It's usually either my call sign or two clicks of the mic... "Roger" and "Wilco" have gone the way of "Able" and "Baker", I think.

I use the "r word" as a prefix to readbacks and to comfirm messages received. I use Able and Baker and other older letter terms for checkpoints and not on the radio. I also use a number of other older terms on the radio because I dont know the new ones. I'm not sure which things are incorrect but the controllers dont get upset with me so I guess its not a horrible sin as of yet.

EDIT: Then again every airport and ATC service within a 300 mile radius of macon FSS knows if they hear the letters HG at the end of a tail number its probably one of us students.

We oughta do a multi-player session with a voice client, like TeamSpeak..  And conduct periodic sessions stressing radio protocol.

I do it on a regular basis with my cousin and some pilot buddies in Florida. We fly nothing but IMC practice. Believe it or not.. It really keeps you sharp. We'll throw last minute things at each other.. like holds or forced go-arounds.