On the Beat

If the airport requires a call to Clearance Delivery for an IFR clearance or VFR departure, you neednt wait until you call Ground for taxi. Just tell CD. After the controller verifies your clearance readback, tell her, Ill be requesting Runway 9. Youve now informed a member of the tower team. They can let you know about any possible issues regarding that runway. Also, when you call for taxi, Ground should be aware of your needs.

tkarmer

Wednesday, June 08, 2016 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Pilots should communicate any special requests, such as a different departure or arrival runway, as early as possible—ideally on initial contact with Clearance Delivery or Approach—and re-state them to relevant controllers.
Early notification of requests allows air traffic controllers (ATC) sufficient time for pre-planning and coordination, helping them maintain efficient traffic flow and avoid surprises.
Always report the current ATIS information on initial contact with the appropriate controller (e.g., Clearance/Ground for departures, the first TRACON controller for arrivals, or within 40-50 miles for larger facilities) to ensure ATC has up-to-date operational information.

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Working as an air traffic controller has been likened to being a symphony conductor. Sure, it’s perhaps a cheesy, overblown analogy, but there’s some truth to it.

An orchestra has many elements: the strings, the brass, the woodwinds, and the percussion. All players, from the violinists to the French horn players, are responsible for intimately knowing their instrument, just as pilots know their individual aircraft. However, it’s the conductor who ensures they all fall in sync with one another.