+1 to reading the AIM….
I have done a reasonable amount of VFR flying in the US….the main differences are (not an exhaustive list):
- Altimeter (not QNH) is in inches Hg (as Silvaire said)
- pattern (not circuit) entries are 45deg on the downwind (not a legal requirement but it is the norm)
- use of semicircular altitudes is expected
- read back of your tail number at Class C and D airports constitutes a clearance to enter….NOT so for Class B
- flight following is highly recommended although not required
- filing a flightplan if flying over remote areas is a good idea but don’t forget to close it on landing
- get used to no landing fees (at most airports) and fantastic and friendly service from FBOs
Rwy20 wrote:
Was it class B? Before entering B airspace, you need to explicitly hear the magic words “N12345, you are cleared to enter bravo airspace.”
Class B and I heard the words “cleared to 4500 feet” which was in Bravo airspace – but apparently for the 2nd controller that wasn’t good enough.
Aviathor wrote:
There is no requirement to have a journey log, and the a/c you rent will have no such thing.
Not true. ICAO wants journey logs for international flying and FAA follows this AFAIK. I believe there is an advisory circular about international operations. I know a couple of US bizjet pilots and they do keep them. PS: You’re right in the second part though, rental aircraft probably won’t have it and it’s not really your concern.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
Re – implied clearance in the US: I climbed into controlled airspace departing KTMB while on flight following (so established two way RT) and had even specifically requested an altitude inside controlled airspace. I got yelled at all the same because I didn’t get a specific clearance to climb into the controlled airspace….
I would strongly urge a pilot to understand the airspace designations and charting. Controlled airspace does not in and of itself require a clearance of any sort. However, inside Class D and C areas, one must remain in radio contact with the tower/ATC and follow any instructions provided by controllers. Class B is a different animal. There you need a clearance prior to entry into the airspace and are assigned an altitude and direction of flight via a clearance. Most controlled airspace is class E and typically it begins at 1200 or 700 AGL and extends to 18000 MSL. There is no clearance required in this airspace and one does not need to maintain radio contact with ATC. Most non towered airports are Class G to 700 or 1200 AGL.
Shorrick, if you departed KTMB, it is controlled airspace to the surface and of the D variety. But it underlies Class B airspace. If you climb into class B airspace without a clearance, you will be in big trouble unless you obtain a clearance from Miami approach into the class B. So climbing to the west or south, the base of class B is 5000 feet, but the boundary is only 5 or so NM from the end of the class B, so as long as you remain below 5000 MSL, you don’t need to be talking to Miami approach or obtain a clearance into or thru the B. If you climb towards the NE, you will enter the class B at 2000 MSL, and the north at 3000 MSL and will need a clearance before entering. To the east, the class B is at 3000 MSL. Your only obligation while inside the KTMB class D airspace is to maintain radio contact up to 2500 MSL and 5 NM radius with the exception of the airspace to the NE which is both inside the D and B at 2000 to 2500 MSL. If you are going that direction, I would expect that KTMB would coordinate with Miami approach and issue an instruction to remain below 2000 MSL and contact Miami approach for a class B clearance. As long as you remain clear of the B, once you exit the D, you are in class E or G airspace and don’t have to talk to anyone.
Martin wrote:
Not true. ICAO wants journey logs for international flying and FAA follows this AFAIK.
The FAA does not require journey logs. Any such requirement would be from your home country.
When entering US Class B airspace you must hear the controller say ‘cleared into the Class Bravo’ and you should read it back. Class B is the only kind of lettered airspace that requires an explicit clearance for US VFR, and ‘reliever’ airport tower controllers do not issue clearances into Class B. That said, flying in Class B or talking to approach etc. is not really necessary unless you are operating at the airport at its center. Otherwise the airspace is designed to allow ‘reliever’ airport access under the Class B.
Virtually nobody in the US would understand the phrase ‘journey log’. The logbooks associated with an N-registered light aircraft are airframe, engine and (maybe) propeller maintenance logbooks and nothing else. I guess to comply with a requirement for international flight you could write it on a piece of paper, and I also guess that almost nobody does it.
The main document you should review is the FAA AIP. It lists the differences between ICAO and US. It can be found at http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/ for a free download.
This is election season in the US and TFR (Temporary Flight Restrictions) pop up for VIPs and also for weather events such as floods and fires. Make sure you are well briefed on any TFR before your flight if you wish to avoid an interception by an F16. Don’t fly within 60 NM of Washington DC without specific training on how to conduct the flight.
I would also recommend being familiar with the following FARs:
91.119 thru 91.123
91.126 thru 91.131
91.153, 91.155, and 91.159
91.215
It is easy to file VFR flightplans, especially if you use ForeFlight. If you have an iPhone/iPad with cellular service, with ForeFlight you can activate your flightplan prior to departure and after landing, you can close your flightplan. This can also be done via calling FSS on the radio or if you fly out of or into a towered airport. Don’t forget to close your VFR flightplan, or SAR will begin looking for you at 30 minutes after your expected arrival time. Make sure you have a contact number filed in your flightplan where you can be reached or use a destination contact as well. I recommend filing a VFR flightplan for cross country flights.
If you use the VFR flight following service which is available most of the time from ATC, you can get traffic advisories, but if you leave the frequency for whatever reason without a flightplan having been filed, ATC will not initiate a SAR. Flight following is not equivalent to a flightplan and it is poor practice IMHO to use if for that purpose.
Shorrick_Mk2 wrote:
Re – implied clearance in the US: I climbed into controlled airspace departing KTMB while on flight following (so established two way RT) and had even specifically requested an altitude inside controlled airspace. I got yelled at all the same because I didn’t get a specific clearance to climb into the controlled airspace….
KTMB is underneath class B airspace, you do need a specific clearance into class B. You need to hear “Cleared into class Bravo”. Usually if you request an altitude that puts you in class B, you’ll either get “cleared into class Bravo at or below X” or “Remain clear of class bravo”, but if they don’t say anything, it implies “Remain clear”. I lived 6 years underneath the Houston class B and this was repeatedly drummed into GA pilots, because sometimes people would forget!
Class C and below only require two way radio contact to enter.
Silvaire wrote:
Virtually nobody in the US would understand the phrase ‘journey log’.
This is true. A friend of mine was visiting from the US earlier this year and she was surprised that I filled a log in for each leg of a flight. In their group owned plane, they only fill in a log at the end, and it’s just the Hobbs time.
NCYankee wrote:
climbing to the west or south, the base of class B is 5000 feet, but the boundary is only 5 or so NM from the end of the class B, so as long as you remain below 5000 MSL, you don’t need to be talking to Miami approach or obtain a clearance into or thru the B
I departed to the NW where it extends down to 3000. I was talking to Miami App who cleared me “direct LBV, 4500 feet”. So I understood that as a clearance to climb into their B.
