Requirement for start clearance

Use callsign TOWER on initial contact?

Who knows, someone is likely crying full of joy on the other end of the radio: they finally fulfilled their dream of becoming ATC

Airborne_Again wrote:

Do you mean that they relay ATC instructions (not uncommon) or that they independently issue ATC instructions?

That’s a tricky one, it depends on who exactly is on the radio.
Even more tricky, how do you distinguish, if you don’t know the guy?

MichaLSA wrote:

’acting ATC’

Do you mean that they relay ATC instructions (not uncommon) or that they independently issue ATC instructions?

Ibra wrote:

but these are not ATC clearance or SERA regulations

That is exactly the point, they may and you have to find out if and when.

There are ‘uncontrolled’ RADIO airfields to which ATC delegated specific procedures, so they are ‘acting ATC’ in special cases. You can find those special cases i.e. on small fields around big international airports, where ATC delegated the request startup and receive clearance procedures to allow the field to coordinate with heavy traffic which may prohibit planned IFR pickup in that RADAR sector at that time. There are some really odd cases, where you might even find procedures delegated to the field by another countries ATC, when close to a border.

Just look at the famous example of post #16, Reichelsheim (now) RADIO, which is close to EDDF and as acting ATC coordinates IFR request startup and clearance for coordination with Frankfurt traffic.

MichaLSA wrote:

If not at your home base, where you may or should know the quirks

Sure, you have to comply with AIP assuming something is written there as such (I do read every single line of AIP), you may also have to comply with any other local rules but these are not ATC clearance or SERA regulations…I do need permission for my passengers to use toilette that are reserved for ‘airport staff’, I have asked for this once on radio but I do not call it ‘ATS clearance’

MichaLSA wrote:

… unless the AIP or VAC or Aerodrome Chart or local regulation requires it – that’s the point, there is no general rule. If not at your home base, where you may or should know the quirks, you have to make yourself acquainted with local setup b4 moving.

It may sound like I’m nitpicking, but again, there is a difference between clearances and permissions.

Ibra wrote:

but you don’t need ATC clearance to taxi while in the ramp

… unless the AIP or VAC or Aerodrome Chart or local regulation requires it – that’s the point, there is no general rule. If not at your home base, where you may or should know the quirks, you have to make yourself acquainted with local setup b4 moving.

Non-movement areas can be part of the aerodrome (all regulations apply) or outside aerodrome (not all regulations may apply)

Yes they could be part of AD regulations sometimes but for sure that part of the ramp is not subject to an ATC clearance, you can always taxi as far as boundary between taxi/ramp before putting radio ON and calling ATC for your taxi clearance

You may have bigger problems with aerodrome manager, operation, fire service, police, customs…but you don’t need ATC clearance to taxi while in the ramp

If the airport require Marshaller or Tugs for ramp and your aircraft, you will have to call him: you don’t get ATC clearances when you are tugged or marshalled, you don’t need them when you are pushing your aircraft neither

While ago, I did not like where I was parked, after negotiating a new hard parking spot with FBO, I went back to aircraft, started then moved it to another spot in front (not used radio at all)

Ground ATC or Tower ATC are clear they don’t issue taxi instructions for mouvements on the ramp, they give you a parking spot and leave your own or to ground staff (although, for start up you are required to call for tow or push if that puts your back or front on taxiway)

Dimme wrote:

Maybe it’s on my grandma’s plot, but as far as clearances/permissions for aircraft movement are concerned, they’re not required in non-movement areas. Unless of course, the land owner decides to deviate from common practices without a NOTAM/AIP update.

Permissions (not clearances) can be required in non-movement areas.

E.g. AIP Sweden AD 2 ESSA 2.2.2.2: “Approval for start-up/push-back/taxi must be obtained from GROUND. Request of such permission shall include stand or position and only be made when the aircraft is fully ready to comply.”