Pilots flying VFR are not required to request traffic advisories, but it makes the most sense to ask for them when flying into or out of airports associated with high-density traffic and complex airspace. The surprise is that some airports make it easy on the pilot to obtain the service, while others turn it into a needlessly difficult task.
My home airport, Page Field (FMY) in Fort Myers, Florida, is one that does a good job of helping pilots to obtain radar traffic advisories. It's a tower-controlled Class D airport that lies beneath and abuts Class C airspace associated with Southwest Florida International (RSW), an airline airport about six miles to the southeast. If, after taking off, I plan to fly any heading between about 60 degrees and 180 degrees, I will immediately encounter the inner ring of RSW's Class C airspace, which extends from the surface to 4,000 feet msl. I'll have to establish two-way radio communications with Fort Myers Approach Control before entering that airspace.
If I'm departing FMY in a direction away from the Class C inner ring, I don't have to talk to approach provided that I remain below the 1,200-foot msl floor of the overhanging Class C outer ring. When I am completely clear of the outer ring, I'm free to climb without fear of violating the airspace.
Regardless of where I am headed, I usually prefer to talk to the RSW approach controllers responsible for the Class C airspace so that I can obtain radar traffic advisories from them. That's where my airport helps me out.
When I power up the avionics in my airplane and tune in the automatic terminal information service recording, I hear this postscript to the hourly weather observation: "VFR departing aircraft requesting radar flight following or authorization to transit the Class C airspace advise ground control prior to taxi." If I want traffic advisories or plan to fly into RSW's Class C airspace, I can ask on the ground rather than waiting until I'm airborne.
The FMY ground controller needs to know the type of aircraft I am flying, my requested altitude en route, and my destination airport. The ground controller types the information into a computer and sends it to the approach control facility at RSW, where it pops up on an aircraft departure list. Now they know I'm coming. The computer also assigns my aircraft a transponder code, which the ground controller gives me.
After clearing me for takeoff, the FMY tower controller uses a special telephone hot line to the approach control facility to report that I am rolling. That notifies the approach controller that I will be checking in momentarily. As soon as I'm established in the climb, the tower controller instructs me to contact approach, and I switch to the appropriate frequency. The RSW approach controller acknowledges my initial call with a "radar contact" confirmation, issues heading and altitude instructions, and calls traffic as necessary. I'm on my way.
The ease with which I can request and receive radar advisories at my home airport contrasts starkly with the experience I had recently in the Midwest. Three of us had packed and prepared the airplane for a long cross-country flight westward from Kansas City, Missouri. It was a beautiful early winter day, perfect for VFR flying. We were departing from Kansas City Downtown (MKC), a tower-controlled airport in Class D airspace that is tucked underneath Class B airspace associated with Kansas City International (MCI) to the northwest. It somewhat resembles the airspace configuration I'm familiar with at my home airport, except that the overhanging Class B airspace in Kansas City is larger and more restrictive - and attracts more traffic.
Since we were headed southwest, we had nothing to worry about airspace-wise provided that we kept clear of MCI's overhanging Class B territory.
Given the volume of air traffic in the Kansas City area, however, we decided we'd like help with collision avoidance, so we planned to request radar advisories. Unlike my home airport, the MKC ATIS does not include an offer to VFR pilots to request approach control service prior to takeoff. No problem, we'll ask for it when we call ground.
To our great surprise, the ground controller rebuffed our request, telling us instead to contact approach control after takeoff. No explanation was offered for the refusal of service.
Then, a second surprise. After takeoff, the tower controller instructed us to turn west because a jet taking off behind us was departing to the southwest, the same direction we wanted to go. Even though a westbound turn would take us uncomfortably close to MKC's Class B airspace, the tower controller would not grant a frequency change so we could talk to approach control. He wanted us to stay on the tower frequency until the jet was well clear.
In the cockpit, we scrambled to check our exact position with respect to Class B airspace. We have a small electronic moving-map display, but it shows only the outer boundaries of special use airspace and was of little use. We consulted the Kansas City terminal area chart, and based on landmarks we determined that we were just to the south and under Class B. A few minutes later we turned to our on-course heading.
What could have and should have been a simple, safe departure turned out to be something else when the MKC controller declined to help us out with securing traffic advisories from the MCI approach controller. I don't know why our request was turned down, but I've asked for an explanation.
Airports that lie within complex airspace ought to provide all of the tools available to help pilots flying VFR avoid traffic conflicts - and avoid violating controlled airspace. The service that I receive at my home airport does just that. I can work with the tower controllers to request traffic advisories before I take off, and I know that I'll have a radar controller assisting me with collision avoidance and with negotiating controlled airspace.
Until all airports follow suit, pilots flying VFR in complex airspace should be prepared to go it alone.
Mark Twombly is a writer and editor who has been flying for 35 years. He is co-owner of a Piper Twin Comanche and recently obtained his commercial multiengine rating.
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