Landing at an airport in controlled airspace.

ATC
#1

Hi. I was just wondering what the procedure is when landing at an airport that’s not controlled but is within a controlled airspace with Tower only no approach/departure.
The controller contacted me asking my intentions but I couldn’t tell him/her that I that I didn’t want to land at their airport but another in their airspace. I had a flight plan filed with my destination airport as my last waypoint I wondering what I should of done.
Thanks for any help. Sorry if this is in the wrong place.

I was on the training server.

3 Likes
Can I report ATC on Expert server?
#2

If this is taking place on TS1 just ignore the controller because there’s a good chance they don’t know what they’re doing and are attempting to get in contact with any aircraft that’s in their airspace ring… even if it’s in cruise at FL300 and tower’s sending an on guard.

If it’s on expert and your arrival airport is within 5NM or so of the airport you’re being on guarded from, you basically have two options here that I can think of of the top of my head.

  1. Get on the tower frequency and request a frequency change once you get in contact with tower (presumably TWR may ask for you to “Say Intentions” and since you don’t have the option to say you’re landing at another airport, requesting a frequency change would be one of your only options at that moment).

  2. You can request a transition if you’re planing to fly within ~5MM from the controlled airport and at an altitude of 5,000 feet or below. Say you’re flying from KOAK to KHAF. You want to fly directly over the top of KSFO enroute to KHAF. You can tune into KSFO right after you depart KOAK and request a transition. Tower will give you an altitude to remain at or above and it’s your responsibility to follow those altitude instructions unless tower notifies you otherwise or until you exit the airspace and are given a frequency change.

Generally on expert, at least from my experience, I usually let aircraft landing at other nearby airports go on their own since realistically they would be with APP. If this did take place on the expert server, try and remember who the controller was and send them a PM about it. But this definitely sounds like a Training Server encounter.

Hopefully this helps you and if you have any more questions ask away.

8 Likes
#3

Hi @cleipelt. Thanks so much for you’re reply. Yeah it was on TS1 and I did just ignore the controller in the end.
I haven’t had a problem with it on the Expert server but then again if I have landed at an uncontrolled airport within controlled airspace there has always been approach or departures to talk to.

Just out of interest I take it controllers can see your flight plan.

Really appreciate you taking the time to reply.

Ant.

#4

If you were 5000ft or below, then you would have to ask for transition.

Keep this in mind for Expert, lest you get ghosted.

1 Like
#5

Yeah I was below 5000ft. I thought about requesting transit but then I thought they would of given me a FL above 5000ft which I wouldn’t of been able to do as I was landing.

I wouldn’t ignore the controlers on expert which is why I asked just in case it does happen to me on expert because I really didn’t know what to say. 😲

2 Likes
#6

Though on expert the controller would / should check out your flight plan and see that you are going to a different airport so likely not ask you in the first place.

Even on TS1 I would use either the “request frequencey change” or “request transiation” as approriate. If a controller tells you a transition height anything higher than 5k then they are definatly still learning! (like to give them the benefit of the doubt rather than call them all trolls!) .

2 Likes
#7

Thanks guys for all the replies and clearing it up for me. I will in future either ask for transition or a frequency change.

Thanks again 🛫🛬

#8

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