Napa County (KAPC) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at KAPC

Napa County has a Class D surface area: establish two-way communication with the tower before entering (AIM 3-2-5 b 3). A reply that uses your call sign, even "standby", establishes it; "aircraft calling, standby" does not. The calls below use runway 01L; the tower assigns the runway in use on the day.

The aircraft is the AIM’s own example, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot; the squawk codes, altitudes and headings are illustrative. Frequencies, station names and runway numbers are this airport’s, from the FAA data.

1. Listen to the ATIS on 124.05 first and note the letter; "with Information (letter)" on your first call lets the controller skip the weather (JO 7110.65 3-10-1).
2. YouNapa Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Napa Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two zero point one, squawk four six one two.
4. YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one two zero point one, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
5. YouNapa Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, request taxi, VFR departure to the north.
6. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Napa Ground, runway zero one left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero one left.
7. YouRunway zero one left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero one left, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
8. The runway, any clearance onto a runway and every hold-short instruction are read back (AIM 4-3-18 a 9). Stay on Ground through the run-up and switch to Tower when ready (AIM 4-3-14 a).
9. YouNapa Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero one left, ready for departure, northbound.
10. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Napa Tower, runway zero one left, cleared for takeoff.
11. YouRunway zero one left, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
12. Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
13. YouNapa Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Napa.
14. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Napa Tower, enter left downwind runway zero one left, report midfield downwind.
15. YouEnter left downwind runway zero one left, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
16. YouNapa Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero one left.
17. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero one left, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
18. YouRunway zero one left, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
19. The wind is information: acknowledged, not read back. Exit at the first available taxiway or as told, taxi clear of the hold-short markings, and change to Ground only when the tower says (AIM 4-3-21).
20. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Napa Ground one two one point seven.
21. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point seven, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
22. YouNapa Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero one left, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0700-2000 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 118.7 with the airport name first and last, and the surface area reverts to Class E or Class G as published in the Chart Supplement.

Phraseology from AIM 4-2-3; 4-3-18 a 9; 4-3-14; 4-3-21; 4-4-7 b; 4-1-18 a 3; 3-2-5 b 3; 4-3-2 a. What TowerTalk grades against →

The calls you will make here

• How to call Ground for taxi →
• Calling the tower inbound →
• Line up and wait, cleared for takeoff, cleared to land →
• What "cleared for takeoff" means →
• What "cleared to land" means →
• What "cleared for the option" means →
• First time flying into a Class D airport →
• How to read the ATIS →

Nearby in California

• 0Q9Sonoma Skyparknon-towered
• 0Q3Sonoma Valleynon-towered
• KDVOGnoss Fieldnon-towered
• O69Petaluma Municipalnon-towered
• KCCRBuchanan Fieldtowered
• KVCBNut Treenon-towered