Acadiana Regional (KARA) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at KARA

Acadiana Regional 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 17; 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. There is no ATIS frequency in the FAA data for this airport, so ask Ground for the numbers on your first call: they will give the runway, wind and altimeter.
2. YouAcadiana Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Acadiana Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two one point one, squawk four six one two.
4. YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one two one point one, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
5. YouAcadiana 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, Acadiana Ground, runway one seven, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one seven.
7. YouRunway one seven, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one seven, 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. YouAcadiana Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway one seven, ready for departure, northbound.
10. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Acadiana Tower, runway one seven, cleared for takeoff.
11. YouRunway one seven, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
12. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact Lafayette Approach one two one point one.
13. Youone two one point one, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
14. YouLafayette Approach, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, two thousand climbing four thousand five hundred, request VFR flight following to the north.
15. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Lafayette Approach, radar contact, altimeter three zero zero one.
16. YouAltimeter three zero zero one, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
17. Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
18. YouAcadiana Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Acadiana.
19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Acadiana Tower, enter left downwind runway one seven, report midfield downwind.
20. YouEnter left downwind runway one seven, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
21. YouAcadiana Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway one seven.
22. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway one seven, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
23. YouRunway one seven, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
24. 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).
25. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Acadiana Ground one two one point seven.
26. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point seven, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
27. YouAcadiana Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway one seven, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0600-2100 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 125.0 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 →
• First time flying into a Class D airport →
• How to request VFR flight following →

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