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Towered · Class C surface area

Austin-Bergstrom International (KAUS) radio calls

Austin, TXICAO KAUS · FAA AUS

Austin-Bergstrom International is a towered airport in Austin, TX. You will taxi with Ground on 121.9 and work Austin Tower on 121.0. The approach control is Austin Approach on 119.0, which is who you call for VFR flight following. The tower operates 24 hours.

The airport has a Class C surface area: two-way radio communication with the approach control must be established before entering, and a transponder with altitude reporting is required.

Frequencies

Clearance Delivery125.5
GroundAustin Ground121.9
TowerAustin Tower121.0
UNICOM122.95
Approach / DepartureAustin Approach119.0

Airport

Runways
18L · 36R · 18R · 36L
Right-hand pattern
Runway 36R, 18R
Elevation
542 ft
Tower hours
24 hours
Position
30.195, -97.670

Towered airport with a Class C surface area

Sample calls at KAUS

Austin-Bergstrom International has a Class C surface area: establish two-way communication with the approach control before entering, and keep it (AIM 3-2-4 c 3). A reply with your call sign, even "standby", establishes it. The calls below use runway 18L; 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. YouAustin Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
  3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Austin Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one one niner point zero, squawk four six one two.
  4. YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one one niner point zero, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  5. YouAustin 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, Austin Ground, runway one eight left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one eight left.
  7. YouRunway one eight left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one eight 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. YouAustin Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway one eight left, ready for departure, northbound.
  10. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Austin Tower, runway one eight left, cleared for takeoff.
  11. YouRunway one eight left, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  12. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact Austin Approach one one niner point zero.
  13. Youone one niner point zero, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  14. YouAustin 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, Austin Approach, radar contact, altimeter three zero zero one.
  16. YouAltimeter three zero zero one, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  17. Inbound: call the approach control before the Class C boundary; a reply with your call sign establishes communication and you may enter (AIM 3-2-4 c 3).
  18. YouAustin Approach, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand five hundred, squawking one two zero zero, with Information Bravo, landing Austin, request Class Charlie service.
  19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Austin Approach, squawk four six one two, ident.
  20. YouSquawk four six one two, ident, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  21. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, radar contact, altimeter three zero zero one, contact Austin Tower one two one point zero.
  22. YouAltimeter three zero zero one, one two one point zero, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  23. YouAustin Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, five miles north, three thousand, with Bravo.
  24. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Austin Tower, enter left downwind runway one eight left, report midfield downwind.
  25. YouEnter left downwind runway one eight left, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  26. YouAustin Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway one eight left.
  27. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway one eight left, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
  28. YouRunway one eight left, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  29. 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).
  30. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Austin Ground one two one point niner.
  31. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point niner, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  32. YouAustin Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway one eight left, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 24 hours. If you cannot raise it, check the frequency and volume, then squawk 7600, remain outside the Class D until you have the traffic flow, and watch for light signals (AIM 4-2-13).

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; 3-2-4 c 3. What TowerTalk grades against →

The calls you will make here

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Frequencies, runways and airspace from the FAA National Airspace System Resources (NASR) 28-day subscription, cycle effective Oct 29, 2026. Training use only. Always verify against a current Chart Supplement and sectional chart before flight; frequencies change. TowerTalk is not affiliated with the FAA. Report a discrepancy.