Towered · Class D surface area
Coleman a Young Municipal (KDET) radio calls
Detroit, MIICAO KDET · FAA DET
Coleman a Young Municipal is a towered airport in Detroit, MI. You will taxi with Ground on 121.85 and work Detroit City Tower on 121.3, after listening to the ATIS on 124.875. The approach control is Detroit Approach on 134.3, which is who you call for VFR flight following. The tower operates 24 hours.
The airport has a Class D surface area: two-way radio communication with the tower must be established before entering.
Frequencies
| ATIS | 124.875 |
|---|---|
| GroundDetroit City Ground | 121.85 |
| TowerDetroit City Tower | 121.3 |
| UNICOM | 122.95 |
| Approach / DepartureDetroit Approach | 134.3 |
Airport
- Runways
- 15 · 33
- Elevation
- 624 ft
- Tower hours
- 24 hours
- Position
- 42.412, -83.011
Towered airport with a Class D surface area
Sample calls at KDET
Coleman a Young Municipal 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 15; 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.
- Listen to the ATIS on 124.875 first and note the letter; "with Information (letter)" on your first call lets the controller skip the weather (JO 7110.65 3-10-1).
- YouDetroit City Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, request taxi, VFR departure to the north.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Detroit City Ground, runway one five, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one five.
- YouRunway one five, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one five, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- 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).
- YouDetroit City Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway one five, ready for departure, northbound.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Detroit City Tower, runway one five, cleared for takeoff.
- YouRunway one five, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact Detroit Approach one three four point three.
- Youone three four point three, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouDetroit Approach, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, two thousand climbing four thousand five hundred, request VFR flight following to the north.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Detroit Approach, radar contact, altimeter three zero zero one.
- YouAltimeter three zero zero one, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
- YouDetroit City Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Detroit City.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Detroit City Tower, enter left downwind runway one five, report midfield downwind.
- YouEnter left downwind runway one five, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouDetroit City Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway one five.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway one five, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
- YouRunway one five, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- 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).
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Detroit City Ground one two one point eight five.
- YouExit next taxiway, one two one point eight five, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouDetroit City Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway one five, 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; 3-2-5 b 3; 4-3-2 a. 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 Sep 3, 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.
