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Towered · Class C surface area

Des Moines International (KDSM) radio calls

Des Moines, IAICAO KDSM · FAA DSM

Des Moines International is a towered airport in Des Moines, IA. You will taxi with Ground on 121.9 and work Des Moines Tower on 118.3, after listening to the ATIS on 119.55. The approach control is Des Moines Approach on 123.9, 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

ATIS119.55
Clearance Delivery134.15
GroundDes Moines Ground121.9
TowerDes Moines Tower118.3
UNICOM122.95
Approach / DepartureDes Moines Approach123.9

Airport

Runways
05 · 23 · 13 · 31
Right-hand pattern
Runway 31
Elevation
958 ft
Tower hours
24 hours
Position
41.534, -93.663

Towered airport with a Class C surface area

Sample calls at KDSM

Des Moines 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 05; 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 119.55 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. YouDes Moines Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
  3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Des Moines Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two three point niner, squawk four six one two.
  4. YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one two three point niner, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  5. YouDes Moines 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, Des Moines Ground, runway zero five, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero five.
  7. YouRunway zero five, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero five, 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. YouDes Moines Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero five, ready for departure, northbound.
  10. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Des Moines Tower, runway zero five, cleared for takeoff.
  11. YouRunway zero five, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  12. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact Des Moines Approach one two three point niner.
  13. Youone two three point niner, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  14. YouDes Moines 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, Des Moines 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. YouDes Moines Approach, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand five hundred, squawking one two zero zero, with Information Bravo, landing Des Moines, request Class Charlie service.
  19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Des Moines 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 Des Moines Tower one one eight point three.
  22. YouAltimeter three zero zero one, one one eight point three, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  23. YouDes Moines Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, five miles north, three thousand, with Bravo.
  24. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Des Moines Tower, enter left downwind runway zero five, report midfield downwind.
  25. YouEnter left downwind runway zero five, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  26. YouDes Moines Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero five.
  27. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero five, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
  28. YouRunway zero five, 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 Des Moines Ground one two one point niner.
  31. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point niner, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
  32. YouDes Moines Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero 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; 3-2-4 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.