Westchester County (KHPN) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at KHPN

Westchester 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 11; 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. YouWestchester Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Westchester Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two zero point eight, squawk four six one two.
4. YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one two zero point eight, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
5. YouWestchester 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, Westchester Ground, runway one one, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one one.
7. YouRunway one one, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one one, 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. YouWestchester Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway one one, ready for departure, northbound.
10. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Westchester Tower, runway one one, cleared for takeoff.
11. YouRunway one one, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
12. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact New York Approach one two zero point eight.
13. Youone two zero point eight, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
14. YouNew York 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, New York 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. YouWestchester Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Westchester.
19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Westchester Tower, enter left downwind runway one one, report midfield downwind.
20. YouEnter left downwind runway one one, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
21. YouWestchester Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway one one.
22. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway one one, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
23. YouRunway one one, 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 Westchester Ground one two one point eight two five.
26. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point eight two five, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
27. YouWestchester Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway one one, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0600-2300 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 118.575 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 →

Nearby in New York

• KLGALaguardiatowered
• KFRGRepublictowered
• KJFKJohn f Kennedy Internationaltowered
• N72Warwick Municipalnon-towered
• N69Stormvillenon-towered
• KSWFNew York Stewart Internationaltowered