Mc Allen International (KMFE) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at KMFE

Mc Allen International 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 14; 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 128.5 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. YouMc Allen Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, request taxi, VFR departure to the north.
3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Mc Allen Ground, runway one four, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one four.
4. YouRunway one four, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway one four, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
5. 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).
6. YouMc Allen Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway one four, ready for departure, northbound.
7. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Mc Allen Tower, runway one four, cleared for takeoff.
8. YouRunway one four, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
9. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact Valley Approach one two six point five five.
10. Youone two six point five five, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
11. YouValley Approach, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, two thousand climbing four thousand five hundred, request VFR flight following to the north.
12. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Valley Approach, radar contact, altimeter three zero zero one.
13. YouAltimeter three zero zero one, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
14. Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
15. YouMc Allen Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Mc Allen.
16. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Mc Allen Tower, enter left downwind runway one four, report midfield downwind.
17. YouEnter left downwind runway one four, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
18. YouMc Allen Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway one four.
19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway one four, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
20. YouRunway one four, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
21. 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).
22. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Mc Allen Ground one two one point eight.
23. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point eight, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
24. YouMc Allen Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway one four, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0600-0000 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 118.5 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 →
• How to read the ATIS →

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