Marquette/Sawyer Regional (KSAW) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at KSAW

Marquette/Sawyer Regional 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 01; 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. YouSawyer 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, Sawyer Ground, runway zero one, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero one.
4. YouRunway zero one, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero one, 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. YouSawyer Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero one, ready for departure, northbound.
7. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Sawyer Tower, runway zero one, cleared for takeoff.
8. YouRunway zero one, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
9. Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
10. YouSawyer Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Sawyer.
11. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Sawyer Tower, enter left downwind runway zero one, report midfield downwind.
12. YouEnter left downwind runway zero one, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
13. YouSawyer Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero one.
14. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero one, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
15. YouRunway zero one, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
16. 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).
17. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Sawyer Ground one two one point six five.
18. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point six five, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
19. YouSawyer Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero one, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0600-2200 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 119.975 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 →

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