John Wayne/Orange County (KSNA) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class C surface area

Sample calls at KSNA

John Wayne/Orange County 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 02L; 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. YouJohn Wayne Clearance, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, VFR to the north, request clearance.
3. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, John Wayne Clearance, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two one point three, squawk four six one two.
4. YouAt or below two thousand five hundred, departure one two one point three, squawk four six one two, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
5. YouJohn Wayne 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, John Wayne Ground, runway zero two left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero two left.
7. YouRunway zero two left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero two left, 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. YouJohn Wayne Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero two left, ready for departure, northbound.
10. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, John Wayne Tower, runway zero two left, cleared for takeoff.
11. YouRunway zero two left, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
12. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact SoCal Approach one two one point three.
13. Youone two one point three, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
14. YouSoCal 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, SoCal 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. YouSoCal Approach, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand five hundred, squawking one two zero zero, with Information Bravo, landing John Wayne, request Class Charlie service.
19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, SoCal 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 John Wayne Tower one one niner point niner.
22. YouAltimeter three zero zero one, one one niner point niner, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
23. YouJohn Wayne Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, five miles north, three thousand, with Bravo.
24. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, John Wayne Tower, enter left downwind runway zero two left, report midfield downwind.
25. YouEnter left downwind runway zero two left, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
26. YouJohn Wayne Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero two left.
27. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero two left, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
28. YouRunway zero two left, 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 John Wayne Ground one two zero point eight.
31. YouExit next taxiway, one two zero point eight, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
32. YouJohn Wayne Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero two left, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0615-2300 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 126.8 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; 3-2-4 c 3. 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 →
• Class C airport radio calls →
• How to request VFR flight following →

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