Salinas Municipal (KSNS) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at KSNS

Salinas Municipal 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 08; 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 124.85 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. YouSalinas 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, Salinas Ground, runway zero eight, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero eight.
4. YouRunway zero eight, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero eight, 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. YouSalinas Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero eight, ready for departure, northbound.
7. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Salinas Tower, runway zero eight, cleared for takeoff.
8. YouRunway zero eight, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
9. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, contact NorCal Approach one three three point zero.
10. Youone three three point zero, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
11. YouNorCal 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, NorCal 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. YouSalinas Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Salinas.
16. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Salinas Tower, enter left downwind runway zero eight, report midfield downwind.
17. YouEnter left downwind runway zero eight, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
18. YouSalinas Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero eight.
19. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero eight, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
20. YouRunway zero eight, 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 Salinas Ground one two one point seven.
23. YouExit next taxiway, one two one point seven, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
24. YouSalinas Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero eight, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0600-1900 OCT-MAR; 0500-1900 APR-SEP local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 119.525 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 →
• What "cleared for takeoff" means →
• What "cleared to land" means →
• What "cleared for the option" means →
• First time flying into a Class D airport →
• How to request VFR flight following →
• How to read the ATIS →

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