Kenai Municipal (PAEN) radio calls

Towered airport with a Class D surface area

Sample calls at PAEN

Kenai 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 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. Listen to the ATIS on 133.35 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. YouKenai 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, Kenai Ground, runway zero two left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero two left.
4. YouRunway zero two left, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero two left, 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. YouKenai Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero two left, ready for departure, northbound.
7. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Kenai Tower, runway zero two left, cleared for takeoff.
8. YouRunway zero two left, 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. YouKenai Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Kenai.
11. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Kenai Tower, enter left downwind runway zero two left, report midfield downwind.
12. YouEnter left downwind runway zero two left, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
13. YouKenai Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero two left.
14. ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero two left, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
15. YouRunway zero two left, 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 Kenai Ground one one eight point seven five.
18. YouExit next taxiway, one one eight point seven five, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
19. YouKenai Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero two left, taxi to the ramp.

If things change. The tower operates 0600-2200 MAY 1 - SEP 30; 0700-2100 OCT 1 - APR 30 local. Outside those hours the airport is a non-towered field: self-announce on the CTAF, 121.3 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 read the ATIS →

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