Lesson 21 - YMMB Arrivals and departures

1 December 

Warrior III VH-TAE

Weather QNH: 1024, Wind: SW 15kts crosswind, Temp: 15c 

Runway 17L

This was to be my last flight for 2011 and we'd be making a quick trip out to the training area and back to formally cover off inbound and outbound calls, including  an overfly to join the western circuit.  

Photo by Joanpix.

This was to be a relative easy lesson as I've been looking after the radio calls for quite a while now.  After getting our take-off clearance and taking off, we review all the things I need to do when departing Moorabbin's Class D airspace.

• Leave on an extend upwind, crosswind or downwind leg.
• Continue to climb to 2500ft AMSL (above this and you are in Melbourne Class C airspace)
• At 3nm change transponder from 3000 to 1200 and change radio freq to 135.7 (Melbourne Radar)
• Remember to stay clear of the inbound reporting points (Carrum, GMH, Brighton, Academy etc)

We also reviewed the normal inbound (arrival) procedure

• Arrive via one of the reporting points (From the training area that means Carrum or GMH)
• Before we arrive at the reporting point we need to do the following 
• Check the ATIS (120.9) 
• descend to 1500ft AMSL 
• Starting monitoring the tower frequency (GMH 118.1, Carrum 123.0) for other aircraft at the reporting point. 
• Look out for other inbound aircraft

• At the reporting point we need to establish two way communications with the tower.
  "Moorabbin Tower, Warrior, Tango, Alpha, Echo, GMH, One Thousand five hundred, received <ATIS code>, Inbound.
• The tower then needs to clear as to enter the Class D airspace and join the circuit.  This will often involve a second reporting point like Parkmore (A shopping centre approximately 3nm from Moorabbin ) or Sandown (A race course about 5nm from Moorabbin) Eg "Tango Alpha Echo, Join based for 17L, report Sandown"
• After reading back the clearance it is time to descend to 1000ft AMSL and make sure the transponder is squawking 3000.
• When we report at the next reporting point we are normally given sequencing information eg "Number two following Cessna turning final"
• In order to reduce my workload in the circuit, I try to get the pre-landing checks out of the way as soon as possible.

While this was familiar to me, today we are going to do an overfly and join the western circuit from GMH.  The first difference is the radio call at GMH. 

• "Moorabbin Tower, Warrior, Tango, Alpha, Echo, GMH, One Thousand five hundred, received <ATIS code>, Inbound. Request overfly for western circuit"
• The tower will provide a clearance something like
  "Tango, Alpha, Echo, maintain One Thousand Five Hundred, Change frequency to 123.0 and report once overhead the field"
• So instead of descending we make fly straight and level towards the middle of the field. Squawking 3000.
• When we are over the middle of the runway we change frequency to 123.0 and report.
  "Tango, Alpha, Echo, overhead the field, touch and go" 
• The tower will provide instruction for joining the circuits
  "Tango, Alpha, Echo,Join Downwind for 17R, number two, following Cessna turning base"
• We then start descending to 1000ft AMSL and join the downwind leg (making sure to lookout for other aircraft) and land as normal.

So after doing a few more crosswind landings we called it "an great day for flying" and taxied back to the school

Hopefully the new year while bring my SPL and ASIC card so I can finally go solo.  

VH-TAE Piper Warrior III  - InBound and Outbound calls 1.0hrs Dual (Total time 22.6hrs)