Airline Pilot Central Forums - clearance Class B

Quote:

Originally Posted by IFly17 (Post 623048)

When I was in college and a mere private pilot, I managed to get into STL twice for a touch and go. Both times, I was never told "clear to enter...." Instead I was given a vector and a runway assignment. When I asked for a clearance to enter, the controller informed me that when given a vector and a runway assignment, I am cleared to enter. I said "Sir, I am a new private pilot and I need to hear you tell me I am clear to enter." He laughed and cleared me in. The second time, you could hear the disgust in the guy's voice as he cleared me. Like I was missing something!

OTOH, we were doing practice approaches in the Denver area. We had just done our first approach (vectored) and were on the miss out of FTG with both heading and altitude instructions that would take us back up into the Bravo without the magic words (we were below it on the first approach). "Denver Approach, confirm 34X is cleared into the Bravo" resulted in, "Oh yeah, I guess you need that. Sorry."

Another: We were on the ground at KDEN for a fly-in meeting. Must've been a good dozen or so pistons, mostly light singles. As we left, each of us, in turn, as part of our VFR departure clearances, were told, "Cleared into the Class B airspace" even though on the ground at the Class B primary.

So I guess you story about St Louis tells us that either some controllers do a lot of unnecessary extra work or other controllers get "disgusted" just doing their job.

Quote:

Lesson is, be sure you ask for your clearance just to cover your butt if they don't give you a clearance. That includes even when you know you are cleared in (aka, vector and runway assignment).

I agree with your ultimate lesson. ATC is taught that "VFR aircraft must obtain an ATC clearance to operate in Class B airspace." (ATC Handbook, 7-9-2(a)) I'm really not aware of what word other than "cleared" means "cleared" and will ask for it.