YAMB procedures
 

Hello,
I'm a fairly new PPL. Just wanting some advice on the best way to handle Amberley procedures? I haven't flown near any military airspaces.

Just hoping someone can point me in the right direction. I've read the ERSA and it says to contact AMB DEL, but what exactly does one say? I'm aware of filing the flight plan will increase my chances of getting clearances, but I'd like to be a bit more clear on the radio calls, rather than goof it up in the air.

Thanks all :)

Just treat it like any other Class C. Well worth filing a flight plan!

The below is from Redcliffe Aero Club's student training manual:

Let us now look at an example of a transit through Amberley as we track via Esk for Warwick.

You will firstly contact ‘Delivery’, who will hand you off to ‘Approach’, which is responsible for your transit. You will only contact tower (with ATIS) if you are landing.
Pilot: “Amberley Delivery, (Callsign).”

ATC prefer you to make an initial call like this as it gives them time to check for you details and to prioritise other tasks. Therefore, make your call well before the boundary to avoid orbiting or violating controlled airspace.

ATC: “(Callsign), Amberley Delivery.”
Pilot: “(Callsign), (Aircraft Type), Esk, four thousand five hundred, for Warwick, request clearance.”
As you are not making first contact with Tower or Approach, there is no requirement to report ATIS received. You could also report your position by reporting your direction and distance from Amberley e.g. three two miles North West.
As you are VFR there is not normally a requirement to report Persons on Board (POB), however, be prepared to do this, if requested.

ATC: “(Callsign), squawk one six one four, remain outside Class C airspace.”
Pilot: “Squawk one six one four, remain outside Class C airspace, (Callsign).”
ATC now looks for you on radar. Once they have ‘identified’ you, they normally respond as follows.

ATC: “(Callsign), you are identified, cleared direct Warwick, four thousand five hundred, QNH 1016.”
Now that you are identified on radar and you have established two-way communications, there is no further requirement for you to start your calls with the ATC call sign, nor state your aircraft type or
position. Sometimes ATC may ask you to verify your altitude to ensure it matches the radar or they may ask for your preferred level.
Pilot: “Direct Warwick, four thousand five hundred, QNH 1016, (Callsign).”
ATC: “(Callsign), contact approach now on 126.2.”
Pilot: “Approach on 126.2, (Callsign).”
Remember, you are identified, so when contacting approach, you do not need to state aircraft type or position; just give your call sign and altitude. If climbing or descending, report level passing to your cleared level.
Pilot: “Amberley Approach, (Callsign), maintaining four thousand five hundred.”
ATC: “(Callsign), Amberley Approach.”
That is, it. Listen to Approach, fly very accurately. If you start to stray from your assigned altitude, or start to get off track, ATC will give you a gentle warning by saying something like “(Callsign), confirm you are maintaining four thousand five hundred, or, (Callsign), confirm you are tracking for Warwick.” ATC have let you into their airspace on the assumption you can navigate and fly a plane; do not let them down.
As you approach the boundary, Approach should contact you again.
ATC: “(Callsign), two track miles to run until the Class C boundary, control and identification services are terminated, frequency change approved.”
Pilot: “Frequency change approved, (Callsign).”
Now change to your next frequency and retain your transponder code unless you have been directed otherwise. If you treat your transponder like a radio, then you will not forget the code change. Also, be careful because sometimes the controller might say “….at the boundary, frequency change approved.”

Do you have a controlled airspace endorsement?

Basically call Delivery and tell them three things -

• who you are (callsign and aircraft type) älpha bravo charlie, cessna 172"
• where you are (current position and altitude) "15 miles south-east at four thousand five hundred"
• where you want to go "requesting direct to ____"

They will issue a squawk code and then depending on traffic are usually pretty helpful.

No I don't, wasn't aware of one being needed - I am a CPL student just starting @ Archerfield. My upcoming nav involves YAMB and YOAK, I know I'll have the instructor with me but I'm trying to impress and be fully prepared rather than get taught on the nav.

Thanks for the response though! Seems pretty straight forward.

I don't actually know what that is. I've flown a fair bit in controlled airspace (YBAF, YBSU, etc) but never military airspace. Is it relatively the same?

You can’t get a PPL these days without an airspace endorsement. Are sure you hold a PPL or is it an RPL?

Wow, this is great. Looks pretty straight forward! Thanks :)

I might even go to YBAF and do a quick solo through it, really impress the instructor (I did warn him I'd never gone near military airspace, and have a bit of a fear of it).. ha! Cheers mate.

Don’t worry about impressing people. That is not what makes a good pilot. Make mistakes and learn from them. You will be a better CPL student and impress later on if you clean up all the errors during PPL, it is a good stage to iron out all the kinks. We all make mistakes, including us old timers who have been flying for too long to remember.

Yeah, the problem is - I already have the PPL. My training was all done down south, where the only controlled airspace exposure I got was YBSU / YSTW. And that was only for a touch n go. Hence just not wanting to feel like a *total* goon before transitting via YAMB/YOAK

Thank you for the help everyone :)

Think ahead when leaving YBAF with the intention of transiting Amberley. Things happen awfully quickly especially off runways 28. Snip from the same document below, and make sure you have a 'plan B' to go either North (Lake Manchester) or South (avoiding Greenbank) if you don't get the clearance in time.


Important Notes on Departure West Through Amberley (YAMB)
This Western departure from YBAF through YAMB is challenging because of the time and space available to the pilot between the YBAF and YAMB boundaries. The pilot must have several planned options available if a direct clearance is not available. These options are explained in your navigation briefings.
To make this departure manageable, it is recommended that you determine the status of YAMB before taxi. Resources such as: NOTAM, YAMB NDB (359), AWIS, ATIS, or even a check with BN CEN or Archer Tower are all viable options.
At the YBAF Holding Point, consider placing Amberley Delivery as the Standby frequency after you place Archer Tower to the Active frequency. This will reduce workload and save time as you depart the YABF control zone.
Crossing the Centenary Highway, change to Amberley Delivery and establish communications with them by transmitting: “Amberley Delivery, (Callsign)”. This is the YAMB controllers preferred method and often results in a response which will include your assigned SSR code and clearance.
You must however be prepared to track via any altitude or track assigned to you by YAMB ATC.

Don't the Instructors give a briefing before hand??

Ask your instructors for a Class C briefing. They will run you through local procedures.

Don’t try and wing it from third party info. Take an instructor with you for one run if you need to, worth every cent. You will be regarded well by CFIs as a PPL who takes some initiative when not sure. PPL level doesn’t mean the relationship between your training provider dries up, sure you can go out on your own, but use them if your not sure, just like I do with my training department. Keep the dialogue and relationship alive throughout your PPL journey which will make the CPL flight test a breeze.

If you haven’t submitted a flight notification, you’re just making them do it for you and if they’re busy (or sound like you don’t know what you’re doing) you might find they refuse clearance.

AIP ENR 1.10 Para 2.3
Pilots of VFR flights nominating a SARTIME to ATS, and those intending to operate in controlled airspace (except for VFR flights in Class E airspace) must submit flight details to ATS.

If you are already airborne and you need to divert through controlled airspace, then make your first contact to Delivery with “Inbound/Transit Details”

This gives them a heads up as they need to then enter a flight plan for you and will need to know;

A) Who you are (call sign/type)
B) Where you are (position/altitude)
C) What you want (intentions/routing/altitude)
(AIP GEN 3.4 Para 6.11 Clearances)


https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....3217374da.jpeg
Phraseology
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Don’t stress about it being military controlled. Class C is Class C. No difference.