VFR Clearances

VFR clearances are generally simpler than IFR clearances. The clearance issued should use the fewest restrictions that are reasonable for the circumstances.

1. Class D airports

At a class D airport, no VFR clearance is required, because no ATC-provided separation is required between VFR aircraft and other aircraft after takeoff. The first call from the aircraft should be for a taxi clearance. There might be some exceptions for airports located near class B or C airspace; in these cases coordinate with the appropriate radar controller and use techniques similar to those described below for class B and C airports.

2. Class C airports

VFR aircraft departing a class C airport are generally issued a clearance prior to takeoff . Generally, this is done on the first radio call from the aircraft. These clearances can be very simple. For an aircraft departing BUR, something as simple this might be acceptable:

Example:
"Cessna One Two Three Sierra Xray, after departure maintain VFR, departure frequency one three four point two, squawk one zero three two."

SOPs or the radar controller might require particular headings or altitude assignments. VFR aircraft may be issued any heading so long as they are not assigned an altitude below the minimum vectoring altitude (pilots of these aircraft are expected to advise ATC if they are unable to fly the assigned heading). Any altitude assignment should provide the maximum flexibility to the pilot; except in unusual circumstances, assign either "at or above" or "at or below" altitudes.

Here are three examples; the first assigns a heading, the second assigns an altitude, and the third assigns both a heading and altitude:

Examples:
"November One Two Three Sierra Xray, after departure fly heading two one zero, maintain VFR, departure frequency one two four point five, squawk one zero three three".

"Malibu One Two Three Sierra Xray, after departure maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two five point eight, squawk one zero six five".

"Boeing One Two Three Sierra Xray, after departure turn left heading one one zero, maintain VFR at or below four thousand five hundred, departure frequency one two three point four, squawk one zero seven seven".

VFR departures from class C airports generally require a release from the appropriate radar controller, so oftentimes the heading and/or altitude restriction aren't known until the tower controller calls for release. In those cases issue the clearance without either item; the tower controller will amend the clearance as needed.

Aircraft requesting pattern work do not require a clearance, since the tower can visually separate these aircraft from others operating in the class C airspace.

3. Class B airspace

VFR aircraft departing from a class B airport require a clearance similar to that used for class C departures. The principle difference is that a specific clearance is required to operate in class B airspace. Generally, before departure, an aircraft should be cleared using the phraseology "cleared out of Bravo airspace". For example, a departure requiring no altitude restriction or heading assignment would be issued a clearance like:

"November One Two Three Sierra Xray, cleared out of the Los Angeles Bravo airspace, maintain VFR, departure frequency one two five point two, squawk one zero five two."

Large turbine powered aircraft departing a class B airport must be vectored such that they remain within class B airspace until they exit the lateral boundaries or climb through the ceiling of class B airspace (or to look at it another way, they should not operate below the floor of class B airspace).

To determine if an aircraft is a "large turbine powered aircraft", consult the 7110.65 appendix A. When looking the aircraft up, its weight class is listed in the third column. Aircraft with a "L" or "H" are large turbine powered aircraft. As are "S" aircraft with a "+" following the "S". For example, a Falcon 900 (F900) is a "L" class aircraft; a Falcon 50 (FA50) is a "S+". Both are large turbine powered aircraft and must be issued headings/routing to keep them in the class B airspace.

At LAX, we generally accomplish this by issuing headings. Unless otherwise instructed by the radar controller, assign these aircraft runway heading. For example:

"Falcon One Two Three Sierra Xray, cleared out of the Los Angeles Bravo airspace, after departure fly runway heading, maintain VFR, departure frequency one two five point eight, squawk one zero one seven".

Altitude restrictions are not required unless the radar controller advises differently. For small aircraft at LAX, we generally issue a right or left crosswind departure to keep them out of the traffic flow. These operations do not require a VFR release from the radar controller, but do require an altitude restriction to keep them in tower's airspace. These aircraft should be issued a clearance similar to:

"November One Two Three Sierra Xray, cleared out of the Los Angeles Bravo airspace, make a right crosswind departure, maintain VFR at or below two thousand five hundred".

A departure frequency and squawk are not required unless the aircraft is requesting VFR flight following, since they will quickly depart the class B airspace on the crosswind leg.

Small aircraft that request something other than a right or left crosswind departure should be coordinated with the radar controller and issued instructions required by the radar controller along with the departure frequency and a squawk code.

Departures from other ZLA class B airports are handled using similar techniques to those described above.