From: turner@HQ.Ileaf.COM (James Turner)
Subject: Re: Getting into a TCA without the magic words
Organization: Interleaf, Inc.
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 92 14:23:43 GMT

Bob Noel writes:

>In article <1h6vooINN620@freedom.genrad.com> dls@freedom.genrad.com (Diana L.
>Carlson) writes:
>>In article <1992Dec21.205853.7681@linus.mitre.org> Bob Noel writes:
>>>sometimes being IFR doesn't help.  I haven't had the problem, but my
>>>instrument instructor almost never has had the pleasure of an 
>>>IFR clearance that would pentrate the Boston TCA (for flights between
>>>BED and Falmouth).  He was always amused ;-) with the
>>>radar vectors that kept him just outside the TCA.
>>
>>I've flown thru the Boston TCA many times, both IFR and VFR.....I'd
>>have to say your instructor has just been unlucky.
>>

>I too have been allowed into the TCA (mostly when IFR).  Thus, 
>I take pleasure in giving him (my instructor) grief and rubbing
>it in :-)


The entire trick with Boston lies with the magic question: What way
doth the fair wind bloweth over Logan Internation Airport this
day?  If the answer is that they're taking off to the west, or landing
to the east, that there airspace gets a right crowded partner.
Especially with the wonderful noise abatement restrictions they have
to live with.

Therefore, I repost Turner's guide to getting a Boston clearance.

1) Be a good mike-jock.  Nothing is more likely to get you a "Sorry
Charlie" then a clumsy initial callup.  That's a busy frequency, and
they like to keep things snappy.

2) If you're en-route, you may be SOL.  Remember that the bypass
around the perimeter isn't all that much longer than a direct.  If
you happy to be stuck going on a direct north/south route, don't give
up hope if they can't offer you BVY direct Plymouth.  Even if you
can't go straight through, they may be able to let you cut the corner.
at Norwood. (True story: On July 4th two years ago, I was taking my
(to-be) wife down to the cape from BED.  Although they couldn't let me
in direct over downtown, I stayed on frequency with flight following.
As I got on the other side of the Dedham antennas, they not only
offered me direct MVY, but asked if I wanted to bypass over the harbor
to see the USS Constitution being turned around.  This brought me
right over the southern side of Logan.  Just proves that just because
Logan is busy doesn't mean it's no-man's-land on all sides.  Also
shows that it pays to stay on frequency).

3) On a scenic, be prepared to wait.  I've had to circle over
Burlington for up to 20 minutes to get a scenic clearance.  But
they're pretty good about letting you know the situation on the
initial callup, and if you let them know you've got passengers,
they're pretty good about arranging things to the best of their
abilities.

4) Be flexible on altitudes.  Sometimes 4000 is the best you'll do.
I've had several clearances at 1500, and one magic night where the
entire clearance consisted of "N44438 cleared into the Boston TCA,
at or below 1000, remain west of the harbor."  This basically allowed
me to tool around over and around the skyline BELOW the level of the
Hancock and Prudential for about 20 minutes.  It was definitely a
weird feeling doing big loops around the Hancock, and quite a treat
for my guests.  Of course, it was also fun keeping the altimeter
pegged on 1000 feet, so as not to bust either the clearance or the
1000' minumum height over cities.  BTW, the controller below 1500' is
Boston Skyways, the helicopter position.

5) Go at night.  Things are always more flexible at night.

6) Land at Logan.  Costs yah $43, but they can't keep you out of the
airspace then :-).  Of course, you have to deal with finding your way
around.  I did get to block Bill Cosby's learjet once, though.

In conclusion, be sharp, be flexible, take what you get.  I had over
20 hours of VFR Boston TCA time before I got my Instrument ticket.

*******************************************************************************
* James M. Turner        | > (LET ((DISCLAIMER 'INTERLEAF-NOT-RESPONSIBLE))   *
* Member, Technical Staff|    #'(LAMBDA (FLAME)                               *
* Developers' Tech. Group|         (AUTO-INTENSIFY-FLAME FLAME 999)))         *
* Interleaf, Inc.        | #<Lexical Flamage 12342123>                        *
* (617) 290-0710         | > (DO ((FLAMAGE (GET-NEXT-FLAME) (GET-NEXT-FLAME)))*
* turner@HQ.Ileaf.com    |       ((NOT FLAMAGE))                              *
* uunet!leafusa!turner   |       (FUNCALL * FLAMAGE))                         *
*******************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.aviation.ifr