Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

4 Answers

Cleared visual approach, when to switch to tower frequency

Asked by: 5265 views Instrument Rating

I'm unsure when to switch to tower when cleared by ATC for visual approach under an IFR flight plan. Do I switch as soon as I hear the words "cleared visual approach"? Or do I wait for ATC to instruct me. I believe I should wait for specific instruction to contact tower just as on any other instrument approach. 

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

4 Answers



  1. Jake144 on Aug 02, 2016

    In my experience, I’ve always been told to switch to Tower. Approach is waiting for the Tower to be ready to recieve you, switching and calling too early can (and has gotten me) a “just contact me when you are 5 miles out”. It’s best to wait, but sometimes they do hand you off late. If you really feel like you should be on with Twr by now, ask for a freq change or if you have the field in sight, say that. That may be what App is waiting to hear, 9/10 times that’ll get you a change.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes

  2. Best Answer


    Jeff on Aug 02, 2016

    ATC should give you an instruction like “Frequency change approved, contact tower xxx.xx” When landing at a non-towered airport they should say something like “radar service terminated. change to advisory frequency approved. cancel IFR with me in the air or on the ground with flight service.”

    If they don’t say this to you, you can always ask if you think they should have switched you over by then.

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  3. sr22captain on Aug 03, 2016

    So next question. Let’s say hypothetically if one did not get the frequency hand off from ATC but switched to tower frequency anyway after being cleared for visual by ATC, did one violate a FAR?

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes



  4. John D Collins on Aug 04, 2016

    I think that it is unlikely you will be called to account, but one might construe that you were in violation of:

    Sec. 91.123

    Compliance with ATC clearances and instructions.

    (a) When an ATC clearance has been obtained, no pilot in command may deviate from that clearance unless an amended clearance is obtained, an emergency exists, or the deviation is in response to a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory. However, except in Class A airspace, a pilot may cancel an IFR flight plan if the operation is being conducted in VFR weather conditions. When a pilot is uncertain of an ATC clearance, that pilot shall immediately request clarification from ATC.
    (b) Except in an emergency, no person may operate an aircraft contrary to an ATC instruction in an area in which air traffic control is exercised

    Sec. 91.183 IFR communications.

    Unless otherwise authorized by ATC, the pilot in command of each aircraft operated under IFR in controlled airspace must ensure that a continuous watch is maintained on the appropriate frequency

    +1 Votes Thumb up 1 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.