Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR)

The airspace at BTR is Class C with a ceiling up to and including 4100’ MSL. (Refer to Sectional Chart)

Class C Airspace Requirements (CFR §91.130 and AIM 3-1-4; 3-2-4)

Hot Spots 

• HS 1   Complex intersection TWY A, TWY B, TWY D and TWY K west of RWY 13–31 and RWY 04L-22R.     
• HS 2   RWY 04R–22L and TWY E in close proximity, pilots sometimes confuse the RWY as TWY E. 
• HS 3   Aircraft taxiing from TWY F, turning onto TWY E southbound, sometimes cross the RWY 13–31 hold bar without authorization. 
• HS 4 Pilots exiting RWY 13 onto TWY E sometimes exit onto RWY 04R–22L without authorization.

Departure

• Verify proper heading prior to starting takeoff roll on all intersection departures.

Landing

• Wrong Surface Landing risk exists here. 
• Positive identification of the landing RWY needs to be a part of every pilot’s landing checklist.

Surface Risk – Movement Area

• Review Hot Spots 1-4 above.
• When TWR is landing 4L-4R, there is an approach hold short area for RWY 4R on TWY L between TWY T and TWY E.
• TWY M is closed indefinitely. 
• TWY F between RWY 04R/22L and RWY 31 reduces to a width of 40’.
   

Additional Cautions

• If ever in doubt about your position or your instructions, ask the TWR.
• Migratory birds on and in vicinity of airport in March, April, September, and October.
• Ramp and Taxiway-Lane adjacent to the commercial air carrier terminal building is limited to commercial air carrier and passenger air-taxi aircraft only. 
   

BTR Tower (TWR) operates from 0500L-0000L Daily

When TWR is closed:

• The airspace becomes Class E
• Use CTAF 118.45.
• Clearance Delivery available with Houston Center (ARTCC) on 126.35 
• Clearance Delivery Phone:  281-230-5622
• Use CTAF to control Runway lighting when TWR is closed.

Traffic Patterns

• Traffic patterns are directed by TWR at controlled airports when TWR is in operation.  
• When TWR is closed conduct Right Traffic Pattern on RWY 22R

Ground

• ALWAYS read back Hold Short instructions WITH your call-sign. It is Air Traffic’s responsibility to ensure this happens, so if you happen to not read it back correctly, be patient with us asking you to do so multiple times.
• Taxi with caution, try not to be in a hurry no matter the situation. RWY 4R/22L and TWY E are very close to each other and look the same as you’re moving on the ground. Pay attention to the signs.
• There are intermittent blind spots on Ground Control 121.9 frequency on the East Ramp.

Take-off/Departure

• Please read back assigned heading and runway clearance.  
• Pay close attention to parallel runway assignments and read back right or left with the instructions given by tower/approach.

Arrival/Landing 

• Please read back runway assignments when issued take-off/landing clearances.
• Pay close attention to parallel runway assignments and read back right or left with the instructions given by tower/approach.

Helicopter Pilots

• VFR helicopters will be instructed by Approach Control to enter a boundary of the airport (East/West/North/South). After being switched to the tower, helicopters should advise the tower where they are parking and expect a clearance or landing advisory shortly after.

• RWY 4R Approach Hold Short Markings on TXY L between TWY T and TWY E
• Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) located at departure end of RWY 13
• RWYs 13-31 have displaced thresholds.
• All RWYs do not have over-runs.
   

Do: 

• Refer to the airfield diagram and/or airport moving map while stopped and/or prior to taxiing.
• Keep your eyes outside to observe traffic, potential threats and airport signs and markings.
• Ask the controller to repeat instructions and clearances if you are not sure.
• Ask for progressive taxi instructions if you are unfamiliar or have lost situational awareness.
• Taxi your aircraft to the side of the run-up area to allow other aircraft to taxi around you if you are not ready for departure. 
• Advise TWR on initial contact (ground or air) if you are a student pilot. 
• Using runway and/or taxiway designators to describe your position, and turning on exterior lights will assist the controller in identifying you.
• Acknowledge all ATC instructions and read back all hold short restrictions with your call sign. 
• Always make sure that your aircraft is completely behind all hold- short lines.
• Advise GND/TWR if you want an intersection departure and wait for TWR clearance to take off.  There may be a delay due to wake turbulence or traffic. 
• When using any RWY, verify mag heading and look for the white markings to avoid a wrong surface event.
• Consider backing up a visual approach with an underlying instrument (ILS/LOC/GPS) approach if time and workload allows.
• Remember that you must have a clearance to cross all RWYs, active and not active.
• Reference GPS User Waypoint, or if available, the assigned runway’s instrument approach. If unsure that you are aligned for the assigned runway, announce going around and why.
• Verify proper heading prior to starting takeoff roll on all departures. Consider checking and calling out, Wet compass, runway heading, runway paint/signage for departure runway, and directional gyro shows runway heading.
• Use caution when taxiing smaller aircraft/helicopters in the vicinity of larger aircraft/helicopters. Controllers may use the words rotor wash, jet blast, or prop wash when issuing cautionary advisories. A general rule of thumb is 100 feet behind a jet aircraft.

Do Not:

• Do not taxi on your own without obtaining taxi instructions from ATC.
• Do not cross an active RWY without specific controller permission to cross that RWY. 
• Do not use a RWY as a turn-off during landing unless cleared to do so by TWR. 
• Do not wait until you are ready for departure to request an IFR clearance. Making your request to clearance delivery or ground control prior to taxiing will allow time for ATC coordination. 
• Do not, on departure, leave TWR frequency while still in TWR airspace unless previously approved. (Note: frequency change outside of TWR airspace is at pilot’s discretion.)
   

Additional information in the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) Chapter 6 - Section 4

• Squawk Transponder Code 7600 if you experience loss of two-way radio capability.
• If you can hear other aircraft but nobody responds to your calls then you should check for proper frequency selection, popped circuit breaker, radio panel setup, or an improperly hooked up intercom.
• Weak batteries in intercoms are often the cause of “radio failure”. Your emergency checklist may come in handy for checking other areas specific to your aircraft.
• If you can’t hear anything on the receiver, check the volume control, squelch, intercom, circuit breaker, or a stuck mike. 
• After you have determined the extent of the radio failure, you can determine how to communicate with the ATC.
   

• FAR 91.123 (d) states: Each pilot in command who (though not deviating from a rule of this subpart) is given priority by ATC in an emergency and shall submit a detailed report of that emergency within 48 hours to the manager of that ATC facility, if requested by ATC.
• It is extremely rare that a pilot is asked to justify declaring an emergency. In most cases, when a report is needed, it can usually be accomplished with a phone call.
• Additional information is also found in the AIM in Chapter 6 – Emergency Procedures
   

• Special VFR is primarily intended to offer pilots a way to operate into, out of, and through tower controlled airspace when local weather restricts the visibility or ceiling to below VFR minimums.
• There are times, for instance, when visibility is below three miles due to ground fog or the ceiling is below 1000 feet AGL due to a cold front passage, it may be advantageous to use the Special VFR rules to be able to get to VFR conditions.
• There are rules and conditions that apply to Special VFR and the one that controllers deal with the most often is the requirement that the pilot must request the clearance. We cannot offer it, as we cannot determine your abilities as a pilot and have no wish to talk you into accepting a clearance that may be beyond your experience level.

The basic requirements for Special VFR are:

• The clearance must be requested by the pilot.
• If it is after sunset and before sunrise the pilot requesting the clearance must be IFR rated and the aircraft must be certified for IFR flight.
• A minimum of 1 mile visibility must exist as reported by the tower.

What you may do with a Special VFR clearance:

• You may depart for another destination
• You may transition
• You may enter and land
• You may do touch and go landings