Montgomery-Gibbs Executive, San Diego, CA (MYF)

The airspace at MYF is Class D with a 2900’ MSL ceiling.  It underlies SAN Diego Class B airspace. (Refer to Sectional Chart)

Class D Airspace Requirements (CFR §91.129 and AIM 3-1-4; 3-2-5)

 
Class B Airspace Requirements (CFR §91.131 and AIM 3-1-4; 3-2-3)

Hot Spots 

• HS 1   Aircraft landing RWY 28R and exiting onto TWY M sometime cross RWY 28L without authorization. 
• HS 2   Pilots exiting RWY 28R onto RWY 05–23 sometime enter RWY 28L without authorization. Some pilots fail to hold short of the elevated RWY holding position sign on RWY 05–23 until issued further clearance to cross RWY 28L. 
• HS 3   Aircraft taxiing to RWY 28R approach end sometime mistake TWY B for TWY A and cross RWY 28L without authorization.
• (Reference HS 2: There are now Holding Position Markings along with Holding Position Signs on RWY 05-23.)

Departure

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

Landing

• Wrong Surface Landing risk exists due to parallel RWYs and staggered thresholds. 
• Pilots from the NE sometimes mistakenly line up for RWY 23.
• RWY 28R has a displaced threshold.
• Complex airspace with many airports – ensure you have the correct airport in sight.
• Use caution, unfamiliar pilots routinely mistake NKX Miramar for MYF as it is much bigger and easier to see. 

Surface Risk – Movement Area 

• Ensure you report at the correct runway and are on the correct tower frequency. There are 2 tower frequencies. 

Additional Cautions

• Underlies SAN Class B Airspace

MYF Tower (TWR) operates from 0600L – 2100L. 

When TWR is closed:

• The airspace becomes class G.
• CTAF Frequency 119.2
• Getting Clearance and/or IFR release – SCT 1-800-448-3724 option 5, SCT departure frequency 119.6, Flight Service
• Cancelling Flight Plan – SCT 1-800-448-3724 option 5, SCT departure frequency 119.6, Flight Service

Special RWYs  

• IFR departures not authorized off of RWY 05, no current Obstacle Departure Procedure.  

Right-Hand Patterns

• RWYs 28R, 10R, 05/23

Ground

• When exiting 28L or crossing 28L on RWY 23, hold short of taxiway H unless the aircraft is too large and would impede on 28L. 
• Taxiway H and 23 are often used as a taxi route.  

Take-off/Departure 

• Advise MYF tower controller your full call-sign, which runway you are at, if you are IFR or VFR and direction of departure. 
• RWY 28L small run-up area holds 2, occasionally 3 small aircraft.
• Use caution not to drift into departure corridor of parallel runway. 

Arrival/Landing 

• Mt. Soledad is a VFR reporting point located six miles west of Montgomery-Gibbs. 
• For a “straight-in” 10L/R, remain north of Mt Soledad unless otherwise instructed by ATC.
• Aircraft from the north are typically altitude restricted until south of highway 52 and will be instructed to cross over MYF for a downwind or instructed to enter a downwind north of the airport. 
• If no sequence or clearance issued by tower when passing runway threshold on the downwind, DO NOT assume you are number one and turn base leg, ask the controller. 
• DO NOT overshoot the final approach course. Chances are high there is another aircraft on final for the parallel +/- 500’ laterally.  

Special Traffic (Military / Commercial / Helicopter, etc.)

• Miramar military traffic often “spills out” of Class B into north pattern of MYF.

• Opposite direction operations during peak hours highly discouraged or denied.
• Most time consuming pilot read-back issues that generate hundreds of extra transmissions per day:
  • No pilot read-back at all
  • Read-backs without call sign
  • “Blind Transmissions” without call sign
  • Use of non-standard call-signs.   
• Pilots must read-back runway assignment and complete hold short instructions with call sign. Read-back of taxi route is good practice for students and reinforcement but not required by ATC. 
  • Incorrect: “(CALL-SIGN) HOLDING SHORT OF THE LEFT, (CALL-SIGN) HOLDING SHORT OF THE PARALLEL, (CALL-SIGN) HOLDING SHORT.”
  • Correct: “(CALL-SIGN) HOLDING SHORT OF RUNWAY 28L.”

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