Changing VFR Turbopro/turbo jet aircraft on departure

[briN]

Reference paragraph 3-9-3

I'm a mixed bag of RAPCON and Tower, but the Towers I've worked at VFR fighter types were not told to change to departure on the runway, they were told to contact departure when leaving the airspace.

At this tower they tell VFR F-16s to change on the runway and it's cause numerous problems.

All the tower controllers I talk to here keep saying they've always done it, even at other locations.

Curious what other people have seen during their careers.

 

[Buck_i]

The towers you've worked at were wrong then. JO 7110.65 3-9-3 states the following quite clearly.

"Inform departing IFR, SVFR, VFR aircraft receiving radar service, and TRSA VFR aircraft of the following..." (it goes on to specify before takeoff)... "Inform all departing IFR military turboprop/ turbojet aircraft (except transport and cargo types) to change to departure control frequency. If the local controller has departure frequency override, transmit urgent instructions on this frequency. If the override capability does not exist, transmit urgent instructions on the emergency frequency."

This is extremely straightforward and was put into place to avoid pilots of single-piloted aircraft being heads down in a critical phase of flight. I've never seen anybody not do this from my experience. The contingency for this is having the override feature in the tower. Either way, if you need to cancel a takeoff clearance after they switch and start rolling, it clearly states to transmit on guard frequency, and even without an override, the chances of this being blocked are minimal.

 

[briN]

that quote literally says inform departing IFR military aircraft though...

It does not reference VFR aircraft and I don't consider an aircraft at 2,500 and still climbing to be critical phase of flight

 

[Jonathon33]

that quote literally says inform departing IFR military aircraft though...

It does not reference VFR aircraft and I don't consider an aircraft at 2,500 and still climbing to be critical phase of flight

That's a very good point considering at 400ft they are expected to be able to make turns and such.

 

[briN]

That's a very good point considering at 400ft they are expected to be able to make turns and such.

I'm not saying I switch them 400 ft off the ground, I switch them when they are leaving my airspace which is 2,500 ft. Because I am responsible to separate him and traffic in my VFR pattern.