Local VFR flights from Class D Airports

[Alan Kirchain]

I'm a little confused about what to do when deciding to fly from a Class D airport, and return to that airport for touch and goes,  sight-seeing, or practice maneuvers in the Class E area. If there is no one at that particular airport on any frequency should I contact the closest controller that is in my area. For example I like to fly from my training airport of KCRG Craig Airport. Rarely, is there an actual controller at that airport. I do see controllers at KJAX - Jacksonville. Do I contact the KJAX frequencies for taxi and takeoff clearances, or just Unicom? I have some potential followup questions, but I will see what kind of answers I get that might answer them prior to asking more. Thank you for your help.

[Maxine Grooms]

Hi, to list KCRG as an example it is a satellite field of the Jacksonville TRACON. If Jacksonville approach is online (127.000 usually) then they control the fields under their airspace top down when tower is open. So thus Jacksonville approach will provide Tower, Ground, and Clearance services at KCRG as long as the tower is open. The approach controller can also choose to simulate uncontrolled field operations when the field is closed, so when CRG tower closes, it becomes an uncontrolled field with a CTAF (advisory frequency). You will contact him for clearance and you will be released with a clearance void time. You call the controller once you are in the air and you carry about your flight (whether VFR or IFR) once outside of the class D airspace. When coming into land at CRG when the tower is closed, if you are IFR approach will hand you over to the CTAF because you are in uncontrolled airspace now, you report IFR cancellation once you're landed and your flights done! Basically to sum it up Jacksonville approach controls airports top down in their airspace so you will contact them if they are online.