Question about when to contact ATC for clearance if avionics are turned on after engine start in the Bonanza

toby23

I just completed my first flight in the Turbo Bonanza and when I heard the sound change when the seals inflate - mind blown...

One thing I am unsure about, not being a real pilot, is when you would contact ATC for clearance if the avionics don't go on until after engine start (per checklist).

Thanks for any real world advice.
Toby

SadBucket

I generally ask after my run up irl. obviously I'd get taxi clearance to a place to runup if needed.

toby23

Thank you SadBucket. That sounds like the procedure at a small GA airport? What about at a larger airport? Would the avionics ever be turned on for clearance and then off again before engine start?

SadBucket

@toby23 I do this at halifax international. you generally never run avionics with the engine off in small piston aircraft (without external power and even then that's usually for trouble shooting)

toby23

Thanks for confirming. Appreciate your help.

Woolies

Interesting. What if you need startup clearance? Guess different rules in US?

Esoteric

@toby23 said in Question about when to contact ATC for clearance if avionics are turned on after engine start in the Bonanza:

I just completed my first flight in the Turbo Bonanza and when I heard the sound change when the seals inflate - mind blown...

One thing I am unsure about, not being a real pilot, is when you would contact ATC for clearance if the avionics don't go on until after engine start (per checklist).

Thanks for any real world advice.
Toby

I did my FAA to JAA license conversion in the UK, and we would just turn the battery and avionics on to get the ATIS and a clearance to start the engines. It wouldn't take more than 2 minutes at most, so not really a problem.

toby23

Thank you @Esoteric . That's what I thought you would do over here in the UK.

SadBucket

Didn't realize you needed clearance to start a small piston in EU, sounds absurd to me with the amount of training flights starting simultaneously at my home airport.

stefan8575

@SadBucket said in Question about when to contact ATC for clearance if avionics are turned on after engine start in the Bonanza:

Didn't realize you needed clearance to start a small piston in EU, sounds absurd to me with the amount of training flights starting simultaneously at my home airport.

You usually don't, AFAIK. At least in Germany, even at bigger airports, you usually just fire it up. If you have a ground crew, a marshaller etc., that's something you'd have to coordinate with them, not with ATC.

At smaller, uncontrolled airfields, it's generally your responsibility to have a clear prop area (we don't yell out the window, though )