PLT434: Operations At A Controlled Airport
What code PLT434 covers, why the FAA tests it, and how to study Operations At A Controlled Airport before your checkride.
Recall regulations - operational procedures for a controlled airport
What this means for your checkride
To operate at an airport with an operating control tower in Class D airspace, two-way radio communications must be established and maintained with the tower. Communications must be established prior to 4 nautical miles from the airport, up to and including 2,500 feet AGL. If the radio fails in flight, the pilot may still land if weather is at or above basic VFR minimums, visual contact with the tower is maintained, and a landing clearance is received.
Pilots must know the two-way radio communication requirements for operating in the vicinity of a towered airport.
A radio failure does not automatically prohibit landing at a Class D airport if the VFR and light-signal conditions are met.
Where to study it
A code on your test report is an area of deficiency. An authorized instructor must review it with you and endorse that review before you take the practical test, and the examiner may revisit it during the oral. Study it until you can explain it out loud, not just recognize the answer.