Air Traffic Control (ATC) / Radio / ATIS question?

Question

What does it mean when on the ATIS when 'delivery is closed' at my local airport. It is closed 90% of the time and both times it has been open it's only for about an hour in the evening. Thanks.

Answer 1

Clearance delivery is a seperate frequency used solely for the issuance of instructions that are to be followed after takeoff.

hey are generally used only in peak hours, and when not needed the frequency is simply closed.  This allows one controller to monitor one frequency instead of two and cuts down on instances of people's radio transmissions blocking each other.

Answer 2

This sounds like 'clearance delivery'.  At some airports with busy traffic, there is a different frequency for clearance delivery, separate from ground control.  At the very busy airports, this position (frequency) is always open.

At less busy airports, this position is often combined up with ground control.  When this happens, clearance delivery can be considered closed, but really it is just available via the ground control frequency.

Clearance delivery usually handles IFR clearances and requests for squawk codes.

Answer 3

Clearance Delivery, sometimes called GMP (Ground Movement Planner) is a discrete frequency which pilots call for their departure clearance - this usually comprises of SID (standard instrument departure), level, squawk and any instructions for after departure.

Once the pilot is ready for push and start he will be transferred to GMC (ground movement control). During quieter periods the frequency will either be switched off, hence the delivery closed message, or the frequency can be bandboxed with GMC, where a transmission on one frequency automatically transmits on the other. The reason the message is required is because the departure plates for your airport (ie the instructions the pilot carries) instruct the pilot to use the delivery frequency for first contact with ATC.

Cheers, Paul

Answer 4

It means the ATC staff are RAF and they are off drinking.  We need some excuse!