No ATC until Almost at Airport????

[Cherokee_6]

Hello All,

A weird thing happened yesterday while I was flying into Portland Oregon. When I was about 30 nm away, the airport ATC was not showing up on my list of Airports to tune into? I waited and waited until I was about 5 NM away and then it showed up???

Another weird thing was that starting at about 30 nm out from the airport I was hearing a intermittent beeping sound???? Would could that be???

I was doing a VFR flight with GPS for autopilot.

How come it took so long for the airport to show up on the list of ATC's to tune into?

Thanks everyone!

[Craig.]

the beeping was morse code for the airport you prob clicked the little button at the bottom of the radio stack?
as for airports appearing to close i dont know how to solve that sorry

[Cherokee_6]

the beeping was morse code for the airport you prob clicked the little button at the bottom of the radio stack?

The beeping didn't sound like morse code...it was a constant rythym...it would be a constant beep for about 1 second and then quiet for 5 secs...then a continualy beep for one second.....

[Craig.]

interesting maybe a stall warning?? any chance ice was forming and you didnt realise?
i'll have to leave it for someone else. the only beeping i know is the morse code one

[FSTipster]

Weird.

Unless the morse code identifier was "T" which is one dash.

The interval between the sounds is about right for the identifier.

[WebbPA]

Don't know about the "morse code", but in my experience ATC only lists the 10 closest airports.  When I fly in S. Florida I often don't see an option for Miami or Ft. Lauderdale until I'm within about 15 miles.  Just open the ATC window often or keep it open and wait for your airport to appear.

[fisharno]

That's what usually happens when flying VFR. ATC assumes that you will make your line up and approach to the active runway yourself and won't give you clearance until you are within 10 NM.

If you plan an IFR flight plan ATC will vector you to the active runway starting at about 60 NM.

[ysteinbuch]

Yes, during IFR flights ATC is available farther out than in VFR. At times, I start panicking when I don't see my airport until I'm almost there. Well ... maybe "panic" is a bit strong.

[fisharno]

No. Not at all.

PANIC describes me very well!  

[B-DUB]

Everyone's right. You have to be away from a lot of other airports. If you try approaching from another direction, away from the high density of ariports, you'll pick up the airport you want to faster on the ATC menu.