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VFR Clearances are only required at Class Bravo and Class Charlie airports. VFR Clearances are not required at Class Delta airports, because no ATC-provided separation is required between VFR aircraft and other aircraft after takeoff. This was covered in Module 2.
VFR clearances are generally easier than an IFR clearance. In most cases a VFR clearance uses A.F.T. from the CRAFT acronym.
At PDX, the initial altitude will depend on the aircraft type per the P80-PDX LOA. The main categories are described based on noise sensitivity as follows:
NOISE SENSITIVE AIRCRAFT – Turboprops and props with a maximum takeoff weight greater than 12,500 pounds, excluding Beechcraft King Airs.
NON-NOISE SENSITIVE AIRCRAFT – Turboprops and props with a maximum takeoff weight less than 12,500 pounds, including Beechcraft King Airs.
Use the table above from the P80-PDX LOA to assign an initial altitude to VFR aircraft. Don't worry about the routing column, that will be assigned by Local on departure. Frequency and transponder are needed because even 3,500 will not keep departures out of the outer class C shelves, so they will need to be in two-way radio contact with approach.
At a Class C airport (KPDX)
A: Maintain VFR at or below 3,500 (if non-noise sensitive)
F: Departure frequency 124.35
T: Squawk 1532
At a Class B airport (KSEA) issue the clearance limit (out of the airspace) per the facility SOP
Cleared out of the Seattle-Tacoma Class Bravo airspace...
A: Maintain VFR at or below 2,500 (per SOP or coordination)
F: Departure frequency 119.2
T: Squawk 1662
Pattern Work
Pattern Work
Coordinate with the controller responsible for PDX_TWR operations for aircraft requesting to remain in the pattern. Larger airports are more likely to be too busy to accommodate all requests for pattern work.
Flight Following
Flight Following
Coordinate with the controller responsible for the applicable P80 sectors if a pilot is requesting flight following. Review Module 2 for more on flight following.
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