Roy Smith wrote in message ...
In article ,
(Snowbird) wrote:
Um...VFR tower guys (the subject of this subthread
is non-radar towers) don't give vectors.

Is there an official definition of a "VFR tower" or a "non-radar tower"?

I thought so. A VFR tower is one which can not provide separation
services. They have no radar, or a radar (BRITE) which isn't
certified to provide separation. If they issue vectors they are
at the direction of an associated approach control which has to
meet some criteria I don't know about (having to do with how
quickly they can pick up departures on radar).

However, I don't know how NewPS's definition that a heading issued
by a VFR tower is really always a vector actually plays out IRL.
We have definately have headings issued to us by towers where I know
radar contact was over 3000 ft and there was no "suggest" about it.
OTOH we have also had headings given to us outside PC airspace under
VFR where the controller is only supposed to "suggest" headings,
not vector -- "oh, golly, guess I did forget to say 'suggest' ".

So I dunno -- either there are an awful lot of controllers at
VFR towers who have trouble with the word "suggest", or there
are some subtleties to the distinction between heading and
vector. I have no way of knowning.

Cheers,
Sydney