* Lastly, I've never flown into a Class C (or Class B) airport, but have a
fair amount of experience at Class D fields. Oh and I'm a new PPL with
circa 100 hrs. Is there anything I should be concerned about flying into a
Class C for the first time, or is my experience working at Class D and with
controllers going to serve me quite well?

Ron has covered your other points quite well, so I won't add anything
more there.

To answer your concern about landing at a Class C airport, in the
Midwest Class D doesn't usually have radar control. This means that
they are sequencing you visually, just like in the old movies from the
1930s, by using a guy with binoculars -- and not much else. This
means they'll tell you stuff like "report a 3-mile left base" -- cuz
that's all they CAN do.

Class C, however, has radar, which means they (usually, not always)
are able to issue vectors. They will tell you stuff like "Fly a
heading of 230" -- because they CAN.

In my experience, Class C is usually much easier to deal with than
Class D, precisely because the controller knows (and acts like he
knows) where everyone REALLY is, rather than relying on binoculars and
(often inaccurate) position reports. As a result, they are much more
positive with their control, telling you what to do and when to do
it.

As a newbie I found this control somewhat intimidating, for fear of
messing something up. Now, I find it easier, because all you really
have to do is follow their directions. It's like the difference
between driving in a strange city with directions and a map, or doing
it with just with the map. Both are possible, but good directions are
sure helpful.

The two things I have heard is a)
don't expect to be reporting points on the pattern, you'll probably get
vectored to a final approach course (and that sounds easier), and b) brush
up on what you need to do for wake turbulence avoidance, since that will be
more probable....

Yep, you don't call out your position in Class C airspace. They
should know your position as well as you do.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"