Robert Chambers wrote:


He does no such thing. No calls, whatsoever. There's no need to.


I've been in a tower cab when this happened. I've also been there when
they've hit the button, called the tracon and gotten a release.

Were they special occasions? I don't know I don't spend a lot of time
visiting.

Explain how it happens at your location.

When I worked at what is now a class D it happens as I said. Airplane
lands and I tell him to contact ground control. No calls to the
facility that was our approach control. There was no need to. For
releases it depends on what you have worked out with your approach
control. At that facility we had to call for each release. There could
just as easily have been a letter of agreement allowing me to release
IFR aircraft on certain headings at my discretion. I work at a class C
now. The tower controller is, by definition, an approach controller
here. Everything is automatic. The only time you call for a release is
when you want to launch someone opposite direction and then only if you
are running standard procedures. Many of us just make a quick verbal
agreement between tower and approach that I as a tower controller can
launch aircraft anytime, anywhere and the approach controller will
accept them.