What is primarily the pilot's responsibility during a contact approach?

The pilot's primary responsibility during a contact approach centers around maintaining obstacle clearance and adhering to noise abatement procedures. In a contact approach, pilots are responsible for visually navigating the approach and must ensure they are aware of and avoid any obstacles in their flight path. This requires a keen situational awareness and the ability to interpret the surrounding environment effectively.

Adherence to noise abatement procedures is also crucial, as these procedures are designed to minimize noise exposure to communities surrounding airports. Pilots must be vigilant in following these guidelines during landing phases, especially in areas where noise pollution is a concern.

Executing the approach according to Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions is indeed important, but is typically secondary to the overt responsibility of obstacle avoidance and compliance with noise regulations. Effective communication with ground control is essential after landing but does not pertain to the approach phase of flight. Calculating fuel consumption, while important for overall flight management, is not specifically related to the responsibilities during a contact approach. Thus, the focus on obstacle clearance and noise abatement reflects the primary concerns a pilot must address during this phase of flight.