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Contents:

Reference
By sending a 9x11 envelope with 78 cents postage to
AOPA Air Safety Foundation
Non-towered Advisor
421 Aviation Way,
Frederick, Maryland 21701
or Downloading from ASF's pages on AOPA Online (

You can get a copy of material related to the safety considerations in operating at non-towered airports. The FAA has an advisory circular AC 91-66A available. Topics include pattern procedures, radio phraseology, right of way, etiquette, instrument procedures, and advice as to the relative merits of non-standard arrival and departure methods.

Non-tower Over-flights
If you have occasion to cross in the vicinity of an uncontrolled airport, it is worth your while to monitor the CTAF frequency and even give sequential reports of your altitude and position in passing. Parachuting is becoming increasingly popular. Hang gliding, ultralights, and gliders can complete the mix of flying that make proximity hazardous. Recently flew near an airport used by parachutists well after dark. Seems they were having a party that night. They were parachuting at night as part of the festivities. You never know.

Before some of these activities take place the local radar facility is supposed to be advised. Making contact with this facility can warn you of what may be taking place. Jet aircraft and commuters are becoming more common. It is only through frequent communication that everyone flying can provide and maintain situational awareness. The radio call you make may save your life.

Controlling the Uncontrolled Airport
Regulatory provisions relating to traffic patterns are found in Parts 91, 93 and 97 of the FARs. ACs 90-42 and 90-66A are advisory for safety and efficiency. See-and-avoid requirement fully applies. All available information from AFD (Airport/Facilities Directory) AIM and NOTAMs is required by FAR. Use of Visual indicators (segmented circle, wind sock) must be used.

The straight-in approach to an uncontrolled airport is not, of itself, inherently dangerous. Straight in approaches, while not prohibited, must not be disruptive to normal pattern operations. Possible straight in approaches (as with instrument approaches) greatly increase see-and-be seen requirements. The straight-in eliminates the need to overfly and make a 45 entry. AC 90-66A advocates the 45 entry but indicates that the straight-in, IFR or VFR, should not require maneuvers that disrupt other traffic. FAR ,91.127(b) Says that all turns shall be to the left unless otherwise depicted. A straight-in requires no turns. NTSB Administrative Law Judges have found the straight in a violation of FAR 91.113.

Many uncontrolled airports may offer UNICOM service on the CTAF frequency given on the sectional. This means that there may be someone on the field to respond to a radio call during normal working hours.

Ideally aircraft operations at an uncontrolled airport are just as structured and organized as at controlled airports. Uncontrolled airport organization collapses when a pilot arrives who is not well versed in discerning airport procedures, decorum and communications. It only takes one confused pilot to create a chaotic airport.

Regardless of the Airspace class, if a tower is not operating it becomes an uncontrolled airport. The procedures at uncontrolled airports require that a pilot plan for and follow established procedures. Only by knowing the pattern altitude can you make an initial safe arrival. Even with radio communications without planning you will need to ask for the pattern altitude. With that, you can read the segmented circle, find traffic, use the radio and fly the pattern almost every time. Watch out at part time uncontrolled airports. Pattern directions are not always what you might expect. There are two airports in the Bay Area where right hand traffic patterns are flown when the tower is closed. (Napa and Livermore)

Non-tower Operation
1. Plan your arrival. Read the A/FD, study the chart, monitor the frequency and make your call-up well away at a known geographical point. The precision of such a point removes most doubts as to your direction of flight.

2. The call-up must include your intentions. The standard overfly and 45-entry is recommended to the point that failure to do so can be FAA interpreted as careless flying if accident results. Still it is not contrary to the FARs to come in another way, just not recommended. Few IFR arrivals to uncontrolled airports come in on a 45.

3. Your first option for uncontrolled airport arrivals should always be the 45-degree entry.

4. The windsock sets the active runway.

5. Remember the segmented circle's arms are the base legs of the pattern.

6. Self announce your positions at the airport such as over the field at 2300 on the left-45, downwind, base, and final etc. Airport always the first and last words of all communications.

7. Never abuse your right of way privileges in a fit of righteousness.

8. Local agencies set patterns and pattern altitudes. Plan your arrival accordingly

9. Maintaining TPA until turning base is a practical noise abatement procedure..

10…Keep your pattern as small as your aircraft allows.

11. Make standard departure with adherence to noise abatement notices.

12. Exercise your 'See and be seen' skills.

(See Airspace-low visibility operations)
Most midair collisions and near misses occur within a couple of miles of non-tower airports. Operations at non-tower airports are more dangerous than are tower-controlled airports. If you habitually fly under ATC control and assistance then you must step up a notch your see-and-be-seen skills when nearing non-tower airports. There is no more dangerous place to fly than in the vicinity of a non-tower airport.

Depart over the field on a reciprocal 45 degree to the 45 degree entry. Lose half of altitude to pattern altitude. Execute a left/right course reversal while descending to pattern altitude on 45 degree entry. You should be at pattern altitude before reaching the pattern. This greatly improves your see/be seen opportunities. Arriving slightly high is better with high-wing and slightly low with low-wing aircraft for better visibility. Watch the ground for shadows.

Non-radio-equipped aircraft are expected to determine pattern in use. Since one in five General Aviation aircraft do not have radios. Radio use is not required but good sense dictates monitoring and use. One of the problem at uncontrolled airports is radio complacency. You begin to believe that if no one is on the radio that no one is there. Don't you believe it.

Two Kinds of UNICOM
1.)
Every tower airport has a UNICOM on frequency 122.95. The callup gives, "Airport name UNICOM, aircraft identification and request". Due to the personnel or physical constraints several calls may be required to establish contact. Commonly used to order fuel, services, or transportation. 122.95 is the universal nationwide UNICOM frequency for TOWER fields. At such an airport UNICOM is used for ordering fuel, taxis, making phone calls or personal requests. It is frequently advantageous to contact the UNICOM a few miles out so that transportation will be there when you land. Some fields may have additional frequencies but 122.95 is standard. Only at the very largest airports will this frequency operate on a 24-hour basis.

2) Many uncontrolled airports may offer UNICOM service on the CTAF frequency given on the sectional. This means that there may be someone on the field to respond to a radio call during normal working hours.

3) Giving position reports is an AIM recommended practice. NORDO aircraft can't give or hear them. See and be seen is the backup procedure.

Some of the CTAF frequencies are quite congested on weekends. It is important that the NAME of the place/airport be the first and last word of any CTAF communication. This alerts pilots in your area and allows others to discount your presence. This change is of relatively recent origin, about 10 years. You will still hear many pilots failing to use this procedure because they were not initially taught that way. Relearning is, perhaps, the most difficult aspect of flying. Relearning is also one of the most resisted phases of instruction. However, what was good enough forty years ago or even five years ago is not good enough today.

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