ADVISORY CIRCULAR AC No: 90-42F
Date: 5/21/90
Change: Initiated by: ATP-230
Subject: TRAFFIC ADVISORY PRACTICES AT AIRPORTS WITHOUT OPERATING CONTROL TOWERS
______________________________________________
1. PURPOSE. This advisory circular (AC) contains
good
operating practices and procedures for
use when approaching or
departing airports
without an operating control tower and
airports that have control towers operating part time. This
AC
has been updated to include changes in
radio frequencies and
phraseology.
2. CANCELLATION. Advisory
Circular 90-42E, dated November
23, 1988, is
cancelled.
3. REFERENCES. The following
AC's also contain information
applicable to
operations at such uncontrolled airports.
a.
AC 90-66, Recommended Standard Traffic Patterns
for
Aircraft Operations at Airports Without
Operating Control Towers.
b.
AC 150/5340-27A, Air-to-Ground Radio Control
of
Airport Lighting Systems.
4. DEFINITIONS.
a. COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY (CTAF) - A designated frequency for the purpose of
carrying out airport advisory
practices while
operating to or from an airport that does not
have a control tower or an airport where the control tower is
not
operational. The CTAF is normally a
UNICOM, MULTICOM, flight
service station (FSS)
frequency, or a tower frequency. CTAF
will
be identified in appropriate aeronautical
publications.
b.
UNICOM - A nongovernment air/ground radio
communication
station which may provide
airport information at public use
airports.
c.
MULTICOM - A mobile service, not open to
public
correspondence use, used for essential
communications in the
conduct of activities
performed by or directed from private
aircraft.
d.
MOVEMENT AREA - The runways, taxiways, and other
areas
of an airport/heliport which
are utilized for taxiing/hover taxiing, air taxiing, takeoff and landing of
aircraft, exclusive of loading ramps, and parking
areas.
5. DISCUSSION.
a.
In the interest of promoting safety, the
Federal
Aviation Administration, through its
Airman's Information Manual,
Airport Facility
Directory, Advisory Circular, and other
publications provides frequency information, good
operating
practices, and procedures for pilots
to use when operating to and
from an airport
without an operating control tower.
b.
There is no substitute for awareness while in
the
vicinity of an airport. It is
essential that pilots remain alert
and look
for other traffic and exchange traffic information
when
approaching or departing an airport
without the services of an
operating control
tower. This is of particular importance
since
other aircraft may not have
communication capability or, in some
cases,
pilots may not communica@ their presence or
intentions
when operating into or out of such
airports. To achieve the
greatest degree
of safety, it is essential that all radio-
equipped aircraft transmit/receive on a common
frequency
identified for the purpose of
airport advisories.
c.
The key to communicating at an airport without
an
operating control tower is selection of the
correct common
frequency. The CTAF for
each airport without an operating
control
tower is published in appropriate aeronautical
information publications. The CTAF for a particular airport
can
also be obtained by contacting any
FSS. Use of the appropriate
CTAF,
combined with visual alertness and application of
the
following recommended good operating
practices, will enhance
safety of flight into
and out of all such airports.
d.
There are two ways for pilots to communicate
their
intentions and obtain airport/traffic
information when operating
at an airport that
does not have an operating tower: by
communicating with an FSS that is providing airport advisories
on
a CTAF or by making a self-announced
broadcast on the CTAF.
6. RECOMMENDED TRAFFIC ADVISORY
PRACTICES. All inbound traffic
should
continuously monitor and communicate, as appropriate,
on
the designated CTAF from a point 10 miles
from the airport until
clear of the movement
area. Departing aircraft should
continuously monitor/communicate on the appropriate
frequency
from startup, during taxi, and until
10 miles from the airport
unless the Federal
Aviation Regulations or local procedures
require otherwise.
7. AIRPORT ADVISORY SERVICE (AAS) PROVIDED BY AN FSS.
a.
An FSS physically located on an airport may
provide
airport advisory service (AAS) at an
airport that does not have a
control tower or
where a tower is operated on a part-time basis
and the tower is not in operation. The CTAF's for FSS's
which
provide this service are published in
appropriate aeronautical
publications.
b.
An FSS AAS provides pilots with wind direction
and
velocity, favored or designated runway,
altimeter setting, known
traffic, Notices to
Airmen, airport taxi routes, airport traffic
pattern, and instrument approach procedures information.
Pilots
may receive some or all of these
elements depending on the
current traffic
situation. Some airport managers have
specified
that under certain wind or other
conditions, designated runways
are used.
Therefore, pilots should advise the FSS of the
runway
they intend to use. It is
important to note that not all
aircraft in the
vicinity of an airport may be in communication
with the FSS.
c.
In communicating with an FSS on CTAF, establish
two-way
communications before transmitting
outbound/inbound intentions or
information. Inbound aircraft should initiate
contact
approximately 10 miles from the
airport. Inbounds should report
altitude, aircraft type, and location relative to the
airport;
should indicate whether landing or
overflight; and should request
airport
advisory. Departing aircraft should, as soon
as
practicable after departure, contact the
FSS and state the
aircraft type, full
identification number, type of flight
planned;
i.e., visual flight rules (VFR) or instrument
flight
rules (IFR), the planned destination or
direction of flight, and
the requested
services desired. Pilots should report
before
taxiing, before entering the movement
area, and before taxiing
onto the runway for
departure. If communication with a UNICOM
is
necessary, pilots should do so before
entering the movement area
or on a separate
transceiver. It is essential that
aircraft
continuously monitor the CTAF within
the specified area.
d. Examples of AAS phraseology:
(1) Inbound:
VERO BEACH RADIO, CENTURION SIX NINER DELTA DELTA
ONE
ZERO MILES SOUTH, TWO THOUSAND, LANDING VERO
BEACH.
REQUEST AIRPORT ADVISORY.
(2) Outbound:
VERO BEACH RADIO, CENTURION SIX NINER DELTA
DELTA,
READY TO TAXI, VFR, DEPARTING TO THE
SOUTHWEST.
REQUEST AIRPORT ADVISORY.
8. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY
AERONAUTICAL ADVISORY STATIONS
(UNICOM).
UNICOM stations may provide pilots, upon request,
with
weather information, wind direction, the
recommended runway, or
other necessary
information. If the UNICOM frequency is
designated as the CTAF, it will be identified in
appropriate
aeronautical publications.
If wind and weather information are
not
available, it may be obtainable from nearby airports
via
Automatic Terminal Information Service or
Automated Weather
Observing System
frequency.
9. SELF-ANNOUNCE POSITION AND/OR INTENTIONS.
a.
General. "Self-announce" is a procedure whereby
pilots
broadcast their position, intended
flight activity or ground
operation on the
designated CTAF. This procedure is used
primarily at airports which do not have a control tower or an
FSS
on the airport. The self-announce
procedure should also be used
when a pilot is
unable to communicate with the local FSS on
the
designated CTAF.
b. If an
airport has a control tower which is either
temporarily closed or operated on a part-time basis and there
is
no operating FSS on the airport, pilots
should use the published
CTAF to self-announce
position and/or intentions.
c. Where
there is no tower, FSS, or UNICOM station on
the
airport, use MULTICOM frequency 122.9 for
self-announce
procedures. Such airports
will be identified in appropriate
aeronautical
information publications.
d.
Practice Approaches. Pilots conducting
practice
instrument approaches should be
particularly alert for other
aircraft that may
be departing in the opposite direction.
When
conducting any practice approach,
regardless of its direction
relative to other
airport operations, pilots should make
announcements on the CTAF as follows:
(1) when departing the final approach fix, inbound;
(2) when
established on the final approach segment
or
immediately upon being released by ATC;
(3) upon completion or termination of the approach; and
(4) upon executing the missed approach procedure.
NOTE: Departing aircraft should always
be alert for arrival
aircraft that are
opposite direction.
10. UNICOM COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES.
a.
In communicating with a UNICOM station, the
following
practices will help reduce frequency
congestion, facilitate a
better understanding
of pilot intentions, help identify the
location of aircraft in the traffic pattern, and enhance
safety
of flight:
(1) Select the correct CTAF frequency.
(2) State
the identification of the UNICOM station you
are calling in each transmission.
(3) Speak slowly and distinctly.
(4) Notify
the UNICOM station approximately 10 miles from
the airport, reporting altitude, aircraft type,
aircraft
identification, location relative to
the airport, and whether
landing or
overflight. Request wind information and runway
in
use.
(5) Report on downwind, base, and final approach.
(6) Report leaving the runway.
b. Examples of UNICOM Phraseologies:
(1) Inbound:
FREDERICK UNICOM CESSNA EIGHT ZERO ONE TANGO
FOXTROT 10
MILES SOUTHEAST DESCENDING THROUGH
(ALTITUDE) LANDING FREDERICK,
REQUEST WIND AND
RUNWAY INFORMATION FREDERICK.
FREDERICK TRAFFIC CESSNA EIGHT ZERO ONE TANGO
FOXTROT ENTERING
DOWNWIND/BASE/FINAL (AS
APPROPRIATE) FOR RUNWAY ONE NINE (FULL
STOP/TOUCH-AND-GO) FREDERICK.
*FREDERICK TRAFFIC CESSNA EIGHT ZERO ONE TANGO
FOXTROT CLEAR OF
RUNWAY ONE NINE FREDERICK.
*
(2) Outbound:
FREDERICK UNICOM CESSNA EIGHT ZERO ONE TANGO
FOXTROT (LOCATION ON
AIRPORT) TAXIING TO
RUNWAY ONE NINE, REQUEST WIND AND TRAFFIC
INFORMATION FREDERICK.
FREDERICK TRAFFIC CESSNA EIGHT ZERO ONE TANGO
FOXTROT DEPARTING
RUNWAY ONE NINE.
"REMAINING IN THE PATTERN" or "DEPARTING THE
PATTERN TO THE (DIRECTION) (AS APPROPRIATE)" FREDERICK.
11. EXAMPLES OF SELF-ANNOUNCE
PHRASEOLOGIES. It should be noted
that
aircraft operating to or from another nearby airport may
be
making self-announce broadcasts on the same
UNICOM or MULTICOM
frequency. To help
identify one airport from another, the
airport
name should be spoken at the beginning and end of
each
self-announce transmission.
(1) Inbound:
STRAWN TRAFFIC, APACHE TWO TWO FIVE ZULU,
(POSITION), (ALTITUDE),
(DESCENDING) OR
ENTERING DOWNWIND/BASE/FINAL (AS APPROPRIATE)
RUNWAY ONE SEVEN FULL STOP, TOUCH-AND-GO, STRAWN.
*STRAWN TRAFFIC APACHE TWO TWO FIVE ZULU CLEAR
OF RUNWAY ONE
SEVEN STRAWN. *
(2) Outbound:
STRAWN TRAFFIC, QUEENAIRE SEVEN ONE FIVE FIVE
BRAVO (LOCATION ON
AIRPORT) TAXIING TO RUNWAY
TWO SIX STRAWN.
STRAWN TRAFFIC, QUEENAIRE SEVEN ONE FIVE FIVE
BRAVO DEPARTING
RUNWAY TWO SIX.
DEPARTING THE PATTERN TO THE (DIRECTION),
CLIMBING TO (ALTITUDE) STRAWN.
(3) Practice Instrument Approach:
STRAWN TRAFFIC, CESSNA TWO ONE FOUR THREE
QUEBEC (NAME - FINAL
APPROACH FIX) INBOUND
DESCENDING THROUGH (ALTITUDE) PRACTICE
(TYPE)
APPROACH RUNWAY THREE FIVE STRAWN.
STRAWN TRAFFIC, CESSNA TWO ONE FOUR THREE
QUEBEC PRACTICE (TYPE)
APPROACH COMPLETED OR
TERMINATED RUNWAY THREE FIVE STRAWN.
12. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED COMMUNICATIONS PROCEDURES.
COMMUNICATION/BROADCAST
PROCEDURES
FACILITY
AT
PRACTICE
AIRPORT FREQUENCY
USE OUTBOUND INBOUND INSTR
APCH
a. UNICOM
Communicate with
(no
Tower UNICOM station
on
or
FSS) published CTAF
frequency
(122.7, 122.8,
122.725,
122.975, or
123.0).
If unable to
contact
UNICOM station,
use
self-announce
procedures
on CTAF.
b. No Tower, Self-announce
on Before 10 miles
Departing
FSS,
or MULTICOM freq.
taxiing out, and
final
UNICOM
122.9
and before entering
approach
taxiing on downwind, fix
c. No
Tower Communicate with the runway base, and
(name)
Operation, FSS
on CTAF
for final,
inbound,
FSS
Open
departure and
and
leaving approach
d. FSS
Closed
Self-announced
the
completed/
(No Tower)
on
CTAF
runway. terminated
e. Tower or,
Self-announced
FSS not
in on CTAF
Operation
13. IFR AIRCRAFT. When operating
in accordance with an IFR
clearance, if air
traffic control (ATC) approves a change to the
advisory frequency, change to and monitor the CTAF as soon
as
possible and follow the recommended traffic
advisory procedures.
14. GROUND VEHICLE OPERATION.
Drivers of airport ground
vehicles equipped
with radios should monitor the CTAF frequency
when operating on the airport movement area and remain clear
of
runways/taxiways being used by aircraft.
Radio transmissions from
ground vehicles
should be confined to safety-related matters.
15. RADIO CONTROL OF AIRPORT LIGHTING
SYSTEMS. Whenever
possible, the CTAF
will be used to control airport lighting
systems at airports without operating control towers.
This
eliminates the need for pilots to change
frequencies to turn the
lights on and allows a
continuous listening watch on a single
frequency. The CTAF is published on the instrument
approach
chart and in other appropriate
aeronautical information
publications.
For further details concerning radio
controlled
lights, see AC 150/5340-27.
16. DESIGNATED UNICOM/MULTICOM
FREQUENCIES. The following
listing
depicts appropriate UNICOM and MULTICOM frequency used
as
designated by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC).
Frequency Use
122.700
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control
tower
122.725
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control tower
*
122.750 ------------------------ Air-to-air communications
&
private airports (not
open
to the public)
*
122.800
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control tower
*
122.900 ------------------------ (MULTICOM
FREQUENCY)
Activities of a
temporary,
seasonal, or
emergency
nature.
122.925
------------------------ (MULTICOM
FREQUENCY)
Forestry management
and
fire suppression, fish
and
game management
and
protection,
and
environmental
monitoring
and protection.
*
122.950
------------------------ Airports with control
tower
or FSS on
airport
122.975
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control
tower
123.000
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control
tower
123.050
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control
tower
123.075
------------------------ Airports without
an
operating control tower
NOTE 1: In
some areas of the country,
frequency
interference may be encountered from nearby airports
using
the same
UNICOM frequency. Where there is a problem,
UNICOM
operators
are encouraged to develop a "least
interference"
frequency assignment plan for airports concerned using
the
frequencies
designated for airports without
operating
control towers.
*UNICOM licensees are encouraged to apply for UNICOM 25
kHz
spaced
channel frequencies. Due to the extremely
limited
number
of frequencies with 50 kHz channel spacing, 25
kHz
channel
spacing should be implemented. UNICOM licensees
may
then request
FCC to assign frequencies in accordance
with
the plan,
which FCC will review and consider for approval.*
NOTE 2:
Wind direction and runway information may not
be
available on
UNICOM frequency 122.950.
17. USE OF UNICOM FOR ATC
PURPOSES. UNICOM SERVICE MAY BE
USED FOR
ATC PURPOSES, only under the following circumstances:
a. Revision to proposed departure time.
b. Takeoff, arrival, or flight plan cancellation time.
c. ATC
clearance, provided arrangements are made
between
the ATC facility and the UNICOM
licensee to handle such messages.
18. MISCELLANEOUS. Operations at
airports without operating
control towers
require the highest degree of vigilance on the
part of pilots to see and avoid aircraft while operating to
or
from such airports. Pilots should
stay alert at all times,
anticipate the
unexpected, use the published CTAF frequency,
and
follow recommended airport advisory
practices.
/s/ Harold W.
Becker
Acting
Director, Air
Traffic
Rules
and Procedures Service