Aero-Tips!

A good pilot is always learning -- how many times have you heard this old standard throughout your flying career? There is no truer statement in all of flying (well, with the possible exception of "there are no old, bold pilots.")

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Aero-Tips 08.25.06

Flying around the pattern at locations around the country, it apparent there's some confusion about "addressing" radio calls at non-towered ("uncontrolled") airports. Radio addresses at these airports come in three varieties: "Unicom", "Traffic" and "Radio".

A Unicom is a facility licensed to operate a two-way radio on the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) for a non-towered airport. There are several Unicom frequencies assigned; each airport has a single Unicom frequency. Precede your communication with the word "Unicom" if you expect to hear a reply from a ground station. For instance, "Benton Unicom, N15278 four southwest, request advisory." 

Use the word Traffic if you are making a statement about yourself but do not necessarily expect a response from the ground. For example, "Westport Traffic, N15278 right downwind runway 35." Note: at airports without a Unicom frequency, use Multicom (122.9) for advisories and use "traffic" as you shouldn't expect to get an answer from the ground.

With consolidation it's a real rarity, but Flight Service Stations (FSSs) located on a non-towered airport provide traffic advisory services identical to Unicoms. At these airports the correct phraseology to use when expecting a response from the ground is to call Radio, as in "Quincy Radio, N15278 five southwest, request advisory." Once in the pattern you'll make position reports to "Traffic" as needed.

NOTE: At tower-controlled airports and those airports where Flight Service provides advisory services, individual FBOs may operate Unicom frequencies separate from the CTAF. These Unicom frequencies are to be used for fuel orders and other FBO-specific communications, not for traffic pattern advisories.

Aero-tip of the day: Avoid confusion by using proper radio terminology at non-towered airports.

FMI: Aero-Tips