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NAPPF
Radio Communications

Communication at Airports without operating Control Towers

CTAF

    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.

    Self announce

    The CTAF is normally a UNICOM, MULTICOM, flight service station (FSS) frequency, or a tower frequency.

    CTAF will be identified in appropriate aeronautical publications.

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.

FSS    (Flight Service Station)
    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 CTAFs for FSSs which provide this service are published in appropriate aeronautical publications.

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.


Airports without Operation Control Towers
 C  CTAF     (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency)
   
Marked on the Sectional Chart
    Common CTAF Frequencies
        122.7
        122.725
        122.8
        122.9
        123.0
        123.05
       
123.075

Airports with no frequencies published
  
 MULTICOM - 122.9

When to communicate
 
Before taxiing and before taxiing on the runway for departure.
  10 miles out, and entering downwind, base, and final, and leaving the runway.
 
Weather Advisories at airports without operating Control Towers


AWOS, ASOS   
(Automated Weather Observation System,  Automated Surface Observation System)
   
Frequency marked on the Sectional Chart
 
AWOS -
These real-time systems are operationally classified into four basic levels:
        (a) AWOS-A: only reports altimeter setting,
        (b) AWOS-1: usually reports altimeter setting, wind data, temperature, dew point, and density altitude,
        (c) AWOS-2: provides the information provided by AWOS-1 plus visibility, and
        (d) AWOS-3: provides the information provided by AWOS-2 plus cloud/ceiling data.
    The information is transmitted over a discrete VHF radio frequency or the voice portion of a local NAVAID.
    Receivable to a maximum of 25 NM from the AWOS site and a maximum altitude of 10,000 feet AGL.
    Most AWOS sites also have a dial-up capability so that the messages can be accessed via telephone.
   
AWOS information (system level, frequency, phone number, etc.) is published, in the Airport Facility Directory

ASOS -
The ASOS will provide continuous minute-by-minute observations and perform the basic observing functions necessary to generate an aviation routine weather report (METAR) and other aviation weather information.

CTAF, AWOS/ASOS on the Sectional Chart


    ASOS - 118.526
   
C  CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) - 122.8


Airports with Control Towers
   
Control Tower Frequency (CT)
        Control of traffic in the controlled airspace
        Frequency on the Sectional Chart
   
   
ATIS - Automated Traffic Information System
       
This information includes: wind, runway, and altimeter setting at the airport of intended landing.

Control Tower and ATIS Frequencies on the Sectional Chart
           
       
        CT - 118.8
        ATIS - 128.5
        Unicom - 122.95
        * Hours of Operation
        C  CTAF (Common Traffic Advisory Frequency) - 118.6

Air to Air Communication Frequency
  
 122.75 - Official air to air
    123.45 - not so official


Reference
   
AC 90-42F - TRAFFIC ADVISORY PRACTICES AT AIRPORTS WITHOUT OPERATING CONTROL TOWERS



Jim Sweeney, NAPPF
Part 1 of what you need to know about aviation band radios. Jim Sweeney chats with us about aviation band radios and how to get them to work on your ultralight aircraft. www.nappf.com (7/1/03)

Listen Now!
Jim Sweeney, NAPPF
Part 2 of what you need to know about aviation band radios. We get into details about radio antennas and their mountings. Selecting radios and matching it to your headsets. www.nappf.com (7/1/03)

Listen Now!

Text & Graphics for the Sound Clip

The Four Basics of a Radio Transmission
1. WHO You Are Calling
2. WHAT You Are
3. WHERE You Are
4. WHAT You Want
 

The Phonetic Alphabet

Alpha (Al-fah)
Bravo (Brah-voh)
Charlie (Char-lee or Shar-lee)
Delta (Dell-tah)
Echo (Eck-oh)
Foxtrot (Focks-trot)
Golf (Golf)
Hotel (Hoh-tel)
India (In-dee-ah)
Juliett (Jew-lee-ett)
Kilo (Kee-loh)
Lima (Lee-mah)
Mike (Mike)
November (No-vem-ber)
Oscar (Oss-cah)
Papa (pah-pah)
Quebec (Keh-beck)
Romeo (Roh-me-oh)
Sierra (See-air-rah)
Tango (Tang-go)
Uniform (You-nee-form) or (oo-nee-form)
Victor (Vic-tah)
Whisky (Wiss-key)
Xray (Ecks-ray)
Yankee (yang-key)
Zulu (Zoo-loo)
 

Phonetic Numbers
One (Wun)
Two (Too)
Three (tree)
Four (Fow-er)
Five (Fife)
Six (Six)
Seven (Sev-en)
Eight (Ait)
Nine (Nin-er)
Zero (Zee-ro)
 

 

Airport Information for Salem, IL Airport

 

Announcements to be Made in The Airport Traffic Pattern

 

 

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Copyright © 2001 North American Powered Parachute Federation
Last modified: 07/23/09