Aero-Tips!
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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.