GA SMA MADE A TKOF INTO AN ACTIVE CTL ZONE WITHOUT A CLRNC RELEASE TIME.
Synopsis
GA SMA MADE A TKOF INTO AN ACTIVE CTL ZONE WITHOUT A CLRNC RELEASE TIME.
Narrative
AT RKD (KNOX COUNTY MAINE REGIONAL ARPT) ON AUG/THU/91; PLT RECEIVED AN IFR CLRNC BY TELEPHONE FROM BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION (NHZ) WHICH CTLS TFC VIA REMOTE FACILITY AT THIS UNCTLED ARPT. CLRNC INCLUDED A REQUEST TO CALL ON THE REMOTE FREQ 123.8 PRIOR TO TKOF. THIS IS A RELATIVELY NEW PROC AT THIS ARPT. PLT HAS BEEN FLYING FROM THIS FIELD FOR ABOUT 20 YRS. PRIOR PROC WAS TO OBTAIN THE CLRNC DIRECTLY WHILE IN THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMOTE FREQ. SUCH CLRNCS FOR THE PAST 20 OR SO YRS INVARIABLY INCLUDED A VOID TIME WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO CALL AIRBORNE. AS THE ARPT IS UNCTLED; PLTS ROUTINELY RPT POS INCLUDING TAXI AND TKOF IN THE CLR ON UNICOM FREQ 122.8. ON THIS OCCASION PLT ON TAXIING OUT; MONITORED BOTH FREQS HEARD NO ARR OR DEP ON THE REMOTE FREQ; CALLED HIS TKOF ON THE UNICOM AND COMMENCING HIS CLB RPTED HIS TKOF AS HE HAD DONE IN THE PAST; CALLING AIRBORNE. THE CTLR REMONSTRATED WITH PLT; ASKED IF HE WAS VFR AND HIS ALT. PLT RPTED VFR OVER THE OCEAN AT 500 FT. AFTER A WHILE CTLR CLRED PLT AS FILED. WHILE PLT BELIEVES THERE WAS NO VIOLATION HERE AS HE WAS VFR IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE OVER THE OCEAN AT 500 FT BEFORE BEING CLRED; HE BELIEVES THERE IS A LESSON HERE. WHEN PROCS LONG ADHERED TO ARE CHANGED; PLTS; MOST ESPECIALLY OLDER PLTS WHO ARE ACCUSTOMED TO SUCH PROCS AS HABITUAL; MUST PAY THEM SPECIAL ATTN. NOT JUST WRITE THEM DOWN. THE PLT DOING AS HE HAD ALWAYS DONE WAS MISTAKEN; LUCKILY THERE WERE NO HAZARDS TO ANYONE IN THIS OCCURRENCE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.