AN SMA PLT TOOK OFF FROM PLB WITHOUT CONTACTING THE PBG TWR AS SPECIFIED IN THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY.

Narrative

I DEPARTED PLB WITHOUT COMMUNICATING WITH THE TWR AT PLATTSBURGH AIR FORCE BASE. THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY STATES; 'CONTACT PLATTSBURGH AIR FORCE BASE TWR PRIOR TO ENTERING ATA AND PRIOR TO DEP FOR TA.' I MISTOOK THIS STATEMENT TO MEAN THE TWR WOULD PROVIDE TA IF REQUESTED. EARLIER IN THE DAY; WHEN ARRIVING AT CLINTON COUNTY ARPT; I WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN AND WAS USING THE FLT FOLLOWING SVCS OF THE BTV ARSA. WHEN I INDICATED TO THE BURLINGTON APCH CTLR I HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH CLINTON COUNTY HE REPLIED; 'SQUAWK VFR; FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' BEING UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT; I CONTACTED THE AIR FORCE BASE TWR WHO REQUESTED I 'RPT 5 MI FROM CLINTON COUNTY.' I INFORMED THE TWR CTLR I WAS 3 MI FROM CLINTON COUNTY. THE AIR FORCE BASE TWR CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'NO RPTED TFC; SWITCH TO UNICOM.' THESE EARLIER COM FURTHER STRENGTHENED MY BELIEF THAT COM WITH THE AIR FORCE BASE TWR WAS VOLUNTARY AND WAS AIMED AT PROVIDING TFC RESOLUTIONS. THE BTV ARSA'S OUTER AREA INCORPORATES THE ATA AT PLATTSBURGH. SINCE THE APCH CTLR DID NOT STATE 'SQUAWK VFR; CONTACT PLATTSBURGH TWR ON 120.7' I BELIEVED COMMUNICATING WITH THE AIR FORCE BASE TWR WAS STRICTLY VOLUNTARY PER FAR 91.127. IN ORDER TO CORRECT PROBS ARISING FROM THE WORDING OF THE ARPT FACILITY DIRECTORY'S DESCRIPTION OF PLB AND THE RELATIONSHIP WITH PLATTSBURGH AIR FORCE BASE; I SUGGEST THEY ELIMINATE THE 'FOR TA' STATEMENT. UNLESS THEY INTEND TO MAKE IT VOLUNTARY; THEN IT SHOULD READ 'VOLUNTARY CONTACT WITH PLATTSBURGH AIR FORCE BASE TWR PRIOR TO ENTERING ATA AND PRIOR TO DEP FOR TA.' ALSO; IF IT IS MANDATORY TO COMMUNICATE WITH PLATTSBURGH AIR FORCE BASE WHILE LNDG AT CLINTON COUNTY ANY ACFT BEING WORKED BY BTV APCH CTLRS SHOULD BE ADVISED TO CONTACT THE TWR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR AND ARPT MGR'S OFFICE REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: 2 PEOPLE WERE CONTACTED FOR THIS RPT; THE RPTR AND A PERSON HIGHLY PLACED IN THE ARPT MGR'S OFFICE AT PLB. THE MGR'S OFFICE ASSURES THIS GRIZZLED ANALYST THAT THERE ARE SIGNS REMINDING PLTS THAT THEY SHOULD CONTACT PBG TWR PRIOR TO TKOF. THE MGR'S OFFICE WANTS THE RPTR TO KNOW THAT THE RPTR DID NOT VIOLATE ANY FAR; BUT THAT IT IS GOOD PRACTICE TO CALL PBG PRIOR TO EVERY TKOF. ON SEP/93; THE PLB AIRSPACE WILL BECOME CLASS 'D' AIRSPACE AND ALL TFC MUST CONTACT PBG TWR UPON ENTERING AND DEPARTING THE AREA. THE ARPT MGR'S OFFICE BELIEVES THAT BTV APCH CTL NOTIFIED PBG TWR OF THE INCOMING ACFT EVEN THOUGH BTV DID NOT ASK THE RPTR TO CALL PBG. THE RPTR STATED THAT HE ASKED 5 FLT INSTRUCTORS WHETHER THIS WAS A MANDATORY CALL. 3 SAID YES; 2 SAID NO. THAT IS WHEN HE CONTACTED ASRS FOR CLARIFICATION. THE RPTR SAW NO SIGNS REMINDING PLTS TO CONTACT PBG PRIOR TO TKOF WHILE ON THE GND AT PLB. HE IS VERY GRATEFUL FOR OUR KIND ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.